Ethnic Markets in the Heartland

[joiei]

This story from the Tulsa World talks about ethnic markets that are now appearing in this market. I have been to some places in KC with the ever bubbly moosnsqrl. The growth of ethnic markets in this part of America is a blessing for some of us. The ability to find ingredients that you can't find at Albertsons or Dillons is a definite plus.

The new Las Americas market on Admiral is very much a full line hispanic grocery with all those different cuts of meats and a great array of chilis.

The asian market in OKC is also pretty remarkable. And Kabani's here in Tulsa is my go to for middle eastern needs.

Where do you go?

[maftoul]

Kansas City has great ethnic markets.For Arabic, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean I like Al Habashi in the City Market. There is a wonderful Turkish market at 74th and Metcalf that has a nice cafe. Jerusalem Bakery on Westport Rd. and Terrace has a small grocery section that is very convenient to my house.

My favorite store for Indian products is Indian Emporium at 105th and Metcalf. On the other side of that shopping area is Oriental Supermarket. I like to go there for Japanese and Korean items.

Chinatown Market at 2nd and Grand is a good place to go if you need a variety of items, not just Asian. They also carry Hispanic, Indian and African products.

Kim Long at 5th and Cherry is a very nice, well organized and clean store for Southeast Asian food. They make very good roast pork and duck. A whole roast duck is about $10. And they have freshly made banh mi for 2 bucks!

I love La Posada on Southwest Boulevard and the Price Chopper at 47th and Roe for Hispanic food.

There is a very good Persian market at 119th and Metcalf but I can't remember the name.

I took a drive down Central Ave. in KCK recently and saw many little shops, bakeries and taquerias that I want to check out. If anyone has any KCK recommendations I'd love to hear about them.

[moosnsqrl]

I'd second the ones maftoul listed and add two of my Lawrence favorites (already mentioned on UE's quest for chocolate thread) Au Marche and Brits.

And, closer to home, the Eastern European market just north of the OP Market has some fun, interesting things. There are also two African markets (downtown KCK and approx 30th & Main) that I would add to the list.

This is a good time of year to keep your eyes (and nose) open for food fairs/bazaars at various temples, mosques, churches and the like, too. Many of them sponsor dinners, bake sales, etc during the holidays and that's a great way to sample new things, visit with the people who prepared them and discover even more little tucked-away places.

We are really fortunate to have the wide variety of goods available here. Even a decade ago it was a struggle to locate some things I now take for granted.

[ronnie_suburban]

Here's a link to a thread which discusses some options in the Chicago area:

Italian bakeries and delis in Chicagoland

And while I do not want to discourage discussion here in any way, a quick Search on a specific ethnicity or location may also return some relevant results.

Carry on!

=R=

[ulterior epicure]

Okay, so maybe not "ethnic" in the sense that most Americans would define the term, but does anyone know what "European Delights," located somewhere between Metcalf and 69 Highway on 95th Street in Overland Park, is all about? I just got a side glance while I sped by... it't tucked in a strip mall. For all I know, it could be jewelry store...

Edited November 27, 2006 by ulterior epicure (log)

[OnigiriFB]

Des Moines, Ia has some great ethnic markets. There are at least 3 great asian markets (two Thai/Vietnamese and one Korean/Japanese), 2 latino markets, numerous italian markets, a Bosnian market, 3 pakistan/middle eastern/indian markets that I know of.

[maftoul]

Okay, so maybe not "ethnic" in the sense that most Americans would define the term, but does anyone know what "European Delights," located somewhere between Metcalf and 69 Highway on 95th Street in Overland Park, is all about?  I just got a side glance while I sped by... it't tucked in a strip mall.  For all I know, it could be jewelry store...

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I think I've been there! It seemed totally Russian to me, not very Western European at all. They did have food products and hard goods. Many interesting things in jars.

[Aaron Deacon]

It's got Russian in the title, and the previous owners were Russian...they've got a decent array of Russian and central European goods. The current owners, however, are Egyptian, and have added some middle Eastern items as well.

[ulterior epicure]

It's got Russian in the title, and the previous owners were Russian...they've got a decent array of Russian and central European goods.  The current owners, however, are Egyptian, and have added some middle Eastern items as well.

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I'm assuming you mean "food" goods?

How interesting. Thanks for the info guys!

[Aaron Deacon]

Yes, food goods...it's a place that deserves a fuller write-up. They had some Georgian coil sausages I'd been eager to try, as well as some Armenian basturma. Unfortunately, I still haven't learnt to carry a cooler in my car for such serendipitous purposes.

I did pick up a few bars of unseen-before-by-me European chocolates, thinking back to your chocolate quest, and the first one was surprisingly and unabashedly awful. Really a poor chocolate bar.

Some other stuff looks promising, though.

[Wholemeal Crank]

I've been in St. Louis for 8 years now, and I will probably miss Global Foods more than anything except the friends I've made here.

It's an old grocery store converted into a multiethnic grocery. It has not just a few asian things here and some mexican goods there, but separate sections for greece and for lebanon; the phillipines are separate from china and indonesia and japan. Fresh curry leaves? Banana blossoms? Palm sugar? Cloth wrapped jaggery from india or piloncillo from mexico? Smoked green wheat (freekeh)? You name it, they've probably got it, and a better selection than the typical hole-in-the-wall ethnic market.

It's so amazing that I take visitors on tours. My sister wondered if it would have passion fruit concentrate, to make the drink my niece grew very fond of during her stay with relatives in Ecuador. Not only was their passion fruit concentrate, they had three different brands, including the exact one my niece requested.

It's an amazing place.

[Devotay]

Iowa City has a great bodega with the best chicken taco on the planet and excellent tamales. It's called La Reyna, and they're about to open a small, simple cafe next door.

It's on Keokuk across from Kmart.

[tim]

Hi,

Just to repeat Wholemeal's thoughts about Global Foods in St. Louis. It is clean, bright, huge and has an incredible selection of fresh produce, meats, sausage, fish, dry goods, frozen foods and canned food from all over the world. It is a treasure!

It is located on Lindberg Avenue South in downtown Kirkwood, MO, a close-by suburb. It is well worth a detour.

Ask directions for that special ingredient and they will find it for you.

Tim

ps: The Global people also own Jay's, the second best ethnic store in St. Louis. St. Louis also has wonderful Italian grocers, Sikh groceries, near eastern grocers and an excellent Mexican/Spanish grocer.

Edited December 1, 2006 by tim (log)

[gruntermen]

St. Louis also has wonderful Italian grocers, Sikh groceries, near eastern grocers and an excellent Mexican/Spanish grocer.

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Tim:

Where are some of the good Sikh grocers in St. Louis? My parents always shop at Seema but I get the impression Seema is oriented to the gujarati & vegetarian crowd...

thanks