Just placed a call. They say they are still open, though the woman who answered was not Mrs. Ham.

m'th'su wrote:Just placed a call. They say they are still open, though the woman who answered was not Mrs. Ham.

phew! Thanks for calling. I guess i could have done that too!

Call me crazy, but I went by again yesterday, and I'm pretty sure there is no way the place is in business, that is unless they moved shop. The original location is still empty inside, empty refrigerators, the same trash strewn about, with empty boxes all over. There is no sign that any business goes on there.

Craft paper on the windows & door so it's closed. Stopped by to buy some napa kimchee, radish kimchee, and fermented blue crabs but I'm out of luck. From the other posts, it sounds like they changed owners and perhaps the new owners couldn't keep the business going? Does anyone know what happened of if they moved?

I have to admit that I haven't been going recently because it's quite a drive up to Lawrence for me so I haven't helped to keep it in business. Sad to see it go. Does anyone know of another place that features so many different types of kimchee and Korean homemade specialties?

Peety wrote: Does anyone know of another place that features so many different types of kimchee and Korean homemade specialties?

Though not nearly as quaint, H-Mart in Niles has quite the selection.

We have taken to using a Kimchee imported from Korea and available at H-Mart.
It's in a soft foil pouch and the taste of the variety we tried is excellent.-Dick

stevez wrote:

Peety wrote: Does anyone know of another place that features so many different types of kimchee and Korean homemade specialties?

Though not nearly as quaint, H-Mart in Niles has quite the selection.

H-mart. Selection it has. Quality it does not.

Joong Boo market, AKA Chicago Food Corp has a handful of varieties on their self serve cold table. Their fresh kimchi is some of my favorite. It is just barely pickled, very light on the salt and really crisp. From time to time they switch up the selection, but I often see green onion, cucumber, and a few others.

laikom wrote:Joong Boo market, AKA Chicago Food Corp has a handful of varieties on their self serve cold table. Their fresh kimchi is some of my favorite. It is just barely pickled, very light on the salt and really crisp. From time to time they switch up the selection, but I often see green onion, cucumber, and a few others.

Seeing this, I realize that's what I'm missing from Niles' Korean groceries, since Asia Super and the one across the street (which was replaced with a restaurant) closed. Neither Assi nor H-Mart have the salad bar-like kimchi selection. Actually, Assi has some items, but not 'ordinary' vegetable kimchis, only the more esoteric stuff, and H-Mart has it behind a deli counter. It would be nice to be able to pick up a couple cucumbers, a cup of kimchi, etc., without having to buy a $5 package of each.

Hi,

In another internet world, I was reading snippy comments about inferior kimchee from China that is crowding out the Korean production. Has this been noticed?

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

In another internet world, I was reading snippy comments about inferior kimchee from China that is crowding out the Korean production. Has this been noticed?

Regards,

No, there are at least a couple of brands available in jars, and as far as I remember they are all produced here in Chicago.

I am also wondering if there's anywhere at all in the Niles/Des Plaines/Morton Grove area, or anywhere else in the N/NW suburbs, that has something like a self-serve salad bar for kimchee and other Korean food items.

I just went to look at Joon Boo's page on the internet and, man, for as long as that place has been around, they sure haven't gotten around to getting their website set up well. Weekly Specials yields a blank page, as do all the items under Products, i.e., Dry Grocery, Produce, Meat/Seafood, Prepared Foods, Houseware, and Health. I was hoping to see something on the Prepared Foods page about the previously mentioned prepared kimchee and other self-serve items - a list, a price per pound, anything.

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

In another internet world, I was reading snippy comments about inferior kimchee from China that is crowding out the Korean production. Has this been noticed?

Regards,

I inspect the label for origin on everything I purchase. Chinese food stuffs in general are avoided.
My perception is that at H Mart at least, the quality of a Korean product is on a par with Japanese production today.
But the shelves of both H Mart and Mitsuwa are being crowded with Chinese products. It's very easy to determine Chinese production, the cost is usually 1/2 the cost of similar Korean or Japanese production.
As to kimchee, I stick with USA or Korean production and as I posted have been very satisfied with a Korean brand in a foil pouch.-Dick