Source for SE Asian in NW Burbs?

Does anyone have a suggestion for where to buy SE asian ingredients such as galangal, kefir lime leaves, lemon grass (that I can occasionally find), and other things I'd use for thai/viet cooking?

I'd like to avoid going too far into the city, but out here between Niles and Palatine we're buried in Korean and Japanese groceries, and very slim on places to get these ingredients.

Any suggestions? A couple places I've been meaning to get to are the Phillipino grocery in Morton Grove on Dempster (where Abt was about 15 years ago), and there's a place on Milwaukee just north of Dempster that I haven't been in yet.

The International Market on Golf/Milwaukee (in the same strip as World Buffet and Super Hana) has a huge variety of all sorts of ethnic food.

Also, Diho Market on Dempster has a nice variety of non-Korean/Japanese inundated groceries. They have some nice produce there, too.

Hi,

A friend of mine is a regular to Diho on Dempster. She was there on Thursday to find them in midst of closing this location. The store was so understocked, she went to Argyle to complete her shopping, which she had hoped to avoid.

Sorry to see Diho go away. It was the closest source to me for the sheets of rice noodle to make Pad Si-Ew.

I still haven't found a good source for keffir lime leaves or galangal. Lemon grass can be found unreliably at the supermarkets near me, and I think Whole Paycheck stocks it regularly, but the other two items are tricky.

I did visit the two Philipino markets I meantioned above. Pinoy Market on Milwaukee just north of dempster is unremarkable, except for its lunch counter which is dirt cheap and interesting. Banana egg rolls 3/$1. Sticky and dangerous.

The market on Dempster west of Harlem is a more interesting find: they've got lots of fresh produce, a meat and fish counter that is very well stocked, and lots and lots of canned goods that I will have to sample in small doses.

One other shopping note: My wife and I were shopping Devon last weekend, and I got a kick out of seeing Pillsbury Frozen Paratha. Too bad they don't stock that as part of their standard shelf space at Jewel!

Have you tried Garden Fresh? They are exceedingly unreliable about what they carry -- wildly variable -- but they often have Asian produce. I've spotted things like fresh water chestnuts and lychees there.

Garden Fresh Market
847/394-1100
www.gardenfreshmarket.com
1786 W. Hintz Road, Wheeling IL 60090

I've seen keffir lime leaves at the tiny Asian grocery that is also in that same mall at Milwaukee and Golf. Its the very last shop at the extreme eastern side. I didn't catch the name of the place, tho. It seems to have primarily Indian clientele but there's some SE Asian products there as well.

Meijer at Golf and Algonquin in Rolling Meadows had fresh lemongrass today. They also carry nonperishable Vietnamese goods such as rice paper in their "world market" aisle.

I didn't spot galangal or kafir lime leaves, but then I couldn't find any green onions, either.

They do have large tubs of organic arugula for $3. Where else can you buy arugula and auto parts in the same store? At 2 a.m.?

Hi,

I am new to the area. I just visited Fresh Garden market and was very disappointed with their Asian selection. Well, my opinion is somewhat biased due to past 10 years living in Sounthern California, where SE Asian, and specially Vietnamese supermarkets carry more stuff than supermarkets in Vietnam itself.

Anyway, someone told me about a Chinese supermarket in the prospect/arlington heights area that also sells much Vietnamese ingredients. Just can't remember the store's name. Anyone knows what I am talking about?

Cheers,
KP

Yes, Garden Fresh seems to have veered toward Eastern European/Jewish and away from Asian. When I was there the other day, they had pickling cucumbers and loads of fresh dill, and a big section of Israeli products.

I think the market you've been told about might be Mitsuwa, a Japanese supermarket. They carry shelf-stable Vietnamese goods like rice paper and hot sauce, but not much in the way of Southeast Asian produce. I can't think of anything else Asian that could be described as a "supermarket."

Mitsuwa
847/956-6699
www.mitsuwachicago.net
100 E. Algonquin Road
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
9 a.m.-8 p.m. daily

A bit of luck: I was in Whole Paycheck^h^h^h^h^h^h^h^hFoods today in Deerfield and saw they had lemon grass and kaffir leaves in prepackaged herb pouches for about $3, along with the more typical fresh basil, chives, tarragon, etc.

Still no galangal.

JoelF wrote:Still no galangal.

Joel,

I'd bet you've been, and it's out of the geographic area you mentioned, but Thai Grocery almost always has fresh galangal.

Enjoy,
Gary

Thai Grocery Inc
5014 N Broadway St,
Chicago, IL 60640
773- 561-5345

Hi,

Yesterday I was driving on Dempster just west of the Edens Expressway. Where Diho Market used to be located, there is signage advising:

Richwell Market

BBQ King

Both places are offshoots of Chinatown shops:

Richwell Market
1835 South Canal Street
Chicago, IL 60616
312-492-7170

BBQ King House
1835 South Canal Street
Chicago, IL 60616
312-492-7888

BBQ King House
2306 South Wentworth Avenue
Chicago, IL 60616
312-225-2652

BBQ King House
2148 South Archer Avenue
Chicago, IL 60616
312-326-1219

They are not yet open, but this is great news for me. I can conveniently obtain Chinese BBQ without going to the southside or Argyle. It's great location means I can do it on the way home!

They are not yet open, but I cannot wait!

Regards,

Cathy,
Thanks for the note on who the new owners are. I'd used Di Ho for years as a source for fresh wide flat noodle for making Pad Si Ew, and was sad to see them close.

I was in the same neighborhood the day before you, on the way back from picking up our Hanukkah feast from Chaim's in Skokie. I still get down there about once a month for my comic book fix (yes, there are closer stores, but none that give me significant discounts for long-term patronage like Phoenix Comics does).

A monthly chinese BBQ run may now become tradition.

Joel

I hear they're trying to re-open for Chinese New Year's Eve - Saturday, January 28th this year. In addition to the Q, they'll have a bakery too.

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

Yesterday I was driving on Dempster just west of the Edens Expressway. Where Diho Market used to be located, there is signage advising:

Richwell Market

BBQ King

Both places are offshoots of Chinatown shops:
....

I wandered into Richwell North tonight. The north branch of the Chinatown grocery is now open. Apparently it has been for about a week. The selection appears to be pretty decent for the area: produce, dry goods, frozen stuff, butcher, fish, and BBQ King counter. The selection (particularly produce) is not what it is in the main Chinatown branch or other Chinatown or Argyle groceries, but is still a welcome addition.

The BBQ King is not yet open, but is supposed to be tomorrow.

Richwell North
6120 Dempster
Morton Grove
847 929-2228

eric

Call up Food Harbor in Addison - (630) 629-1700

A little south of you, but not so far as the city.

I know they have TONS of Asian ingredients - as a matter of fact, Caputo's in Hanover Park radically removed most of their Asian stuff and replaced with Polish when that store opened and got rocking.

I used to see lots of Asian people shopping at Caputo's before they opened, and now nary a few.

I'm not quite sure if they carry exactly what you are seeking since I don't seek that stuff, but it's worth a shot.

Nancy

I stopped in Richwell Market North today, and they have a better selection than the Diho market used to have. Small blue crab were at $2.89/lb., larger crab at $5.99/lb. and lobster at $10.99 (though they only had two left in the tank). In addition, they had some of the largest oysters I have seen since Sakai did the 24-hour challenge in France. I don't suppose they are 50-years old as the French oysters were supposed to have been, but they were huge! In any case, they now have some nice, fresh baked goods (the sesame balls were good). BBQ King is open for duck (13.00/each), chicken, ribs, and, with advance notice, whole pig. The prices are quite good by North Shore Standards: I had to check the receipt to be sure there hadn't been a mistake -- I had three bags of groceries for $17.39!