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To start, I want to point out that my three stars means “A-OK.” It’s OK, and necessary for some products we buy, but doesn’t quite rate four stars (“Yay! I’m a fan.”) Second point, I’m not an expert on Asian groceries. The most frequent reason we come here is for fresh rice noodles. I don’t think I’ve seen them anywhere except Asian grocery stores, and this one is the most convenient for us. They have _lots_ of kinds of fresh noodles; I’d guess 60 or more. I’d guess that their selection of fresh rice noodles alone exceeds the selection of all kinds of fresh pasta at a regular grocery store. It was bewildering the first time we were here. We have a friend who has celiac, which means she goes to the hospital if she accidentally eats wheat. So when we were having her over for a Thai recipe we had to find some no-gluten soy sauce. (Most kinds include wheat, not just soy.) This store has half an aisle of different kinds of soy sauce! It’s like breakfast cereal at a Western grocery store. I read a _lot_ of labels, and eventually found something that would be safe for our friend. Another thing I like about the store is seeing the live seafood in the back. The last time I cooked fish that I had seen alive was when I was a kid, but I still like to see fish so fresh that it’s still swimming. The store has looked really clean every time I’ve been there. There are lots of different smells here – produce, spices, subtle grain smells, and back by those live fish, seafood smells. But I’ve never noticed any smells that didn’t smell fresh. Even in the fish section. So far, that’s the makings of a four or five star review. The place where the store falls short is customer service. For example, I looked through the whole store, twice, and didn’t find a particular type of sauce, so I asked an employee. He didn’t speak enough English to understand the question. (On the other hand, my Mandarin is much worse, so it’s not an entirely fair complaint in an Asian grocery store.) I tried another employee, and although her English was fine, she didn’t want to be bothered. Finally, I asked a third employee. He spoke very little English, but managed to say, “Fred Meyer” clearly enough that I understood him with the help of his gesture in that general direction. (Oops! All that searching, and it’s a Western brand, not the Thai original.) Praise to that guy who knew it wasn’t something they stocked. The store isn’t typical in dealing with credit cards. On one visit, they didn’t take American Express at all. (Too bad, since I get extra cash back with it on groceries.) Another time, no problem. On my most recent visit, they said no credit cards on purchases under $5 (and those delicious rice noodles are really inexpensive), but at least my debit card was OK. A sign with the rules would help. Speaking of signs, some of theirs were obviously written by second language English people. Having studied just a little Mandarin, I can even see why they wrote the signs the way they did.

• Linda Seafood Market – Menu with Prices – 1626 N Fresno St, Fresno
• Mekong Market – Menu with Prices – 747 Main St, Worcester
• New Deal Fish Market – Menu with Prices – 622 Cambridge St, Cambridge
• Surf & Turf Food Co – Menu with Prices – 5740 Old Cheney Rd, Lincoln
• Yumi Asian (on APB) – Menu with Prices – 425 Avalon Park S Blvd #200, Orlando
• DVDXpress @ Charles Ball Sun Fresh – Menu with Prices – 241 S 18th St, Kansas City
• Metro Noodle and Boba – Menu with Prices – 635 N Main St, Corona
• ORGANIC-VEGGI RESTAURANT – HOA T? BI TÂM – Menu with Prices – 4591 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego
• Kim Land Food To Go – Menu with Prices – 3347 W Walnut St # 117, Garland
• Aquarius Fish Co – Menu with Prices – 314 W 300 S, Salt Lake City
• The Shrimp Dock ? Farragut, TN – Menu with Prices – 11124 Kingston Pike, Knoxville
• Teriyaki Zone – Menu with Prices – 4927 Evergreen Way, Everett

Linda Seafood Market – Menu with Prices – 1626 N Fresno St, Fresno

Divey just like any South East Asian store in Fresno, the highlight of this place is the fresh fish and LIVE seafood such as Crabs, Lobster and Oysters. In addition they also carry a complete asian grocery goods such as sauces, vegetables, herbs, spices, frozen goods, can goods, tea, coffee and even cutleries, tableware and more. There is plenty of private lot parking around the store, and be warned that this store is really for non-divas, because it is a place for more adventurous people who are used to asian styled chaotic grocery with the lack of details to create a beautiful grocery experience. With that said, its not the worst I’ve seen. Overall Im a fan of this place because it carries a huge inventory of asian grocery and overall the price is very cheap. I would say somethings are even way cheaper than R-N, golden bowl and Asia supermarket. Cash is preferred but they do accept credit cards and debit cards. The aisle is not very big, but the store is packed right and left with goods, I wouldn’t think they carried so much stuff, but they do. I do love seeing the pots, pans, mugs, cups, plates, bowls, saucers and etc at a very cheap price in comparison to other place in town. Its not crowded too when I visited it at noon. In addition they also have a huge range of frozen seafood and asian ingredients such as screwpine leaves and various exotic fishes. The owner is asian style service so dont expect much, be independent and explore this tiny little seafood store. They are open from 9-6 according to the owner, however I would call first before coming. I haven’t purchased the fresh fish yet, so I can’t give my testimonial on that, but their dry goods and vegetable has been great.

Mekong Market – Menu with Prices – 747 Main St, Worcester

This is considered to be one of the most popular Vietnamese grocery store in Worcester. This grocery store has gone through many changes throughout the years. They used to be located a block away from here in a tiny store back in the 1980’s. In the 90’s they expanded the store and grew their operations into another building. The grocery store has a airport hangar type of feeling similar to going to BJ’s or Costco. You can find almost every type of Southeast Asian food here, from fresh banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches) to frozen boxes of imported squid. They also have a fresh fish market in the back. They will even descale the fish for you unlike most fish markets. This place also sell various types of Asian cookware and other household needs. Parking here can be a challenge since they have a tiny off street parking lot. The parking lot is situated at a 20 degree angle so you might want to be careful of runaway shopping carts hitting your car. Street parking is also hard to find here since you are in downtown Worcester. Overall I prefer to shop here than at the other two popular Vietnamese grocery stores in Worcester since this place has a off street parking lot.

New Deal Fish Market – Menu with Prices – 622 Cambridge St, Cambridge

Went here for the first time to get some sushi-grade fish so my wife and I could try making sushi. In the same boat? This is your place. The fish selection is small but good (although I felt the tuna we got wasn’t really a good choice for sushi). It’s slightly larger than your grocery store fish counter, and all of the fish looks great. The store also carries pretty much everything you need for sushi making: rice, nori, sesame, even fresh ingredients like ginger. I was impressed with how much stuff they had for sushi making here, and I expect us to come back soon. The only thing I wish is that they had more traditional sushi fish like eel and other kinds of tuna. On the other hand, they have some fish I’ve never heard of and would love to try. Recommended

Surf & Turf Food Co – Menu with Prices – 5740 Old Cheney Rd, Lincoln

This place is in a small strip mall just off of Old Cheney road. They regularly update their Facebook page and website with information about what they are getting in or have in. When you first walk in you will probably notice the high prices, but recognize that there’s a good reason why this fish costs more than what you’re getting at the grocery store. The flavor that you get from flown in fresh, never frozen, troll caught fish that is expertly fileted is amazing. I’ve only tasted similar quality fish when eating fresh caught fish just off the sea. You will also find many kinds of fish that you can’t get at the grocery store. For example, we recently had their Ivory King Salmon-a white filet with a buttery, silky taste. Overall, this place is definitely worth a try and should be considered whenever you are in the mood for high quality seafood.

Yumi Asian (on APB) – Menu with Prices – 425 Avalon Park S Blvd #200, Orlando

Four stars for great service, really good food made with fresh ingredients with layers of flavor. This new Asian place opened in my community! It is located right next to Chase Bank. There is parking available right in front. The restaurant is decorated with giant Asian murals that are beautiful. There is table service, I believe there are at least 8 tables and a sushi bar with stools. Greeted nicely, patiently answered all my questions, specifically about the difference between lo mein and udon noodles, she explained it’sthe noodles, lo mein noodles are more sticky & udon are bigger. I also asked about a dish I saw on the Yelp page, she said it was Mandarin chicken, I will be back for that. My takeout order: Sesame chicken with plain fried rice Chicken Udon Noodles Beef Lo Mein We were sceptical because we are accustomed to darker noodles, but let me tell you, they are terrific. The Udon Noodles are bigger, rounder then lo mein, they must be making them fresh, because they are light and They noodles had mushrooms, bean sprouts, chicken and eggs! The sauce was layered, flavorful, tasty. The Beef Lo Mein noodles, although, paler than what we are accustomed to, were fresh, had a savory/sweet flavors and the beef was tender and delicious. The sesame chicken, yummy, lightly breaded, light sprinkle of sesame seeds,tasty and fried rice, light and flavorful. I will definitely try this place again, this time eating in the restaurant.

DVDXpress @ Charles Ball Sun Fresh – Menu with Prices – 241 S 18th St, Kansas City

Typically I do my grocery store at a downtown market, as I am irresponsible with money and value convenience over dollars. HOWEVER, I am trying to change. Step one? Find a new, somewhat nearby grocery store. And that is how I ended up at this particular Sunfresh. And I dig it. This is a grocery store clearly geared towards a Hispanic population. When I visit this store, I feel like a cultural anthropologist. OK, that might be somewhat hyperbolic, but I definitely felt like I was having an adventure of discovery. The produce section is chock full of fruits and vegetables that i had never even heard of. The meat counter has all kinds of cuts I’d never found at my regular store. They have a giant tortilla making machine! Let me put it this way, I really enjoyed my trip to this store! Who knew grocery shopping could be so much fun! But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. They also didn’t have a few things that I regularly like to buy. For example, no muenster cheese makes me a sad Yelper. Also, I expected the prices to be a bit lower. Honestly, I don’t feel that I saved all that much money. Certain items were in fact noticeably more expensive. Ultimately, this is a grocery store, so it’s not a place I’d say you HAVE to visit. But if it’s at all in your area, I say stop in and check it out. Oh, and they sell pinatas. You’re welcome.

Metro Noodle and Boba – Menu with Prices – 635 N Main St, Corona

I ordered a few menu items to go. My buddy was visiting from long beach. He was craving asian food so i heard about metro noodle so have been wanting to try it. Ordered hanain.chicken. grilled pork spring rolls. Stirfried rice noodles and beef. And fried fish balls. Honestly all the food was horrible.the chicken tasted old and dry. The noodles the same. Rubbery and stale while the beef tasted almost recooked and leathery. The fish balls were ok. We got a few in the order i suppose. But the worst was the spring roll. I opened the plastic wrap to find the top of the spring roll was hard and i took the spring roll out and both bottoms were completely ripped open. Its obvious the spring roll is a day old from this. Im embarassed for the restaurant that would even serve this. I trued to take a bite. I made my own sauce. The sauce they served with it was straight from the bottle of fish sauce. In edible. The spring roll had lettuce. Rice noodle and a repeat of old grilled pork. No herbs..nothing. Obviously i wont be returning. I just wanted this to grt back to the owners of the restaurant. Truly disappointed because its so close to home and read good reviews

ORGANIC-VEGGI RESTAURANT – HOA T? BI TÂM – Menu with Prices – 4591 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego

Service: 1.5 stars Ambiance: 1.5 stars Taste: 4.5 stars Price: 5 stars *** Overall: 3.5 stars *** This is your stereotypical hole-in-the-wall Asian eatery where one goes strictly for the food and price and nothing else. Don’t expect great service or ambiance because, well, they practically don’t exist in any commendable way. This is one of the diviest restaurants I’ve been to in a long time. Makeshift tablecloths are made with metallic gold wallpaper hastily wrapped around tabletops. Plates are chipped and nearly paper thin. My tea was stale and cold. Half the menu lacked English names, although English ingredients are provided. My “server” didn’t seem to speak English so I placed my order by pointing to items 10 and 11 on the menu–Combination Fried Rice and Fried Rice with Lemongrass respectively–and I received item 9 instead. When I tried to explain the error in my alien language, my server silently took the plate away, presumably understanding the confusion. One must be determined to dine here to not be discouraged by the tacky decor and apathetic service. But maybe that’s why practically everything on the menu is only $5. And when my–corrected–food arrived, I wasn’t impressed by its plating or how the food looked. But the fried rice was among the best I’ve had. Fried rice is deceptively simple and most restaurants don’t get it quite right. Both fried rice seemed to use cheap grocery store frozen mixed vegetables–hence the peas, carrots, green beans, and lima beans–but it was nonetheless tasty, $5 or not. The Combination Fried Rice was outstanding, but the simple incorporation of lemongrass in item 11 was my favorite. Lemongrass is a common herb used in southeastern Asian cuisine and I love it as much as I love basil and green onions. It’s packed with a unique citrusy, tangy, and garlicky flavor that also imparts the most wonderfully intoxicating herby fragrance. I can’t get enough of it and I’m going to buy some lemongrass sauce for myself to add to my own home dishes. Nha Hang Chay Hoa Tu Bi Tam is not a date spot–it’s a budget foodie spot. The next time I’m in the area, I’ll be sure to try the rest of the menu. Oh, and the restaurant happens to be vegetarian and I love meat. It’s also cash-only.

Kim Land Food To Go – Menu with Prices – 3347 W Walnut St # 117, Garland

I’ve lived in Dallas for almost 10 years and have only found 2 places that make a proper banh xeo. Unfortunately the first place I found is now closed, but it was so delicious. It was called Lemongrass in Deep Ellum. So when my Vietnamese friend told me about the hole in the wall to-go restaurant next to Hiep Thai grocery store, I was super excited to check out the banh xeo. There’s no English anywhere inside, but don’t be scurred to check this place out. That’s how you know this place is authentic, right? Plus, I mostly spoke English to the cashier/waitress and maybe a smattering of my broken Vietglish, so you definitely can order food here without having to take your Vietnamese friend. There are only 3 tables inside as they mostly do take out orders, but we scored a table and ordered banh cuon and banh xeo. Each order of banh xeo comes with 2 big, crispy, hot, and delicious pork and shrimp and bean sprouts. Also comes with a side of lettuce and veggies. Totally worth it. One order could feed two people but you’d still be hungry. The yellow color comes from turmeric by the way, not eggs. There’s no egg in this dish. To eat banh xeo, cut like a palm sized amount of banh xeo off with the fixings inside and get some lettuce to wrap up the banh xeo like a taco and then dunk it in the nuoc mam fish sauce. Pretend it’s like French dip roast beef sammie. Anyway, they accept credit cards, too.

Aquarius Fish Co – Menu with Prices – 314 W 300 S, Salt Lake City

I was on a mission to find fish suitable for sushi, a daunting task in a landlocked state. I’ve tried (and failed) to find fresh, flavorful fish in the past and finally came across Aquarius Fish Co in my searches. I made it in after work, about half an hour before they closed. Although they have several different and sometimes exotic options, I was looking to purchase 3/4 of a pound each of tuna and salmon. The gentleman behind the counter was incredibly helpful, assessing my needs and made a recommendation for a New Zealand King salmon. This guy clearly knows his fish. That was hands down the most delicious salmon I’ve ever eaten, and was wonderfully fresh, as I understand seafood shipments are flown in daily. He was also kind enough to pack it on ice for me, as I had a 40 minute drive home. It’s not cheap fish, but it’s also not cheap fish, if you know what I mean. This is not your grocery store seafood department, nor is it the asian market variety. You truly get what you pay for, and I couldn’t have been more thrilled with the product. It’s not easy to find, but it shares a wall with Caputo’s, and is up on the second level of the building on the left side. I’m afraid I’ll wear my own path to their door now that I’ve found a legitimate fish market in Utah.

The Shrimp Dock ? Farragut, TN – Menu with Prices – 11124 Kingston Pike, Knoxville

My first visit to this store was the day it opened. Captain Paul had it totally on point. Being from California and being used to fresh seafood, I was thrilled. My late husband and I were there every single week to find so much fresh fish. Not only shrimp and 4 kinds of salmon (which is all about they carry now), but grouper, fresh catfish, halibut cheeks (wonderful for fish tacos), mahi, several types of fresh fish, but their bisque was to DIE FOR. I was craving lobster bisque yesterday. i paid $15 for what could probably pass as tomato bisque. No chunks of lobster, not lobster taste, only fish stock taste. I will most likely ever cross their doors again. Shame on them for destroying what Captain Paul started as the place i looked forward to visiting every week and being welcomed with open arms.

Teriyaki Zone – Menu with Prices – 4927 Evergreen Way, Everett

We LOVE Teriyaki Zone! They have the BEST Teriyaki Chicken and Chow Mein I’ve ever had! The rice is nice, steamed and fresh. It’s a cute little mom and dad shop and they’re so sweet! Kinda like going to grandma’s house for lunch/dinner ? They don’t speak very well English but it doesn’t matter when the food tastes this good and how polite they are! Back to the food; the Teriyaki Chicken has a good amount of rice to chicken portion and if you ask for extra they almost triple your chicken amount for $2 more! They’re teriyaki sauce is thin and delicious! They do go a little stingy on the sauce but have more on the tables for you to do yourself. (If you ask them for extra sauce they charge you fifty cents.) The chow mein had plenty of noodles and good fresh veggies to go with it that didn’t over power the noodles! The egg rolls are delicious, the pot stickers are pretty dang good too! Too bad it’s 9:40 pm now or else I’d be heading there now to get some more! ?