I'm not sure how many of you shop for your groceries regularly at Asian markets. If you do, you'll realize just how cheap those groceries can be!
i.e.
Romaine Lettuce at Safeway, puny little thing -- $1.69 each
Romaine Lettuce at chinese market, oversized thing -- $0.69 each
Sure, the one at the chinese market may not look the freshest since water isn't periodically sprayed on it, I'll just eat around it. But to differ as much as 145% is a little uncalled for.
And sure, you probably have to prepared for the occasion since these markets don't have the cleanest floors, friendliest employees, or the most polite customers. Sometimes you have to learn how to shove people aside, or say the word "Jie Guo (please move)" to get to what you want. Is it worth the 50% reduction in your grocery bill? Most definitely.
But today, I felt bad for an elderly eastern European lady who was shopping for meat. The meat store was busy, so she was waiting for someone to help her. I was standing close to her also waiting for someone to help me (although she was first). The clerk turned to me first, either because I am asian, or because he wasn't able to see the old lady behind the meat counter. Thinking to myself that the elderly lady was already served, I blurted out what piece of meat I wanted to get. It was about half a minute later that I heard the elderly lady complaining to the clerk that she was waiting all this time. I guess when I shop at asian places my politeness level drops significantly.
Shopping at asian markets can be cheap, if you can handle the stress!
December 6th, 2006 at 06:44 am
December 6th, 2006 at 08:41 am 1165394495
Yup, always asian wet market was the cheapest in price, cnt beat by other... Bt as u said, lack of polite staff, pleasant environment...
December 6th, 2006 at 12:44 pm 1165409050
i tend to buy 97 yen food here in Tokyo. 97 yen is about a dollar. So it's pretty sweet. Small things add up, so that's good that you are trying to save.
i can recommend some easy dishes too. See my previous post and comments from others.
enjoy!
December 6th, 2006 at 01:50 pm 1165413035
I have never bought meat there. I have bought fish there but not for a while. But veggies are a great price as are asian spices and tofu. Does save a nice amount to do even part of my shopping there.
Only problem I ever run into is that the staff aren't really hired for their ability to speak english so its hard to ask questions. The last time I asked a question there I twas about this vat of weird brown stuff - when we asked what it is she said "You won't like". When I asked an asian coworker she informed me it sounded like pigs blood - so while the answer of the worker wasn't precise, it was accurate, LOL
December 6th, 2006 at 02:16 pm 1165414577
December 6th, 2006 at 02:20 pm 1165414844
December 6th, 2006 at 02:44 pm 1165416258
December 6th, 2006 at 02:53 pm 1165416802
if possible, try to learn how to say 'do you speak english', please, thankyou, and 'how much?' in whatever is the prevalent language of the store.
December 6th, 2006 at 08:24 pm 1165436681
December 7th, 2006 at 06:17 am 1165472271
as for rudeness, they can usually be a bit brisk but generally not too bad where we shop...