A great resource for the Frederick community!
You can find a wide range of South Asian (Indian-Pakistani), Southeast Asian (Thai, Indonesian, Vietnamese, etc.), Filipino and Korean goods, and some Japanese and Chinese grocery items. Much better selection and prices for these items than in local supermarkets. Has a limited amount of fresh produce, but fresh Thai basil, cilantro, mint, lemongrass, green papaya, upo (luffa), tofu and eggplant are usually available. No fresh meats or seafood, but small range of frozen seafood and cured meat products are available.
Very good variety of dried spices and spice mixes for Indian, Pakistani and Indonesian cooking. Limited varieties of dried beans and lentils for same. Good selection of dried and frozen noodles, and wide selection of rices (white/brown basmati, jasmine, medium and short grain white rice, sticky rice) for many types of cuisine. Good but not extensive selection of sauces and other bottled seasonings, including fish sauce, soy sauces and curry pastes.
Interesting variety of snack foods, both sweet and savory, from all above-mentioned regions. In addition to salty chips and cookies on the shelves, look in freezer section for Japanese mochi and dorayaki, Vietnamese and Filipino sticky rice snacks, Indian samosas and different types of frozen ice treats. One of the few places we have EVER found Filipino ube ice cream (Magnolia brand) -- and we looked in Asian groceries and supermarkets all over Montgomery County for 2 years when we lived there, and was surprised to find it here!
We still have to travel 25 miles to H-Mart or Lotte Plaza for fresh produce, especially greens, and for fresh Asian cuts of meat once a week or every other week. But for shelf-stable products and last-minute ingredients like the herbs, the prices here are competitive and we would rather buy them here to support a local business.
The staff are very helpful, but not effusively friendly -- they let you alone unless you ask for help. Don't be shy to ask if you're trying to locate something -- they know their inventory very well and will answer your questions, and will actually take you to products on the shelves
It's not as small as it looks from the street and is tucked away at the far end of a strip mall on a one-way street (Patrick Street), just after Patrick splits and becomes one-way. But easy to access if you're coming from west Frederick, by turning left on Jefferson, then turning left again on Patrick so you're going the right way. read more