Finding Korean and Japanese imported produce can be difficult. Yes most Asian Supermarkets stock a…read morebit of this and a bit of that, but we want quality, we want selection! Fortunately, there are a couple of specialty stores around Adelaide that do come to the party. Koreana in the Central Market Plaza stocks a wide selection of imported bright and pretty things from those wonderful countries that bring us Manga and Kim Chi. For my last visit I purchased some highly unusual, and overly sweet beverages (no idea what flavour they were, or meant to be) plus some spanktastic chocolate milkshake syrup (noice!). Although they don't have everything you could possibly desire, they do pack a huge amount into a small space, so make sure to take some time when you browse. Just back tracking for a moment, for those who have not joined the ranks us who worship Kim Chi I shall enlighten you ever so slightly. Kim Chi is basically Pickled Cabbage with some mad chilli spices in the mix. Be sure though to be careful which brand you buy, because some I have tried are a bit ordinary. Personally I like the most common one that you can find in a clear little tub with a clear lid (can't remember the name), you'll know the one when you see it.

Who likes Korean? MEEEEEE!!! KIMMM CHHII!! I love Korean so much. What do I love about it so much?…read moreWell, fermented cabbage and chilli my friend. Actually, there is a lot of Japanese stuff in this supermarket as well. But, if you are in need for a wide selection of Kim Chi or Gochujang, you have come to the right place. I am talking bipimbap central people. You will find everything you need here to create a masterpiece bipimbap or Korean bbq. There are also a whole bunch of noodles, dumplings, sauces, frozen veg and even soju. So much awesome! The store is located in a side alley of Chinatown. So, if you know Chinatown well, it is just off the middle courtyard and down the first alley to the right. I hope that makes sense. Because you should go out of your way to find this one. The only thing they do not stock here is fresh veggies. But, that is not a problem. You can get that in so many other places. Go forth and enjoy!

Little Tokyo is another of my home-away-from-homes. My Ninja-Samurai Soul soars evertime I walk…read moreunder the welcome banner and am instantly drawn to the rear of the shop, where the frozen Takoyaki Balls and Saki are kept. Just on a side track briefly, the frozen Takoyaki balls aren't too bad, but no where near as wicked as the freshly cooked balls of goo so hot it will mess your mouth up for hours! The relevance of this side note is that I also buy all of the raw ingredients to make my own from Little Tokyo! #The most important is the Dried Bonito Flakes......little wriggly saltiness! Anywho, Little Tokyo has a small selection of a lot of things, giving the shopper a real slice of Japan and a little taste of home for others. If you are a little bit of a Samurai or a Ninja (I am the only one who is both) then you will love this place as much as I.

Once you've gotten over the geographical anomaly of having a Little Tokyo in a Chinatown (Tokyo…read morebelonging, of course, to Japan), you can enjoy this little store of Japanese imports. Little Tokyo is a store of the utmost quaintness. It's tiny and decorated with oriental cloths and banners, all of which are available for purchase. It stocks teapots and teacups, noodles, trinkets, sweets and even imported beer. For me, though, the real treasure is in the movie selection. There's a well-bodied collection of the movies of those wonderful animated film creators named Studio Ghibli, and though you can find their movies anywhere, it's nice to have them all here in one place. Then there's the wealth of films you've likely never heard of before, each one looking more ridiculous and, consequently, more fascinating than the last. The teapots and teacups are of very good quality, and priced appropriately. If you're in search of Japanese chinaware (geddit!?), there's a very able assortment here. I've never tried any of the alcohol (though I plan to), but the noodles are great and the treats work a treat.

I found my Asian 'fix me up' shop which meets all of my previous childhood snack cravings…read more Prawn crackers, long twisted tapioca chips, round plum lollies which we affectionately called 'money coins' and a bevy of sour plums which we ladies never fail to carry in our purse, to avoid any unforseen car sickness trip. Fans of Korean food would find good selection of noodles, packet sauces to sweetened up the bulgogi dish. You'll also find fresh vege, the likes of kai lan, bok choy, tofu and my favourite bean sprouts! If you like Asian can drinks, shop here for the wintermelon, soya bean and lemon barley variety. Beats having the same old Coke in your fridge. Fairly well stocked supermarket although the shopkeeper speaks limited English. A smile, nod and 'show her the mullah' will generate a smile of appreciation from this lovely shopkeeper.

I'm certainly a fan of any shop that attempts to add flavour to suburbia…read more This store may seem half-empty when you first walk in, but it certainly has all you need in a pinch. The produce section is sadly small, but you can certainly find the basics (raise your hand, lemongrass). Any bottled or canned or dried stuff is well stocked, and at a much better priced than the W, the C, or the I to the A. Open til 6pm and all 7 days of the week. Certainly a plus.

Great range of Indian foods and products. I will often make some tasty curries and often shop here…read morewhen I need something that is missing from my ingredients. Great thing is the spice bags are so big that it'll take a while to run out and far cheaper then what you'll pay for a quarter of the amount in a supermarket. Last time I was in the sales assistant had a bit of trouble working things out and took five minutes longer then required but I'm patient and so I will only slightly mark them down for this.

When it comes to ethnic food the Adelaide Central Market usually has the monopoly on the best of…read moreAdelaide, but neither they, nor any other shop in town, can compete with New India Market's Indian selection. If you want to create an authentic Indian meal, or pick up a hard to find treatment, this is the place to bhangra your butt in to. New India Market has an excellent range of products which are imported regularly and kept up to date. If you are longing for a particular ingredient that you just can't find elsewhere, it'll be here. The staff are friendly and helpful and can direct you to what you're after. The one drawback is that certain items the staff only know the sub-continental word for the item. I spent forever trying to explain frankincense before giving up, then again if I'd asked for something more common they'd probably know what I was on about, and when I asked for a certain kind of coconut milk they instantly directed me. This store capably accommodates a few other groups outside of Indian food enthusiasts--Pakistanis, Fijian Indians, Sri Lankan and Pacific Islanders as well as coeliacs. Being half-Samoan, my parents often head to New India Market for their Islander wares as palusami, taro, yams, cassava and the savoury banana chips. There are also a lot of beauty items direct from India which aren't easy to come by like real coconut oil (for body and hair) and neem (a natural Clearasil). As Indian food here is mainly based on non-gluten products, coeliacs have hit the jackpot with the New India Market and can stock up on many snacks and food items. Not only can you purchase ingredients but you can purchase the certain items and utensils for preparing those ingredients. Of all the many products, my favourite product from here are the cans of pink Tuna "Wahoo" which tastes phenomenal and quite different from Australian canned Tuna. Yum!

One of my main call cards for Norwood is to get my shopping done at yet another amazing Foodland…read more Now, this particular Foodland is one of the biggest of the Romeo Group. Set in the heart of Norwood shopping district and with a huge fan base, this groceries store has everything to offer. You are greeted at the entry by the large Deli section, fully stocked with the most amazing cheeses, meats, salads, roast chickens and seafood. All the produce is fresh and ready to be packaged up for you to take home. The staffs in the deli section are always busy! You will need to reach for a number as I almost guarantee you will need to wait your turn. They are happy for you to try different sliced meats and olives, so do not hesitate to ask to assist with your decision. As for the fruit and veg, it is generally well priced and fresh. You will find a good organic produce section here with a larger than normal. The fruit and veg are always arranged quite neatly and during the busy periods you will find staff constantly re-stocking. Like most Romeo Foodlands, you will find a very diverse range of products from around the world and a lot of locally sourced goods. They are very South Australian proud and I have found the most amazing local products here. One thing to mention about this store is the amazing bakery section. The bread, rolls, pastries and cakes are all of very high quality and are baked daily. You will find all different types of sourdoughs, rye, baguettes, pizzas, loafs, etc... I absolutely love the rye rolls here! Goes down well with cream cheese from the deli, avocado and Hahndorf Harris Smoked Salmon from the fridge section. Thanks Romeos for supporting South Australia!

Look, it's not the central markets, but as far as food choices go Norwood Foodland is as good as a…read moresupermarket can get. They have all my favourite brands from the Adelaide hills and regions (Besa juice, Tweed vale milk, Cremaux and Woodside cheeses, Harris smokehouse, Kanmantoo bacon, Adelaide hills fruit and veg, Barossa fine foods, Beerenberg, etc. etc.) They also have Asian ingredients that you wouldn't find at any other supermarket. Thai eggplants, plantain, Kohlrabi, Thai basil, etc... and a great deli, butcher and bakery. If you can't find it here, chances are you'll have to go to a really small speciality store or the central markets. One point off because their bakery isn't as good as some in the central markets and their prices are higher, but it's a supermarket, so it's expected.

Driving down Hanson Road this afternoon saw my Spidey Sense tingling. There was an Asian…read moreSupermarket around somewhere and I was on a mission to find it. Well, as it happens, the search wasn't exactly long and arduous...strangely enough I think Hanson Road has perhaps the highest per capita quotient of Asian Markets to residents in THE WORLD! One that stands out, mainly for its facade, is the Chuan Phat Grocery, which has lovely big red foam letters above the entry. I had noticed this place before and today I chose to use my dwindling instant noodle supply as an excuse to drop in. Stocks have been filled adequately I might add! For those like myself, who go to a lot of Asian Supermarkets, know that everyone is different. This one has a butcher and also an impressive stock of various fish and seafood in the freezer. I also found the variety of kitchen supplies and utensils was very impressive and will require another visit or two to suss out all of the bargains. I also found it mildy entertaining that one of the owners children was asleep on top of some crates toward the back of the shop. Needless to say a number of jokes sprang to mind, but I was impressed by my level of self control, VERY impressed!

FAVOURITE market I have been to thus far. The Market Shed is only open on Sundays but if your in…read moreadelaide, you HAVE to check it out!!! The produce is all organic, ethical and sustainably produced/sourced; albeit not 100% vegan each stall more or less has loads of vego and vegan options!! Its the perfect place to spend the Sunday lunch, you can check out the live music, food stalls with lots of variety - pizza, burgers, veggie bowls, south american cuisine and fresh juice and there a few other little stalls selling baked goods, herbs and spices and fresh fruit and veg. An hour or so before closing time most of the stalls will start discounting the food and drink on sale as well.

Yes the rumours are true. If you were at the opening of The Market Shed last Sunday you too…read moreprobably would have seen me walking around like a pug in a bacon shop. Wide eyed, unable to breath properly from heart palpitations because "can't talk...too excited..." This place has gathered everything I love about Adelaide and plonked it into the trendiest warehouse shed thing at the back of IGA on Gilbert St. It's even run by the same SA family! Every Sunday from 9am-2pm this shed will open its doors to stallholders who want to sell their wares. From bakers to vegan cafes, coffee shops, seedling stalls and more this little collective of organic, vegan, raw and healthy food is all a bit too much for me. Want to try some kombucha? Hells yeah! How about a freshly steamed mussel from the coast of SA? Ok! It's like a farmers market but smaller, less crowded (not for long I'm sure) and is 5 minutes from my home so wins 5 stars in my books. So why only 4 stars then? I do think there needs to be more fresh fruit and veg options and a bit more diversity in stalls for people like me who want to do their week's shop here (ie. 3 bakeries in the one small location is a bit much). I am officially signed up as a Market Member already and for $20 per annum you get invited to private events at The Shed, receive discounts at stalls and a cool chopping board for progressive tasting plate specials from stalls each weekend. So if you have nothing to do next Sunday and want to see a spectacle, come on down to the Market Shed to see your resident pug faced, over excited local shopping, slurping coffee and getting her organic on.

So you live out here in the 'satellite' suburbs, right? Campbelltown, lap of the gods - well,…read moreexcept if you need some kind of grocery item late at night. You CAN pay over the odds at a BP service station, there's two open 24/7 in the area - however if you're not going at paying two to three times what the can of catfood is worth at your local supermarket, you CAN go to the IGA... Open till midnight, this is often a lifesaver for me - 15 years after leaving the Gold Coast I still have the odd lapse of concentration and forget I live in Adelaide, home of the 5pm closure, rather than a 24 hour fantasmogoria of shopping opportunities. You can get everything here from cat food to breakfast cereal, and the store is open till midnight. OMG, midnight, whatever is Adelaide coming to??? Until Campbelltown gets a 24 hour shop of some kind, the IGA is it. It provides absolute gold by being open way past the time every other supermarket has curled up with it's pillow and a nice fluffy doona. Kudo's IGA, I love you!!!

This place is a life saver. The fact that it is open until 12am every night is perfect if you run…read moreout of milk or some other kind of food stuff that you need. I find myself here a lot actually, I should probably organise myself a little better, but then again I know this place is here as a sort of grocery safety net. As it is an IGA they stock things that other supermarkets do not. They have American sodas and the like, as well as a huge range of imported foods from Italy.