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!

One of my local home away from homes. Yes is a small Asian Market, but it has a number of products…read morein stock that I haven't seen at any other Asian Markets in Adelaide. The selection of noodles is good (as it is with all Asian Grocers), but where this place really stands out is the sweets/snacks and the frozen dumplings. again, not a massive selection, but some of the highest quality goods I have purchased. Often a problem with 'getting adventurous' in an Asian Supermarket, you just never know if a product is going to deliver.....pretty packaging doesn't mean great food! But I have just got gold after gold at YES. It might be that I am just really lucky (insanely good looking people like myself often are), but I think it is more a case of the owners being very selective as to what they have in stock! The Gyouza are wicked by the way!

Despite having a very small shopfront, once you get inside, the store extends quite a way back, so…read moreit's a bit like the TARDIS in that regard. The range is vast and the quality is excellent. Staff are friendly and helpful, and there is a terrific selection of herbs and spices from India, Thailand, China, Korea and Japan as well as sauces, rices, teas, snacks, sweets, and more. I bought several items on this occaision, but hands down, the best buy of the day was the six-pack of pumpkin buns with red bean paste centers. Baked in the oven for 20 minutes and they were DELICIOUS. I'll be returning for those for sure! Overall, this is a great alternative to Woollies, particularly if you're looking for more variety in your herbs, spices, oils and sauces than what the big box store has. Prices are very reasonable, and the place is stocked to the brim with goods, is light, clean and well presented. You won't be disappointed.

First thing's first, there wasn't a lot of imagination that went into the naming of this place…read more That much is obvious. This store used to be around the corner from Wok in a Box on the far end of the complex. Recently it's moved further in to the main mall area. The stock is the same which is a welcome relief. I have a martial arts instructor who is always preaching the benefits of using coconut oil when cooking. In fact, he won't eat at a restaurant if they don't cook the food with the coconut oil that he provides. Coconut oil is what I stock up on here. I used to have a hard time finding it before I discovered this place. As well as that there are Indian potato chips, Indian meal ideas and drinks, and DVDs. Yes there is a long shelf jam packed with Bollywood DVDs. I've never sat down and watched one myself, but if that sort of thing is your bag then you might want to check this place out. In fact, check it out anyway. Why? Because I say so!

I originally thought this was an Asian grocer before I walked in the door. I should have twigged…read morefrom the name of the place. When I walked in, the place was empty except for a guy sitting on the end of the counter facing away from me playing on his laptop. He spent the entire duration of my visit on the computer, and if not for the entry bell I don't even think he would have known I was in the store. Jubba isn't just a food mart. In fact maybe 50% of the store is devoted to food, with the rest of it taken up with clothes and other household items. The food items are mostly middle eastern as are the clothes. The store claims to be halal, but the only meat I saw in the cabinet at the back were chicken wings and drumsticks. It's certainly an interesting place, and I'll definitely go back to check it out again. As for the service... well you don't go to these places for the service. You go to find something different.

If you've read The Mistress of Spice by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, you will appreciate how…read morepowerful and sensuous some spices are. They have the ability to cure some ailments, act as a beauty tool and most importantly arouse the flavour and taste in a beautifully prepared Indian cuisine. When friends come to me for Indian recipes ( I should charge them by the hour!), I always send them to the Spice Centre to top up their spice racks or sample a new recipe. Like the orange lentils which lends a creamy texture to your dhal dish, or the green lentils which offers an healthy alternative to other carbs infused dhal. From fennel, fenugreek, cardamom, cumin to the expensive saffron, they carry a wide variety of spices fit for a Maharajah's (King) kitchen. You'll find plenty of meat curry powder packets here. My favourite Baba's is widely stocked here and is one of the finest curry powders ever. From meat, seafood and kurma curry powder, there is something for everyone. No Indian dish is good without curry leaves, and I'm happy to report that a huge bunch of curry leaves is available for purchase at a mere $1. Indian savouries, sweets and desserts are also sold here, so it might be worth checking them out for a different menu variety. Bollywood fans will appreciate the huge volume of DVD's here, showcassing some of Bollywood's finest stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol et al. When I want some Bhangra fever, I head out here and rent a couple to amuse me during the weekend. For those who like natural products, try the henna as an alternative to your normal boxed hair dye or a bottle of coconut oil for thick, soft and bouncy hair. The owner is friendly and is absolutely helpful in recommending some of the best spices to go with your curries. Drop in and say namaste!

A secret place - good parking out back, and that's how you get in - the door on West Thebarton Road…read morewill be shut and locked, so don't bother. Very friendly, humble nice proprietors; Kamran Solzar runs the show, you may meet Ali in the store or another family member. If you like to do some cooking with Persian spices, use rose water, hava, orange water, Turkish delight, there's all the specialty ingredients here. I'm always finding new things to try. There's jugs and cups and glass ware as well. The website is not much more than a calling card and doesn't even have the times of business, so aren't you glad you tried Yelping it! What do they have? Well, basmati or long-grain rice, parsley, mint, coriander, spring-onion ends, split peas, pomegranate paste, marjoram, salt, black pepper, saffron, cherry... beans, pickle, tea, coffee... but it's from the Middle East, Persia, Iran; and obviously there's more. I don't know all the items so well in the store, but enough to know that they have what I need for a few different soups and main course meals.

This place just opened up in Mawson Lakes in the past week or two. With that being said, it hasn't…read morehad much exposure yet. It's an interesting store to say the least. The front half is an Asian take away, while the back is an Asian supermarket. I have to say I admire the owners for mixing these two ideas. Then again, maybe they just couldn't agree on what they wanted, restaurant or supermarket. The take away food is nice, but it's only available from 11AM onwards. When you think about it, this makes sense as it works out to a bit before lunch time anyway. Like all Asian grocers they offer a slightly different variety of stock to the other places. I'm just happy I now have somewhere local to buy Choco Pies. If you've never had these Korean delicacies before then you must buy them. So that's Queen Phoenix. Go for lunch, then stay and do some shopping.

My new favourite place to get Vietnamese bread roll or occasional authentic Vietnamese food…read moretakeaway. They also have a good range of Asian groceries. It's very convenient if you live or work in Mawson Lakes.

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.

There is possibly one thing that I prefer over a good piece of meat, and that is a good serving of…read moreCured Meats and Sausages! Standom Smallgoods, and in the Case the Standom Butcher at Gepps Cross have been a meat lovers institution for many a year. Walking into the store you see glorious meat products that will give you atrocious heart burn and the most 'colourful' wind you have ever experienced! I have only rated Standom 4 out of a possible 5 stars for the simple reason that there are better options around for similar products, but there are only a few locations where you can find them all in one place! I am a personal fan of their line of Wursts that go amazingly with a good wholegrain mustard (one of the few meats that are not better with Rosella Tomoato Sauce!), but also the line of cured pork and beef is something to marvel! They don't have the really candy like ham that you will find imported from Spain or Italy (Serano or Parma), but there are some great options for platters or sangers! If you are feeling game check out their gourmet presswurst, it's an odd texture, but pretty awesome!

Standom Smallgoods at Gepps Cross sells a huge range of unbelievably good smallgoods, mostly German…read more- like many of the staff - but with meats and delicacies from farther afield as well. What more can you say? A lot, although you'd be repeating the same general line as above. So here goes. A lot of the wursts, sausages etc are pork based. Standom must use only the tastiest little piggies, because the flavours, whether smoked or spiced up with herbs, are mouthwatering. This shop could convert a vegan, once you got them screaming through the door. As well as the range of exotic smoked sausages, including double smoked ones, there are plenty of other home-made lines as well as European pre-packed stuff. A few of these lovely meaty products stand out for flavour and value, in my opinion. The Bockwurst sausages are fat little babies with a delicious smoky flavour. They're great cut in half and grilled, or boiled and put in a hotdog, if you can get your mouth around one. The smoked Viennas come in peasant and deluxe (ie pure pork) form. Both are excellent, but you save a few cents per kg with the cheaper ones. The Weisswurst (white sausage) has bits of greenish spice in it. Very tasty. If you are there before they're all gone, the 'king size' sausage will make you the hit of any barbecue. They are huge and juicy when cooked, and delicious. The fritz is as good as you can buy anywhere. It's a bit smoky and has that slight rubbery spring which any fritz connoisseur will tell you is the sign of a quality fritz. Finally, bits of most of the meats on sale turn up as offcuts in cheaply-priced bags in the open fridge. These offcuts often include whole sausages etc and are not to be sneezed at, whether for pizza toppings, kids' lunches or nibbling at straight from the bag on the way home from Standom's House of Smoky Temptations. I've left a lot of good things out. My advice into head out to Gepps Cross and call in. Look for a big wooden (two dimensional) bull on the side of the road. You'll be so glad you did. Even if you're a vego, the experience will be character-forming for you.