Finally got to check out the new Palama Express, next door to my workplace, which has been torturing me for months with a huge "Coming Soon!" banner. Brightly lit and immaculately clean inside, the floorplan feels roomier than other local convenience stores, but still manages to fit a wide variety of selections onto their display shelves.
Surprisingly, they weren't very busy when I walked in just prior to lunch hour. The 2 staff that I saw working were actually very nice, and helpful, but they never flinched when I walked in, and basically went about their business the entire time I was there, without too much extra chit-chat.
Front-and-center when you walk in, you'll see a nice variety of ready-made bentos & sides...BUT don't overlook the food warmer to your left (by the cashier), which features even more yummy eats! Between those 2 areas, everything I saw was affordably priced, looked freshly made, and you probably wouldn't go wrong with any of the ready-made foods here.
On this visit, I tried the:
MEAT JUN BENTO: Small bento container (in the warmer section) packed with 2 large pieces of tasty meat jun (sliced), a decent layer of white rice, 2 slices of takuan and a tiny sauce container. I'd definitely get this again, though there were a few stringy/inedible bits...it was still a good value, and delicious! Didn't even need the shoyu-vinegar sauce (bc the meat was pre-marinated), but it was fun to change-up the flavor every once in a while.
SEAWEED & NOODLE ROLL: Nice little 1- or 2-bite morsels (6 pcs). These were not particularly tasty on their own, but ok with shoyu (comes with it), and a little better with the shoyu-vinegar from the meat jun (sorry if I'm not supposed to do that...just experimenting!). I think this would've been much better if it was freshly fried & still crispy...but of course I already knew that when I bought it.
CHIVES JUN: 6 hearty pieces, each featuring just enough batter to hold together a small handful of chives & onions (and tastes like maybe some kim chee too, slightly sour), with a small piece of red bell pepper in the middle for color. This was only so-so for me, but I think it's just a matter of personal preference. Very filling!
All in all, between these 3 dishes, and for less than $20, I got more than enough food for 2 people--maybe 3!!--and I will definitely be back to check out their other bentos soon. There's even a refrigerated display area offering small portions of kim chee, papaya salad, and other side dishes, to round-out your meal.
Next time I come here, I'm definitely going to try out their instant noodle maker! For a few dollars, you can choose from 4 or 5 different types of instant noodles in aluminum packaging, then use their combination hot water dispenser / boiler plate--which has specific 1-2-3 instructions, posted on the wall--to make your own noodles...AND you get the option of adding a raw egg for 50 cents more (yes please!!). I'm not even a huge instant noodles fan-- they're ok--but I'm always down to try something new!
Of course, in true Palama Market-style, there's also an AMPLE assortment of Korean snacks, drinks, ice cream treats, instant noodles, and other instant foods to browse and buy. The prices were not cheap, but also not crazy... this place is really about convenience, after all, not bargain shopping. There are even some heat-and-serve foods in the refrigerators--all the way at the end, near the back wall--that look like they were hand-picked for folks to take home in case of "dinner emergencies"!! Well played, Palama Express, well-played.
With everything that this little shop has to offer, I'm sure I'll be back often, for any number of occasions. In fact, I'm kind of craving an ice cream bar right now, hmm. If anyone beats me to that instant noodle maker, let me know what type of noodles you liked! read more