This is a crazy place! I first went here for a cut of "arrachera fajitas" and I've been back 5 times now. I'll break it down in a couple sections because my mind is always scrambling after every visit.
1. Meat market, they have everything! Goat, bacon, arracherra fajitas. My first time there I was told they sell the elusive arracherra fajita. When I went to ask, the butcher asked how much and how I wanted it cut. He saw a glaze over my eyes and suggested the fajita cut. Awesome. I noticed the newspaper cutting posted on the wall, they import Alaskan king crab (overnight) place orders in advance. Wow! I saw bone in rib steaks/$3.49/lb. I thought they were ribeyes and bought all of them (I thought they made a mistake). Next trip, fajitas, all the rib steaks, and goat? "How do u want those goat ribs cut?", again honey glazed eyes.... "Are you going to BBQ or..." Stop! U had me at BBQ. I asked the butcher why the ribeyes are so cheap? He said, "that's a rib steak, we have ribeyes. Would u like some ". I stop at Bob Starks for bone in ribeye at least once a week. The rib steaks here are awesome. The butchers here care and educate (unless there is a line).
2. Variety - a new dimension, first isle loaded with clay pots for simmering and cooking beans (no lead as posted), estropajos for bathing, and a variety of authentic cooking devices and utensils from Mexico. Next few isles are what you would see in the "ethnic" section of HEB scattered with weird black salts and other eclectic food items. Pass the meat market and get into the cold section and you have the largest variety of roots, Jack fruit, and other exotic tubers, edible flowers, etc. Next isle, fruits and veggies. Large selection of fresh mints, and varied other greens including spinach, verdolagas (heard of that?) and fresh cut watermelons and papayas. Here is the kicker....a cut of Papaya was 88 cents, a quartered watermelon was $1.49. I'm thinking to myself that I can buy the perfect portion cheap and its cut and won't go to waste. The isle over filled with crazy cheeses, cold cuts, and more unrecognizable eats from all over the world. They have a hot sauce isle, frozen crazy from all over the world food isle, wine section, exotic beer section, and a very cultured deli. For some strange reason they sell cat food and soap. There is no reason or rhyme to the madness.
3. Customer service- again it's eclectic. First time I went there it was busy, take a number (they have an old school number machine. There is a guy named Hugo running the store who can cure anything with food if u ask him to. I saw him on my first visit talking to some winter Texans about the benefits of Jamaica. I felt like he was selling snake oil but I grabbed a bag and in a week dropped 10 points on my BP. On my last visit he was giving a class. I walked by and 5 minutes later he asked me what I was looking for and if he could help. "I'm just exploring the store while the butchers get my meat ready". My first thought was that he thought I was putting a can of beans in my pocket then he circles around and said, "don't leave before I give you some spice". I've bought the season all at the meat market before (dirt cheap and way better than Tony's or lowery's) and I expected him to sell me on that. He met me at register and made me try the "badilla" spice and gave me a couple ounces on the house. It was outstanding.
Your visit won't always be nirvana. This store is another dimension. It's nestled in the hood of lower N McAllen and you will wonder why you parked between a new Lexus and a 72' Ford. It truly is a diamond in the rough and wouldn't be that if it wasn't. Tortilla machine or rare Gouda? This is the place..... read more
