Cathy C.
Yelp
When I'm in desperate need of Asian ingredients and treats you can't find at a regular grocery store, I muster up the courage and patience to come here. And that, takes a lot of work for a number of reasons:
Parking:
We, Asians, have a bad rep for our driving. As much as I'd like to disprove that, it's just pointless. We're great in many things but for some reason, parking and driving just aren't our thing. You have somebody who takes up 2 parking spots, double parks, back parks and does a terrible job, parks too close to another car (usually next to mine which prevents me from getting in my car without using the passenger door) and creatively parks (where everyone else is parked within vertical lines and you got that special person who parks inside imaginary horizontal lines).
Crowd vs Store Size:
The store is pretty cramped. Old-school folks love this store because it reminds them of "home"...if home was a dirty crowded street market alley in Hong Kong. I just grab a basket to put my stuff in and ever bother with the carts - Asians and four wheels? See previous paragraph. They're constantly re-stocking shelves and freezers using their own carts that take up lots of space. Expect pushing, elbowing and getting hit/ran over by a cart or a person...but never expect an apology.
Customer Service:
The people who work here seem to have the most miserable time ever. They don't smile. They're not friendly. They look at you like you're about to steal a whole jackfruit or you're bothering them. Today, I got yelled at for taking pictures of Hello Kitty. The guy was huffing and puffing with his fists clenched. Oooh, a challenge? I smiled at him awaiting an impromptu Kickboxing session. But he walked away. Booooo!!! I got my enoki mushrooms and some tea bags (Thai) and proceeded to the cashier to get the heck out. I was offered a rewards card and I had to fill out a form - no words were spoken the entire payment and rewards card application process...just sign language and pointing. The other cashier was coughing on my face a few times without covering her mouth. Yum!
Products:
Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Thai, Malaysian, Indonesian, Korean, etc. Condiments, seasonings, sauces, fruits, vegetables, cookies, chocolates, candies, snacks, alcohol, tea, lumpia, pot stickers, ramen, noodles, sesame oil, Ramune, juice, ice cream, Mochi, cooking utensils, kitchenware, dinnerware, toiletries, books, magazines, videos, etc. Jackfruit, durian, mangoes, dragon fruit, bok choy, string beans, and many others. The products are great. I was looking for galangal to make Tom Yum Goong but I couldn't find it and asking for employees for help is always a bad idea in this store.