Helen Y.
Yelp
The Grand Bazaar and I have ill fated meet ups. Last time I came, it was for Black Label doughnuts that never showed up until well after I had to split for work. This time I came to meet a few folks for the Famous Foods event. What is up with the vendors here? Didn't they learn in Business 101 that you show up to work on time? We baked, broiled and roasted in the sun because the many of the food vendors hadn't arrived or set up, so the Fire Department didn't approve the permit and allow them to open until 45 minutes to one hour later. Of course, the one vendor I really wanted to try, the Conch fritter and salad vendor, didn't show up until over 2 hours later! Pushing back work to come here only having to wait a long time does not a fun Sunday make for me. Even people in my group were late, with one person unable to find us because of a broken cell phone.
So if you aren't afflicted with the Grand Bazaar curse like I am, you might find the whole shebang charming. It's a small flea market with a few food vendors on most Sundays. Those times, it seems quite empty. I suggest attending on the special events, if you want a lazy Sunday waiting, browsing and eating. On festivals like the Famous Foods event I attended, there'll be more food vendors and more people hawking antiques, hand made crafts and miscellaneous things that you might find if you cleaned out your hoarder relative's attic. The atmosphere then is like Smorgasburg, with more vendors selling small bites at higher prices. The Conch stand man apparently hauled up all the way from Florida so I forgave him(a bit) for being over two hours late. Still, didn't the man know island time isn't endearing to busy New Yorkers? The conch salad I had was divine though, spiced and flavored perfectly, the conch fresh and tender. The shrimp empanada I had was only meh, and the guy in my group saw the size of it and balked at buying one at $5, LOL. There were many dessert options, with cookie stands, chocolate mousse, and even the Twister Guys from the Queens Night Market. One lady was selling artisan ring dings. There are some gems, like the stand, Runamok .They sell unusual maple syrups, that taste wonderful, are bottled beautifully and are pricey. They make for a distinctive gift, or a good treat for yourself. I wasn't too interested in the flea market finds, and neither was the guy I was roaming the market with. Chalk it up to a new respect for Chinese superstitions and some residual fear of haunted objects after a few seasons of an old guilty pleasure, Supernatural(eye candy, eye candy). Some of the crafts were interesting and beautiful, but I've come to appreciate the boons of shopping in A. C. during hot summer days. I don't think the third time will be a charm and I'd visit the Grand Bazaar again. Too much waiting for too little reward. But if unlike me, you have Sundays off, and you like poking around old things, junk, and some peculiar things, then this could be the place for your weekend adventure.