"Real" Food in SoCal

[Jerry & xiaomin]

99 Ranch markets.

 

There's one on Euclid between the 91 and the 5.

 

Or any one of a number of markets in Little Saigon along Bolsa street between Magnolia and Brookhurst.

 

Cool - There's two in Irvine, very close to where I work! (Uh Oh, shhhh, she'll be calling me every day... "Honey? Would you stop by the store after work and pick us up some fried scorpions and a side dish of rice?"

[Jerry & xiaomin]

 

Hi guys, gals, and anyone else here!

 

My biggest fear, when xiaomin gets here is this... After a few days, she's going to look down at the dinner I've prepared for her and say "Honey, I'm sorry, but I just can't eat this stuff any more!" (stuff???) and I'm not going to know what to do! Yeah, I know we'll work it out, we have no problem working out all of our "adjustments," which leads me to "future planning..." Where, in Orange County, California, can we shop to buy "real" Chinese food? I love "La Choy" out of a can from Albertsons or Vons but, by the way xiaomin twisted her face up when I told her this, I'm assuming that isn't going to "cut it!"

 

Help? Any of you SoCalO'nians... (Please don't tell me I have to go to "Little China" in L.A.... 1) I don't know where it is, and 2) By the time I got back, the Bamboo Shoots would be trees!)

 

Now I will read your post without the bold and ugly font.

Very funny! I know, I know, I have a certain flair that drives most people nuts - (It's just a matter of time, xiaomin!)

[Jerry & xiaomin]

Hi guys, gals, and anyone else here!

 

My biggest fear, when xiaomin gets here is this... After a few days, she's going to look down at the dinner I've prepared for her and say "Honey, I'm sorry, but I just can't eat this stuff any more!" (stuff???) and I'm not going to know what to do! Yeah, I know we'll work it out, we have no problem working out all of our "adjustments," which leads me to "future planning..." Where, in Orange County, California, can we shop to buy "real" Chinese food? I love "La Choy" out of a can from Albertsons or Vons but, by the way xiaomin twisted her face up when I told her this, I'm assuming that isn't going to "cut it!"

 

Help? Any of you SoCalO'nians... (Please don't tell me I have to go to "Little China" in L.A.... 1) I don't know where it is, and 2) By the time I got back, the Bamboo Shoots would be trees!)

 

You're in for a mop slap with La Choy, but if you're in LA, visit Chinatown for novelty, and then venture to Monterey Park and San Gabriel Valley area for food and goods.

 

A MOP SLAP? Oh my! Lets, ummm, not give her any ideas, mmmm-k?

[Jerry & xiaomin]

We have a great grocery store here called Super H that specializes in Asian food. They were supposed to open a store under the H Mart name in Irvine. Don't know if that's close to you or if they even ended up opening there. If so, it's definately worth checking out.

 

Edit:

I guess it just opened last weekend. Here's a link to some reviews and includes an address.

 

http://www.yelp.com/biz/h-mart-irvine

Also very close to where I work (Jamboree & I-5) Thank you so much - These places are going to make xiaomin feel very comfortable!

[Jerry & xiaomin]

Hey Jerry,

 

I would bet money that if you open a can of La Choy for Xiaomin she'll think you're serving her dog food! save yourself a and don't even go there

 

99 Ranch Market is the place to go as other's have already mentioned. There are two in Irvine, if memory serves me correctly there's one on Harbor Blvd. south of the 5 (I've been in this one and when I walked in for the first time I felt like I was in China) and another south of the 5 before the 5 and 405 merge, I don't know what street it's on, I've only seen it from the freeway and I haven't been in that one either, it's probably within 15 minutes from where you are.

 

Westminster, as Smitty mentioned, is a good area to check out as well as Montery Park/Alhambra/San Gabriel area that has a large asian community as well.

 

Good luck,

Bob

LOL, I'm sure she's going to have enough reason to bop me on the head, no sense in giving her "valid" reasons! I'm even going to look the other way, and very innocent, when we walk down the "Asian isle" in the grocery stores! I live about 1 minute from the 5 / 405 split, but don't show a 99 Market there. They must have closed. No biggie, the Irvine ones are close too.

 

OMG! I just noticed that you got PINK just a couple of weeks ago. WAY TO GO - Your an inspiration to us all :-)

http://www.giftoflife.org/cards/amit-congratulations-480.gif

[Jerry & xiaomin]

And as a note, I didn't mention the fine places in San Gabriel, as that is out of the designated area! Otherwise, you couldn't go wrong with Monterey Park, and Alhambra.

 

If you are in Alhambra, just take the 110 South/West, and then take the Hill exit, and that just about dumps you into Chinatown.

 

As a note for future reference, if you are NOT familiar with the freeway interchanges, particularly the 101, 10, and the 110, you are better off taking surface streets. Unless CalTrans has changed those 100 foot on ramp/off ramps to something a bit less dramatic. Even with my police Mustang, some of those interchanges were real white knucklers!

Oh, ya' just gotta LOVE our interchanges, like the ones that have off ramps, off of other off ramps! ROFL

[Jerry & xiaomin]

And as a note, I didn't mention the fine places in San Gabriel, as that is out of the designated area! Otherwise, you couldn't go wrong with Monterey Park, and Alhambra.

 

If you are in Alhambra, just take the 110 South/West, and then take the Hill exit, and that just about dumps you into Chinatown.

 

As a note for future reference, if you are NOT familiar with the freeway interchanges, particularly the 101, 10, and the 110, you are better off taking surface streets. Unless CalTrans has changed those 100 foot on ramp/off ramps to something a bit less dramatic. Even with my police Mustang, some of those interchanges were real white knucklers!

Well, if you do land in our hood (Alhambra, MoPARk...) give us some warning. So that my wife and I (and, I am sure some CFL friends) can be sure to give you both a warm greeting.

You can count on it. xiaomin and I will be looking to make some mutual friends.

[Jerry & xiaomin]

Jerry -

mmmmm i gots lots of positive results when using The Google over at www.google.com

 

use this search phrase:

'asian market orange county'

 

then spend a few weeks mapping it all out from your house using

http://maps.yahoo.com

 

Finally, get your camera ready and take a 2 day trip to all of the asian markets in your area. Shoot as much as possible, make electronic diary, post it on http://picasaweb.google.com and send the photo links to yer lass.

 

Good Luck !

ROFL - Great idea, but I'm pretty sure that she'll take my word for it, that there's hope for her tummy!

[Jerry & xiaomin]

And as a note, I didn't mention the fine places in San Gabriel, as that is out of the designated area! Otherwise, you couldn't go wrong with Monterey Park, and Alhambra.

 

If you are in Alhambra, just take the 110 South/West, and then take the Hill exit, and that just about dumps you into Chinatown.

 

As a note for future reference, if you are NOT familiar with the freeway interchanges, particularly the 101, 10, and the 110, you are better off taking surface streets. Unless CalTrans has changed those 100 foot on ramp/off ramps to something a bit less dramatic. Even with my police Mustang, some of those interchanges were real white knucklers!

Hey Smitty,

 

Yes, I intentionally noted the areas outside the designated O.C. because I knew they were close enough and worth the drive up there. It will give Jerry a chance to show off his knowledge of the asian community to his sweetheart when she gets here ... talk about brownie points!

 

Hey, I know those freeways very well ... ... those on/off ramps are the ones where you get to hone your Chinese driving skills, step on the gas, close your eyes and merge, they won't hit you

 

Try it some time and let me know how it works

Bob

I'm still working on my knowledge of American communities to impress my bride-to-be!

 

"Chinese driving skills???" Boy, that brings back memories of China - Scary ones!

[Don]

Monterey Park and Alhambra are the best place to find very good chinese resturant. I would not bother going downtown. I think the MP area is better.

 

 

 

 

 

I think Irivne (maybe Tusin) has a korean maket called Freshia, if so than that is a great place for fresh produce. I like the produce better and it is often cheaper than Ranch 99. Ranch 99 works well for the basics you need to cook chinese style, but Freshia has it beat for produce.

[pkfops]

Don't worry.

 

Once she gets the 411 from her new found Chinese female friends, she will direct you.

 

We often drive 8 miles to the 99 Ranch to save 20 cents on cilantro.

 

You may as well forget about La Choy and maybe you favorite ABC resturant (if Chinese don't eat there then it is no good).

Edited October 12, 2008 by pkfops (see edit history)

[Sebastian]

Jerry -

mmmmm i gots lots of positive results when using The Google over at www.google.com

 

use this search phrase:

'asian market orange county'

 

then spend a few weeks mapping it all out from your house using

http://maps.yahoo.com

 

Finally, get your camera ready and take a 2 day trip to all of the asian markets in your area. Shoot as much as possible, make electronic diary, post it on http://picasaweb.google.com and send the photo links to yer lass.

 

Good Luck !

ROFL - Great idea, but I'm pretty sure that she'll take my word for it, that there's hope for her tummy!

 

 

Yes, but - could you actually IMPLEMENT this idea? Let me know how it works for you - I'd prefer it get PAST the IDEA stage, with you.

[Guest WenDylan]

Jerry -

mmmmm i gots lots of positive results when using The Google over at www.google.com

 

use this search phrase:

'asian market orange county'

 

then spend a few weeks mapping it all out from your house using

http://maps.yahoo.com

 

Finally, get your camera ready and take a 2 day trip to all of the asian markets in your area. Shoot as much as possible, make electronic diary, post it on http://picasaweb.google.com and send the photo links to yer lass.

 

Good Luck !

ROFL - Great idea, but I'm pretty sure that she'll take my word for it, that there's hope for her tummy!

 

 

Yes, but - could you actually IMPLEMENT this idea? Let me know how it works for you - I'd prefer it get PAST the IDEA stage, with you.

Snap to it!

 

(I'm interested to see the outcome of this adventure.)