Super H (Fairfax, VA)

Super H is every gourmet chef’s dream.  By offering multicultural foods such as Plantains, Yucca, Fish sauce, Dried Mushrooms, Asian Cilantro, Red Bean Paste, Soft Tofu, and a variety of different Spinaches, Super H quickly gained a reputation among Asians and Hispanics alike.  For those who traditionally shop at Safeway or Giant, Super H will be a revelation.  It has every American vegetable and then-some, fresh and well-priced seafood (Asians like to buy their fish still swimming), and excellent quality meats.  Our favorite section is where the vendors sell Korean snacks such as Duk Bok Ki (white rice cakes with chili paste) and Kim Bop (vegetables, beef, and rice rolled in dried seaweed).  It reminds one of us of our childhood when we sat and waited for local vendors to come by and sell these delicacies –the Korean equivalent of the Good Humor man. If shopping with your kids, stop there first! Whether dining in, carrying out, or simply shopping for hard-to-find ingredients, this supermarket has every aspect of a good shopping experience covered.

Grand Mart (Falls Church, VA)

Give the people what they want!  That musty Giant in Falls Church is now a wonderful ethnic grocery store called Grand Mart.  When you find a store where non-native Latinos and Asians crowd the aisles, it’s a good bet that the food is as authentic as it comes.  But it’s the low prices for these and familiar American brands that keep folks coming back.  So I save some cash, get some delicious dishes I can’t find at Safeway or Fresh Fields, find the freshest produce around, sounds like I only have one place to shop.  Harried homemakers will be grateful for the wide selection of prepared Asian and Latin dishes. This place is often packed, but be patient waiting for a parking space, we think it will be worth your wait.