Super H (Fairfax, VA)

Super H is every gourmet chef’s dream. By offering a huge variety of ethnic 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 in the snacks section first! Whether dining in, carrying out, or shopping for staples or hard-to-find ingredients, Super H has you covered.

Great Wall Supermarket (Merrifield, VA)

DC can claim a variety of ethnic supermarkets, catering to folks from Asia, Latin America and India. The newest addition to this expanding list is the Great Wall Supermarket, the biggest and brightest Chinese market in the area. But you are just as likely to be wrestling with a non-Chinese for that Bok Choy as someone from Shanghai. We find the fruits and vegetables are fresher than traditional markets, with a much wider variety, and prices are generally 15% lower than at Giant and Safeway. The meat section is on par with the mainstream stores, while the seafood section equals the selection found downtown at the Maine Avenue pier, at far lower prices. With the success of The Great Wall Supermarket, we wonder if Chinese food is still considered ethnic food.