Queens Eats: Stores: Asian Groceries

Queens Eats	Elmhurst's Asian Grocery Stores
	— Pacific Supermarket (75-01 Broadway at 75th St., near the Roosevelt Ave. subway stop) — Elmhurst Grocery (Broadway and 45th Ave., near the Elmhurst subway stop) There is no better place to do a week's worth of shopping than an Asian grocery store. Where else can you find six types of exotic mushroom, entire aisles devoted to oyster sauce, rashers of frozen prepared dumplings, and enough fresh fish to repopulate an ocean, all in one convenient location? While Flushing boasts the largest number of these wonderful institutions, Elmhurst is queen of the genre in terms of quality. They also stock Southeast Asian delicacies such as keffir lime leaves, which are difficult to find in more mainstream Chinese neighborhoods. The Pacific Foods store on Broadway and 75th St. (right next to the 75th St. exit of the Roosevelt Ave. subway stop) provides a great selection of sauces, condiments, and seasonings, and also boasts an in-house butcher (pork is clearly a specialty) and fish monger. There is a special section for Korean delicacies such as crunchy yellow pickled radish and gluton-ish rice cakes. I do not advise the fresh produce section, however, due to persistent flies and a slightly sticky, durian-imbued smell. On the other hand, the Elmhurst Grocery, down the street on Broadway and 82nd St., puts Pacific Foods to shame. The range of fish is doubled to include live crabs and bug-eyed bullfrogs (do not try in your own home...), and the vegetable selection is outstanding. Not that anything is labeled clearly, but the sheer scope and quantity are a type of nirvana. — February 2006 One of my favorite, fulfilling late-night snacks, straight from the aisles of Elmhurst: Sauteed mushrooms with soft tofu Ingredients: One small onion; One clove garlic; 1/2 inch piece of ginger; Sesame oil; 1/2 pound of fresh fleshy brown mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed (dried shitake mushrooms will do in a pinch, pre-soaked); Two small green chillies; 1/2 pound fresh green soy beans; One package soft tofu; Soy sauce to taste; Hoisin (plum) sauce to taste; One bunch fresh green onions; One bunch coriander Directions: Saute chopped onion, garlic, and ginger in sesame oil. Add chopped mushrooms, finely chopped chillies, and soy beans, and continue to saute on high heat, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are soft and any water has evaporated. Add soft tofu, hoisin, and soy sauce, and cover, lowering heat, for 5 minutes or so until the tofu has turned soft and soupy. Add a squig of sesame oil if necessary and/or desired. Taste and adjust seasoning, remove from heat. Cover with chopped green onions and fresh coriander leaves. Serve over rice if desired... or over squishy fresh egg noodles (my favorite).
Stores	Snacks	Restaurants

— Pacific Supermarket
(75-01 Broadway at 75th St., near the Roosevelt Ave. subway stop)
— Elmhurst Grocery
(Broadway and 45th Ave., near the Elmhurst subway stop)

There is no better place to do a week's worth of shopping than an Asian grocery store. Where else can you find six types of exotic mushroom, entire aisles devoted to oyster sauce, rashers of frozen prepared dumplings, and enough fresh fish to repopulate an ocean, all in one convenient location?

While Flushing boasts the largest number of these wonderful institutions, Elmhurst is queen of the genre in terms of quality. They also stock Southeast Asian delicacies such as keffir lime leaves, which are difficult to find in more mainstream Chinese neighborhoods.

The Pacific Foods store on Broadway and 75th St. (right next to the 75th St. exit of the Roosevelt Ave. subway stop) provides a great selection of sauces, condiments, and seasonings, and also boasts an in-house butcher (pork is clearly a specialty) and fish monger. There is a special section for Korean delicacies such as crunchy yellow pickled radish and gluton-ish rice cakes. I do not advise the fresh produce section, however, due to persistent flies and a slightly sticky, durian-imbued smell.

On the other hand, the Elmhurst Grocery, down the street on Broadway and 82nd St., puts Pacific Foods to shame. The range of fish is doubled to include live crabs and bug-eyed bullfrogs (do not try in your own home...), and the vegetable selection is outstanding. Not that anything is labeled clearly, but the sheer scope and quantity are a type of nirvana. — February 2006

One of my favorite, fulfilling late-night snacks, straight from the aisles of Elmhurst:

Sauteed mushrooms with soft tofu

Ingredients: One small onion; One clove garlic; 1/2 inch piece of ginger; Sesame oil; 1/2 pound of fresh fleshy brown mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed (dried shitake mushrooms will do in a pinch, pre-soaked); Two small green chillies; 1/2 pound fresh green soy beans; One package soft tofu; Soy sauce to taste; Hoisin (plum) sauce to taste; One bunch fresh green onions; One bunch coriander

Directions: Saute chopped onion, garlic, and ginger in sesame oil. Add chopped mushrooms, finely chopped chillies, and soy beans, and continue to saute on high heat, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are soft and any water has evaporated. Add soft tofu, hoisin, and soy sauce, and cover, lowering heat, for 5 minutes or so until the tofu has turned soft and soupy. Add a squig of sesame oil if necessary and/or desired. Taste and adjust seasoning, remove from heat. Cover with chopped green onions and fresh coriander leaves. Serve over rice if desired... or over squishy fresh egg noodles (my favorite).