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Food: Asian Market

I love Asian grocery stores. All of those mysterious, oddly named ingredients-- stinky tofu, anyone? Anyone?-- the smell of rice and soy and dried mushrooms. I visit Asian Market on Central, near Hydraulic, often, because it is close to both the restaurant and home. This market also has a surprisingly varied stock, with food from Japan to Vietnam to India and from lots of countries in between. The stock isn’t deep, but if you need fenugreek seeds, coconut milk, and sushi nori and don’t want to spend all day finding them, this is your shop.

The Asian Market is a family-run shop, and the owners’ adorable children are there, the eldest girl often trailing along while you shop, pointing out the brands of fish sauce or samosas she likes best, and the youngest boy often napping in a blanket-lined shopping cart. The owner, Jennifer, also teaches free cooking classes occasionally, and I have heard that they are fun and very informative, although I have not been personally. I’m always working when she’s teaching!

The nicest thing about this store is that everyone working there is friendly, helpful, and happy to help you choose the best product they have to offer. They have a very small produce section that is stocked with crisp, fresh bean sprouts, mint, basil, cilantro, shallots and lemongrass. The freezers hold everything from black chickens to green tea mochi ice cream. All prices are extremely reasonable, about a third of the cost of buying any Asian ingredient from Dillons. Grocery shopping can be a chore, but the Asian Market makes it a whole lot more fun.

Asian Market

1815 E Central

Wichita, KS 67214

(316) 262-9312