I spoke about this in the Breakfast thread, but thought I’d report on it here, as I’d not seen a report on the new store. I’d only been to an H Mart once before, in Katy, TX, visiting a friend, about 20 years ago. Finally, we have one close by (i know there’s one in San Jose - that’s not close by for me)! I went on Sat. morning around 9:30, expecting big crowds (the branch just opened in April) but it really wasn’t that bad. I left at around 10:30, and by that time, there was a line around one side (inside) of the building to check-out, but it went really fast. I purchased pickled things (radishes, garlic, ginger, cukes, etc.) a bunch of cooked/pre-packed items, still warm, for lunch for my sister and I (way too much - fried wonton-like things, big, fat pork and chive dumplings, roasted pork, tempura shrimp, kimbap, shrimp shumai (or something), etc.) (their actual food court didn’t open until 11:00 a.m., so, next time!), some meats (bulgogi, pork belly, kalbi, etc.) to cook, veggies, dinosaur plums (pluots), Korean rice syrup, baked salmon, rice (they had a great deal on Sekko), crispy fried garlic, ssamjang, gochujang, different kinds of ramyun, Calbee seaweed potato chips, etc. I admit I went overboard - I mean, it’s not like they were shutting down the next day! and it’s only 13 minutes away from me.
The store is a wonder, of course, but also a bit overwhelming, as there are a myriad of things i don’t have any idea about, and there’s just SO MUCH of everything. There’s a whole wall of different choys (bok, pak, yau, etc.)!! there’s a live fish and crab section (people started lining up for that pretty quick), at least a couple aisles each of ramyun and Korean snacks, tea, sodas, frozen foods, and housewares. I could have spent all day, but I would have had to move out of my apt.
Glad to have this so close by.