I like to think that I’m a good Korean girl. I respect my mom and dad; moved to the 'burbs, got married and bought a house (Arlington…are we considered an exurb since I can still bike or T around town?); eventually had a kid. My default is to shop at local places with cash and to tip at restaurants in cash. However, moving to the 'burbs also meant having access to things that were previously impossible, like being within a <10 minute drive to HMart. And having a kid meant doing things out of convenience rather than sticking to my principles. In the time that moved out to Arlington (2010), I’ve witnessed the closing of at least 2 Korean mom-and-pop stores that I frequently patronized, namely Han Ah Rheum in North Cambridge and Mirim in Allston. Well, this past Sunday, after stopping into Winter Hill Brewing for a fun “snack” (Korean-tinged Brussels sprouts which were gulped down in short order; a huge basket of rosemary fries, and overflowing mac-and-cheese, not to mention some delicious and nuanced IPAs), I told B I wanted to go to Reliable Market, another old standby for me and my mom when my parents used to visit me in Boston. And I fell back in love.
It was an unfamiliar scene - the market was strangely and sadly quiet. I remember the days when the tiny aisles were jammed with young Korean college kids (I was one of them) and families. I believe someone here has posted this before (maybe @passing_thru?) - the entire front section has been given over to a beer cooler (good beers, mind you, and we bought a couple of fancy 4-packs). The back room has totally changed, too. But amidst all the change, a Korean ajumma (respectful; an older Korean lady) is still faithfully pumping out banchan (I saw her peer out). I bought kkaennip (marinated perilla leaves), one of my favorites. It’s a bit of an acquired taste. You wrap one leaf around a small ball of rice. B tried some at home and described a licorice-y taste but I don’t think so. It’s a really tough flavor to describe but Reliable’s rendition was quite good.
So, we bought a bunch of things, paid in cash and the nice older and quite chic woman at the register (is she the new owner? I didn’t recognize her and it’s just not polite to ask such things) took one look at spring onion helping to upload our basket and returning the basket to its proper place and promptly gifted him with not 1 but 4 Korean Choco-pie treats (one of my favorites as a kid). That will never happen at HMart. B, who is self-admittedly sappier than I am, stated that we should start going to Reliable over HMart. We’re frugal people but we are also in a position in our lives where price doesn’t matter to us. But patronizing the locals does. I hope you might consider doing it, too.
Edited to add: I joke (seriously) with friends that good Korean daughters and sons always feel guilty about something. We’re like the Jews or Catholics of Asia. So, I guess that means that I still qualify as a good Korean girl.
also, digga - do you happen to be in any of the local mom Facebook groups? i’m just curious if we have crossed paths in another online world. LOL.
