A suggestion for those in the Twin Cities suffering grocery store sticker shock

I have been shopping at a local (St Paul) Asian grocery store for some time now and have found the prices to be much less than regular chain store such as Cub, Rainbow and such not to mention I have found the produce and meat to be fresher

examples of typical prices

green onion and cilantro .50
chicken wings 1.19 lb
80% lean burger 1.79 lb
bean sprouts .99 for a big VERY fresh bag
10lbs chicken leg quarters 5.49
romaine lettuce .99

and yes there are some things that are unfamiliar but usually the people working there are very helpful and what the heck its a adventure and as an added bonus most have in store delis that sell hot food and it is some of the best and most authentic stuff going not to mention pretty cheap

a couple of my faves in st paul
Dragon Star and Double Dragon but there are quite a few as a drive down University Ave will tell you

I can't do all my shopping there, though. There are things they don't have. Still, it's on the way to the supermarket, so...

There's also a great Hispanic market in St. Paul, El Burrito Mercado, where some really great stuff can be found. It's a little off my normal track, but if I go there around lunchtime, I can also grab some really authentic food from their cafeteria-style line.

its off my track these days but it is good

Best spot in town for authentic, regional Mexican food. Not pretty and not especially well-presented, but real and good. The market is great, too, but it's not a general supermarket.

Back about 1988 when I lived in Frogtown, a grocery store opened on University near Sears in St Paul. I got off the bus and stopped to pick up some burgers and fries for a treat for my tweenage kids and it was a warm Spring day so I thought I would pick up some ice cream.

I walked into the store and I saw a bunch of Hmong men playing some sort of a game on the wide merry-go-round checkouts. As soon as they saw me they said "Go, go we are closed!" So we did without the ice cream and I told me kids to steer clear of that store.

On the other hand I often got produce at the store at Dale and Minnehaha and tried some imported things I found there.

the store was empty which was weird as it was a large rather busy store, except for a young Asian guy in a leather jacket and pompadour hairdo in front of the checkout and a frightened looking old man behind the counter I left, don't know what was going on but if I were to bet it was a gang protection payoff

United Noodle on 24th and 24th (I think) and Shuang Hur on Nicollet and 27th(?)

haven't been there in a while as its not the closest one and I'll hear it Mr Odivan the owner if he's there "whats wrong you haven't been here in a long time......"

I haven't been to that one.

:D

;)

I used to live relatively close in the Longfellow neighborhood, but most of the stores I have seen there are Eritrean or Somali, which would reflect the ethnic make up of the area these days OtOH I've been wondering if the Global Village there was still open

Every year they have "Palmfest"

It was mostly Korean stuff. They used to have all the permutations of Kimchee there. Now it's a bookstore or something and the ethnic stores are all Somali or other African stores.

and the prices there reminded me of 15 years ago. Probably one of the few places where you can get a whole roasted duck (select your own off the hook) in town too, though I can't eat a whole duck.

Great selection of sauces, spices and condiments too, and fresh noodles in the cooler make the best homemade (or any other) lo mein I've ever had. Their produce is first rate, too.