Today I wanted to tell you all about one of my favorite places to eat and shop. It’s a Korean supermarket called Woo-Ri Mart, located at 206 Pegasus Ave in Northvale, NJ.
Woo-Ri Mart is a supermarket with a twist, at least for those of us that are use to American supermarkets. They do something that I wish American supermarkets would do, they have restaurants and shops located within the building , around the out skirts of the actual market. This adds a little something to the entire shopping experience. I like to grab a cup of green tea at the tea store and sip on it while I’m shopping in the market. Sometimes I’ll sit down and have a meal before going into shop, which is actually a good thing because you never want to grocery shop while hungry!
If you chose to go there and eat you’ll have several choices. There is a traditional Korean restaurant, a dumpling place, sushi, Woo-Ri chicken and a new place that makes fried fish cakes ( I haven’t tried this one yet). I normally eat at the Korean restaurant and get some dumplings or sushi as an appetizer. The chicken place use to be Bon Chon chicken which is a chain, but it has since been renamed and has a loyal following. The Korean restaurant serves a variety of Asian dishes from Phó, to Katsu and many Korean dishes in between. Some of the favorites are the stir fried noodles with vegetables and choice of meat or the bibimbap which is a traditional Korean rice dish served in a scorching hot stone bowl with meat , vegetables, noodles and topped with a raw egg that cooks as you stir everything together. Once the weather turns colder I like to get, my favorite, their spicy beef soup with noodles. Warning, the spice is very hot but if you like things spicy you’ll probably do like I do and dream about the soup!
If you’re looking for a lighter fare, I’d suggest ordering the dumplings or the sushi. Both are always fresh and made right in front of you. The dumplings are steamed and have a different texture than ones you’d get at a Chinese take-out place. The sushi has always been consistently good but it’s served in to-go containers as a huge portion of their business are people stopping in to grab a quick lunch on the go. Across from the sushi place is a little bakery/tea shop, where you can get many types of tea including bubble tea, which is a cold tea (sometimes frozen like a slushy) served with little tapioca balls. It’s all the rage right now and there’s something fun about drinking it.
Going a little deeper into the outskirts of the market you’ll also find an Asian health and beauty products store and another store that has changed many times but usually sells household goods from rice makers to recliners. At my last visit the store was selling linens. Another proprietor that deserves recognition is the man that makes this delightful custard filled fish shaped pastries. I’ve sat watching him make these a few times and have yet to discover how he gets the custard inside! I guess I could ask, but the mystery keeps me intrigued.
Once inside the market you’ll notice a nice array of western goods coupled with the Asian products. Their produce section has things you won’t see in an American market and everything is very fresh. Sometimes it’s nice to try something new like a giant turnip or some Ramputan, a super ugly fruit on the outside that has a delicious grape like fruit in the center. You can also buy kimchi in huge gallon sized tubs or little glass jars. Next door to the custard fish man there’s a little shop that makes organic Tofu. So go and explore the produce section and the other little shops adjacent to it, you may find something that you and your family will really love.
At the rear of the market you’ll find the seafood counter with an excellent assortment of fresh and live seafood. Their wild caught salmon is always a big hit as is their fresh crabs and clams. Take your time looking around there’s so many different things to look at I couldn’t possibly mention them all here. Next to the fish counter is the butcher, yes they still have a butcher. I like the fact that they still have a butcher so you can ask for certain things cut they way you’d like. Their beef is good quality , certified Angus. They also have a selection of meats that have already been sliced to make a quick and easy stir fry. Their meat choices aren’t as vast as your typical American supermarket but you’ll still find a good amount of beef , pork and chicken.
The Asian food selection as you’d expect is off the charts. They have foods from many Asian cultures, with a focus on Korean, Chinese and Japanese. There are sauces of many types from Soy sauce to rice wine vinegar. They have huge selection of rice and noodles of every shape and size. They also have an interesting and large amount of snack foods we would never see in America like cuttle fish chips or spicy chopped chicken in a tube.The cookies and crackers are also unique and have fun packaging, it’s worth just looking at the designs. Their tea selection is also vast but not as much loose leaf tea as I would like.
In the frozen section you can find many familiar things along with one of my favorite treats, Mochi ice cream. It’s an ice cream ball surrounded by a flavored rice flour. The outside is slightly chewy and keeps the ice cream cold inside. There’s also many frozen prepared foods so you can take something home and try it out, instead of going to all the trouble of making the dish from scratch. The home goods section is a great spot to explore where you can buy things like a wok and cooking utensils or chop sticks and Bento lunch boxes. It’s an eclectic assortment so take your time when looking around. Also, if anyone can tell me why there’s a $500 rice maker I’d love to know! I’m sure it must do amazing things but I can’t read the instructions.
I hope this article piqued your interest enough for you to consider a trip to Northvale, Nj. Be sure to leave plenty of time for all the things you’ll want to see. Go with an open mind and buy one or two items you’ve never tried before and then get back to me and tell me of your experience, good or bad. If you have any questions or comments please leave them in the box below. Until next time Boone Appétit!
