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| Family Market's seafood counter |
The market is aimed at anyone. They stock aisles and aisles of American staples -- products like pretzels, coffee and soda, brands like Pringles, Cheerios and Pop Secret. But this isn't just a new version of the Safeway that Family Market replaced.
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| A dozen mushroom varieties |
If you live near Long Reach, Family Market can serve any daily needs. But it's an attraction to anyone from Columbia or south because it's a unique place for produce, seafood, meats, and Korean or Latin products south of Rt 40. These are some of the draws --
- The enormous produce section. Great selections. Great prices -- like 99-cent fennel, 59-cent-per-pound beets and six-for-a-dollar limes. Asian options like cabbages, radishes, Thai basil, and tiny eggplants. Latin options like jicama, yams, and coconuts. Huge boxes of mangos and other fruits.
- The seafood and meat counters. Lots of whole fish. Shrimp, clams, squid. American steaks. Korean cuts -- including ribs cut flanken-style across the bones. And options that I haven't seen elsewhere like ground pork. (There is also an entire counter of necks, tongues, hearts, etc. if that's your cup of tea.)
- Rice, beans, grains, and other staples. If you're listening to Mark Bittman, this is a great place to get barley, brown rice, and other grains.
- Korean items. Rices, noodles, hot pepper pastes and other items to cook Korean food. Prepared dishes like kimchi. But even easier, all kinds of Korean snack foods -- cookies, crackers, seaweed snacks.
- Latin items. An aisle of beans, peppers, spices, and every Goya product that I can imagine. Part of a dairy aisle with Mexican cheeses.
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| Frozen durians |
Seriously, this looks like a fun place for anyone who likes to cook. (Or at least for people who like Asian food and Facci.) The produce alone is unique enough to drive to Long Reach -- and it should just get better as fruits and vegetables come into season. Go now for squashes, ginger, mushrooms, a huge package of Thai basil . . . Go for one of the durian in the frozen section. Lord, the flavor is too much for me.
David Greisman wrote about the store opening in the Sun. Although the Korean-owned markets are similar, they're each unique. Family Market is closer to Super Mart than H Mart. It has Korean, American, Hispanic, and Indian items. It doesn't seem to have the scope of Chinese, Thai and other Asian packaged goods that the H Mart stocks.
Family Market
8775 Cloudleap Court
Columbia, MD 21045
443-570-9724
NEAR: This is in the Long Reach Village Center -- north of Rte 175 off Tamar Drive. If you're going to check it out, I suggest that you treat yourself to snack beforehand. There is a nice takeout fried chicken place called Chick N' Friends in the pedestrian part of the center. Get lunch or a snack, then go shop.
18 comments:
Was there yesterday and was incredibly impressed with the produce selection. Haven't seen a Hispanic/Latin selection at a grocery store as good as theirs since I lived in Miami.
Thanks for this review! I wasn't going to go there because I was so disgusted with the previous Safeway in the same location, but now you've convinced me to give it a go.
Very excited about this!! Going to swing by this week.
I posted about the new HMart, btu really the same comment...really surprised how the area has FIVE Korean markets all within about 15 miles. I know that they target other ethnicities, but I still can't believe there are five. We went there yesterday and the best thing about it was that the parking is much better than the other markets, and it's VERY CLEAN. I know it's brand new, but Lotte is plain dirty sometimes. I didn't really think the quality of the produce and meats and fish were as good as the other markets, but maybe it will get better. They did say that they are opening a food court soon, so that will be great to pickup takeout korean since I live in Columbia.
This is very exciting news! I recently moved from Laurel to AA county, and I was literally just complaining about not having a market offering more diverse foods closer than Ellicott City. I work in Howard county, so it'll be nice to stop there after work when I need to pick up something out of the ordinary.
Just dropped by there this weekend and was super impressed. I agree that the produce selection is really excellent. Family Market is definitely challenging Lotte Plaza and H-Mart in my heart for my favorite local Asian/International grocery store! I also really liked the store layout. It was surprisingly easy to navigate, even among the large medley of options.
Just went to check it out with a Korean friend this morning. We were both very excited with the selections offered and the convenient location. The floor layout is great. I'm quite impressed with the Chinese/Taiwanese/Japanese seasonings, canned and packaged foods, ramens, tofu products, and snacks. It may not be the biggest but is good enough to save me trips to Chinese grocery stores in Rockville unless I need specific items.
The WOW moment today came when I found fresh sliced Berkshire Jowl in the meat section.
The bakery is current carrying only baked goods from Bon Appetit bakery. Cakes will come in next week.
Thanks for posting about this new shop!
Does anyone know where they get the meat and seafood from in the store? I went there today and was very reluctant to purchase any meat or seafood that wasn't prepackaged since it didn't specify its place of origin.
@Min E. -- I'm glad that you like it. You did see Chinese/Taiwanese//Japanese products? Any much as they have at Lotte or H Mart? I walked around and thought that almost all the non-English, non-Spanish lettering looked Korean. I got overly confident that I can tell the difference. I didn't see the Thai or Vietnamese or Chinese aisles that I feel like they have at H Mart. I'm not complaining. I love the place. I was just interested about what people should expect to find.
Anon -- I don't know about the fish. I agree that it's a great part of a good fish market these days to know where the fish came from and whether it is wild or farmed. I don't know what to assume if they don't tell you.
I can't speak for H Mart as I don't shop there as often as at Lotte, where I find more preferred Asian brands and ingredients. In comparison Lotte carries greater varieties of international foods than that of Family Market. There are some items I'd find in Lotte but not at FM, and vice versa.
My wife and I stopped by the Family Market last weekend. We were very impressed with it. As for your suggestions about picking up a snack at Chick-n-Friends, it's the best chicken and/or seafood this side of Heaven....but be sure you call in your order in advance....if you don't have time to wait...and wait....and wait!!
started going lately, and I like it. hope that the section near the bakery and deli get done soon. The barrenness of that area makes me feel like something's missing. But I love the openness (hated lotte for how cramped it always was) and the selection.
BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE. The cashier and customer service person don't know how to answer my question about my bill. When the cashier scan and item and the price is lower. She actually went back in to void the price and put the higher price. I'm pretty upset when there isn't any manager ON SITE. I will not go shop there anymore.
Ever since opening, prices have crept up, produce quality is often so so. I once saw a worker go to the toilet, defecate, flush, and leave without washing his hands. I will not buy produce here if this is how clean workers are. Some prices are actually above Wegman's or Giant. Why don't they just focus on Oriental groceries and fresh produce? Progressively disappointing. Yes, on occasion there are good deals, but often, it's worth it just to wait and go to Lotte. If they don't watch it, they will lose customers to Lotte and other oriental markets and to places like Wegmans and go out of business.
OH, and they don't have a website. In this day and age, that's a kiss of, if not death, terminal illness.
I know I'm late to this post, but wanted to comment about durian. Be aware that a lot of hotels in Asia will not allow durian in the room because it is so stinky. I suggest trying it first in the backyard at, say, a picnic table, preferably when the family is out of town...
Does anyone know what has happened to this place? We went in there and it was practically empty. The Asian food items were gone and the in the back restaurant there's a Pupuseria now? Is there a reason for this? I'm highly disappointed as this was better than hiking it out to Lotte.
I went there ab out a week and a half ago and it was a totally different place then my first visit. It was like everyone there knew it was about to close. One isle was totally shut down and many areas had empty shelves where they once had packed shelves. They no longer had kimchi, the bakery area was shut down, and the produce was scant and it looked old. It was kind of depressing because it was nice having something like that closer to me than Lotte. Sorry for the bad news!
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