If you haven’t been to H Mart, then you’re in for a treat — this food paradise awaits you in Hartsdale. H Mart is an American supermarket chain, primarily specializing in Asian groceries, with stores across the country. Westchester County doesn’t just have a large edition of H Mart but also the highly coveted food court featuring a Chinese, Korean, and Japanese counter. On a recent trip we came home with jackfruit, bubble tea, seaweed salad, and a fresh batch of kimchi. Whether you are there for a quick cafeteria-style lunch or to do your weekly grocery shopping, H Mart offers everyday items as well as unique finds and delicacies from the Asian world. The holiday season is a perfect time to surprise your guests with some mochi ice cream or serve up some grilled octopus as an appetizer.
Here are my 10 absolute must-haves from H Mart, especially if you’re a first-timer:
1. A stop at the food court is a must. You can get anything from fresh sushi to bibimbap (a Korean steamed rice dish topped with vegetables, a red chili sauce called gochuajang, and a fried egg).
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2. The seafood market is a seafood lovers dream. Whether you are in mood for classic branzino, fresh blue crab, conch or snails, this market has reasonably pieced offerings, including wild-caught selections.
3. The famed kimchi wall makes up the back right corner of the store. Kimchi is a fermented cabbage and daikon radish seasoned with spicy red pepper. This staple of Korean food can be eaten alone or paired with various foods and, like yogurt, is a probiotic and is good for digestion.
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4. Sheets and sheets of seaweed, a staple in Japanese cooking, all lined up in one isle. Some sheets of seaweed are about 3 feet!
5. Quail eggs anyone? How about duck eggs? Expand your egg palate in your culinary creations.
6. Who knew there were so many types of miso. A warm miso soup for the cold winter months sounds just about perfect.
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7. Mushroom lovers like me will be thrilled. The mushroom selection includes every variety you can imagine from maitake to bunashimeji to enoki.
8. Take a break from your everyday apple and pick up some passion fruit, guavas, jackfruit, papaya, or lychees. The international fresh fruit selection at H Mart is alone worth the trip.
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9. Matcha, matcha, matcha! Made from the nutrient-rich leaves from the tips of shade-grown Camellia sinensis plants, matcha is the highest level of powdered green tea. This super food can be added to pretty much anything to give you a natural burst of energy with health benefits. H Mart even has matcha KitKats.
10. Tous Les Jours Bakery is the bakery within H Mart stores. Walking past it you are immediately met with freshly baked breads, French macarons, beautiful sugar sculptured cakes, and bubble tea. How can you resist? I can’t!
Maria Colaco is a freelance lifestyle writer, blogger, and social media creative who lives with her kids, Mr., and giant dog in Katonah.
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