There's a running list on our fridge for the goodies we'd like to purchase when we make visits back to the states. Comfort foods like Combos, but it's mostly a list of Asian food stuffs like dried mushrooms and sauces. There's a lot I can get here but, whew, if you saw the prices, you'd be hauling things back, too.
Customs and I have had many encounters (especially over my insistence to bring in dried shrimp because, really, they do taste different from the dried shrimp you find here), but I find the hassle worthwhile compared with the mind-blowing cost of buying them here (bag of dried shrimp in the US: $1.89; same bag in Mexico: $120 pesos, or $10 USD).
Something caught my eye the other day when I was down south near Coyoacán. As a friend and I zoomed by in the car, I saw some Chinese writing and what looked suspiciously like the symbol of the mega Chinese supermarket chain in California called Ranch 99. Except it wasn't Ranch 99; it was Super 99. Could it be?!?
On Saturday, we saw it with our own eyes. Super 99 IS Ranch 99, and there were things in there I'd never laid eyes on before in Mexico. I saw dried lotus flowers, spiced tofus, pickled turnips, and the usual suspects like soy sauce, tofu, and seaweed. As you might expect, the prices were eye-piercing, but now there's no complaining about being unable to find this or that rare Chinese ingredient in DF.
A chaotic exterior is a must
At least until they close their doors. I mean, how many people in DF are looking for pickled turnips? And, from the look of their "fresh" vegetables, I can't say many people are flocking to Super 99. But I'll support them because I support a good effort. And I find the funky smell of Asian grocery stores oddly comforting.
Address: Miguel Angel de Quevedo 310, Colonia Santa Catarina (one block south of Coyoacán's beautiful Calle Francisco Sosa)
Posts
