Asian Supermarket in DC area.

[cstar239]

Hi, Sorry if this has been discussed before. I just moved into the DC area, and currently live very close to Pentagon City Metro station.

Are there any big Asian markets in the DC area that are fairly easily accessible by Metro? Preferablly Chinese, but Korean or Japanese are OK too. Are there any other Asian Shopping areas worth exploring in this area?

Thanks.

[MakingSense]

Da Hua Foods at 623 H St, NW is about 1/2 block from the Chinatown Metro stop which is easy for you to get to. Not as big as some of the suburban markets but it has a wide variety of products as well as fresh meats and produce. Housewares on the second floor.

[Chownut]

Da Hua has been closed for 1 year or more now. As of late, it was the headquarters for Vincent Orange who was running for DC Mayor.

[Bob W]

There's also a GrandMart near 7 Corners that is walkable from the East Falls Church Metro -- it's in the old Giant between Hillwood Ave and Route 50.

I haven't been to this one yet but if the produce is as good and cheap as the produce at the GrandMart in Centreville, bring a cart to get your stuff back to the Metro.

[Lori D]

It's not as good as the one in Centreville (but better than the one on Duke Street).

[Chownut]

That grandmart is rather dumpy, and the groceries are not as fresh. Grandmart in general doesn't seem as organized as Lotte or Super H.

[Steve]

The GrandMart at Seven Corners is a perfectly run grocery store, extremely clean, that is consistently crowded and has great turnover. All the fish I've gotten from there has been of the highest quality. The produce is amazing and very cheap. The store is just not as large as the giant boxes.

[Chownut]

I guess we must agreet to disagree. I found that Grand Mart to be dark and dumpy...dingy floor and limited selection. They took over the old Giant and didn't do anything with the decor. Most Super H's and Lotte's that I visit are immaculate compared to this Grand Mart, and this Grand Mart, as most Grand Marts, don't have the korean cafeteria.

Comparatively speaking, Grand Mart in general is a tier below their competitors. The only decent one is the one in Gaithersburg off Muddy Branch, and it's way too big, meaning a big box and not enough merchandise to fill it.

[Lori D]

Eden Center has two markets. It's a mile from the East Falls Church metro stop. The center is Vietnamese, but they have Chinese groceries as well.

The markets that dpan posted about are probably better markets, but there are lots of other things in Eden Center that make it a worthwile trip.

[Chownut]

Eden Center has one major chinese market, and it's a dump. The butcher/fish section is scary. I would only go there to get frozen stuff or canned stuff. They have a small roast meats section which has tasteless offerings and a pricey maria's baked good section. All in all, Eden Center has a lot of options, and some of their restaurants are decent (i.e. Hong Que/Four Sisters), but parking is insane on weekends and the mall itself seems run down.

[Dennis S]

Small market, but good for many things outside of meats is Bangkok 54 up Columbia Pike near Walter Reed.

[dpan]

Maxim and Kam San (both Chinese markets) in Rockville, MD are within walking distance of the Rockville metro station on the red line. In VA, the Great Wall at Merrifield is about a mile from the Dunn Loring stop on the orange line. You can probably connect to a bus that goes down Gallows Road towards Fairfax Hospital to get there. The Han Ah Reum Korean market is across the street from the Great Wall. Super H (a bigger Han Ah Reum) in Fairfax is a bus ride from the Vienna metro station.