Dutch candy in SF?

[iwantmytwodollars]

I am dating a Dutch guy and he is CRAZY for candy from the homeland. I'm talking babbelaars (butterscotchesque hard candy), hopjes (coffee flavored hard candy) and salted and double salted licorice known as drop (hard, chewy or gummy).

There's some place in San Jose called Holland's Best or something, but that's a tad far to drive for candy. And I know Miette Confiserie in Hayes Valley carries a great selection of these but I have to balk at the prices (12 bucks a pound!) Is there anywhere else to find these things, kind of on the cheap?

Thanks for any suggestions, Chowhounds!

[jcr1]

This might be out of the way too but Naks (1152 Chestnut St.) in Menlo Park is a small Japanese/Dutch market. Despite its size, the place has a great selection of goods and is packed with all sorts of yummy things.

The Dutch/Indonesian side has lots of dutch candies, cookies, and snacks. To get there, take El Camino to Santa Cruz (main drag), go right two blocks, then take another right on Chestnut - It's a pretty short street. You might want to call them first to see what they have - 650-325-2046. This is a great mom and pop market run by a really sweet couple.

[chocolatetartguy]

$12/lb does sound like a lot, but it takes an awful lot of those little hard candys to make up a pound. I go there infrequently (twice), but still have a lot of the half pound of root beer barrels I bought a couple of months ago.

[hybiscuits]

Well, it's not in San Francisco, but very accessible by BART -- Nordic House on Telegraph in Oakland has a great selection of Dutch licorice/candies, and many other goodies, too: http://www.nordichouse.com/ I go there for my licorice fix monthly!

[SteveG]

I've seen some of the salty licorice at Rainbow Grocery near their surprisingly good selection of chocolate bars; it's in the same aisle as the chips and other snacks. I don't know if the prices are competitive, but Rainbow is usually pretty fair.

You might also try the British food importer who's on a tiny street just off Potrero near Division. I wouldn't be surprised if some candies loved by the Dutch are also loved by the British.

[Windy]

Have you tried Cost Plus? They have a pretty good international food section at low prices.

Lehr's German Specialties on Church might also be worth a look. Lots of unusual candies (and meats and jams).

[gaianeh]

Never heard of babbelaars, but Haig's Delicacies carries hopjes, and lots of different kinds of Dutch licorice. Lots of other Dutch items. too.

642 Clement St. San Francisco

[iwantmytwodollars]

Awesome. I will check it out.

Also, when you say other Dutch items, do you mean mostly food or like calendars and ceramic things, too?

[gaianeh]

No, just food. They have those stroopwaffles, and little chocolate and candy sprinkly things in boxes. I think some other cookies and Droste chocolates too. And something called AppleStroop last time I was there.

[iwantmytwodollars]

Stroopwaffles are the bomb! I like to put the big ones over the top of my coffee cup until they get warm and kind of soft. The sprinkles, I never got, though. Who in their right mind puts sprinkles on toast? So wrong.

Well thank you -- all of you -- for your suggestions.