640169 Tue Jul 28 15:24:39 -0700 2009 7 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 4898191 I need to buy: soysauce - dark and light sesame oil fish sauce (Vietnamese) I will go to oriental markets (DFW area) and language will be a bit of a barrier. Can anyone help out with brand names that I can look for ? TIA . Tue Jul 28 15:24:39 -0700 2009 80122 pinotho 1 4898290 My favorites... Light Chinese soy sauce - Pearl River Bridge. Purple label if you can get it. Dark Chinese soy sauce - Pearl River Bridge again. I like the mushroom flavored version. Sesame oil - I'm still trying to find one I really like. Fish sauce - Golden Boy's the best, but can be hard to find. Squid brand is my second choice. Tue Jul 28 15:55:42 -0700 2009 4898191 58743 alanbarnes 2 4898387 AB, have you tried Kadoya brand sesame oil? I've got a very large can of it (I keep asking sons "does this taste rancid to you?" every time I use it because I've had it so long and the answer is always "no.")t's great stuff, in my opinion. I agree with you on the Chinese soy sauces...Pearl River is excellent! Squid is our brand of fish sauce, too but I think it's Thai and OP is asking for Vietnamese...? Tue Jul 28 16:31:02 -0700 2009 4898290 11983 Val 3 4898532 Thanks for the suggestion on the sesame oil. I'll definitely keep an eye out for Kadoya. You're right about Squid being a Thai fish sauce. Golden Boy is, too. (Try it if you get the chance - you may not notice a huge difference in cooked dishes, but nuoc cham made with it blows anything else away.) I assumed that the "Vietnamese" reference was to cuisine, not country of origin. All the Vietnamese cooks I know use fish sauces made in Thailand. Tue Jul 28 17:32:06 -0700 2009 4898387 58743 alanbarnes 4 4898647 There's another thread on fish sauce which mentions that Tiparos has far less sodium than most (and it was the one The Frugal Gourmet always recommended). Tue Jul 28 18:10:30 -0700 2009 4898532 159317 greygarious 5 4898653 I don't care for the flavor. YMMV. Tue Jul 28 18:14:23 -0700 2009 4898647 58743 alanbarnes 4 4900703 Kadoya is the way to go with toasted sesame oil. I don't think it's legal to bring in fish sauce from Vietnam so Thai fish sauce is commonly used. IMO Golden Boy is the best. Wed Jul 29 11:23:04 -0700 2009 4898532 10195 KTinNYC 2 4900571 Thanks, AB, for this input - 'tis appreciated . Wed Jul 29 10:54:18 -0700 2009 4898290 80122 pinotho