which was formerly a Sears store on Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
This turned out to be a day where we hit up three different ethnic markets, but this would be the first stop...
As you walk in, the shops and food court will be to your right. Look at all that space!
You enter the store on your left. There are more photos of the interior via Cathy and Kirbie's posts (linked at the end).
I call this the "Wall of Kimchi".
These specimens were amusing for TC and myself. I sent a photo text to my brother who immediately replied with a vulgar variation of it's real name (which is "geoduck").
The cold cases held so many different types of panchan (potato salad, pickled radish, kimchi, seaweed salad, noodles, etc). So much variety!
TC got the Potato flavored snack. I think she just liked the drawing, ha ha. I was hoping she would choose the sweet potato, but no.
Beef tongue, kidney and intestine were some of the "offal" meats in the frozen case...
They had a wide selection of fresh and inexpensive vegetables, like these huge radishes (a staple of Korean cuisine).
I recognized this fruit, Korean yellow melons...
TC holding up some rice snacks. I wonder if these are eaten plain or with something? It looked like a lot in there!
The snack and candy aisle. Pepero is like the Korean version of Pocky.
We thought the "sando biscuit" name was funny. "Sando" in Tagalog means "undershirt".
Chips...
Dumplings (there was a mile long freezer case filled with dumplings)!
I thought these were kind of a wierd shape for these chocolate flavored snacks. TC felt they were shell shaped, but to me, they resembled something else...
these "beondaegi" (canned silkworm pupa or chyrsalis)...Doesn't the chocolate snack shape look like these?
I've not tried these before, but apparently, these are a very popular snack in Korea. I don't think I'm brave enough to try it.
TC recognized this Korean cartoon character, Pororo. Thor and Lotus's daughter used to watch the Pororo cartoons when she was a toddler.
Pororo is supposed to be a penguin but he doesn't really resemble one to me. These things were $1.99 each! Yikes!
(the new) Zion Market
7655 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 268-3300
www.zionmarket.com
Who else went to Zion?
Cathy noticed that the market was finally open in late May
Kirbie also went here during their quiet opening in late May and did an update a few weeks later!
It was fun doing a quick looksee and hopefully next visit, more things will be up and running in the food court.
Our next stop was within the food court. We felt the lure of it's neon lights and the delicious aroma of fresh bread and pastries...
6 comments:
Wall of Kimchi! That's totally an accurate description! I went there Sunday and was amazed at the Costco-sized space of Zion.
Isn't Geoduck the weirdest thing ever. I'm too scared to even eat it b/c it looks so scary. And why isn't the name pronounced the way it's spelled man?
Do you like H Mart or Zion more? If you were making dinner one night, and distance wasn't an option, which market would you go to?
The size of some of those kimchi jars were scary big!!! yes, it's humongous in there. very nice to have so much space when pushing your cart around, unlike their old space where you were constantly trying not to get hit by anyone. inside the store AND out (their parking sucked big time).
yes, geoduck looks a bit intimidating. i've never had it, but i imagine it's like a clam but on steroids.
if i were making dinner, i would go to seafood city in chula vista. that's closest to me and also because they have all the Filipino ingredients i like. that's also the cuisine i tend to make. if i wanted to make something Korean or maybe even Japanese, then it would be that new zion. it's closer, bigger, and has a bigger parking lot. they also have good prices too.
Just went yesterday and it was huge! Got some of the marinated meat and panchan. IMHO, Zion and HMart both are good. Which one I would go to depends on what I need. Both have certain panchans I love but I think I like the marinade better at HMart. I like the produce dept better at Zion.
yeah man, it is so cavernous in there!!!!i love it! i will have to get the marinated meat one of these days. once bert cleans up our grill, ha ha. i like the potato salad with the sliced asian pear at zion.
I swear the KMart and Sears was not that large inside...it's almost like they opened the back and side wall storage areas. Always liked shopping at the olde, teensy Zion and finding goodies and good vegetable prices.
interesting. i'd never been in the previous space when it was Sears/K-Mart. I like the vegetable prices as Zion.
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