Seeking Interesting Markets

[bobobb.livejournal.com]

I am looking for some interesting markets to find strange, unusual, fresh or otherwise interesting foods in the Davis Square area and out.   As the weather is getting better I'm getting my cooking bug back and I like to find some challenges.  The International isle at Shaws just isn't going to cut it.  I know about the Indian and Italian markets in Davis Square.  Any other suggestions for the area or otherwise?

Comments

[balsamicdragon.livejournal.com]

Reliable Market in Union Square is quite nice for Asian ingredients :)

[ron_newman]

There's a Bengali market on Mass. Ave, across from Day Street.

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

Kotobukiya (http://www.kotobukiyamarket.com/homee.htm) in the Porter Exchange building has a decent selection of Asian foods. Not much in terms of fresh raw ingredients (though their sushi-quality fish looks nice, if overpriced), but they have a lot of packaged stuff and seasonings.

[veek.livejournal.com]

Sushi-quality fish: overpriced, really? I've always thought it was a bargain, but I'm comparing to restaurants. Is there another place around here (for whatever value of "around", I guess) to get that stuff for cheaper? That would be valuable, if dangerous, information to have. :)

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

Well, although they don't have all the standard sushi varieties, I am a fan of Whole Foods' fish department. I've made ceviche with raw rockfish from them, and it was of excellent quality. I'd bet you could use their salmon for some good sushi. I don't know what else they usually carry, since I so rarely shop there.

[veek.livejournal.com]

Oh, well, ceviche is another matter: I'll trust a wider variety of fish for that. But, good point: I should make ceviche instead, since I like it better than just cut-up raw fish, but somehow manage to forget that it's a possibility. Thank you!

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

Heh. :) Yeah, sushi is good, but even the best raw fish sushi gets boring to me after a while, and I need to mix it up with unagi and tamago for variety and flavour. Yum. I once bought a frozen barbecued unagi filet from Super 88 and ate it for dinner. It was made of awesome.

Ceviche is easy and tasty. I need to make it again soon now that the weather's getting warmer.

[m00n.livejournal.com]

Just an FYI- From a sanitary standpoint, ceviche is not an alternative to cooking. You definitely still need to use sushi-quality fish for that. The only place I know around here that sell such fish but isn't Kotobukiya is New Deal in East Cambridge.

And a word about New Deal: although their fish is sushi-quality and definitely a bargain, in my experience the quality hasn't been quite as good as the stuff you'll find at the better sushi restaurants around town or in the tiny packages at Kotobukiya. That said, I don't think I've ever been in there when there wasn't someone else in the place looking to buy something to eat raw, so it's definitely a popular source for sushi fish. I'd also bet if you were willing to pay twice as much and order ahead of time, New Deal *could* hook you up with a restaurant-quality piece of fish (although you may have to buy the whole thing).

[wallacestreet.livejournal.com]

Try New Deal Seafood, in East Cambridge (622 Cambridge St.). That's where our Japanese friends shop.

[veek.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I'll check that out. Thank you!

[narya.livejournal.com]

Yeah, seconded.

[m00n.livejournal.com]

Thirded.

Also see my above comment (http://community.livejournal.com/davis_square/1249100.html?thread=13129804#t13129804)

[bobobb.livejournal.com]

How is their tofu?

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

I haven't bought it, and I'm not really someone who'd be able to judge a really high quality tofu, since I usually just get Nasoya at Shaws.

[makoshark.livejournal.com]

I've found the locally produced tofu to be lackluster. We normally buy one of the imported high-end tofus at Kotobukiya like Windblown Johnny's or something similar if we're going to eat it straight. It's expensive but it's good.

[wallacestreet.livejournal.com]

There are lots of interesting markets in Union Square. The Boston Globe (http://www.boston.com/ae/food/packages/somerville_market_tour/) did a bit on it a while ago, and someone was offering tours, too. Plus you can hit Market Basket when you're done if you need anything else.

When you said Indian market in Davis, did you mean Farmers' Bounty next to goodwill? If not, check that out for some interesting Indian foods and a wide variety of British candy (although less since it changed hands about two years ago). Also, Dave's Fresh Pasta has a pretty tasty selection of interesting morsels, both ready to eat and not, along with delicious (and local) Chip-In Farm eggs. As mentioned here yesterday, Kickass cupcakes sells Shaw Farm (i.e. local) milk and cream in glass bottles.

Christina's spice market (next to the eponymous ice cream store) in Inman Square is worth checking out, as is, apparently, Penzy's on Mass Ave in Arlington.

[m00n.livejournal.com]

Also at Dave's: Local bacon from naturally raised pigs.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

And if you're going to Christina's, why not check out the Middle Eastern grocer and halal butcher's on Prospect Street between Hampshire and Cambridge?

[magid.livejournal.com]

Russo's (http://www.russos.com/), in Watertown, has a lot of very interesting produce (as well as more usual stuff, of course). Super 88 (http://www.super88market.com/) (a variety of locations) is an extensive Asian market. And there's an Indian market in Central, two doors down from Harvest Co-op.

[teko.livejournal.com]

It's kind of a given, but Pemberton Farms on Mass Ave has a nice selection of interesting foods, especially their chocolate section.

Savenors Market in Cambridge has all kinds of interesting stuff: duck eggs, wild boar bacon, kangaroo, rattlesnake.

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

Last summer, the Davis Sq. farmers' market had some rather interesting fresh veggies. There was one farm stand selling squash blossoms and several vegetables that I guess must be popular in Asian cooking, but were a mystery to me.

How far "out" is out for you?

[genevra-mcneil.livejournal.com]

Because if you're willing to take the T into downtown, Chinatown is a fabulous place to go. It's a bit more of an adventure -- nothing like having a guy walk up to you with a two foot wide crustacean that's trying to run away and hacking it in half with a cleaver! (The half he didn't have his hand on tried to continue to run away!)

The North End is a fantastic resource -- I get all my bulk chocolate and nuts from Dairy Fresh Candies.

And, if you're feeling REALLY adventurous, there's Haymarket.

[secretlyironic.livejournal.com]

* Farmers markets start soon
* Savenor's is your top quality meat market. Pricey but lovely.
* Poultry: Live Poultry Fresh Killed!