QUESTION: Where can I get those hard to find Asian (Thailand / Thai, China / Chinese, Japan / Japanese, Taiwanese, Philippine / Filipino, Indonesian, India / Indian and Middle Eastern) Spices / Ingredients / Products in Costa Rica??
ANSWER: To me - HANDS DOWN THE BEST place for anything like this and MORE:
SUPER SONY
I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS PLACE!!!
Super Sony is this FABULOUS store FILLED with pre-made Asian ingredients / products, Spices, Kimchi, frozen DIM SUM (that's where I'm going next time I get a craving for Dim Sum which can be VERY expensive!!)+++!!! They have things from Thailand / Thai, China / Chinese, Japan / Japanese (the most expensive products so look to see if they have what you're seeking in a non-Japanese brand/label to save some $$), Taiwanese, Philippine / Filipino, India and Middle Eastern goodies/spices+++ and the BIGGEST choice of VEGETARIAN products I’ve EVER SEEN than Super Sony in San Jose!!! WOW!!!! (I hear they provide MANY of the oriental products used at AutoMercado and other stores [which to me translates to those same products probably being cheaper at Super Sony!!]).
VICKI’s FAV things at Super Sony - the CHINESE CAKE I MISS/LOVED from my days in San Francisco!! To me, sort of a cross between a sponge and pound cake!! VERY LIGHT but tasty!!, GINGER CANDY, and Ginseng Candy, Zergut’s PEPPETIZER Roasted Pepper Appetizer and a BUNCH of other things!!!
UNIQUE
Fresh Ajofan & Cho Fun Noodles, Bamboo shoots in hot oil, Dried SHITAKE MUSHROOMS (150 grams-5 lb.). Lychees (canned), Rice Paper, RICES - JASMINE RICE, BASMATI RICE, Korean Rice, Japanese Rice (it’s considered the best) and Sushi Cal Rose Rice (many rices range from 1kilo to 50lbs!!), Tapioca Pearls and Starch, everything you need to make Sushi (dry and frozen - except for the fish)
VEGETARIAN
Outside they have a BIG Deep Freezer FILLED with the BIGGEST selection of Frozen Vegetarian things - many are soy products - shrimp, lobster, fish balls, chicken and beef steak, chicken wings, ham!!! Ask inside to see and MrLee reminded us to bring a cooler so it doesn’t thaw!!). Super Sony is also a mecca for TOFU goodies - Baked tofu. You can special order things like: Korean style veggie tamales (with Shitake mushrooms. 30 tamale minimum [though if you can wait a bit, they can try to fill an order]. Ideally they’d like a weeks notice). No tofu burgers or hot dogs.
FRESH VEGETABLES
Asian Eggplant, Chives, Chinese Broccoli, Ton Cua (giant gourd), Bitter Melon++!!!
BIG BULK SIZE
They carry BIG Bulk / restaurant / food service sizes on many things like Soy Sauce, Teas, Spices, Green Tea, Jasmine Tea++!!!
SPICES (bulk)
Cardamom, Masalas (different kinds), Turmeric, Coriander, Mustards (oil and seeds), Asafoetida++!!!
DIM SUM
If I’m craving Dim Sum - instead of going to a restaurant, in a heartbeat I’d go to Super Sony (to say nothing of how much cheaper it is). I think they have the LARGEST selection of DIM SUM items in COSTA RICA!!
DRY / HOUSEHOLD THINGS
Woks, dishes and things for Asian cooking/serving, Mosquito Zappers/Rackets and LOTS MORE!!!
FENG SHUI
Lucky Bamboo ranges from 3,000-30cm to 6,000-70cm
SPECIALS: BUY 6 - GET 1 FREE
(on most items and only on items picked up at the store and when paid with cash).
Check to see if they have the special promotion when you use your red BAC card for 5% off
(not on rice and a few things).
SHIPPING WITHIN COSTA RICA/Central America:
They can ship to you within Costa Rica with orders of at least 50,000-colones and with at least a 2 days notice after you've paid for it. You pay the transport fee.
OWNERS:
Super Sony is run by a SOOOOO SWEET Taiwanese family (the Chang's - mom is Elena and just a doll but I don't think she speaks much English)!!! Their daughter CAROLINA speaks GREAT English and is REAL Customer Service oriented!! (give them a BIG HUG from Vicki!!!)!!!
HOURS:
Mon.-Sat. 9am-6pm, Sun. 9am-5pm (most of the time though sometimes if it’s stormy/dead they may close earlier so call ahead)
DIRECTIONS:
Downtown/Centro San Jose – Calle 3, between Avenida 8 and 10 (3 1/2 blocks Sud/South of Plaza de la Cultura/National Theatre)
3 comments:
Vicki,
Sadly, both Super Sony and Kawo Asian Market in Tibás no longer are allowed to display most of their imported food items. They were visited about two months ago by the CR agency that oversees food imports and the vast majority of their oriental imports were found to not be labeled appropriately -or not labeled at all- to CR standards.
And so, they were required to remove those products from any shelves in their storees where there is public access.
Around one month ago I phoned and spoke with both stores about this and got essentially the same tale.
Perhaps in the future this will be resolved. I hope so. But for now regular customers may be able to request the items that they want, in advance, and they will box them up so you can go and pick them up.
Boy does that shoot a big hole in impulse buying in those two stores. What a nightmare for them!
Just FYI . . .
Paul M.
==
Luckily things ARE BACK TO NORMAL at Super Sony on products that HAVE labels!!!
This is one of my favorite places to buy vegetarian and vegan food. I'm a Costa Rican girl.
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