Asiana Market — Local services in Memphis

I had to go to Memphis Saturday. I wanted to find an Asian market. I was looking for a Thai/Vietnamese. So I googled and this Asian market is what I got so I decided to go. Well when I got there there was a little strip mall with a lot of little Asian type businesses there. That's always a good sign. Anyhow this grocery store / market was Korean and Japanese themed. That was sort of a shock because I don't go to Korean markets very often my daughter is half Thai. My ex was Asian. Anyhow, my tide daughter married a Korean man. The point being,I don't have any experience with Korean food other than what I've eaten at a restaurant. So I went on in and looked around and boy was I surprised. This little hole-in-the-wall market had a lot of room in it. I did not realize how much. It doesn't seem possible when you look at it from the street. As I began to explore, I found so many wonderful spices and aromatic herbs. I was thoroughly impressed. The freezer section was not as big as some but bigger than others. The selection was fantastic, a lot of different canned goods that were pretty normal to Japanese and Korean people but far from it to me. So what do you do in a situation like that, do what I did. Started putting stuff in the buggy and had a great time shopping. A few hundred dollars later, I was at home exploring the pile of groceries I had. Oh what a beautiful night it was. You see, I know enough about Asian cuisine to experiment. I was the chef and owner of a successful Thai restaurant for many years. I know herbs and spices fairly well. I can get flavors pretty close. The older I got, the less I liked the long hours. it was just too much work. I was ready to let someone else own it. Anyhow, as I approached the check out counter I noticed that the man at the checkout was smiling so bright , he seemed like he was happy and having a wonderful day. The experience there was very pleasant and all in all, The next time I'm in Memphis I would like to do business with this man. I took a few photos but nothing special. I didn't plan on writing this report. Normally I save that for just restaurant reviews. I totally recommend it if you...

Saw a one-star review for this place, and had to add another view. The owner and his wife stock a good selection of Korean foods, and if you are lucky-enough to get there fairly early on Saturdays, you might even get a chance to pick up some really good Gimbap (alt. Kimbap), which is a type of vegetable-sushi roll snack, that is home-made and very reasonably priced. I've been eating that Gimbap for at least 10 years, and even though I am not a weekly customer, every time I am in that part of town and it is Saturday, I start thinking about that Gimbap, and sure enough, find myself driving over to Asiana market to pick some up. (Note: Even though Gimbap is a great take-along snack, it does not really refrigerate well, and should be eaten the same day if possible). Also, homemade Kimchi is available in the back walk-in cooler, and there is another side cooler containing various banchan (little side dishes that accompany Korean meals). Very friendly owners, and a long-time business. Sure, this is not the cleanest store in town, but neither are any of the most-popular Asian/Latino/Middle-Eastern markets in town, because they are primarily grocery stores with a lot of traffic, not restaurants. DO NOT be afraid to eat the homemade Gimbap at Asiana Market, but please do me a favor and leave a couple of...

As a recent transplant from SoCal, I wasn’t sure if I’d find the kind of authentic Korean groceries and food I was able to access in K-Town or Garden Grove. I was pleasantly surprised here! The homemade kimchi is very tasty (not as good as my Oma’s but close 😉) and there’s a good variety of banchan as well as all the ingredients needed to make any Korean food you could want. They even have Chilsung cider! Not just groceries, there’s also mink blankets, clay and copper pots, and various other household goods you’d find in a Korean home.

If you’re Korean or just love authentic Korean food, this is the place to be. Prices are excellent as well. I will be a...