Always Full Asian Market — Local services in South Burlington

Quick and dirty pros and cons, then a novel below!

Pros: *Competitive pricing for the area and often better deals than buying online especially when shipping prices are added. *Lots of variety *Helpful friendly service *Clean store, undamaged products and well organized. *Clear and understandable receipt shows exactly what you got

Cons: *Most items don’t have labels or prices listed. (Those that do are clear and easy to understand) *Limited parking *Narrow aisles will be difficult to navigate when busy or if you use a wheelchair *One item I bought was past the “best by” date- by five days. Considering it was well packaged long shelf life candy I’m not concerned about it but might be worth keeping an eye out. My other purchases had best by dates from November ‘21 all the way to 2023. (And remember, there is a difference between “best by” and “expiration”!)

Novel:

Awesome experience here, I am bummed I don’t live closer! Small store, narrow aisles but well organized. The parking lot is very small so you might need to park in another lot nearby and walk over during peak hours. I was there Sunday evening at 6:30 and there were a few other customers but no more than three shoppers in the store at a time. I can see how this place could be frustrating if it’s crowded.

Product pricing is not consistently visible-the items aren’t tagged individually and only about one third of the shelves had tags. But those tags were pretty clear with price and included English labels of the products, which matched the items they were listing.

Prices weren’t “cheap” like you might find in a place like, say, Boston, but were definitely cheaper than Amazon and in general fair considering the location and current import duty rates. I asked the clerk about whether they had any Kasugai yuzu gummy candy and he said they were trying to get it in, but shipping out of Japan is delayed and difficult right now. Considering the widespread international shipping/supply chain shortages going on I’m kind of impressed there’s as much variety as there is.

Definitely found some deals- I bought the same Duruduru pork and veg dumplings in Portland ME for $2 more. Also found Mochiko sweet rice flour which I’d only seen on Amazon before where it is priced at almost $7/lb, here it was $2.49! Bereft of my favorite Kasugai yuzu gummies, I grabbed a bag of the muscat flavor to try out and looks like I got a deal there too: $3.49 vs $4.93 Amazon. And they are delicious!

The clerk also gave me tips on selecting and storing frozen fish cake, something I’m looking forward to introducing to my meal plans. And I overheard him helping out a lady with a very heavy accent, he stayed patient and worked with her to understand what she was looking for and lead her to it.

Weirdly, one of the things I’m happiest with is that the receipt clearly states in English all the items you got. I am in the middle of broadening my culinary horizons and this is a huge help when it comes to identifying a foreign snack food I grabbed to try out. Other Asian markets I have been to sometimes have the item names in their original language or even no item name at all, just a price. This can cause some unease and distrust when it is combined with products that don’t have prices listed, as it creates the possibility of shady extra charging that I have experienced in 2 other markets in the past.

I ended up getting more than my little canvas shoulder tote could handle, and the clerk provided a box for me to carry out Costco-style. So make sure to bring your own bags if you aren’t a fan of that.

Only disappointments I have- I’ve been looking for a place to buy soju for a while and this place only has sake. And my craving for those amazing yuzu gummies is left unsatisfied. Not exactly...

Good things DO come in small packages!! :)

I’ve traveled and lived around the country a bit. I am used to having access to proper Chinatowns and all that comes with that. I also use a lot of hard to find ingredients and raw herbs. This place is one of my favorite Asian markets I’ve ever shopped for all the essentials and then some!! Packed into a deceivingly small spot. I am beyond excited to find them nearby. In Vermont of all places!!

I called a few weeks ago to feel them out and see if they carry a particular ingredient. One of the owners, Wen, answered and was so incredibly kind and helpful. When he learned I was new to his store, he also took extra time to tell me all about their store, what they carry, ask if there was anything else I was looking for or he could help with.

I made the happy trek down for a treasure hunt a few days later. Wow! Wen even remembered me and my name. :) So incredibly friendly and kind and helpful in person as well. He treated every single person like a valuable customer he’s known for years, including me. This store has an amazing selection and is well stocked. Dry goods, frozen goods and a small but lovely and delicious veggie section are somehow all packed in here. The store is SUPER clean. I found everything I was on the hunt for and so much more. I was extra lucky and grabbed a warm and yummy red bean filled sesame ball as I left - which was just the perfect icing on the cake for my little adventure and successful treasure hunt. I had a lovely basket filled to the brim with my favorites and even some new goodies and ingredients.

I’m a loyal customer now for sure.

Wen, you had me...

Thank you, Always Full!

Another first for SB. An asian market!!!

Not only the first for this zip code, but possibly the cleanest and most organized I've EVER been to.

No. Seriously.

After 30 years in a kitchen, you develop an affinity for organization.

Mis en place. French for everything in its place.

Usually regarding ingredients, when extrapolated to a greater view, this includes every utensil or tool for your station, every station within a kitchen, and even the kitchen within the restaurant.

Everything needs to have a home.

This brightly lit store takes organization to the max! The aisles are clear, the floors and walls are bleach clean, and all the shelves are utilized as if an artificial intelligence designed it.

The owners and workers are super engaging and friendly.

Fresh produce is a little limited, but at least refrigerated. They are in the process of expanding this to a greater capacity.

Yes, parking isn't great.

Protip: Instead of parking in their lot, turn in as if you are going to the Best Western. On the left, after the small lot for the cell phone repair shop, turn left into the large parking lot south of the hotel. There are 2 available left turns into the lot after the small cell phone lot.

This can avoid difficulty parking or exiting their actual parking lot, which is very tight.

This is literally the only con of this store.

There is a great selection of snack foods I haven't seen at other local asian markets. I found several varieties of specialty dried seafood that I really look forward to enjoying on my next day off (with...