Asia Food Market — Local services in Town of Amherst

compared to the other asian markets in Buffalo, it is unrivaled in size and selection. service is always professional and punctual. sometimes i shop for myself, sometimes i am the courier to procure produce for the restaurant i work for. this market has developed into an impressive center for bulk restaurant necessities, however, that isn't to say the market is catered towards the bulk shopper. rather, Asia Food Market does well of appeasing both clients. in terms of the efficacy of browsing the shelves for my home pantry, or placing bulk orders for perishable items, i am quite pleased with the professional service and organization here.

sometimes i find myself in a quarter-life crisis searching for the sublime in the toiletries section. admiring the wood-stained tea tables, of which i do not need; the allure too enticing to not gaze. i'm not harrased with a 'finding everything okay?' the cultural shift to online shopping showcases the stifling atmosphere of associates shoving the 'store loyalty card' down our throats each time we just want to buy a pickled radish is undesirable. i enjoy the laissez-faire approach at the Asia Food Market: let me shop in peace unless assistance is requested.

on the facade of the megaplex we have signage that proclaims a pretty hefty claim: 'Asia Center Mall.' This chicanery may cause a curious onlooker to fantasize of a mall with many auxiliary shops and boutiques. although there is a hair salon, and an exceptional dessert and bubble tea café under the moniker Mango Mango, over half of the 'mall' is closed off. dust fills the forgotten half where empty wooden pallettes lay dormant. the idea of a true Asian mall, filled with boutiques of artisans, bakeries hailing Asian desserts, as well as a 'daiso' selling miscellaneous trinkets, may or may not be in the owner's plans at this point. however, given the sheer number of patrons of the supermarket, i'm convinced this 'mall' concept would be welcomed in a city that is devoid of ample representation from its burgeoning Asian-american community.

in a personal conflict of interest, i would like to see Thai snacks expanded beyond just Euro cakes and Koh Kae. market frenzy of Japanese snacks has unfairly stacked the shelves with a bit too much Pocky, and not enough durian flavored cocunut rolls. interestingly, the Fuji apples at this market are the best apples in the area. their sheer girth and copius flavor are unmatched in the city limits. the seafood department boasts a diverse selection of crustacean whether it be Dungeness crabs, trembling frogs guilting me into the thought of 'what if i just accidently cracked open the tank' or wild caught red snapper carcasses. the market even carries Perry's ice cream and Tropicana OJ to ensure suburbanites don't feel unwelcome. although, im not sure karen will be eager to shop when she spots mandarin letters on the market's fascia and drives back to wegmans in a xenophobic rage.

i find the market to bestow its patrons with a sense of dignity. it understands many customers already know where their pressed bean curd or favorite sweet & sour tamarind candy rests. but it also doesn't admonish those who came for a bowl of Cup Noodles and a 6-pack of Kirin Light. im allowed the freedom to ogle the soybean maker as i let the stress of daily life evanesce into the atmosphere, a gasous representation mimicked by the bamboo steamers beside me. no entitled suburbanite yells at the manager in this store, as upon entering, your bloodsteam asborbs the unwritten contact demanding a broad-minded, and a reverential attitude to shop here.

the market could use some enhancements like removing the odor permeating the front vestibule, or painting the walls to be more congenial, but this is hardly off-putting. i hope one day the market lives up to the 'Asia Center Mall' proclamation forboding the entrance. however, in the mean time, i still find solace in my weekly shopping jaunt to the market that lets me soul-search as i forage the aisles for full-bodied fuji apples and flavor-infused fish-shaped ice cream...

I'm torn on this place it's great to find really unique items but it's very difficult for anyone that isn't Chinese to walk around and shop. Most things you can't read and no matter who you ask if you have a question nobody speaks English which makes it very difficult to find things or ask questions. My biggest issue with the place is it smells absolutely awful. It's very difficult to purchase stuff from a place like that. It's such a turn-off you see a fish/meat/produce market and it's hard to imagine this stuff could possibly be fresh because it's just such an awful smelling place. I have been to some markets in Chinatown NYC and they have the same problem. It just makes it seem so incredibly dirty that it's hard to feel comfortable purchasing. I would love a fresh fish market but who knows if its fresh and you can't ask. There is a lot there that I wouldn't buy just for that reason. Besides that if they just labeled things better it might be easier for all people to shop there. I love the produce and finding such unique varieties but again the labels are just not adequate to know what you are getting. if they would clean it up a bit, organize it (super disorganized ... same items found in different places all over) and labels on shelves to tell you what things are in English..with at least a few English speaking people to assist ...I think they could hugely improve their business to cater to more diverse group of people... I do like the roast duck on weekends and...

I am passionate about Asian cooking. So many common ingredients have cultural variations and this market has so much from which to choose.

The have a fresh fish section with expected (salmon, shrimp, lobster) and unique items (geoduck, skate, live eel). The frozen fish selection is extensive as well.

They also feature a small selection of uncommon meat and poultry items like rabbit, pigeon, duck, duck tongue, pork and chicken hearts, and the like. Not for everyone I know, but if it's your thing it's a rare find in Western New York.

Their produce selection is features a good assortment of Asian cooking staples - peppers, mushrooms, bamboo, lotus root, durian, rambutan, and much more. I've shopped here for over a year and my best advice is to remember that seasonality and importabilty really affects produce varieties. It's best to get a person feel based upon your cooking preferences.

I do have two "challenges" when I shop there. First, I still find it an adventure to shop there. I'll have one or two items specifically in mind but spend an hour or two browsing. Second, I'm an English speaker who appreciates, but struggles with, non-Latin alphabets. Labels in Chinese, Korean, and Thai only are some times frustrating. I stand in the aisles using my translate app every once in awhile.

I would certainly recommend this store to those Asian cooking fans who are looking to experiment with new regional styles or to improve the quality or authenticity of...