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Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Be your own Iron Chef at Oceanic Trading Supermarket
Posted by Rishi Ramkissoon on Tue, Dec 16, 2008 at 5:10 PM
In order to be the iron chef of your kitchen, you need to find your local Asian supermarket. Tampa has quite a few of them, usually Chinese- or Vietnamese-owned. Every foodie should have one of these on their shortlist. Oceanic Market is mine.
I was first introduced to Oceanic by a Vietnamese friend and have been going there every weekend since. Not strictly Chinese, the market is more a pan-Asian shopping spot, offering everything from ingredients for sushi to Szechuan peppercorns and wood ear mushrooms. The store has a produce department that offers a wide variety of hard to find yams, herbs and vegetables at very cheap prices, as well as a deli and a meat department.
Located in a transitional area just north of downtown Tampa,
a visit here does make you feel that you stepped into another country. Patrons are from Asia, West Indies and even Africa; you rarely hear English spoken and the only Americans you see might be some transients buying cigarettes. And then there are the aromas. It may be strange to our western-acclimatized nose, but you are immediately aware that you have entered a market completely unlike your neighborhood Publix. Do not be scared! This just means that the place is the real deal!
My weekly shopping list varies depending on what my palate craves, however I almost always get fish (either snapper or fresh tilapia pulled straight from their tank), shrimp, and cuts of beef. One of my favourite Sunday meals is a Thai red curry and all my ingredients are sourced here: coconut milk, Thai curry paste, ginger, basil leaves, chilis, and whatever vegetables I picked up. Of course, I always get dim sum and some char siu (Chinese BBQ) because I love to eat a little snack before I start cooking on Sunday. (It makes the wine taste better.)
There are other markets around, if anyone has one on their shortlist, let's hear about it! And if great eats come out of your trip here, please share them with us!
Comments (15)
Showing 1-15 of 15
I LOVE this place. It's cheap too - the green curry paste is half the price of Publix, if you can find it there.
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WHEN I FEEL LIKE HAVING FRESH FISH THIS IS THE PLACE TO GO, NOT ONLY SEAFOOD BUT ANY SPICE YOU CAN THINK OFF THEY HAVE THEM ALL. VISIT OCEANIC AND ENJOY.
Looks fantastic! Been looking for a place to try some meals with a little more zing. And fresh fish "right out of the tank" is something we've always wanted to try.
I will just continue coming over and eating whatever yummy dishes you make. You can cook for me anytime!
I have heard of Oceanic alsmost every week, but have not made the trip. However I have tasted some of the delightful cuisines prepared and it has surely been excellent. Until such time, keep bringing me lunch b/c it is hhhmmm so good. :)
SPICES!!! These local places are great places to pick up spices at a fraction of the cost compared to supermarkets... I like hitting the local Indian grocery shops to get some spices... Sounds like a road trip?
I love Asian grocery stores! From the fresh fish to the imported hard-to-find products, these types of stores make you 'want' to cook.
If you're just starting out, how helpful are the people there? Or do you have to know what you want to accomplish and how to do it?
Thanks for turning me on to Oceanic its enhanced my culinary experience. I love the variety of spices and fresh fish.
Hmm...looks and sounds like a very interesting/great place to buy food and try out different varieties. I am fairly new to expanding my cooking horizons so this may be a place I will have to go and check out. :)
Although it is rare that I venture out into unfamiliar cuisine, your description of this market and what it offers will make me visit! Although I may need to sharpen up on my foreign language skills first. :)
I've been to this place on my last visit to Tampa. When I read this blog, I couldn't help but smile. Much like other Asian groceries in Toronto, when you enter, and if you're a food buff like myself with a specific affinity for Asian flavours, an adventure like this is an experience to behold. The unfamiliar aromas, un-interpretable labels, multi-cultural faces, cleanliness and fresh appeal make food marts like this a true experience. The experience of which I speak is the mere anticipation of what is yet to come when, you check out, pack your car, drive home while in your "food zone" (oblivious of Mr. Police Man who just clocked you doing 20 over th elimir - "talking from experience")then start playing with the items you just bought as if they were pieces of lego just as you did when you were little, just waiting to see the masterpiece that you will create... Yummm.. Ya know, i'm thinking I should go build a lego city now to curb this craving i've just developed.
Dont forget that around the back of Oceanic market is the restaurant supply. A great place to find some essential kitchen equipment. Also Cafe Hey is right next door to that(same building as Oceanic) great coffee shop sandwich joint, local hangout for people who want a lively downtown. great food great people, great spot. love it. Word
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often. Sharon http//www.autoloans101.info
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