ottawa foodies

Does anyone know where I can buy Mangosteen fruits in Ottawa?

Thanks,

Lindsay

I haven't found any of the fruits yet - mind you I haven't been looking that hard. But if worse comes to worse the Natural Food Pantry sells Mangosteen juice.

Mangosteens can be found at Loblaws, Produce Depot and Herb and Spice from time to time. I think asian produce stores, like Kowloon or others in Chinatown might be your best bet for regular stock.

Not to derail this thread, but since Chimi mentioned asian grocery stores - I've heard rumours of a T&T Supermarket opening in the city. Does anyone know if there's any truth to this?

T&T is a grocery store chain in Toronto and BC that is akin to an Asian Loblaws/RCSS - clean, well lit, large product selection.

Think UNI Food Mart but 4x the size...

www.tnt-supermarket.com

They are working on a location in Barrhaven, no timeline or official announcement as yet, it will be exciting to see that place go in, Ive heard nothing but good things about them.

All the better for Ottawa, we need more food diversity.

T&T isn't going to Barrhaven.

They are going to a new plaza that's going to be built on the southeast corner of Hunt Club and Riverside.

I bought some mangosteens last year for the valentines day dessert at work. I think I got them at a store on Somerset...possibly the one at the corner of Somerset and Booth (southeast side of the intersection). I was in and out of several stores so I can't remember exactly which one. Somerset street is your best bet though.

A slight re-rail: I'm a huge fan of mangosteens, but not because of the fruit. The dried (salt-cured?) rind is a flavouring ingredient in one of the Goan curries. My fiancée's mom calls it aksal, but I'm not sure if that's the actual term for it. I haven't really seen it described anywhere.

Hi, I am in the same boat. I am also searching for the same.

Mousseline, did you find the fresh fruits last year, or canned?

Momomoto, do you know where one can get the rind?

They were fresh. All the fruit was except for the lychees(couldn't find fresh). I made a fruit salad with mangosteens, mangoes, kiwis and dragonfruit and passionfruit puree. It was a garnish for the valentine's day dessert for Benny's Bistro. Not my worry this year, since Francis (one of the other pastry chefs) is doing the dessert this time around.

Lindsay: I haven't seen it around Ottawa yet, no, but I'm keeping my eyes peeled. As kind-of mentioned previously, I think it goes by the name of aksal.

I think that her supply was brought in from India the last time she visited.

Sounds like something you might find at the Nasa food center in Chinatown, or maybe the Samosa Hut on Richmond Rd. near the 24-hr Loeb & Istanbouli's.