ottawa foodies

Yesterday I searched high and low through Ottawa to find some lime leaves for a Thai curry. I found nothing, then came home and googled it, and was directed to this gem of a store. I got everything I wanted for the curry and more, and because of all the photos here I knew what galangal looked like so I didn't even have to ask. This site is awesome, this store is amazing, thanks a lot!

re: coconut milk
never encountered a bad can
(I know a guy that used to live in Thailand and had cans in his basement over 8 years old he still used) not saying it can't happen but the general feeling over there and in alot of countries is when it's canned it may be stored for a LONG time

I have no proof one way or another but I tend to toss things after 3 years or so

re: motar and pestle, not seen them at Manphong
if it was there it'd be on the far right of the store (careful in that corner, things then to jump at you)

I did get my sticky rice servers there but not the pot and basket to steam them in....I had to go over to ma and pa to get that (hmm perhaps I should start an entry for Lim Bangkok)

let me know where you do find them. I am in the market for a new Lao one. I have a Thai one, which is a bit shallower and certain seeds like to go flying when I give em a workover

re: tropical juices
Lim Banglok carries the 1L of guava and mango juices also

I like this store too. They have tropical juices in litre size containers at $2.19 per. No one else on Somerset seems to carry them, and I buy the Lychee flavour for making my favorite summer drink.

itchy feet Thanks for the heads up. I was also pretty sure there are enough stabilizers in canned coconut milk that it would keep awhile but am worried about it going rancid.

As for thai/laotian mortar and pestles - I don't recall seeing any at Manphong although my visit there last weekend was an abbreviated one since I had alot of stores to visit-;) Although when I was at New 168 last Sunday I noticed they now have a large collection of mortars and pestles just as you walk in on your left. They are on the shelving in front of the windows and I am "pretty sure" I saw some Thai ones there.

I'm a fan too (albeit one who hardly gets there).

Re. coconut milk, i think it does curdle, but more from heat and/or freezing ... maybe? Otherwise, i'd guess it might go rancid first? In either case, i'd guess the stabilizers and preservatives a plenty would keep things "safe" for a year or two past the expiry date? (Note the prevalence of question marks!)

Another Q: does Manphong stock thai / laotian mortar and pestles?

chef obi you bring up an interesting point about expiration dates. I too love Manphong and I get all my Asian ingredients there. However I remember making a detour home from work one day last year to pick up a can of coconut milk and a couple of other things for some Thai chicken soup I had planned for that evening. I went to Manphong to pick everything up and I noticed their coconut milk expired nearly a year earlier. I wouln't have worried too much if it were instant noodles but I would have been worried about the milk possibly curdling. Not sure if coconut milk would do that but I didn't want to take a risk so I just ran across the street to Kowloon for some non expired coconut milk...

I love this place
most of my shopping is done here
and I love the owner
she's always so helpful and her husband is always ready to show me new arrivals

on the odd chance I cannot find what I want, a trip across the street to her parents' place (Lim Bangkok) will usually solve the problem

as for koki's comments about expiration dates, the dates are required by Canadian officials but not necessarily means the product has gone foul

honestly, instant noodles requiring an expiration date?

This is easily the best grocery store when it comes to Thai and Malaysian ingredients. They have things here that I've rarely seen elsewhere (and indeed, could never find in Toronto) such as kaffir limes (not just the leaves, but the limes themselves), fresh bamboo, coconut sugar, and candlenuts.

This is always the first - and frequently only - stop I make when I visit Chinatown.

Be aware... When you buying stuff in Chinatown (Somerset). Not only this store.
Check the Best Before date on the package. Some of them expired in 2007 !!

Bought some instant noodle last week, the expire date was Dec 2007 !!!

One buck gets you a little bag loaded with these red and green wonders!

Like the Kaffir Lime Leaves, they arrive fresh every Thursday from Thailand.

I've enjoyed the ones I bought frozen from this place.

As in most Asian grocery stores, a decent little bag of basil leaves will cost you a buck here. This compares well against the $2 price at major grocery stores!

Like the Galangal, It arrives here fresh, every Thursday, from Thauland.

Also... the bag is generous, so I freeze the leftovers in tinfoil, wrapped flat and tight to get out any air/oxygen. Not bad for 6-8 weeks.

Get's me through the winter.

luv'em
luv'em

I got hooked on these satisfying crunchy little guys. They are entire half-anchovies (headless and gutless), which have been fried and seasoned with that holy trinity of Asian cuisine: chili, sugar, and salt.

Available with or without sesame seeds, they are a fantastic alternative to our relatively boring Western snacks. They are bargain priced at $2.99 for a good sized jar. Pretty fishy tasting of course, but an excellent discovery if you like that sort of thing.