I did one of my favorite shopping expeditions today, stocking up on groceries in Chinatown. A giant supermarket opened there in the last couple of years, and it has everything one would want for Chinese food, including the hoisin sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, and Botan Calrose short-grained rice that I favor. But there are many, many aisles of things that aren’t even labeled in English, and tons of goodies like the first two shown below. I love wandering the aisles (usually I’m the only white guy there, and certainly the only Jew), so it takes me much longer to shop than I usually do. They also have Chinese pastries, including various buns and cakes that are perfect for a weekend breakfast. Also congee and crullers.
About the title above: no, this, it isn’t food for cats, but cat-shaped food for humans, plus a “veggie cat” nail salon downstairs. The Chinese do love their cats, and it shows in the many products emblazoned with moggies. The “good luck cat” (maneki-neko in Japanese), raising its hand to wish you prosperity, is ubiquitous, and is on this first group of cat pastries:
I have a reclining maneki-neko in my office that is solar powered, so it waves its paw when the sun is out. No good luck on overcast days!
I’d never seen this one before: cat-shaped butter-and-cheese cookies in a great package. Now I’m sorry I didn’t buy them:
And this was downstairs, but closed on Sunday. What on earth is a “veggie cat,” and what does it have to do with fingernails?
I wonder if your store is a 99Ranch. We have them here in CA and I too love roaming the isles and buying mystery products! The fruits and vegetables can be especially exciting, with many things I do not know how to eat or cook. However, I am familiar with the Durian, which I actually tried years ago – it is both nauseating and delicious.
It’s such fun going to grocery stores like that. Here, too, my wife and I love to walk the aisles and see all the exotica. We always buy something interesting. There’s a whole world out there beyond Kroger!
Depends on where your world is! Or as someone once said to me, “Honey, when you got a Super Walmart you don’t need anything else!”
There’s a Japanese supermarket about 10 minutes walk away here. I go there often.
Excellent.
Globalism is excellent!
D.A.
NYC 🗽
Number one son took me to a Chinese market in Chicago when his wife was at Booth, maybe Park to Shop. It was fun to browse, and confirmed that people will eat just about anything.
My other son brought me a solar powered kitty from Japan. I feel pretty lucky! She’s been around awhile, and I’m curious how long she’ll continue waving at me from the kitchen window.
Re: veggie cat, there is nail gel technique that’s called cat eye, and the shop uses vegan products. Also (good to know!) they do anime eyelash extensions.
In 1976 I discovered the Chinatown in Soho (London, not NY). Essentially one street, Gerrard Street, but crammed with supermarkets that smelled strongly of star anise. Tofu sitting in water in washing up bowls on the floor, boneless flattened ducks (sorry, Jerry!), tiny dried fish. Quite the eye-opener for this yokel from rural Wiltshire.
Comment by Greg Mayer
It’s a longer trip for Jerry, but I can recommend Joong Boo Market on North Kimball, right off the interstate. It’s a Korean grocery, but with a fair variety of Japanese and Chinese items as well. It also has take-out and a small sit-down area for Korean dishes. Joong Boo has 3 other locations– I’ve also been to their Glenview store, which features a bigger restaurant area.
GCM
AI claims:
Veggie Cat Nail Lab is called “Veggie Cat” for two primary reasons:
The Nail Technique: It is a clever nod to the trendy “cat eye” nail gel technique that has become a staple in modern nail art.
Cruelty-Free Values: The studio emphasizes natural, vegan, and cruelty-free products in its manicure and pedicure services.
The Chicago-based salon—which is also highly regarded for its custom anime lash extensions—blends these elements into a fun, plant-based, and animal-friendly concept.