Nam Hai, 21st and Garnett

[Townsend]

I went there over the weekend with the wife and a friend.

Quoting Will Smith in Independence Day, "What is that smell?"

How does the health department not shut that motherscratcher down?

I've been to markets in other countries and I've been to other asian markets in the states but I was blown away by the foul stench punching me in the face.

My friend lived in the Phillipines for a time and even he said he needed to leave.

I mean....damn.

[Conan71]

My GF took me there about a month or so back.  The smell was something of a cross between a vet hospital and the docks at Galveston Bay.  Or as the old joke said: "The smile house door on a tuna boat".  I think it's all the fresh fish and probably some of the wierd produce they carry.  And no, I don't think I'd buy any fish there. 

I didn't notice it so bad after about five minutes.  Either I got used to it or it doesn't travel over to the side of the store with the dry goods.  It's an interesting place, one cannot even begin to imagine how many fruits, veggies, and special sauces that average Americans don't even know they exist.

If you ever need stinky fruit, duck heads, or chicken feet, this is the place in Tulsa to get them.

We checked out a Korean market down in Midwest City this weekend- nowhere near the smell, but they had some weird smile like dried squid in a bag, not refrigerated.  Their other meats were all vac-packed and in cooler cases, no open meat counter.

[custosnox]

don't you mean 21st and Garnett?  I've been in there a couple of times and it is pretty rank, but they do have a lot of unique stuff.  There is an Asian Mart over at 31st and 129th now (unless it has already closed down without me noticing) that I've been meaning to check out to see if it fairs any better.

[Townsend]

My bad, 21st.  I went to 4 over the weekend on a quest.


subject line edited to correct intersection

[Gaspar]

We go there quite often.  I would hazard to guess it's probably cleaner and better smelling than most Asian markets in Asia.

[Townsend]

We go there quite often.  I would hazard to guess it's probably cleaner and better smelling than most Asian markets in Asia.

It was a magical day at Nam Hai then because it'd change the level of melanin in your skin and burn out your mucous membrane after somewhere around 17 minutes.

That's a guess but it can't be too far off.

(edited because I used the wrong word in a sentence and I just noticed it.) Faith and bagora

[Gaspar]

I would never buy any of the "fresh" fish there.

Funny story, I had my daughter with me a few weeks ago and we were checking out the fish counter.  A little old Asian lady was shopping and noticed us looking at the fish.  She stopped and said "You have be very careful what you buy.  Been here long time.  Some make you very sick."  I assured her that we were just looking.

We typically buy seasonings, caned stuff and dried snacks there.  I love the little crunchy dried fish, and anything with seaweed.

[buckeye]

There's an incredible stink in that store, that's for sure.

But there's also CHEAP and good Jasmine rice, coconut milk and cream, fish sauce, etc. etc.

[stageidea]

Why hasn't anyone complained about the lady up front.  She always scowls at me when I buy stuff there.  The entire place freaks me out.   

I wish we had a Super Cho Nguyen like in OKC.  I would be happy to drive there over Nam Hai any day

[Townsend]

Why hasn't anyone complained about the lady up front.  She always scowls at me when I buy stuff there.  The entire place freaks me out.

Scowl or a permanent "What the F is that smell?" look on her face?

[Miss Solemnis]

Why hasn't anyone complained about the lady up front.  She always scowls at me when I buy stuff there.

Perhaps because she owns the store.    

Once you become a regular she'll warm up to you.  When I first started shopping there about 10 years ago she refused to speak to me - to the extent that I could walk up and ask a question and she'd stare past me as if I weren't even standing there.  Now she treats me like long lost family (even knowing this Caucasian girl is married to a Korean, which is usually a major no-no to old school Asians).  

It's a great place to shop for certain items - like the fab curry paste they carry, shallots $1.49/lb!, etc. - but I'd never ever buy anything from the meat and seafood cases.  Ever.  

ETA:  The Korean market on the NW corner of 41st/129th is small but excellent.  Just a handful of fresh meat and produce items, but otherwise they have a good selection of things, owner is extremely friendly and helpful, and they make what my husband says is the best kimchi he's had since coming to the states. 

[PonderInc]

But there's also CHEAP and good Jasmine rice, coconut milk and cream, fish sauce, etc. etc.

Very true.  Also an excellent place to purchase fresh herbs (compare their price for mint, basil, cilantro, etc to any store in town!), ginger, Thai chiles, currey paste, and frozen edamame.

To me, it just smells like the markets in Thailand...where guys chop up fish with their machetes, and vats of shrimp paste are kept out in the open in 95 degree heat.  

But it is true that I don't purchase fish or meat there.  (We've got Bodeans and Harvard Meats for that!)

[stageidea]

Perhaps because she owns the store.    

Well, I have been going for over a decade and I don't know that I have even as much gotten a word out of her.  I of course still shop there b/c some of the items you just can't find anywhere else.  Thanks for the suggestion of the Korean market, I will plan on checking it out this weekend.   

[Conan71]

Speaking of, where can I find a good cast iron wok around town? I've looked at Nam Hai, Smalley's/Stock Pot, the restaurant supply at 31st & Mingo (they said they would order one for me, I chased them for a month and finally gave up it never arrived and I assume it was never ordered).

All I can find are crappy enameled ones and non-stick.  I like a good, seasoned wok.  Unfortunately my last one got away in a divorce.  Adding insult to injury, she could burn water so a wok is totally lost on her.

[custosnox]

Speaking of, where can I find a good cast iron wok around town? I've looked at Nam Hai, Smalley's/Stock Pot, the restaurant supply at 31st & Mingo (they said they would order one for me, I chased them for a month and finally gave up it never arrived and I assume it was never ordered).

All I can find are crappy enameled ones and non-stick.  I like a good, seasoned wok.  Unfortunately my last one got away in a divorce.  Adding insult to injury, she could burn water so a wok is totally lost on her.

If I remember correctly there is a resteraunt supply place in the old corvett building at 11th and garnett.  You might check there (and I appologise in advance if my memory if faulty).  We use the non stick kind around here, but I'll ask the gaurdian of the pans if she knows where to get one when she gets home later