I did some Korean ingredient hunting yesterday in the Sunnybank area, where lots of Asian immigrants live. It is not where I live nor close to where I live. I like to get ingredients there because I used to live close to Sunnybank in the past. I used to shop there most of the time and there are lots of free car parks available compared to the Valley area.
I only visited two Korean grocery shops, one is called Kim’s market and the other one is called Kimchi store.
Kim’s market is fairly big and well organized with a larger variety of Korean ingredients than Kimchi store. However some items such as Gochujang, Kimchi etc in Kimchi store are slightly cheaper than Kim’s market.
Here are some good things and some bad things I found about getting Korean ingredients:
Yay~!
- I found some fresh rice cakes, with which I can make yummy ddeokbokki. I believe fresh rice cakes make 10 times better ddeokbokki. Also even better! They are cheaper than in Korea.
Yay? or Nay?
- My Korean grocery shopping time is very shortened. I don’t need to hesitate anymore to choose a product. They only have one brand per item. If they have two, then I am lucky.
- Enoki mushrooms, Shiitake mushrooms, King oyster mushrooms are available but those are 4 to 9 times more expensive than Korea, depending on the species. Should I just be happy about that? At least I know that if I really want them I can get them.
Nay~!
- Both shops sell fish cakes and crab sticks but they were frozen. I’ve never bought frozen fish cakes nor crab sticks in Korea. Have you ever bought frozen crab sticks or fish cakes? I don’t think they are supposed to be frozen. What do you think? Whether they were frozen or not, there were no traces of expiry dates on either item. So I decided to not to buy them unless they show me the expiry date.
- I haven’t seen any perilla leaves (aka sesame leaves) yet. However Kimchi store even had a label “Precious perilla leaves available” in the fridge, but there weren’t any actual product in it. I asked a lady at Kim’s market if she sells them and she said it is hard to get nowadays because it is out of season. Whaaat? I got them all year around in Korea! I guess the farmer must grow them in an open field not a green house.
With a big disappointment, I came home and made this Dakgalbi. I didn’t have many ingredients so it was really simple but good enough to make me feel comforted.
Address
- Kim’s market - 158 Station Rd, Sunnybank, QLD 4109, (07) 3345 1400
- Kimchi store - 6 Zamiz St, Sunnybank, QLD, 4109, (07) 3423 8989
Brisbane, Kitchen Talk, Korean Food, Korean Grocery Shopping, sunnybank
I’m glad you were able to find some Korean food items. I am usually excited when I find American things here in Japan, but then bummed when I see how high they jack up the prices for them. Looking forward to more of your adventures!
Sorry you didn’t find a lot of things that you wanted, or had no choice. We have only just found a Korean store to go to here (Carson City, NV) but it is two hours away! in Sacramento, CA.
Shame about the perilla/sesame, we can’t always get them in the UK either. But look on the bright side, eating seasonally is supposed to be a good thing, right?
All the best with the ingredient hunt
Hi Sue,
I have been shopping at a Korean grocery store situated at:
Wharf Central, Cnr Wharf & Adelaide Streets, Brisbane City (next to Value Dry Cleaners, Shop 9).
- probably not as big as what you might find in Sunnybank but I could find the basic Korean ingredients there. But yeah, unfortunately the fish cake/sheets were frozen. They do have fresh rice cakes as well.
I decided I am going to see the bright side.
I know there are lots more people who can’t get as many ingredients as I can. I am lucky to live in this city, where there are about 12 other Korean grocery shops.
@JJ
Is there free car parking? I don’t like to carry heavy groceries by bus from the CBD. Though if they have perilla leaves, I am willing to take a bus.
yeah….. you are pretty lucky.. I have never tasted fresh fiscake and fresh crabstick T_T
The only free parking I can think of is at Woolies, Spring Hill (for now) Not sure if there are certain stree side parking for free, though. I can ask to see if they have got perilla leaves. What are they called in Korean? Just in case the owner doesn’t know what it’s called in English. I can try to pronounce it out to her?
Depending on where you take the bus to - there are bus stops very near there, too.
Oh, yes. I can relate. I have had nothing but frozen crab sticks (even likely expired ones!) and fish cakes since moving to Vermont. I’m sure I’ve moaned about it before, but our nearest Korean grocery store is 3 hours away!!! Actually, that is technically not true. There is one that is 1 1/2 hrs. away in Montreal, but I don’t drive in Montreal so it’s still out of reach.
Good luck with finding the things you need. I’m sure you’ll learn to be very good at improvising and you just may get even more creative in your cooking.
hey theres also this korean supermart at the city across the road from myer centre muffin break - koz market.
@JJ
I just visited the shop you mentioned (Family mart) and I bought some KIMCHI (It didn’t taste as good though. Maybe it needs a longer fermenting period). They seemed to have more Korean instant snacks but less cooking groceries compared to the shops in Sunnybank. However, if I live in the city, I suppose I will have to get some ingredients from that shop.
I also asked about perilla leaves but they didn’t have them, but thank you for offering. By the way, perilla leaves are called ggaennip.
Hi Sue. I did think the same - probably only about 2/3 aisles of Korean cooking groceries and the rest a mixture of snacks and japanese/chinese goods? How would a good Kim Chi taste like? More vinegerish?
Have you had a look at Koz - the store Chelle mentioned? Do let me know how u go with that!
Hi JJ
I don’t exactly know how good Kimchi tastes. My brain can’t really tell but my tongue does.
I will let you know about the KOZ market if I visit.
Hi Sue.
you can try Lucky Korean shop in the corner of warrigal and Padstow st, Eight Mile Plains.
The shop is bigger compare than kimchi store in sunnybank.
Thank you Margaret.
Eight Mile Plains is quite a long way to go for me (I live on the Northside), but I will give it a try sometime soon.
All very interesting. Have any of you ladies heard, where i might be able to purchase Porcini mushroom powder?
can you believe they have this at Costco here in Taipei? In the deli section where they have sandwiches, and bulgobi and sushi. I don’t know if the rice cake is fresh, but it’s not cooked, but mixed with the sauce and tempura fishcake and pretty spicy and good!
Hi everybody. We have a small company in Brisbane and have just started to import authentic Korean barbecue tables (with centred charcoal cooking plate). I can provide a photograph of the table if you are interested.
Thanks
Adam
adamreyn@hotmail.com
Can some one tell me where the Centres of Korean Communities are in Brisbane. I guess there is one in Sunnybank are the any others ?
thanx