A & A Products

Exactly the kind of store we need fewer of on Clement Street: a dirty produce market with the same mediocre vegetables as every other dirty produce market on the street. Definitely nothing organic, questionable display practices (many things not refridgerated that should be), uncaring employees. Pass.

A & A mostly sells veggies and fruits cheap (maybe by 20 cents a pound) they also sell
–frozen seafood
–canned condiements, veggies, species,
–teas, cookies,
–chinese meds.
buys:
–ginger .79/​lb
–bananae .39/​lb/​
notes:
–cashier is in the front of the store (way in the back) for some reason.
–cash only.

If I’m in the neighborhood, I always stop in here and pick up some noodles or tofu. They have freshly made tofu, which tastes very different from the stuff that’s mass-​produced and sold in Safeway or Whole Foods. They have a huge selection of Asian vegetables, sweets, savories and fruit. I wish I knew what all the stuff in the bulk area was because it looks very intriguing!
One of these days I’ll get a Cantonese speaking friend to come with me and interpret the labels.

I’ve been shopping here for about a month now so I’m surprised that Unilocal search came up empty when I looked up the business name tonight. The building which used to house one of my favorite Asian DVD and VCD stores is now a Chinese market with a very generic name.
Since I do most of my produce shopping at local farmers markets my only reason for shopping at Asian markets these days are for the kinds of vegetables I don’t see often at farmers market. I tend to look for and buy the same things all the time. These things include baby bok choy sum, gailan (Chinese broccoli), moqua (fuzzy melon), Napa cabbage, green onions and Chinese long beans.
The frugal Chinese in me likes to make price comparisons a must and since there are not that many produce markets within this stretch on Clement Street that task is pretty simplified. Prior to finding A & A Products my shopping trips in the area were pretty much satisfied at the Richmond New May Wah Supermarket or their offspring Healthy Produce or the Lien Hing Supermarket a few blocks away. With the addition of A & A Products though I now find myself shopping here more often if my shopping lists consist of vegetables only.
Their prices are generally 10 to 20 cents per pound less than Richmond New May Wah, and I love the quality of their baby bok choy sum much better. At a lot of the Asian markets these are pre-​bagged in clear plastic bags, but so far at A & A Products they’re selling these loose so the buyer can pick and bag their own greens. The gailan was exceptionally young and fresh this weekend and priced 30 cents less per pound than their competitors. I usually pay hefty prices for my favorite large size honey tangerines at $ 1.99 per pound at all of the other markets I’ve checked but found them here for just $ 1.39 per pound this weekend.
In addition to the Asian vegetables they sell selected dry goods, canned products and Chinese and Vietnamese cooking sauces also. The selection is nowhere as vast as it is elsewhere, but for my shopping needs it works out fine. Their refrigerator section carries a good selection of noodles and tofu products too, but I’m choosy about my brands when it comes to buying those products so until they carry House brand organic tofu or Canton Noodle Company fresh noodles I’ll be buying those somewhere else.
This place won’t replace my love for Richmond New May Wah Supermarket and their awesome selection, but if it’s just veggies I need it’s good to know this place is here with absolutely no lines at the cash register. Buyer beware, it’s cash only so come prepared!