September 1, 2010 H Mart
When you get off the exit from route 128 there is traffic everywhere. You have to wait in to get into the parking lot on this rainy Sunday afternoon and stalk people for their parking spots. We wonder how many times we will circle the parking lot before we give up and go home. H-Mart is a chain grocery store that has recently come to Burlington. It was featured in Boston Globe’s ‘Best of the New’ where they wrote:
“H Mart Shumai, spices, durian, a dizzying array of kimchi — H Mart’s shelves are stocked with an abundance of hard-to-find goodies. The massive market has enthralled Asian families and curious foodies since opening in September; a food court with everything from curry to sushi adds to the frenzy. Weekends get hectic, and parking is a contact sport. 3 Old Concord Road, Burlington, 781-221-4570, hmart.com”
We finally find a parking spot and make our way inside. We are first greeted by a diamond store-because yes, every grocery store needs to have a place where you can pick up diamonds. Men, forget those flowers when you’re late, pick up a 2 carat tennis bracelet instead. Past the diamonds, if you can make it that far, is a food court with a variety of Asian food options. There is a Korean stand, an Indian stand, a sushi stand and an Asian bakery. Don’t worry if you are new to Asian cuisine, the stands do their menus by pictures. They have some unexpected options, and then your standard Asian-American fare, General Gao’s chicken, steamed raviolis, udon soups-trust me, there is something for everyone, whether you feel like being adventurous of you want to play it safe.
Finding a seat in the food court is harder than finding a parking space outside. People are hovering over tables, and sitting down at them before the original people have even stood up. It’s a zoo-so the best way to navigate is go with at least 2 people, one to order the food and wait in line and the other to go on the hunt for a table.
We try the Korean stand. We order the bul kogi-a sliced meat dish that comes with a side of rice, kimchi (spicy Korean cabbage) miso soup and some other pickled vegetable. For $8.95, this is a steal. When we sit down to eat we realize that we could have ordered one meal and split it because there is so much food. The beef is made to order, nothing is sitting around in buffet dishes. Now I know what you’re thinking, food court-panda express and sbarro pizza, but this isn’t your run of the mill food court. The food is actually quite tasty, the meat is moist, tender and flavorful. The kimchi is not as spicy as I like it, but I’m guessing that it wouldn’t have mass appeal if it were up to my spicy standards. The rice is good-moist and sticky. I’m not saying that this food is gourmet, but for a food court, this is good stuff!
The dining area could be a little bigger-for those of you who have been to the super 88, H Mart doesn’t have as many options and the seating area is smaller, but I think that the food is much better at H Mart and the grocery store is much cleaner.
So after lunch we walk around the market. They have 50 lb bags of rice, fruits I’ve never even seen before, marinated meat, mochi (a Japanese dessert), and a whole aisle devoted to noodles. I am in heaven. Stir fry noodles, udon noodles, buckwheat noodles, the possibilities are endless. They have good looking items in the frozen food section, I want to try them all. Towards the far end of the market they have two aisles with ‘American” food, so just in case you need your Dorito fix, never fear-you will not be disappointed. H Mart also carries a good selection of rice makers, tea cups and other household goods.
HMart
3 Old Concord Road, Burlington MA, 781-221-4570
Open 8am-9pm
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