Checking out Charleston's ethnic grocers

Image by Flickr user jslander There are plenty of options. Get some guidance.

Update July 2: Thanks to the "guest" for spotting an old Charleston City Paper piece about several local ethnic markets; take a read here.

Update July 1: Sadly the Charleston Magazine article has long since disappeared, but take a little comfort in being able to read Charlie Magazine's profile of the Euro Foods spot in West Ashley. 

Here's a link to the piece.

First reporting: From the massive new Asian H&L supermarket, a series of smaller Latin grocers, a Russian-oriented food store, and a Filipino focused grocery store, Charleston has many ethnic food options that you may not know of. And, Charleston Magazine's article is an excellent way to get familiar with what each has to offer. Here's an exceprt of their part about the Filipino-oriented KC International Mart:

Stepping into KC International Mart on Red Bank Road, the scents of coconut, sugar, and yeast fill the air. The store seems particularly festive, and we discover the owners, Nonah and Long Garcia, are celebrating the market’s first anniversary. A karaoke machine stands at the ready, a man is frying samples of lumpia (a crispy thin egg roll filled with meat), and women in the open ­kitchen and bakery are baking four types of Filipino bread, including ensaymada, soft salt rolls brushed with sugar and butter, and pan de coco, yeast buns with a sugar-coconut filling.

Hungry yet? Go take a peek, and, if you like it, be sure to make a printout as the article will disappear come the end of the month.

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