Markets in Little Manila in Carson, CA, USA. More details when available. I do plan to mention something about all of them. Most of these markets have various free newspapers, either inside or outside, like the restaurants. However, sometimes they throw them away at night when they close. M1, M3, M4, M6, and M7 clean and fry your fish for free; see Fish Fry page. 9/26/99
Maps. See Walking Tour.
Flash: 9/26/99 - I've shopped Seafood City (M7) the most and found good stuff, but tried two items I didn't like. I've tried several fish, but the only one I didn't like was Goggle Eye which didn't taste good. Also, the pork longaniza sausage had the wrong taste, color, and texture. I just bought one to try and, after two bites, threw it away. On the good side, they've had chicken leg quarters for 28¢ for the last couple of weeks, and I made several dishes. I don't like legs and thighs, but if I simmer/stew them till the meat almost falls of the bone (like 1.5 hours) it gets rid of the textural stuff and fat I don't like. If you ask they will split the legs from the thighs. Try one of the spicy Thai dishes, like the soup with coconut milk. If you need a simple recipe, leave a note on my message board. Be sure to simmer, not boil and only eat it the next day after you've cooled it over night and skimmed all the chicken fat. Last night I stewed five quarters to last me all week and got maybe a half cup of fat, not even counting the skin which I don't eat. Yesterday, for the first time I've seen it, they had live blue crab for 99¢ a pound.
M1. Fresh Fish (Korean?)
198 1/2 E. Carson St.
Carson, CA 90745
phone 310-518-4042
Mon-Thu 9.30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fri and Sat 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sun 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Alive and other seafood. 9/6/99 - The lady and I tried to talk in English, and it didn't work very well. Maybe they don't cook fish, but maybe they do cook the live crab. If you can talk to them, please ask them to have someone make a simple hand-printed note about their cooking policy, and post it. In a few languages would be good. 9/11/99 - Saturday, went back about 6:30 p.m., and a guy said they would cook live fish and crab, but they were often out of live fish at the end of the day. I ask him to cook me one crab, but he said the minimum for cooking was five. Seems like they don't need my money or business. 9/12/99 - Sunday, about noon, the lady is back without any live fish.
M2. Lucky (American)
110 E. Carson St.
Carson, CA 90745
phone 310-835-6402
Seven days, 6 a.m. to midnight. [Thanks for keeping the schedule simple.] The sales at the local American markets start on Wednesday and run till Tuesday. Large American market with some ethnic items. They moved the free-newspaper rack outside. You can get RAVE!, Street Zebra, Easy Reader, and more here for free. The weekly RAVE! has restaurant, movie, and radio columns. The monthly Street Zebra has restaurant comparisons, or whatever. The weekly Easy Reader has lots of stuff, but mostly for the Beach Cities. 9/23/99 - Lucky had "Free Food Safety Tips" on 9/27/99 between 2 and 5 p.m. Call and ask for more if that's important to you.
M3. Hoa Fong Market (Chinese?)
22200 S. Main St.
Carson, CA 90745
phone 310-513-8031
Open seven days?, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
M4. Seafood Ranch Market
117 E. 223rd. St.
Carson, CA 90745
phone 310-518-5888
Sign says they're open seven days, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. with the usual meat, produce, and canned items, etc. canned stuff, etc.
M5. La Venadita Meat Market (Mexican)
22035 S. Main St.
Carson, CA 90745
phone 310-830-7099
Mon-Thu: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fri and Sat: 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Sun: 7 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. 9/6/99 - the usual meat, produce, canned stuff, etc.
M5.1. Keystone Liquor
21923 S. Main St.
Carson, CA 90745
phone 310-834-3150
9/12/99 - One sign says "liquor" and another says "Mexican deli," but they don't serve food. They do have a few grocery items. I didn't check, but expect high prices and old stuff. Call them about hours. "Keystone" is not displayed on the building, but it is on the register tape.
M6. Tambuli Market
126 W. Carson St.
Carson, CA 90745
phone 310-549-4251
Seven days, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. 8/28/99 - I noticed they meet or beat Seafood City prices on some items. The usual meat, produce, and canned items, etc.
M7. Seafood City Supermarket
131 W. Carson St. (NW corner with Main St.)
Carson, CA 90745
phone: 310-834-9700
8/23/99 - See the Fish Fry page for a review.
Open seven days, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Their sales start on Thursday and go to Wednesday. They have six check-out lines, without an express line. 8/19/99 - The Wednesday 8/18/99 Asian Journal newspaper had an ad that runs from today thru 8/25/99. Ham hocks are 38-cents/pound, snow peas are 98-cents/pound, and Indian mackerel is 59-cents/pound. The 8-cents/pound for ham hocks must be a mistake, the picture looks like cabbage. They have the general offices and three stores in the L.A. area and three stores in the San Diego area.
It opened 8/14/99 with lots of customers, helpers, and check-out lines. I don't remember a line with over three or four customers. There was only one person ahead of me. You know how long that lasts. The grand opening will be 8/26/99 at 9 a.m., and that's probably when the other seven or so shops in front will open. Check it out. They do advertise weekly in one of the local Filipino newspapers, and I'll get the names.
Low prices. They always start with low prices. I got Roma tomatoes for 59-cents/pound, broccoli crowns for 38-cents/pound, and oranges for 25-cents/pound. They had banana blossoms, lemon grass, something that looked like Chinese broccoli, and other stuff, some with Filipino names.
Oriental items are almost always less expensive in an Oriental market. And these guys have rows of stuff. A quick check of the cookware looked overpriced. They have a meat and fish section with lots of stuff. You can buy the meat by the pound - if you need 1.7 pounds, they get it for you. Pick out your fish when you enter, and they have it cleaned and cooked (if you want) when you're done. They page you.
This is a chain of supermarkets, with several other stores. It will hurt the other smaller markets, and I'll guessing they will not all survive. On the walking tour you'll pass a few empty buildings. About two of them were markets that closed years ago. It's looks like I got these documented just in time.
There are several shops in front also. There's a Chowking restaurant, two bakeries, another branch of S & J Palace, and another. I will review the restaurants when they give discount coupons. The space which was to be Sizzling Pinoy now says "space available."
M8. Carniceria Guanajuato Meat Market (Mexican)
111 E. Carson St.
Carson, CA 90745
phone 310-834-5400
Mon-Fri: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sat: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sun: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. 9/6/99 - the usual meat, produce, canned stuff, etc. plus fast food, but not today? (Labor Day).