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In search of Thai and Indian ingredients — Brooklynian

In search of Thai and Indian ingredients

ian2010
ian2010
edited November -1 in Prospect Heights

Hey all, I know I can get Thai basil in Chinatown (and presumably in Brooklyn Chinatown as well), and I can get Indian spices in Manhattan around Lex and 25th. But does anyone know of places I can get either of those a little closer to Grand Army Plaza? I do have a car so it's not too bad to get to Brooklyn Chinatown and probably quicker than the subway to Manhattan Chinatown.

I'm specifically looking for Thai basil and Indian curry leaves, but am interested in other spices and produce as well. A big TIA!

Comments

  • chuleta
    chuleta

    Hmmm... for the curry leaves I'd try the Bangledeshi shops around McDonald and Church Avenue (Kensington). Don't know about the Thai basil, but I am certain you can find it in Sunset Park's Chinatown if you search. I am always amazed at the range of ingredients available in Chinatown freezers.

  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen

    I don't know where to get any of that in Brooklyn, so please share what you find and where!

    That said, Bangkok Center Grocery (near Worth and Mott) in Manhattan has all kinds of Thai ingredients. Fresh (or whole frozen) things I haven't seen elsewhere: Thai basil, galangal, Thai eggplants, Kaffir lime leaves, kaffir limes, lemongrass, coriander root. They have plenty of other stuff but that's what comes to mind at the moment. Also, they occasionally sell fresh curry paste but are out at the moment.

  • idlewild
    idlewild

    I imagine the box consisting of Coney Island Ave. and west up to McDonald Ave. And south between Church Ave. & Ave. H. It's a heavy Bengal area, and I've certainly seen multitude of Pakistani and Bangladeshi stores in the area. Otherwise, it's off to Patel Brothers with you, in Jackson Heights. Maybe Jackson Heights is a better way to go? Especially since the OP has wheels.

  • ian2010
    ian2010

    Thanks all so far! I found this Brooklyn "Patel's" unrelated to the Patel Brothers on a Chowhound thread, called them and they say they have curry leaves, and they are close enough to Brooklyn Chinatown to make a trip to Lucky 8 that we've been eying for dinner and to search for Thai Basil and others in the markets -- unless others have recommendations for restos there that they feel are excellent -- we were a bit disappointed with some Malaysian food we got last time though it was "OK".

    Patel's in Brooklyn:

    Patel Grocery

    5303, 4th Avenue,

    Brooklyn,

    New York

    11220

    (718) 748-6369

    (they were adamant on the phone that they were not Patel Brothers, just Patel)

    Lucky Eights, a Chinese resto in Brooklyn Chinatown that looked particularly good and popular to us (i.e. there's probably a wait) but haven't tried yet:

    Lucky Eight Restaurant

    5204 8th Avenue

    Brooklyn, NY 11220

    718-861-8862

    I see someone is complaining hard in the top review but screw 'em. I also see there appear to be 2 restos with the same name inches from each other and don't know what this means -- the address above is the one that we saw and got a menu from.

    http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/lucky-eight-restaurant/

    _________

    If only I could be paid for surfing the internet.

  • che
    che

    Consider delivery from Penzeys—higher quality than you get at many markets, and fairly priced, especially if you're buying a lot. They now have a store here at Grand Central, having expanded from the midwest/Wisconsin because they've been so (justifiably) successful, but delivery is pretty nice.

    (Also, Indian grocers the wide world round are named Patel.)

  • chuleta
    chuleta

    Lucky Eights is EXCELLENT and reasonably priced. I was very impressed. Unusual dishes, executed with some delicacy. Not your typical Americanized Chinese.

    Yeah, Brooklyn Chinatown is a wealth of good things, I don't doubt you can find all you need around there if you do some poking.

  • bkchickie
    bkchickie

    I can't contribute anything to this thread, except to say (sincerely) that this is one example of why I love living here.

  • pitu
    pitu

    The Hong Kong Market in Sunset Park on 8th Ave at 61st St (they have a parking lot btw) usually has Thai basil (wrapped on a foam tray in the way back, left side of the store, or in the cooler towards the front of the store, across from fish) I love Thai basil. The plant people at Saturday GAP market might sell plants pretty soon...

    The Park Slope Food Coop carries fresh curry leaves pretty much all the time now. I know, you have to be a member.

    There's some other threads around here somewhere about Sunset Pk Chinatown restos...

  • ian2010
    ian2010

    Thanks for the heads up on Hong Kong Supermarket. It's very help to know not only what store to go to but where in the store to find it, since as you probably can guess I haven't had much luck asking at the store itself. We tried Fei Long, which was airport sized (apparently under some renovation though) with no luck, though it was near closing. Will try Hong Kong next time. Here's the address for Fei Long in case anyone wants to check that one out too (though maybe not specifically Thai basil -- they did have an excellent live fish collection). They say it has parking too but I didn't try it. Some on Yelp seem to feel it is cleaner than Hong Kong Supermarket but that doesn't help if they don't have my Thai basil!

    Fei Long Supermarket

    6301 8th Ave

    (between 63rd St & 64th St)

    Brooklyn, NY 11220

    http://www.yelp.com/biz/fei-long-supermarket-brooklyn

  • ian2010
    ian2010

    Thanks for the heads up on Hong Kong Supermarket. It's very help to know not only what store to go to but where in the store to find it, since as you probably can guess I haven't had much luck asking at the store itself. We tried Fei Long, which was airport sized (apparently under some renovation though) with no luck, though it was near closing. Will try Hong Kong next time. Here's the address for Fei Long in case anyone wants to check that one out too (though maybe not specifically Thai basil -- they did have an excellent live fish collection). They say it has parking too but I didn't try it. Some on Yelp seem to feel it is cleaner than Hong Kong Supermarket but that doesn't help if they don't have my Thai basil!

    Fei Long Supermarket

    6301 8th Ave

    (between 63rd St & 64th St)

    Brooklyn, NY 11220

    http://www.yelp.com/biz/fei-long-supermarket-brooklyn

  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen

    I've been to Bangkok Central Grocery in Manhattan several times recently and they've always had fresh Thai basils, fwiw. Not a good spot to drive to I guess, but close enough to several train stations and the guy who was working every time I go in is really nice and offers good advice on certain ingredients (soak this first, this one might be better in that dish, etc.)

  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen

    I've been to Bangkok Central Grocery in Manhattan several times recently and they've always had fresh Thai basils, fwiw. Not a good spot to drive to I guess, but close enough to several train stations and the guy who was working every time I go in is really nice and offers good advice on certain ingredients (soak this first, this one might be better in that dish, etc.)

  • ian2010
    ian2010

    Yep I know that grocery, it's a good one.

  • ian2010
    ian2010

    Yep I know that grocery, it's a good one.

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