Crying in H Mart? Not me. When I first moved from Burlington, Vermont, to Houston, I found myself sobbing in the freezer aisle at 99 Ranch. After living in a state entirely without an Asian supermarket for the previous 17 years, I couldn’t hold in my joy. I brought home some red-bean-filled steamed buns shaped like bears and wiped away the tears.
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Nearly a decade and another move later, I’m still just as enchanted with the California-based grocery chain. Taiwanese immigrant Roger Chen opened the first 99 Ranch in 1984, and there are now 54 stores in 10 states at the time this story was first published. Though I find myself picking up Lay’s potato chips in flavors usually only available in China, and sweet snacks like hawthorn roll-ups as fun surprises to myself, these are the staples I purchase nearly every time I shop at 99 Ranch Market.
1. Frozen Meals
I can now contain my emotions when I walk the long aisles of frozen delights, but that doesn’t mean that I’m less grateful for the variety. Flaky Malaysian-style roti (sometimes labeled paratha) is one of my household staples. I treat myself to the croissant-like flatbreads with curries or filled with scrambled eggs. Before I lived within driving distance of a 99 Ranch, I used to dream of eating Wei-Chuan entrees like the anise-scented beef noodle soup. Now it’s a reality.
2. Hard-to-Find Produce
Each time I make a 99 Ranch trip, I make it a goal to try a new-to-me fruit or vegetable. Most recently, that was nam wah bananas, also known as Thai bananas. The half-sized versions of the fruit we’re used to are a little starchier and less sweet, but still an excellent snack. On that trip, I also bought yali pears ($2.49/pound), which I love for their crisp, apple-like flesh, but purely pear-style juiciness. 99 Ranch is also where I buy my chiles, from habaneros to bird’s eyes.
3. Rice
My family loves to make Korean barbecue at home almost as much as we love to splurge on eating it in restaurants. While I do sometimes buy precooked microwaveable white rice at Costco, I prefer brown rice, for reasons of both texture and health. That I get at 99 Ranch. But the rice selection goes far beyond convenience. We also buy bags of Thai sticky rice to make mango sticky rice from scratch.
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4. Meat for Korean Barbecue
Speaking of one of my favorite meals, 99 Ranch is also where I stock up on the animal proteins that are its centerpiece. The collection of Berkshire pork is one of my favorite components to cook on our tabletop grill, and thin slices of wagyu beef are presented fanned out like the gift that they are. The higher-quality meats don’t even require a marinade, just a dip in salted sesame oil.
Galbi (Korean BBQ Short Ribs )
5. Duck
In the days just before restaurants closed in March 2020, I wanted to make sure that I would eat well at home. While some people stocked up on pasta, I went to 99 Ranch and bought a whole duck. And when I say whole, I mean head, feet and all. I roasted it and used every piece, including crumbling the crisp skin to sprinkle over cauliflower gnocchi. Dining alone during lockdown was way more fun than I’d expected.
6. Green Tea
Two things to know about me: I start every day with a mug of tea, and I am unapologetically cheap. That’s why my favorite purchase at 99 Ranch is Prince of Peace premium green tea. It’s $4.99 for 100 bags, and I prefer its flavor to that of the Kirkland version. I wake up to a light jolt of caffeine and my fix of antioxidants.
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7. Assi Hot Pepper Paste
I started saying that gochujang is the best of all possible hot sauces a couple of decades ago. I’m so glad that more Americans are starting to agree with me. But I’ve evolved a bit. The Korean chile paste is the main ingredient in Assi Brand’s cute red bottles of hot pepper paste for bibimbap, but the sauce is a bit more complex. It’s sweet, spicy and savory, and a little goes a long way.
8. Pickled Vegetables
Yes, I could make my own pickles with a bit of time, but when I’m in a hurry to feed a group, I love the ease of buying jars of tangy pickled ginger and bright-yellow radishes. The kimchi selection isn’t what you’d find at H Mart, but as long as I’m at 99 Ranch, it’s where I’m most likely to pick up a jar.
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9. Miso
I always keep a container of miso in my fridge for making vinaigrettes and marinades. My favorite is manufactured by Miko Brand, which claims to date back to 1662. They use organic soybeans, but I’m more attracted by the variety of flavors. I usually buy shiro miso ($5.59), for its lighter, sweeter taste, but my preference can change with my mood.
10. Shirataki Noodles
Part of my high-protein diet involves making stir-fries from high-fiber, low-calorie shirataki noodles. The slippery strands lie somewhere between soba and spaghetti squash in terms of satisfaction when a noodle craving strikes, but I’ve come to crave the $2.09 bags of Tsutomu Foods noodles. Adding leafy greens from the produce aisle and some slices of Berkshire pork jowl ($10.99/pound) make it a meal I can get excited about.
