i'm linking to this wapo article

for a reason. it's too far away for us to drive on over to the dc area to do our grocery shopping BUT if you're in the greater hartford area it's NOT too far to drive to the shield street plaza and do a little shopping at a dong (one of THE best, and might i add BIGGEST asian markets in the area). in my neighborhood alone (well within a couple of mile radius), there are a few smaller asian groceries (not to mention indian, thai, japanese, vietnamese, laotian, korean, greek/middle eastern and chinese restaurants)

A Dong Supermarket
160 Shield Street (off New Britain Avenue), West Hartford
860-953-8903

(oh and while you're at it DO NOT FORGET cosmos international. indian grocery store on farmington avenue. Cosmos International
770 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford
203-232-6600)

if you want to buy something like spices WHICH COST A FORTUNE - go to cosmos. they have GREAT spices for GREAT prices (granted, you're not going to get them in those pretty little glass bottles.)

oh just stop in one of the stores one day. you won't be sorry. you'll have trouble identifying SOME of the items, but hell, you'll be able to find what you're looking for! just do it

A World of Bargains
Asian Supermarkets Attract Chefs and the Budget-Minded

By Melissa McCart

Special to The Washington Post
It's a busy Saturday morning at the Super H Mart in Fairfax City, where scores of people navigate carts down aisles, stocking up on the week's groceries. In the center of the seafood section, Yoon-Hee Heather Choi, a native of Seoul and a Fairfax resident since 1993, holds court as she leans over ice-filled bins showcasing the day's catch: silver mackerel, shimmery saury and whole squid, eyes aligned like dominoes.

"That squid looks great for calamari," says a man next to her.

"No," she says, then points to the fish counter behind her. "Go to the fishmonger and ask for small ones. They're sweeter." Whole squids slightly longer than a man's hand sell for $2.99 a pound, while smaller calamari the length of a finger cost $1.99, either size a fraction of the price at a Whole Foods Market ($5.99 a pound) or Giant ($8.99 for a frozen 13-ounce box)..........