I’m interested in getting hold of a few more ‘famliar’ foods. I mean, we eat a lot of Chinese food, but sometimes you just need a taste of home, right? I’ve been to Jason’s, but can’t afford the stupid prices they dream up, so I’m looking for somewhere more realistically priced - I’m just not paying NT$200-300 for one small bag of wholemeal pasta! We usually shop at Carrrefour, so I’m familiar with what they have on offer too (as well as Dinghao/Wellcome, Quanlian Fulian Zhongxin and A-Mart). I’ve also found the Sogo City-Super. Are they good for anything in particular (bearing in mind that I’m vegetarian )
We were told today there was an international food place in the World Trade Center. Is that so? Or was he confusing it with Jason’s in 101?
Also, someone mentioned looking for things at Tescos. Is it still going? If so, where is it, please? (Scrap this question, I’ve just done a Websearch and found that they swapped all their Taiwan stores with Carrefour Eastern European ones! Dang it! )
Any other good ideas? Costco isn’t very accesible for us, though, although a friend did take us there recently. We weren’t too hot on it, to be honest.
Anyone found anywhere where tinned/canned baked beans can be found? British style ones, I mean, as I remember the US ones being barbeque flavoured and I really don’t go for that. I’m also very keen to find some western style fresh basil for my home-style tomato sauce.
Matsusei has [strike]HP[/strike] correction Cross and Blackwell baked beans, but they’re about NT$60-ish a tin. They’re a Japanese supermarket and they can be found all over Taipei.
There’s a super market in the breeze center and mitsukoshi also has its own supermarkets, although both mostly carry Japanese items, but also some other imported goods that the other supermarkets don’t carry.
I think whoever told you that there’s a supermarket in the WTC got it mixed up with Jasons.
CitySuper is not really any cheaper than Jasons, but they stock a few more things from the UK from what I’ve seen, but again, mostly Japanese things.
IKEA has a few food items too, but dunno if any of those are to your taste.
RT-Mart also has a selection of imported things and their pasta tends to be quite affordable, but dunno if they have any whole wheat pasta, it’s not something I’ve been looking for, but I’m fairly sure I’ve seen it in Carrefour.
You can find links to most of the supermarket websites on my blog.
The Xindian carrefore used to have a great western section, but alas, it has been shrinking for some time and when I went there today after a month abroad I found little more than a few jars of german mustard: no whole wheat pasta anymore, no feta cheese, no good yoghurt, no organic peanut butter, no dried split pea soup. . :raspberry:
Anyway, just mentioning it as some may still recal the glory days and steer you here. Beer selection is still awesome though.
If you haven’t already, head over to the Carrefour by the Zhishan MRT station (red line). That one is the only Carrefour with aisles devoted to Western items. They’ve got tons of stuff. You should check it out. It’s only about a 5 minute walk from the mrt station. All you need to do is exit the station’s only exit and make a left turn down the ramp. Just walk all the way to the end of the street and you’ll see it. You’ll also see the new SOGO around there if you decide you want to check out CitySuper.
I wouldn’t argue with the pasta machine and flour (ditto bread machine/oven etc) if only our postage stamp of a kitchen was big enough!
Just a polite request to anyone else who wants to post their suggestions and ideas in response to my original plea: There have been a few who’ve suggested things I said I already knew about or that weren’t an option. I truly appreciate the help, but it would be most helpful if one read the question properly!! Save you wasting your time posting stuff I already know.
Agree about the Xindian Carrefour, it’s a real shame and, yes, the Tianmu branch is way better, at least I hope it still is…
I know you’ve already checked out Wellcomes, but the one by the Guting MRT station usually has baked beans. Also, what about Wellman’s in Tianmu? Have you tried there? I think they usually have them, although they may be the American style.
The City Super at Zhongxiao Fuxing used to have great vegetarian pre-packaged deli meats, but I haven’t seen them there in a while. That was the only reason I used to go there.
Thanks, I’m at ShiDa, so I’ll try the Guting Wellcome. I’ve been to the ShiDa Rd one several times and I get things like mixed herbs from there.
Where do you complain about the Xindian Carrefour? To their management or via the company website, I guess. We go there fairly often for the basics we need, but it’s really the bread that makes us go there and the greater variety of produce over the Muzha Fuli Zhongxin.
I didn’t know Far East had a food section, I’ll check it out.
I’m not up for Jason’s prices, so I’m sure not up for anything more expensive! Still, we’ll have a look. Oh, and thanks for the reminder about Matsusei! We’ve found a few good things there, but they aren’t cheap either! For the most part, I’m waiting until I get home to enjoy certain things!! :lick:
It’s 50/50 if Jason or CitySuper is the more expensive supermarket, but the deli in CitySuper is a million times better and they know how to use their fancy slicing machines, something that can’t be said for Jasons…
I think Jasons actually have more stuff as well, but it’s more “healthy” stuff, as in its super expensive and I doubt most people eat it anyhow.
Can’t argue about the Xindian Carrefour, it’s by far the worst one I’ve been too. The big one in Taoyuan is really nice, but a bit too far to travel unless you live there. The other one isn’t so good though. The one good thing I found about the Xindian Carrefour is that they have a butcher service, so they can cut/grind anything to order as long as you ask them.
Matsusei is not really any more expensive than other supermarkets here, except when it comes to fresh veggies and meat. Imported goods are always charged at at least 5x the going rate here it seems, if not 10x if they can get away with it…
If the fresh basil you can get everywhere here isn’t good enough for you, try getting some seeds from the Jianguo Flower Market, and growing yer own.
I wanna know where I can get ingredients for MEXICAN FOOD YEEEEEEEEEEEEEAHHHHH!!
I agree with Muzha Man. Carrefour Xindian SUCKS! In every aspect, from product availability to cleanliness. Where can I complain?
Write on the comments forms next to the carpark ticket-stamping place in B1. I recently wrote to them in English about people taking their dogs into the place, and they at least read it and called me the next day to talk more about my complaint.
I’d like to warn against buying pasta at the Nangang Carrefour though, since over the last year I bought several brands there (at least part of them imported from Italy) and all had rice bugs (Weevils) inside. Similar with the rice there
[quote=“Bao_Lisha”]It doesn’t taste the same as western basil. Eastern basil has an aniseedy taste and isn’t really good for Italian dishes.
Where is this flower market, please? Are you sure they do what I’m looking for??[/quote]
Last time I got “Western” (Sweet) Basil it was in the supermarket at SOGO in Zhongxiao Fuxing, went very well with the Mozarella there plus some great Tomatoes and Olive Oil It’s more expensive than the Thai Basil - and I totally agree, it’s very different, not only in the looks.
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I’m also very keen to find some western style fresh basil for my home-style tomato sauce.
. :raspberry:
Save you wasting your time posting stuff I already know.
Well, I take Toto downstairs, not into the supermarket area, though.
It’s more expensive than the Thai Basil - and I totally agree, it’s very different, not only in the looks.