Thai Hoa

 After my great finds at Veggy's, I consulted some of my pals about their shopping habits.  I was told there were bigger and cheaper alternatives.  We headed downtown to 60 Ham Nghi to peruse the two long aisles of canned goods, crackers, and baking essentials at Thai Hoa.  While nowhere near as aesthetically pleasing as some of Saigon's spacious modern markets, this cluttered store has treasures waiting to be discovered.  The dented cans and partially squished boxes are seemingly procured from shady merchants on oily docks and add to the excitement of combing through the merchandise.

My initial purchases included whole-wheat flour, canned black beans, (unfortunately stale) Wasa crackers, a rolling pin and spices.  I loaded up on seaweed and wasabi for homemade sushi, curry powder and cumin to throw a little exotica into my kitchen, and a rolling pin to finally make proportional tortillas.  While they are lacking in the produce, meat, and cheese departments, they make up for it in dried lentils, a fine mustard selection, and a multitude of exotic teas.  Since that first visit, Thai Hoa has become a monthly stop for my home cooking needs.