Although Carlos Melendez buys in bulk at Restaurant Depot for his Coyote Crossing restaurants in Conshohocken and West Chester, the chef/owner still finds bargains at Los Potrillos Taqueria, his favorite Mexican grocery in Norristown. "Avocados are half the price," he said "And I can get 50 pounds of black beans for what I'd spend on a small box."
With items like dried peppers and spices, Melendez feels that consumers pay extra for unnecessary packaging. "I don't need a little glass jar with a grinder on top for peppers. An envelope of pepper for less than half the price is what I want."
Bundles of cilantro, imported Mexican cheeses and tortillas are also bargain priced at Los Potrillos.
Creating a menu to reflect the right mood for the exotic jam band Animus, Babbage headed to International Foods and Spice in West Philly. "They carry a full line of spices and flours for nan and chapati [breads]. And [Paul] Singh, the owner, is very helpful and happy to answer questions about all the ingredients," Babbage said.
One possible challenge, especially for new shoppers, is that you can't always ask questions at ethnic supermarkets. At the Asian markets on Washington Avenue, it's almost impossible to find anybody who speaks enough English and has the inclination to help. At many Latino markets, Spanish is the prevailing tongue.
When visiting ethnic grocery stores, bring a well-researched ingredient list and a spirit of adventure. When you're saving this kind of money, you can afford to experiment. *
