Ann Arbor’s new Galleria Market offers variety of Asian specialty foods
Ann Arbor’s newest Asian supermarket quietly opened earlier this month. The Galleria is at 3111 Packard Road, just east of Platt Road, in a neighborhood that owners Hyun and Jason Bang hope to help fashion into a hub for specialty ethnic groceries. The Galleria specializes in Asian, and specifically Korean foods.
The store’s parking lot, though hard to maneuver through, has already seen a good deal of traffic. The shop is clean, well organized, and has a wide variety of specialty foods and provisions.
The Galleria on Packard Road opened earlier this month.
Angela Smith | Contributor
My husband loves Korean dishes, and would likely promise me the world if I came home with the ingredients and the know-how to make homemade kim chi or bulgogi. But as a person with seafood allergies, I found myself a little lost when I went in to explore the Galleria for the first time.
The aisles are organized with an abundance of healthy rice-based snacks, exotic seafood, and items I have never heard of before. I ended up buying a package of frozen potstickers, and some interesting frozen mini-slushie drinks to share at a potluck. Both were well received, but I think I need some guidance before venturing in again.
My favorite purchases from my first visit to The Galleria on Packard Road.
Angela Smith | Contributor
What are some good ways to get acquainted with the delicacies and healthful foods I can find there? Asian noodles? Interesting teas? Authentic sauces? What brands or items do you recommend?
Lead Shopping Blogger Angie Smith will hunt for deals and dish on the latest in retail and business news in Ann Arbor. Readers will attain notices of great deals and store happenings in and around the city. To report a news item or tip contact her at angieannarbor@gmail.com.
Comments
BobbyJohn
Tue, Jun 15, 2010 : 11:56 a.m.
Please, make a bit more effort w/ your blogs, or don't bother. Thank you
Angela Smith
Tue, Jun 1, 2010 : 11:30 a.m.
The Galleria truly is a supermarket (but no website is in the plans, Ann). In speaking with the owner's son before the store opened (and before his trip back to Korea), his hope is that not just restuarant owners, but many neighbors, families, and students will find their way into the Galleria and sample their healthy products. I posted some breif information about the business getting ready to open in April: http://www.annarbor.com/business-review/waiting-for-photo/ This post was meant to share one shopper's experiences (mine). And also to get some recommendation from the "seasoned shoppers" as J. Sorenson called them. Thanks for the feedback.
Stefan Szumko
Tue, Jun 1, 2010 : 8 a.m.
Hey Angie, Thanks for giving up a couple hours of your life to share this recent development in town. I'm sure your salary will be doubled, just like mine with each post. 2 x $0 = $0. I'm delighted to know about an upscale Asian market along one of the routes I frequent. Visiting the ethnic groceries are a mini-vacation. Plus it's good to know that there are still new shops opening even in this down economy. Stefan
J. Sorensen
Tue, Jun 1, 2010 : 1 a.m.
Personally I am like the author, overwhelmed by the variety (and lack of English description) of items (I also love Hua Xiang on Washtenaw) and would love some input by some more "seasoned" shoppers! Thanks Angie!
Ann English
Mon, May 31, 2010 : 5:24 p.m.
Those Vege Potstickers remind me of the package labeling at Tsai Grocery in the Village Centre, with its bilingual print. Does the Galleria have its own website yet? I'd be interested in learning if they sell fish sauce along with their seafood. Or does "Asian fish sauce" refer to something only Southeastern Asians use? I know the Vietnamese use it.
tredd
Mon, May 31, 2010 : 12:41 p.m.
Wow, sorry you two are having a bad day. Want news? Here's a clue. If the author is a "Community Contributor" it means it is probably your neighbor sharing a favorite story, of musings of childhood, or news about a new restaurant or market they just found. Lighten up. Once the weather clears go out and give a special thanks to all of the soldiers who have served our country on this special day, and don't forget to smile.
silverwings
Mon, May 31, 2010 : 12:25 p.m.
Agreed... a pretty miserable effort. The author couldn't have asked a Korean cook about the store? There are only about 10 Korean restaurants that would have been happy to comment in order to get the publicity. Or even asked one of the employees of the store what sets it apart?
Mike D.
Mon, May 31, 2010 : 7:12 a.m.
This is a nice "blog post," I guess, but it has very little useful information in it beyond basic facts that could be summed up in 4 sentences. It would be great if AnnArbor.com could clearly differentiate between these rambling "blog posts" and actual articles.