Whole Lotte Love, yoja chingu. Best International market. Chantilly Virginia

Chantilly Highlands, Franklin Farm, International food stores in Chantilly, Lotte, Lotte Plaza

Whole Lotte Love, yoja chingu.

Terri: I am not a person that just wants to eat meat and potatoes all the time and I am sorely dissapointed in the produce and international food sections of the standard local markets. Do you have any suggestions for alternative shopping venues not too far from Chantilly Highlands?


Steve: You are in luck. Chantilly Highlands and Franklin Farm are only 1.5 miles from the Shangri La of international food emporiums. Lotte......The produce section is about 3 times the size of your basic Safeway or Giant's section and the prices are usually 1/3 to 1/2 that of other stores with nowhere near the selection.

Fresh snow peas generally run $4/lb at the Giant...Lotte had them for $.99/lb last week. Normally they run around $1.5/lb. (I love snow peas can you tell)Bean sprouts are $.79/lb and are of awesome quality. The seafood selection cannot be matched anywhere and the guys will clean your catch at no extra charge.

Tom: Do they have Vietnamese, Spanish, Indo/Pak, Korean, Chinese and Japanese sauces and specialties and 20 different kinds of soy sauce?

Steve: Yes, and they have a sushi counter that is cheaper than you can get anywhere I have seen and the guy will make it custom if you want. There is a bakery, a food court, Asian cooking and serving implements, optometry and kitchen and bath remodeling. I am not making this up.

Green onions: Seven 1 inch bundles for a buck, frozen pot stickers at 1/2 the price of Giant and 40 times the selection. There are isles dedicated to the different cuisines. We got 6 full bags of stuff there last week for $27 ...unbelievable.

Sue: Can you tell me how to use this stuff to make an amazing concoction out of Ramen which you can buy 6 packs for a buck?

Steve: OK Sue. Get your Ramen and follow the directions. Put sliced mushrooms in the water at the start. Cook a couple minutes then add the noodles as directed, then with one minute left to go throw in some snow peas, bean sprouts, seafood mix (or sliced meat of your choice) turn off the heat and use scissors to top it off with cut green onion tops and cilantro ($.79 for a big bunch).

Then you can sauce it up as you see fit. We use hoisin and red pepper sauce to create what we call  "fast faux Pho" (Pho, pronounced FA is a Vietnamese soup...you probably have seen the stores in your local strip shopping center with names like Pho 90 or Pho 27 or some variation)

After a hard day of showing property to clients, we will make this version of Ramen and have pot stickers to go with it. Takes about 15 minutes total and is extremely non boring. Check it out yoja chingu..... it's a trip.