SOCIAL MEDIA

INALA CIVIC CENTRE – ASIAN GROCERIES

 kim loan right© BUSOG! SARAP! 2009
Inala Civic Centre is one of my favourite places to buy my asian ingredients.  From boiled peanuts, jackfruit (langka) to calamansi, you will find it there.  They offer a vast array of oriental produce that you will not normally encounter in your average grocery stores in Brisbane.
 
 
kim loan© BUSOG! SARAP! 2009                                                     Kim Loan Supermarket 
kim loan left© BUSOG! SARAP! 2009
Weekends are the busiest specially in the mornings.  If you want a leisurely browsing, pick a weekday to visit the shops.  Most of the shops have very narrow aisles and pretty clogged up with merchandise, I usually leave the rest of the TRIBE outside the shops while I dive inside to buy what I need.

Parking is horrible during the weekend mornings but it is so worth it, shopping in Inala.  You’ll forget how you just want to strangle somebody at the car park once you see all the goodies the shops has to offer.
 
 van-phat© BUSOG! SARAP! 2009 
VAN PHAT ASIAN GROCERIES is where I can buy calamansi when it is in season.
 
duong dong© BUSOG! SARAP! 2009                                               DUONG DONG GROCERIES   duong dong veges© BUSOG! SARAP! 2009 
   fish market© BUSOG! SARAP! 2009
I buy my seafood here at the FISH MARKET next to DUONG DONG GROCERIES.  They clean your fish for free and I prefer this shop as there’s little bit of room to walk around.
 
thai-hoa© BUSOG! SARAP! 2009THAI-HOA ASIAN GROCERIES 

 saigon butchery© BUSOG! SARAP! 2009 
SAIGON BUTCHERY is where I buy my meat and poultry.  They offer other parts of  chicken/pig/cow that you will not normally see in your standard butcher shop, that asian recipes requires.  Service is very friendly, but during peak hours you have to be patient.  They have a loyalty card, where they punch a square once you reach a certain amount and by completing the card, you’ll get a bonus.  There are days, they will ask you if you want some soup bones (either pork or beef) for free.  Those bones are really good for soup or stock. 

healthy cup© BUSOG! SARAP! 2009
I buy my taro milk with pearls at HEALTHY CUP.  They make good bubble tea drinks and offer loyalty cards.  Once you complete the card with stamps, you’ll get a free drink.
 
inala veges© BUSOG! SARAP! 2009
Snake beans (sitaw), okra, green mangoes, white radish (labanos), lebanese eggplant, lemongrass and water spinach (kangkong) are some of the produce that are in abundance right now.  
 sesame balls© BUSOG! SARAP! 2009 
Sesame Balls are fried puff treats, crunchy and chewy, not too sweet with a dry sweet bean paste ball inside.  They are kind of similar to butsi or buchi in the Philippines.  So bad for you but taste so good and they go well with coffee.  I recommend eating them, the same day you bought them.

BUSOG! SARAP! TIPS:

  • If the vegetables are not packaged, pick the freshest.
  • Go inside the shops even it’s a tight squeeze, you will never know what bargain awaits you there.
  • Look at the prices, some shops are much cheaper than others.  Woolworths Inala offers cheap fruits and vegetables too.
  • SMILE and talk slowly if you think the shop attendants doesn’t understand you.  They are very friendly bunch of people, just busy most of the time but willing to help.
  • Don’t hesitate to ask somebody next to you if you’re not familiar with certain vegetables or other ingredients.  I’ve encounter this situation a couple of times and I don’t mind explaining.
  • It’s better to bring the cookbook  or pictures  of the ingredients to show what you want.  I’ve seen some people do this and it’s easier to locate the items.  But do this during the off peak hours.
  • VERY IMPORTANT- CHECK THE EXPIRY DATE!!!!!  
  • If the items are meant to be frozen, refrigerated or in room temperature, buy it that way.  Use your common sense, if you see a frozen poultry out in the sun, don't buy it if you still value your life.
 
 
LOCATION:    Inala Civic Centre
                            1/156 Inala Ave
                            Inala  QLD  4077
                            (Asian shops are located outside the enclosed
                            Shopping Centre, exit where Crazy Clarks is located.)

22 comments :

  1. Anonymous18.1.10

    hi there. are you sure there are kalamansi in inala asian market? kasi everytime i go there wala kasing kalamansi. tagal ko nang hnanap yan. my friend from sydney brought me a few pro dito ala talaga ako makita

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous19.1.10

    Hi - I love your blog about Inala Civic Centre & I'd be keen to use and link to your blog from my site. If you're interested, pls email me at danielle.carroll@hotmail.com. Cheers, Dan.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kalamansi in Inala Civic Centre availability depends on the supply, usually around middle of the year I see them in VAN PHAT ASIAN GROCERIES store. If you want steady supply, I suggest buying trees from Bunnings around AUD$17.00 last time I check...calamondin or variegated calamondin not kumquats or cumquats as they are totally different. You can go to Sunday Markets as I bought a couple of Kalamansi trees in Rocklea Market. Sometimes Best Friends Store in the Valley sells kalamansi fruits and also Amiga Asian Store in Cannon Hill but it's not regular as it depends if it's in season. Hope this helps...Btw, will post my edible asian plants soon and how I try to take care of them...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous29.1.10

    hello thank you soo much. well try to buy some plant nlng siguro para tipid. hehe
    anyway i went to inala yesterday (thursday) and glad to saw kalamansi there. they have it 500g for $3.50 which is not so bad and some shops have it for $8 per kl

    ReplyDelete
  5. I was about to post a comment that I saw also kalamansi last thursday in Inala...lol...I went there late afternoon, saw the box of kalamansi for $8 per kg...so expensive...sigarilyas (frilled beans) that is good for sinigang is on sale now at the moment, fresh youngs ones too. Check in Bunnings, Cannon Hill the other day...calamondin trees are available.

    ReplyDelete
  6. we go here a lot too... must have bumped into one time na siguro...

    ReplyDelete
  7. @beancounter,
    ay naku..you can tell if it's us, my youngest like to vocalise a lot, anywhere and anytime, day or night...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hey there,
    Thanks for all comments about Inala. I think my mum is going to be very surprise when I tell her, our shop is the first photo in your blog.
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  9. @nGa_nGazzii ~ :)hope I did good at posting Inala, such a wonderful place to shop for asian products and produce. Hope your mum like the pics, you got a lovely display of produce that day outside, and of course it has to be first:)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thank you so much for sharing this info. I managed to find some fresh galangal and turmeric here after trying the asian grocers in Sunnybank without any luck. Ironically, I then went to pick up a few things from Calamvale Woolies and found that they had some Galangal that was much fresher! Weird because I've never seen it at a supermarket here before. Anyway, I'll definitely be heading back to Inala when I run out of supplies

    ReplyDelete
  11. @Aidan~ Sometimes Woolies and Coles sales fresh Galangal and Turmeric, they just surprises you! LOL! I think they offer it when there are some fresh supply...I see them on and off :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. anaiahsdad4.5.11

    hi ms Cusinera, may I know if there are also filipino grocery shops in Inala? thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  13. @anaiahsdad~ the filipino shop is a couple of blocks away from the Inala Civic Centre...address: J&V BAYANIHAN ASIAN & ISLAND FOODS, Shop8/6 Lilac St. Inala
    Mob: 0432774202
    Telefax: (07) 38796222

    ReplyDelete
  14. anaiahsdad6.5.11

    thanks ms Cusinera! appreciate the info.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous17.9.11

    Thank you so much!! Went to J&V Bayanihan today and it was fantastic! If it wasnt for your blog i would never have found out about this Filipino Grocery.. we only live 5 mins from there! Thank you, now I do not have to travel so far for my dose of Filo food.. :D

    ReplyDelete
  16. @Anonymous~ Glad to be of help=)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous20.10.11

    hallo cusinera,

    thank you very much sa post, Im from sunshine coast, wla kasing pinoy veggies dito been longing to buy kangkong, kalamansi ect. Ano pong ma irecommend niyong place to go sa brisbane yung one stop lang, makabili na ako ng veggies and some filipino food na din. Thank you more power.

    ReplyDelete
  18. @Anonymous~ When it comes to Asian veggies, I highly recommend Inala...most shops there got some Filipino products too. If you want specific Filipino products and you have a car...just drop by to J&V Bayanihan which is a couple blocks away from Inala Centre. I live near the Brisbane CBD but I still go to Inala at least once every two weeks=) It's the best place kasi, it got lots of variety fish/meat/veggies and other asian ingredients...free carpark compare to fortitude valley.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous13.1.13

    hello Ms. Althea
    ano pong oras nagbubukas ang mga shops sa ito.

    salamat=)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Opening hours would be almost the same as Woolworths and Coles....depends on the individual shops really. I know most of the shops closes around 5-6pm.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous17.7.13

    hello po!i always read your blog here and it helped me a lot..ask ko lng po kng meron po ba kayong nakikita na malunggay tree for sale dito sa Brisbane?tagal na akong naghahanap ng malunggay dito kaso wla akong nakita..tnx and more power!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haven't seen one yet... I know some Filipinos have malunggay trees and met one before but when I asked for a branch to be used to propagate, labong kausap. I use the frozen malunggay that's available in Filipino Shops when I need it for Tinola =)

      Delete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Instagram