H Mart, the pan-Asian grocery chain, is open in the West Loop, and it’s a wonderland.
You can buy kimchi by the jar or by the bucket. Live geoduck clam, lobster, fish and king crab lounge in pristine tanks. Seemingly endless kinds of marinated meats sit in giant tubs, ready to be packaged, taken home and thrown on your grill. There’s even a friendly ajumma (commonly translated as “auntie”) who encourages you to sample the very delicious marinated beef, and how can you refuse her?
Located at 711 W. Jackson Blvd., this is the grocery store chain’s fifth Illinois location, with other stores in Glenview, Niles, Naperville and Schaumburg. According to its website, H Mart is short for “Han ah reum” in Korean, which means “one arm full of groceries.” The first location opened in Queens, N.Y., in 1982, and there are now locations in 12 states.
Aside from Joong Boo Market in Avondale, there’s a scarcity of large-scale Korean markets in Chicago. Many people in the Asian community familiar with H Mart have expressed their excitement about having an H Mart in the city. (Another pan-Asian market, the Filipino-owned Seafood City, experienced similar fanfare when it opened in 2016.)
In the produce section, Asian vegetables like Shanghai bok choy, gai lan, sesame leaves and Chinese chives are lightly misted near crates of persimmons, Asian pears and dragonfruit.
The aisles are stocked with pan-Asian items, from Filipino ice cream, to Taiwanese powdered milk teas. Packets of Japanese udon noodles sit in neat rows in the refrigerated section, while a multitude of instant ramen and snacks are displayed at the ends of checkout lines, begging to be the last addition to your shopping trip.
The food court offers a number of choices for newbies. Izakaya Yume, also found in H Mart’s Niles location, is a little market stall serving sushi burritos, poke bowls, ramen and grab-and-go items. Meanwhile, Baru bills itself as “mindful Asian,” with “Asian tapas” listed on the menu such as Korean fritatta, soy sauce egg and “healthy fried chicken” and fried multi-grain rice. SGD Tofu House & BBQ Restaurant is the most traditional, serving such Korean dishes as bulgogi, bibimbap, and Japanese-style bento boxes, hardly Korean but packed with rice, sides and protein of your choice. Not in the food court proper, Cafe L’Ami specializes in Korean and French-style pastries, many individually packed and ready to eat.
For those interested in Korean beauty products, the grocery store also has 10-packs of sheet masks from My Beauty Diary, lotions and hair gel.
This location is different from the one in Naperville in that it’s a carefully curated selection of favorites, rather than a fully stocked supermarket. From the exposed brick tiles to the chopsticks hanging in the aisles, the store is cozy and sleek.
H Mart is a destination, with myriad languages being spoken by the many patrons that filled its aisles and food court Thursday afternoon. The parking lot remains mostly filled throughout the day, so anticipate waiting for a spot, or consider taking public transportation to get there. It’s not crazy to assume that it will remain this way in the coming weeks.
Things you shouldn’t miss:
Snacks. If it’s your first time at an Asian grocery store, this is a great place to start. Just throw some in your cart, and give them a try.
Sushi-grade fish. Find these offerings near the seafood section, and have yourself a sashimi night.
Prepared foods. From frozen dumplings to fish cakes, H Mart has a wide selection of foods that are ready-to-eat, again a good option for adventurous eaters who don’t know where to start.
Food court. There are tons of tasty options to satiate your hunger, from Korean soondubu (tofu soup) to Japanese sushi.
H Mart, 711 W Jackson Blvd., (312) 966-4666
gwong@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @GraceWong630