Select Shops is a series of reviews of shops offering food and drink not found in the supermarkets. Today we look at Chung Wah Supermarket.

Chung Wah on Hardy Street – just past the Chinatown gate – is one of the UK’s largest Chinese Supermarkets, offering a large selection of fresh produce, groceries and kitchen supplies.

Chung Wah Supermarket, Hardy Street. Photograph: Chung Wah Supermarket

Chung Wah Supermarket, Hardy Street. Photograph: Chung Wah Supermarket

Alongside more standard fresh produce, a number of less common fruits and vegetables from the East are available.  While items such as pak choi cabbage are becoming ubiquitous, many others remain tricky to find.  Despite their relative scarcity, these items do not come at a major mark up.

This extends to meat (fresh and frozen), with common Chinese cuts such as beef flank.  The selection is large, even more for the impressive selection of frozen seafood: whole squid, battered prawns, fresh water fish and many more.  For the more time-concious, the frozen section is well stocked with familiar pre-made items including dim sum, spring rolls and spicy pork ribs.  These items are useful for those who are daunted by the prospect of cooking a whole new cuisine from the ground up.

What really marks the shop out is the huge range of speciality groceries. Of course it’s possible to find some of these items, or alternatives, in standard markets.  However, there is a wider choice for any item. Furthermore, many regional restaurants source their supplies here, meaning cheap bulk buying is possible, ideal for frequent-use items like rice, soy sauce and the like.  These items can be complimented with the range of inexpensive kitchenware available, including an exhaustive collection of woks.

Completely un-thorough price comparison: 

  • 13″ Metal Wok – £7.49; Asda Basic £6, Tefal Non Stick £18
  • Loose Pu’erh Tea – £1.30/100g; Twinings £12
  • Dried Ramen Noodles – 46p/100g; Asda 43p
  • Coconut – 69p each; Asda 67p
  • Belly Pork – £4.50/kg; Asda £4.80, Waitrose £6.30
  • Soy Sauce – £1.48/kg; Asda 68p, Waitrose £1.08
  • Fish Sauce – £1.86/kg

Summary: For anybody who wants to cook some East Asian food, Chung Wah is a brilliant resource for a wide range of speciality produce that won’t break the bank.

Opening hours: 9.30am-5.45pm, 7 days a week