BY KAREN YOUNG
I drove to Northridge with my teen daughter and her friend last week with the intention of going to the brick and mortar Get Shaved ( a MDF fave) only to find it didn’t open until 2 pm. Since there was no turning back after we drove from Studio City, and with 45 minutes to kill, we drove north on Reseda Blvd. to see what else was around.
This was my teenage stomping grounds, so I pointed out some memories including Falafel Palace where I ate before a Springsteen concert, the Shakeys where we hung out after Granada Hills High School football games and the Coco’s which replaced another hangout, Bob’s Big Boy. But the biggest deal was the loss of Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor which is now Kragen Auto Parts in a shopping center at Reseda and Devonshire. I mean, who can forget the Zoo ice cream extravaganza? This center, which once housed the Peppertree movie theaters, has been completely redone. We parked to do a CVS run until we noticed the Galleria Market — and all I can say is that I’m glad we had time to kill because this was one surprising fun find.
Galleria Market in Northridge is an Asian supermarket/mini-mall with a small food court and a handful of tiny shops and kiosks. While the emphasis is on Korean specialties, other Asian cultures are included. Photos: Karen Young
Order sushi to-go at a kiosk or get sashimi in the seafood section of the supermarket.
The Galleria is an Asian inside mini-mall with a food court of fast food Asian eateries, a French style bakery, jewelry repair, video, herb kiosk and supermarket rolled into one.
The supermarket itself is reminiscent of 99 Ranch Market in Van Nuys, but with a cleaner, more modern style. The emphasis here is on Korean food items, but there is also plenty of Japanese, Chinese and Thai selections. And a la Costco, there are samples — among those we tried was rice with fish eggs, noodles and fried dumplings. There was also a woman packaging freshly cut and marinated Korean beef short ribs ($6.99 lb).
Enjoy sample items a la a Costco experience; The produce section is fresh with Asian specialties.
Everything from fresh fish to a full-service French inspired bakery in the mini-mall.
An open service deli displayed a plethora of Korean sides, including kimchi, octopus, seaweed, cod, squid , lotus root and more. The seafood section offered freshly cut and prepared sashimi, sushi grade fish, crab, live lobster, whole fish (including mackerel, black cod, herring and red snapper) ranging from $1.99-$6.99 per pound. The meat section provide an assortment which includes sliced and prepared items such as marinated short ribs, as well as Bulgogi and Kalbi sauces without MSG. There’s a wide selection of wine, sake, prepared and frozen foods, housewares and personal care products. The produce section offers well-displayed fruit and vegetables, including some of the largest banana squash I’ve ever seen.
I’ve seen this type of Asian mall downtown, but never before in the 818. If you enjoy roaming ethnic markets and are looking to spend less than at regular supermarkets, check it out for a fun little field trip.
And oh yeah, we did end up getting Get Shaved.
The largest banana squash selection ever; Asian cosmetics and personal care items.
All kinds of imports; A vast selection of fish and shellfish is available for amazing prices.
The Galleria Market 10201 Reseda Boulevard Northridge, CA 91324-5011 - (818) 772-5755
Karen Young is the Editor/Publisher of MY DAILY FIND. Email: Karen@mydailyfind.com
About Karen Young
