As a student with limited funds, transportation and stovetop skills, it can be difficult to find variety in dining. Why not explore Asian cooking (and that doesn't mean switching from Easy Mac to Ramen Noodles)? For those who crave Asian food but can't afford take-out every night, there are plenty of Asian food markets in Madison. Here are three that offer distinct variety, character and culinary inspiration.
The line for a parking space is the first indication that Asian Midway, 301 S. Park St., is the most popular Asian market in Madison. Located across from Meriter Hospital, it's within walking distance from campus and a favorite with students.
\I like [Asian Midway] the most because it's close to campus and has relatively good selection,"" UW-Madison sophomore Daniel Jun said.
The selection is eclectic, to say the least. Kimchee sits next to the Coca-Cola products, and Chinese winter melon cakes can be found near the Tombstone pizzas. There's a small fresh produce section and a seafood counter that offers fresh fish and, periodically, live blue crabs.
At 4:30 on a Saturday afternoon the market is loud and lively. The line in the parking lot continues with both the line for the pork bun freezer and the line for the checkout that winds around the shelves of rice and potato chips.
The variety and prices may draw people in, but the cracked tiles, stained floors and boxes stacked between the aisles turn other shoppers away.
""It has a very great selection of food for Asians,"" UW-Madison junior Marina Kwok said, ""But the atmosphere is dull and seems dirty.""
It may not be the most tranquil shopping experience, but Asian Midway specializes in selection. A mix of Asian and American staples, as well as practical household items such as laundry detergent, it caters to those near campus who like to find everything in one place.
Of all the Madison Asian markets, Oriental Shop holds the most charm. Housed inside a yellow cottage at 1029 S. Park St., it has carpeted floors and is tastefully decorated with bamboo and small water fountains. It has the ambience of a boutique rather than a food store.
Oriental Shop specializes in Japanese cuisine and is therefore smaller and has less variety than the other markets. It is an ideal place to buy sushi ingredients, with a good selection of fresh sashimi, roe and tamago, as well as many varieties of rice. It also has a decent selection of spice packets, sauces, snacks and other non-perishables.
Employees are friendly and helpful, greeting the customers as they enter with ""konichiwa,"" and translating for patrons who love Japanese food but can't read the instructions on the box.
If Oriental Shop resembles a boutique, Yue-Wah resembles a department store. It is by far the most complete and most well organized Asian food store in Madison. The diversity is astounding--it carries Chinese, Thai, Philippine, Indian, Southeastern Asian, Middle Eastern and even Mexican groceries.
""I go to Asian Midway because of location, but the store with the best selection is Yue-Wah,"" student Aruj Maekwatana said.
Yue-Wah is located directly off the Beltline at 2328 S. Park St. in Villager Shopping Center, and is an easy drive or bus ride from campus.
Parking is almost as scarce as at Asian Midway, but the inside of Yue-Wah is less hectic. Food is easy to find, aisles are organized by cuisine, and the atmosphere, though sterile, is neat and clean.
The bulk of the store contains dry and canned goods, and it has a wide selection of green, jasmine, and other herbal teas. There is also an impressive variety of fresh and frozen foods. One wing is devoted to fresh produce, while freezers in the back are stocked with frozen seafood, microwave Asian dinners and several shelves of exotic flavored ice cream.
These markets offer meal ideas to match anyone's cooking expertise, from microwave masters to Iron Chefs. Those who don't fear the frying pan might try combining meat or tofu and vegetables with packaged spice blends like curry blocks or pae-lo powder. For those who like to start from scratch, here are a couple of recipe ideas:
