Get your graze on at these valley markets featuring delis, dining counters, and food courts that serve up global cuisine
You know the rule: Never go grocery shopping hungry. Fortunately, several grocery stores around the valley make following that guideline easier with dining options right inside in their doors. As a bonus, if you try something you like, the ingredients to make it at home are just steps away.
Rani’s World Foods
Ease your way past the check-out counters and you’ll find the literal center of the grocery store is its dining room, a well-lit space bordered by a counter of Hindu gods on one side, a television screening Bollywood dance videos, and a glass case of colorful sweets at the back. The dining options at Rani’s World Foods, the owner tells me, represent a mix of regional Indian cuisines, including makki roti, a Punjabi corn flatbread, and idli, a savory rice cake from the South. All are vegetarian. After ordering, be sure to pick up a complimentary cup of hot chai to the right of the counter (add sugar to taste), and don’t forget to pick up some desserts for now and extras for later (sugar syrup-drenched gulab jamun are best enjoyed on the spot, but the dense, sugary saffron peda packs up easy).
Must-order: Chana bhutura, $9.99. Desert Companion designer Brent Holmes is a Rani’s regular. I took his advice when ordering the chana bhutura, and he did not lead me astray. A North Indian favorite, bhutura is a puffed fried bread whose tender crumb with just enough chew recalls beignets. Tear off a piece and dip it into the chana masala, a savory cup of chickpeas stewed in tomatoes and spices. Of note is the achaar, a tart and piquant pickle mix that you can dab onto your bread. Rani’s makes its achaar in-house with mango, carrot, cauliflower, lemon, and chilies. 4505 W. Sahara Ave., 702-522-7744, ranisworldfoods.com
Greenland Supermarket
Mushroom hotpot at Greenland Supermarket.
Greenland is an expansive grocery store that dominates the northeast corner of Spring Mountain and Rainbow — it’s earned the “super” in supermarket. The dining options greet you inside before you even make it to the grocery aisles: A stand with Korean baked goods to your left, a cart with rice cakes up ahead, and a bustling food court to your right. The food court restaurants are a typical spread in Korean fast dining: A couple of home-style cooking options; a Chinese-Korean counter for black bean noodles and spicy seafood soup; a Japanese-Korean venue that serves sushi and fried pork cutlet; a snack food stand with fried chicken and more. Working your way around the food court is the barest primer on the variety of Korean meals — it’s far, far more diverse than simply barbecue and bibimbap.
Must-order: Anything tofu. Contrary to its representation in the U.S., tofu isn’t a bland vegetarian stand-in for meat. In Korea, it’s a tender, mildly nutty ingredient often served alongside meat, perfect for cutting the heat in spicy stews and soaking up flavor in meaty broths. Take the mushroom jeongol, for example: Jeongol can be roughly translated to “casserole” or “hot pot,” and this one comes out in a broad metal serving dish, big enough for two at least, filled with mushrooms and vegetables simmering alongside slices of tofu. Need a single-sized serving? Opt instead for the soondubu, a densely packed bowl of creamy, tender tofu with a variety of filling options, from meat to seafood. 6850 Spring Mountain Road, 702-459-7878
Melkam Market
Must-order: Kuanta firfir ($12.99). Kuanta firfir is a beef jerky dish sautéed with torn pieces of dried injera that soaks up a tomatoey, berebere-infused sauce. The beef jerky is dense in flavor, with plenty of chew (this is the point of jerky, after all), and the heat in the sauce is just enough to bring a flush to your face. Melkam’s injera, made with organic teff, is a tender, spongy bed for all these flavors. The customers at the table next to us had also ordered kuanta firfir, and I noticed that they had asked for a side of soft, crumbly white cheese. “Is that a typical side with this dish?” I asked. “Not really, but I like it,” our neighbor replied, so ... I followed suit. It was a good call: The creamy cheese offsets the spice just-so. 4230 S. Decatur Blvd., 702-909-7267, melkammarket.com
La Bonita Supermarket
La Bonita is a popular Mexican grocery chain in the valley. With the many excellent Latin food options available to us, it’s hard to say that the food court is the draw here. Instead, head straight for the juice bar. La Bonita’s fresh juices incorporate ingredients such as jicama, papaya, watercress, and nopal. Something more traditional? Order from an array of aguas frescas. And those with a sweet tooth can opt for a smoothie or nieve (a creamy Mexican sherbet).
Must-order: Jugo rojo (20 oz., $4.99). The jugo rojo is a jewel-tone juice made with beetroot, cucumber, lemon, jicama, broccoli, and lettuce. This healthy drink carries a mild, earthy sweetness from the beets, lightened with cucumber and jicama, plus a bright twist of lemon juice. It’s the perfect morning jolt of energy or afternoon pick-me-up. Multiple locations, labonitasupermarkets.com
Ron’s Market
Ron’s Market is a delightful emporium of Eastern European foods, from Latvian farmer’s cheese and pickled fennel, to Polish smoked sausage and frozen pelmeni (Russian dumplings) that you can scoop up by the pound. Russian pop music thumps from the speakers, and you’ll hear at least three different languages being spoken as you peruse the well-stocked aisles. The owners here are Armenian (Armenia was once part of the U.S.S.R.) and the hot food counter serves primarily Armenian food, from lamb kabobs to falafel. You’ll also find grilled sturgeon and ikra, a Slavic eggplant spread, as well as burgers and fries.
Must-order: Beef lula plate ($9.99). Lula is a kind of Armenian kebab made with ground meat and onions that are grilled on a skewer. It comes out hot, spiced and fragrant, with a side of pita bread that you can wrap it up in to capture the juices. The meat might take center stage, but the pepper and tomato on the side, charred with a smoky finish, are worth mentioning. You’ll have a choice of sides — I opted for the baba ganoush, but really, you can’t go wrong with any of them. 6085 S. Fort Apache Road, 702-431-6444