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| - It was on a whim that we cruised into Ranch 99 Market. After eating at Matt's Big Breakfast, we were on the 153 going home and decided to take a detour after I admitted that I had never been there.
My boyfriend was born in Taiwan and spent part of his youth in Thailand, so he was eager to introduce me to some of his favorite childhood treats. Plus we both agreed that it would be fun trying to guess what exactly is in a "Bird's Nest Drink," (it's ginseng and gingko enhanced bird spit, apparently) and other poorly translated or exotic offerings. Plus there was the promise of gigantic tanks of live fish and shellfish, including some of the largest clams I have ever seen (seriously, they had necks the size of toddler's arms).
I didn't have the intention of doing anything other than browsing, but after a while I had to grab a hand basket because the opportunity for trying something new was too much of a temptation for me to deny. With my guide in tow, I scored all sorts of snack foods, including jackfruit, roasted watermelon seeds (they're just like sunflower seeds, and I'm told that monkeys love them), fresh lychee, curious sounding drinks (chrysanthemum, aloe vera pulp, and grass jelly. couldn't find any birds nest), a variety of soups and marinades.
Two full bags of food for 12 dollars. Super sweet.
I think my favorite part of the entire trip was peeking in other people's carts, seeing ingredients I've never used before and wondering just what meals would soon be created from them.
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