New LA Mart open in Springfield

[Kibbee Nayee]

A very nice addition to the Springfield food scene is the new LA Mart, in a building that was once a clothing store, and then a furniture store, and now has found its true calling. A walk through today was an nice eye-opener -- very clean and well organized, but the aisles and passageways are definitely not wide enough to allow two carts to pass each other. That gives it a cramped feeling.

But, OMG, the goodies! Amazing selection of worldwide produce and jaw-droppingly low prices. Like, 15 limes for a dollar? How about fresh and beautiful whole rockfish with crystal clear eyes for $3.19 a pound -- take that, Fall River! I was really thrilled by the selection of pristine meats and seafood, and the prices are unbeatable.

I bought duck eggs, but avoided the durian. I bought chorizo (Central American), but not chorizo (Mexican). I bought poblanos, but not any of the four different varieties of habaneros.

Like I needed another stop in my rotation of provision providers....I was like a kid in a candy store....welcome to Springfield, LA Mart!

[Ilaine]

Gave it a walk through today. Impressions:

• As soon as I opened the car door, I was hit with that smell, you know the one. The one you smell outside Grand Mart or Lotte, the one you don't smell outside Super H. It wasn't bad but this is a new place.
  
• Almost everything inside was fresh and new.
  
• Some of the fish were already the worse due to time passing.
  
• A lot of things, like the lunch counter, were still works in process.
  
• The variety of certain things, like soy sauce, was staggering.
  
• It is almost impossible to manuveur a shopping basket down the aisles, due, not so much to other shoppers, but to stacks of things blocking the aisles.
  

And I was there at a time when it was not busy. Not sure whether I will put it into my regular rotation. I work only a couple of blocks from Fresh Mart, pass H Mart on the way home, and willingly go out of my way for Great Wall and Super H, with forays to other markets for specialized items.

Nice addition to the neighborhood. I will give it another try in a week or two.