Ponia African Market Butik
★★★★☆ 3.7 (3)
"This review is written in gratitude to Ponia Market, African food, life's poetic events which come together here. I hope everyone feels as welcomed by this review to check out this market as I was by the family who owns and runs it. Ponia African Market Butik is an incredible family-owned grocery store with beautiful artisan crafts, clothing and imported goods.If you are looking to stock your sos pantry (preppers delight!) with the most useful and nutritious items, you are in ouck If you need ingredients for traditional Central American, South American or Southeast Asian recipes, this is for you. If you're seeking African imports and traditional African goods, find treasure here. Wherever you're from, whatever you're looking for, you'll be given a warm welcome, plenty of useful advice and you'll end up with something great in your basket. This uncrowded market is an excellent pandemic choice for those avoiding crowded markets nearby. Enter the market and turn right for beautiful embroidered dresses, stunning African textiles and elegant special occasion clothing for men and women. Racks of well-made sportswear, premium cotton t-shirts and African-themed memorabilia. As a big Bob Marley fan, I love this section!Pass the clothing to find hair products, African soap, jewelry, toiletries and useful household items. I was delightfully overwhelmed by isles filled with beautiful exotic imported food such as dry goods, seasonings, nutritious oils, beans, greans, fermented drinks, and imports from Ghana, Nigeria, Jamaica, and Camaroon. African food is tasty, healthy and colorful. I passed shelves filled with red palm oil, Yellow African curry, bright green banana leaves, orange citrus jerk seasoning and amber peppers. (What a wonderful world)The southwest part of the market is the refrigerated section filled with frozen and fresh hand cut meats, and smoked, dried and cured fish. Here, I asked for help from one of the wonderful family members who work at the market and ended up with ingredients for curry goat stew, African greens and more. She told me about Africa's version of tamales, also called corn koki, which is available in family-sized portions in the refrigerator. I told her about humitas which are very similar. Steamed corn cakes are popular around the world. Like many dishes and things that connect us from far away places, this market is a gold mine for my mortar and pestle friends around the world. After getting a generous lesson about African food, I learned the owner of this market also owns an African restaurant in the area. It sounds great and I can't wait to try it!I headed home with my treasure and turned to the ultimate source for African cooking advice: YouTube. Rolls up sleeves. After watching market trips in Ghana, coastal cooking in Jamaica, fu-fu recipes made the hard way (pounding plantains and starch with a stick for hours) and a goat recipe which required a village to prepare, I'm ready to try cooking my first African meal. I have a long way to go before I know what I'm doing but so far, learning is part of the fun.After enjoying the meals I prepared with my market treasure, I noticed an overall improvement in my health. Miracles happen in mysterious ways indeed! African curry powder was always my favorite. Can it cure cancer?! Ingredients list before: tumeric, coriander, cumin, allspice, black pepper, garlic, fenugreek, cloves, ground red hot pepper. African curry powder is the most nutritious seasoning I've ever seen! Many of my purchases had unexpectedly good health benefits and high nutritional value. Don't you love it when you heal an ailment, learn a lesson get a great bargain and find a new favorite? Me too! I found this market after making a U-turn to avoid an unhealthy "donut". (You know the guy) If you see an abusive ex, a bad scene, an unhealthy decision, make a U-turn! End up here where you'll be happier, healthier and hopefully inspired by African food forever. Many thanks to this market for the food, advice, help I appreciate the opportunity to review this market and I look forward to reading future five star reviews from fellow yelpers! Five stars for these guys and the poetry inspired here.:)"
"One of the shops at the Antelope Valley Mall. Most of the clothes I would say are for young adults. Trendy and fashionable. Prices are not that bad too. If you're looking for something for gifting teens and young people that doesn't require expensive clothing and accessories then go to this place. Lots of choices and options available."
"The reviews for this place are generally not good.I can see why BUT maybe something has turned the nice couple off of customer service. Retail is a tough business privately owned.I had a pretty good experience despite the lack of 'hello' or 'welcome in' or 'can we help'...I was coming out of GNC next door and saw the cutest little dog at the front door. I admit, he drew me in. I had seen this place before from outside but had never been in. It is huge inside!So much stuff. T-shirts, shorts, boots, shoes, hoodies.. I immediately fell in love with 2 jackets, my size... and the little dog too that belonged to the couple, working. The jackets were $10 each. I could not believe it and snapped them up. Regularly priced at $70 a piece. Decent quality too.Upon checking out, I learned that the owners were Korean. Dear to my heart as my dad taught ESL there and he loved it. I spoke a few Korean words and the woman lit right up. Things changed and I left on a really high note. I even went to my car to get "Lucky" the dog some treats.I would go back here and recommend it to others for casual, inexpensive clothing or footwear."
