ABC Market

Great local market in the heart of Chinatown. The fresh Hawaiian papayas and dragonfruit were so delicious. Perfect for breakfast on the hotel balcony. The papayas were around 2 for $3. Everything is weighed to determine the price. Bring cash and a reusable grocery bag. Enjoy!

During our weekly marketing jaunt into Chinatown, we went to the O'ahu Market to get some Chinese roasted meats since my husband had been asking me to make one of his favorite dishes... stir fried bitter melon with roast pork in black bean sauce. Upon approach to our fave Chinese roasters, I noticed ABC Market with its fresh locally (some imported) grown fruits and vegetables displays. ABC Market has been in O'ahu Market's stall #25 for some time now but it took me until today to stop, browse and make a purchase. As I browsed through the fruits and produce, I managed to purchase a couple of Hawaiian papayas, green onions and bitter melon. The papayas are still green but I don't usually buy ripe papayas because they ripen quite quickly so these will ripen over the next couple of days. But, the green onions aka scallions and bitter melon were fresh looking and priced competitively with the other nearby fruit and vegetable vendors.The cashier was soft spoken as she weighed our papayas and then the bitter melon before telling us how much to pay. Our total bill only came up $6.25. I don't think that this vendor takes credit or debit cards as most vendors in Chinatown are CASH ONLY. She packed our papayas, scallions and bitter melons in separate plastic bags which made it easier for us to put into our Yelp reusable tote bag. We'll be back either in a couple of days as I was eyeing the soursop and egg fruits but didn't get them today since we walked into town and didn't want to lug home too heavy bags.

The other weekend I was on a hunt for pomelo, or what locals would call jabong. For those not knowing what a pomelo or jabong is, it's a large citrus fruit, very similar to an XL version of grapefruit and it hails from Southeast Asia and Malaysia. Just like grapefruit, there are some who can stomach the bitterness of pomelo and can also be classified as yellow or ruby red.In the Chinese custom, many businesses and homes will offer pomelo at the alter as an offering to the deities and their ancestors. Our previous pomelo had paid its dues and it was a time for a replacement. I walked through multiple produce stalls in Chinatown not being able to find any. I was just about to give up and buy a couple of oranges or tangerines instead but then remembered Lyla D.'s recent posting of ABC Market.Located at the corner of Oahu Market with intersections of N King St and Kekaulike St, ABC Market is a produce stall that primarily carries an array of fresh fruit and some veggies. Their display is quite nicely arranged and I was impressed with the vibrant colors of dragon fruit, locally grown papayas and exotic looking fruits of soursop and star apple. At first I couldn't locate any pomelo but just when I was about to give up I looked in the corner and saw some on the upper left shelf. I was delighted and tried to look for one that was visually appealing and with a longer shelf life. Longer shelf life you ask? Just like any other citrus fruits, the ones with a smooth and softer exterior will appear more juicy - - signs of a ripe fruit. The ones with a more firmer texture and rougher skin it not ripe yet - - therefore, I'll be able to place it at the alter for a longer period of time.Just above the pomelo fruit had a sign in large black print of 79 cents per pound. My selected pomelo weighed in just under 3 lbs but the cash register displayed my cost of $3. I did the math and it didn't add up so I looked back at the sign only to be confused. The male cashier immediately understood my confusion and pointed at a smaller sign written on recycled cardboard with a much lighter black ink of $3 each but the sign didn't state what item it was. This was quite misleading and not worth exerting my energy addressing their signage. I paid for my fruit, put it in my eco-friendly shopping bag and walked away.Overall, I had an average shopping experience where I walked away with what I wanted to buy. The bottom line: signage and prices should be legible where both item and price are clearly displayed.NOTE: Cash and EBT cards accepted.

PREPARE YOUR CASH!Yeah, they don't accept plastic in here. What else is new to Chinatown Market? (insert grin face)Roaming around Chinatown Market & we came up in here & notice this fruit which is part of Oahu Market.And I just fell in-love with the mangoes they displayed. Drooling inside, I immediately browse my eyes on its prices, and I think to myself; "not bad at all". So basically we grab two varieties of mangoes here. Glad we came up to this fruit stand!The woman who weighed our mangoes is a bit timid & softspoken (just like what Lyla D. describe her). Paid almost $15 (yes! Because that other variety of mango we got is $5.99 per pound! Expensive ayt! Hahahah).Hand us our mangoes & put it in our Travoy cart then bandit hand her the cash! Easy peasy! Just this morning I enjoyed those sweet mangoes paired with my sautéed shrimp while editing my photos for my next blog! Yumyum!Mahalo & happy juandering fellow [email protected]