STOCKTON STREET IN SAN FRANCISCO: CHINESE MUSHROOMS, SAUSAGES, DRIED SEA-FOOD, SOUP INGREDIENTS, AND MANY MORE TASTY THINGS

Recently a reader posted a question in my 'letterbox' (which is linked at the bottom of this and other posts), writing: "I just moved to SF and was wondering if you knew of a place to find Dong Gu 冬菇 the Chinese Winter Mushrooms. I'm not Chinese and don't know the city too well but it seems like you might know. Thanks so much! "

Of course I promptly wrote back.

Because it's a food quest.

Food is great.


[Begin cite]

Hi G.L.,


Almost any grocery store that caters to Asians will carry those. In C'town, check the places along Stockton Street that have bottled sauces and dry goods. But there are also shops on Jackson between Stockton and Grant.

Wing Scene: 898 Stockton Street, corner of Clay Street, is as good a place as any, as well as at the Stockton Seafood Center (green awnings) across Clay at 900 Stockton, which sells only dry goods, including herbs and tonics. But further down Stockton between Washington and Broadway is filled with food places that are good for browsing.

BTW: on Jackson, between Stockton and Powell, north side of the street, are butcher stores that sell the preferred Cantonese cuts of meat, including the Wah Hing Market (華興公司), where a number of basic Chinese grocery store items can be found, including odd sauces and dried ingredients.
Note that none of these stores have much of a visible English language sign presence; for their customers, that isn't necessary.

The very best kind of dong gu (冬菇) are thick, beautifully puffy looking, and have an even crackly skin on the cap. These will cost a lot more. For regular purposes, lesser grades are just as useful, however.
You might find those at Nan Hai Corporation, 919 Grant Avenue, between Washington and Jackson. They're good to keep in mind for many Chinese dried goods, as well as an extremely impressive selection of teas.

There are also numerous Chinese-Viet grocery stores in the Tenderloin, and along Clement Street, as well as in the outer Sunset and Richmond.

Good luck.

[End cite]


NOTES

A) - First two stores mentioned

Wing Scene
永勝食品公司
['wing sing sik-pan gung-si']
898 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94108

A multitude of groceries. Dried goods, wafers, biscuits, crackers, Chinese candies and snacky things, sauces, etcetera. One can also find imported mooncakes here, during the season, as well as patent remedies and eggroll cookies.


Stockton Street Seafood Center
蟲草城海味店
['chung-chou seng hoi-mei dim']
900 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94108

Mostly dried fish of various types, dry shrimp, dry oysters and other bivalves, tonic herbs and bulk dried vegetables, canned abalone, and similar things. Plus some staples.

The dried mushrooms (冬菇 'dung-gu') are arrayed opposite the bins of sea cucumber (海參 'hoi-saam'); they also have Indonesian pure white swallows nest (印尼白燕窩 'yan-nei baak yin-wo'), beautiful humongous dried African abalone (非洲鮑魚 'fei-chau baau-yü'), Japanese purple ling zhi fungus (日本紫靈芝 'yat-pun ji ling-ji'), fish belly (魚肚 'yü tou'), San Wui aged dried orange peel (新會陳年舊陳皮 'san-wui chan-nin kau chan-pei'), Yunnan tienchi (雲南田七 'waan-nam tin-chat'), and Guangdong ji red fruit (廣東吉紅果 'gwon dung kat hung gwo'；a type of hawthorn). Plus, for tea purposes, Hangzhou tribute chrysanthemum flower (杭州貢菊花 'hong-jau gung guk-faa'), Xinjiang Kunlun snow chrysanthemum (新疆崑崙雪菊 'san-geung kwan luen suet guk-faa').
And of course American ginseng (花旗參 'faa-gei saam').


B) - Places along Stockton Street

Just walking down from the tunnel to Broadway, a number of shops strike the eye. Not all of them will sell dried mushrooms, but many of them do. Besides numerous fascinating condiments, dried goods, and fresh foods.

Between Sacramento and Clay Street:

Won Kow Food Products
環球海味食品公司
['waan-kau hoi-mei sik-pan gung-si']
814 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.

Dried seafoods, and a variety of other things. Nowadays, mostly magazines, movies, fifty-part television melodramas, and doodads for your cell device.


Wycen Foods Inc.
祥發臘味
['cheung faat laap mei']
832 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.

Excellent preserved meats, sausages, cured pork. And of particular note: delicious beef jerky (美味的牛肉幹 'mei mei dik ngau yiuk gon').


Wing Scene
永勝食品公司
['wing sing sik-pan gong-si']
898 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94108


Between Clay and Washington Street:

Stockton St. Seafood Center, Inc.
蟲草城海味店
['chung-chou seng hoi-mei dim']
900 & 902 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.


Between Washington and Jackson Street:

Tai Sang Trading Co. Inc
大生堂
['taai sang tong']
1018 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.


Hop Hing Ginseng Co.
合興參茸藥行
['hap hing saam-yung yuek hong']
1027Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.

Tonic herbs and quality dried ingredients.


Rainbow House
彩雲軒
['choi wan hin']
1014 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.

Fresh fruit and vegetables galore.


Golden Way Trading Company
偉恆貿易公司
[wai-hang mau-yi gung-si']
1024 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.

Booze, dry goods, cookies, candies, tea. Teabags especially. Friendly owners.


Mei's Groceries Inc.
嘉美雜貨公司
['gaa mei jaap-fo gung-si']
1037 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.

Dry goods, vitasoy drinks, lots of condiments.


Kang Hua Trading Inc.
康華參茸藥材行
['hong waa saam-yung yuek-choi hong']
1040 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.

Mostly herbs and patent remedies, plus tonics.


Wan Cheong Ginseng Company
萬昌參茸行
['maan cheung saam-yung hong']
1043 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.

Ginseng, herbs, and sea-flavour dried goods. Particularly sea cucumber (海參 'hoi saam'), octopus (章魚 'jeung yü'), and Japanese dried oysters (日本蠔豉 'yat-pun hou-si').


Vegiland Market
橙地蔬果店
['chaang dei so-gwo dim']
1055 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.

Lots of fresh vegetables and fruit.


Between Jackson Street and Pacific Avenue:

Little Paradise
多樂趣
['do lok-chuk']
1101 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.

Vegetables, fruits, groceries, juices, candies.


Sheng Hing Market
生興孖結
['saang hing maa-git']
1105 -- 1109 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.

Fresh and dried goods, condiments. But by far, mostly lots of fruits and vegetables.



City Super
Lien Hing Supermarket Inc.
聯興超級市場
['leun hing chiu-kap si-cheung']
1108 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.

Variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.


D & T Market
大同超市
['daai tung chiu si']
Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.

Fresh fruit and vegetables.


New United Supermarket
新聯華超級市場
['san luen waa chiu-kap si-cheung']
1117 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.


Kin Sun Market
健新雜貨
['gin san jaap-fo']
1118 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.


"SEAFOOD WORLD"
海鮮世界
['hoi sin sai-gaai']
1135 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.

Fresh fish, shellfish, pork, lamb, and poultry (家禽 'gaa-kam'). Please note that this business does not appear to have an English name, but is never-the-less an excellent resource.


Pacific Ave. Seafood Trading Co.
新同發魚翅海產
['san tung faat yü-chi hoi-chaan']
1143 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.

An excellent place for lobster and live eel.


Liang's Food
梁生生海產
['leung saang saang hoi-chaan']
1145 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.

Seafood.


Kwong Cheong Tai
廣昌泰
['gwong cheung taai']
1199 B. Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.

Dried sea flavours, fermented fish, and mixed goods.
An enjoyable place to shop, particularly for desiccated shrimp and oysters.


Between Pacific Avenue and Broadway:

"GREAT CHINA HERBS"
大中華參茸行
['daai jung waa saam-yung hang']
1201 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.

A big bright herbs and dried goods emporium, with no English name.
Dates, ling zhi, fish maw, and shrimp.


Sun Sang Market
永豐燒臘肉食公司
['wing fung siu-laap yiuk-sik gung-si']
1205 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.

Fresh meats, roasted or barbecued meats like duck, pork, and chicken, and prepared dishes to take home.


Liang's Seafood Inc.
魚蝦蟹
['yü haa haai']
1207 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.

High quality fresh seafood. Reliable.


Sun Wah Trading Co.
新華集團有限公司
['san-waa jaap-tuen yau-haan gung-si']
1211 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.


New Louie's Inc.
新雷氏孖結
['san leui si maa-git']
1213 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.

Mostly fruits and vegetables.


Sunnyland Produce
新發食品公司
['san faat sik-pan gung-si']
1215 - 1217 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.

Fresh fruits and vegetables, plus condiments and canned food.


Chung Chou City
蟲草城海味店
['chung-chou seng hoi-mei dim']
1230 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133

Dried foods: beche de mer, seahorses, shrimp, dried fish.

On the awning:
鮑參翅腸，急凍海產。'baau saam chi cheung', 'gap dung hoi chaan'.
蟲草總匯，燕窩參茸。'chung-chou jung-wui', 'yin-wo saam-yung'.
Basically, that's abalone, ginseng, fins, stomach; flash frozen ocean products.
Company harvested products; swallow's nest and traditional tonics.

Inside the store certain things stand out, like "country bumpkin dried bokchoi" (鄉下佬白菜乾 'heung-haa-lou baak-choi gon'), dried flounder (大地魚 'daai dei yü') for stock, firewood fish (紫魚肉 'ji yü yiuk') for a yummy saveur, and a marvelous selection of dried mushrooms in apothecary jars: "monkey head mushroom" (猴頭菇 'hau-tau-gu'; hericium erinaceus), "slick kiddie mushroom" (滑子菇 'gwat ji gu'; possibly a relative of the common champignon), "precious concubine mushroom" (珍姬菇 'jan gei gu'; perhaps a relative of the tree oyster), "abalone mushroom" (鮑魚菇 'baau yü gu'; pleurotus cystidiosus), "dancing antlers mushroom" (舞茸菇 'mou yung gu'; grifola frondosa, maitake), and "goat belly mushroom" (羊肚菌 'yeung tou kwan'; the morel).

One other thing caught my eye, namely Jilin deer tendons (吉林鹿腳筋 'kat-lam luk keuk gan' ), and I can only hazard a guess what those are good for.


Kin Tat Co.
祫逹公司
['haap daat gung-si']
1248 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.

Fresh produce.
No, I don't know where the pronunciation 'kin' comes from.
It may be an alternate reading of which I am ignorant.


Sun Sun Trading Co.
新新參茸海味行
['san san saam-yung hoi-mei hong']
1252 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.


Jing Ye Co.
景業公司
['ging yip gung-si']
1254 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.


Best Food Produce
新頂好
['san ding hou']
1262 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.

Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables


Kum Luen
金錀
['kam luen']
1265 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.

Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.


Between Broadway and Vallejo Street:

Chung Kui Imports & Exports Co.
中僑參茸公司
['jung giu saam-yung gung-si']
1306 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.

Medicinal and tonic herbs.


Pang Kee Bargain Market
平記平價市場
['ping gei ping gaa si-cheung']
1308 & 1310 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.

Canned and bottled items from South East Asia, and a vast variety of crunchy snacky things. Plus the flaky eggroll cookies (蛋卷;'daan kuen') in large red tins that you really need to buy for Chinese New Year.


Tian Shan Ginseng and Herb
天山參茸藥行
['tin saan saam-yung yuek hong']
1341 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.


New Nature Herbal Line
佰草堂
['baak chou tong']
1341 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.


Sun Kau Shing Co., Inc.
新國興公司
['san gwok hing gung-si']
1352 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.

Good selection of condimenta.


Between Vallejo and Green Street:

Lee's Market
百佳超級市場
['baak gaai chiu-kap si-cheung']
1401 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.

Fruits, vegetables, and crowds.


Asia Herbs
亞洲參茸藥材
['ngaa-jau saam-yung yuek-choi']
1418 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.



C) - On Jackson, between Stockton and Powell

JC Trading Company
華興公司
['waa hing gung-si']
830 Jackson Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.

Various cuts of pork much preferred by Cantonese people, and a good selection of dried ingredients and noodles.


Hang Seng Meat Market
恒生肉鋪
['hang saang yiuk pou']
834 Jackson Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.

Good meat.



D) - Nan Hai Corporation and Grant Avenue

Nam Hai Corp
南海集團參茸行有限公司
['naam-hoi jaap-tuen saam-yung hong yau-haan gung-si']
919 Grant Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94108.

Probably the best place for loose-leaf teas in Chinatown, well-laid out and organized, with a friendly staff. There are also raw herbs, tonics, and patent remedies, as well as the usual naambaakhong clutter of ginseng and standard dry ingredients.

Look for 毛蟹王 ('mou-haai-wong'); the "hairy crab king".
It's a type of semi-fermented tea.
A lovely product.


Not strictly speaking relevant, but it should definitely be mentioned:

Ming Kee Game Birds Inc.
明記家禽
['ming gei gaa-kam']
1136 Grant Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133.

For all your ptarmigan and grouse needs.
Treat your friends to something fabulous.



AFTERWORD

You will have noticed that I did not include any of the small eateries on Stockton Street or its vicinity. Those are detailed here: snacky things, in an article that also mentions places elsewhere in Chinatown.

Nor are any of the bakeries listed. Many bakeries can be found in this post: pastries and milk tea; and again, not only Stockton Street.


Roast meats, particularly fowl, will be listed in dream duck. Quack.

Kam Po Hong Kong Kitchen (港新寶燒腊小食) at the intersection of Powell and Broadway, and Gourmet Delight Carousel (新凱豐燒臘店) between Pacific and Jackson on Stockton.


Lastly, a place where you can eat roast goose:

Yee's Restaurant
文仔記燒臘茶餐廳
['man-chai-gei siu-laap cha-chan-teng ']
1131 Grant Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133.

They have a pretty darn good selection of both roast meats to go as well as hot dishes to eat there, and can accommodate larger groups. But the single diner will be treated as well as anyone else.

Their name brings up another subject: the cha-chanteng (茶餐廳 "tea restaurant"). That being a style of eatery where strong milk-tea (港式奶茶 'gong-sik naai cha') is served, or half tea half coffee with condensed milk (鴛鴦 'yuen-yeung'), plus unique Hong Kong interpretations of food may be found in such a place, such as syrup bombe HK French toast, dolled-up insta-noodle, fried spaghetti, and baked dishes.

Decent list here: milk-tea, and full ideal menu here: cha-chanteng.


Live well. Go ahead.




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