For the past two years, the fab females running the Santa Ana-based non-profit Grain Project—Lara Montagne, Branden Willman-Kozimor and Delilah Snell—have been pleading with their hometown's City Council to allow a farmer's market into the city, to no avail. Seems par for the course: after all, Santa Ana's city officials are mostly vendido nitwits who pour millions into 37-story buildings and never-visited Artists Villages while the rest of the city gets nominated as the toughest 'burb in the country to survive in. The Grain Project is gearing up for another round against Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido and his puppets this month. In the meanwhile, here's a list of great Orange County ethnic markets. And while you're at it, give the Grain Project some much-needed moolah and support over at www.grainproject.org
99 RANCH MARKET
The Albertson's of ethnic markets, except without the scabs. Nearly every Asian product imaginable, plus some in-store cooking. As dish-and-dine places go, this place is what a Caltech graduate degree is to science: top of the line. The barbecue pork, with its sweet-and-sour Claim Jumper-sized portions, is enchanting. 15333 Culver Dr., Irvine, (949) 651-8899. Also at 651 N. Euclid St., Anaheim, (714) 776-8899; 5402 Walnut Ave., Irvine, (949) 651-8888. www.99ranch.com
THE BRITISH GROCER
Jacky Wyld's shop, extant for 20 years now, sells a variety of British wares and foods: English teas, Jaffa cakes, Heinz beans and the like. But make a beeline for Wyld's freezer, one of the few places in the county where you can find a couple of different kinds of blood sausages to drool over. Snatch a free copy of the Union Jack, “America's Only National British Newspaper,” on your way out. 305 N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton, (714) 738-0229.
EL TORO GOURMET MEATS
El Toro Gourmet Meats owner Bob Bacca has created a mecca of high-quality meats and seafood. The carne asada is artfully butterflied open, sliced very thin, and then marinated for 1 to 2 days in a mixture of soy sauce, orange juice and, of course, secret spices—one of which Bacca let slip out is red pepper. 23522 El Toro Rd., Lake Forest, (949) 855-0215.
EL TORO MEAT MARKET
Originally from Fresnillo, Zacatecas, the Bonilla clan—four brothers and una hermana—have seen their butchery shop grow in the past 20-odd years from a solitary meat market to a place that hawks produce from all over Latin America. Dawn at the two locations always shines on gluttonous riots, as Latino OC clamors for the day's masa, carnitas and other earthy delights. This is also the place to purchase an entire freakin' goat's head! 1340 W. First St., Santa Ana, (714) 836-1393.
GLOBE EUROPEAN DELICATESSEN
Sausage is but one appetizing aspect of Globe European Delicatessen, which has been hawking German, Dutch and other European produce from the same address for more than three decades. There's beer, jams, chocolates, even wafers that taste like fruit. Load up on these and other goods—if you're a sucker for pickled herring, the fine liberal German weekly Der Spiegel,or cheese wheels large enough to fire from mortars, Globe European Delicatessen is your lollipop. 1928 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, (949) 642-3784; www.europeanfoods.com>.
HANNAM SUPERMARKET
La Palma city officials say 1,500 shoppers file into this Korean grocery store every day. That's no surprise: this place is stocked with plenty of Korean squash—which resemble flattened pumpkins—frozen vegetable dumplings and corn buns for all your authentic Asian dining needs. 4941 La Palma Ave., La Palma, (562) 865-4116.
KHYBER BAZAAR
Khyber Bazaar carries 4,500 Bollywood videos, along with Pakistani dramas and Afghani movies. It also sells Hindi, Pakistani and Afghani music. Oh, and the Bazaar also packs in two aisles of Afghani/Pakistani/Indian/Middle Eastern groceries like eight types of lentils, numerous types of rice, and hard-to-find Afghani snacks. 10810 Warner Ave., Fountain Valley, (714) 962-8879.
INDIA SWEETS AND SPICES
It's a sweet shop and a produce vendor, a place to rent videos, buy Urdu-edition newspapers, and get a home-style meal in a pop-culture mini-bazaar that caters to your taste for Indian soul food. 14441 Newport Ave., Tustin, (714) 731-2910.
LAXMI SWEETS N SPICES
What is it about Tustin and Indian food stores? And why are they all so delicious? The produce is fine, but Laxmi also makes many Indian snack foods. Get the thali, a platter of two vegetables, a yogurt dish and fresh naan. And get the Indian spinach and eggplant for your two vegetables. 638 El Camino Real, Tustin, (714) 832-4671.
LA COTORRA MARKET
The Cuban and Mexican proprietors, a husband-and-wife team, are friendly, and they run their spotless store with the precision of a Naval vessel. Take my advice: come for the Lotto ticket, but stay for the steak sandwich. 156 Ave. del Mar, San Clemente, (949) 492-3663.
LUCCI'S DELI AND MARKET
Lucci's offers more than 30 hot or cold sandwiches under $5, not counting the house-specialty torpedoes that go for $2.99 and $5.25. There is pizza. There are the standard Italian dinners like spaghetti, ravioli, lasagna and eggplant, along with classics like linguine with clam sauce and fettuccine alfredo—all between $6 and $10. Lucci's does catering, too. They even bake wedding cakes. 8911 Adams Ave., Huntington Beach, (714) 968-4466.
MARUKAI MARKET
Thanks to Marukai, your refrigerator can now be filled with tofu and cans of iced Kona coffee, your freezer stuffed with green-tea ice cream and frozen edamame, and your cabinets overflowing with wonton chips and wasabi-fortified rice crackers. 2975 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, (714) 751-8433
PRODUCE WAREHOUSE
Though miniscule, Produce Warehouse offers more ethnic grocery options than a Brooklyn neighborhood: mango chutneys, Persian lavash flatbread, instant Croatian broccoli soup, and a Middle Eastern section that looks like a museum of pickled products. But don't miss the alfajores, an Argentine cavity that's a crumbly double-layered shortbread cookie with a center made from the caramel-like confection dulce de leche. You'll chomp through Produce Warehouse's alfajor selections with ardor, the tension between the dulce de leche and chocolate outside as intricate and intense as a couple dancing the tango on their silver anniversary. 1225 W. 17th St., Santa Ana, (714) 542-8111.
SINDBAD RANCH
What makes Sinbad Ranch Market so great? Could it be its large selection of halal meats? Or its insanely cheap prices (three huge packs of created-that-day pita bread for less than a buck)? Maybe it's their large selection of Arabic-print newspapers and magazines? Actually, the best part about Sinbad's Ranch is that it's in the middle of Anaheim's Little Gaza, which allows you to enjoy the rest of it by walking around. 521 S. Brookhurst, Anaheim, (714) 533-3671.
SUNDARA LAO MARKET
Pan-Asian megastore 99 Ranch Market is nice. But how about if you want the latest Thai karaoke tape? Or some Burmese action comedy with a heavy dose of romance? Or Hmong-prepared quail eggs? You can find all of this and more at Sundara Lao Market. The packed-to-the-roof shop caters primarily to Thais and Laotians, so no chow mein here—only instant pad Thai and more sauces than Heinz. 1151 N. Euclid, Anaheim, (714) 758-8349.
YOUNG'S MARKET
Certainly Young's—the county's only Polynesian market—has crates of coconuts, tons of taro, and packets of poi (the taro-based paste similar to applesauce) galore. But items such as corned beef, pork bangers and breakfast biscuits are the true imperialists of Young's three aisles. See, the Polynesian palate is dominated by British faves. Because of this hospitality, county Polynesians have made Young's their piece of paradise. 12317 Westminster Ave., Santa Ana, (714) 554-0690.
