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Groceries Specializing in Western Foods

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newSGfoodie
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Groceries Specializing in Western Foods

Post by newSGfoodie » Sun, 18 Sep 2022 8:02 pm

Hi all!
I’ve been trying to find sockeye salmon in Singapore and after hours of reading articles about gourmet and western groceries and MANY phone calls to local shops the closest I’ve found so far is frozen.

It’s a fairly common product in Canada and the United States. Frequently found in tins which is convenient because it doesn’t need refrigeration and is packed fresh before shipping.

(They are found in the cold waters of the northern US, Canada, and Siberia so a preservation method like freezing or canning is the best way to send them long distances. It is the REDDEST salmon on the planet! The best for making salmon mousse.)

Does anyone have any suggestions of where I could find this? I’m really surprised that it looks like it’s not available here! (I’d really prefer to find it in tins as the recipes I’d like to use it in call for that.)

Thank you!

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sundaymorningstaple
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Re: Groceries Specializing in Western Foods

Post by sundaymorningstaple » Sun, 18 Sep 2022 10:54 pm

Tried Amazon? Frozen from overseas won't get through without inspection. Best thing if it tinned already is have it shipped from a overseas supplier There is lot's of stuff you cannot get here. You learn to alter your taste buds or find alternatives or do without. You came to a foreign country. If you wanted home you should have stayed there. Eat local. Give your tastebuds a REAL treat. You are not in a northern country, you are on the equator and for the number of requests for something like that, I doubt seriously they would bother to set up a supply chain for one or two cases a year or month even..
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Re: Groceries Specializing in Western Foods

Post by jalanjalan » Mon, 19 Sep 2022 1:51 am

Song Fish sometimes has red salmon (frozen), and I've seen it on Redmart (tinned). There's a place called the Alaska Guys that sells sockeye salmon, but I never tried them.
Salmon doesn't really match with the kinds of fish dishes that are more common - eg. steamed with soy/ginger, in soup/porridge, curry, assam, sambal etc. Maybe that's why it's less common. I've pretty much abandoned it for saba and batang.

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malcontent
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Re: Groceries Specializing in Western Foods

Post by malcontent » Mon, 19 Sep 2022 7:46 am

Western focused grocery stores, like many retailers here, have only become less westernized. Today it’s more about what percent is non-local, and it’s usually a very small portion. It’s just not worth bringing in the stuff to sell in such small quantities. Even the stuff that is brought in is limited to those items that have some appeal to locals. That said, I will second the comment on Redmart — they have expanded their selection of imported western foods. A quick check on their site and I found this —

https://s.lazada.sg/s.0oGck

Might be the best you can hope for.
Every great and deep difficulty bears in itself its own solution. It forces us to change our thinking in order to find it - Niels Bohr

Lisafuller
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Re: Groceries Specializing in Western Foods

Post by Lisafuller » Tue, 20 Sep 2022 2:27 am

newSGfoodie wrote:
Sun, 18 Sep 2022 8:02 pm
Hi all!
I’ve been trying to find sockeye salmon in Singapore and after hours of reading articles about gourmet and western groceries and MANY phone calls to local shops the closest I’ve found so far is frozen.

It’s a fairly common product in Canada and the United States. Frequently found in tins which is convenient because it doesn’t need refrigeration and is packed fresh before shipping.

(They are found in the cold waters of the northern US, Canada, and Siberia so a preservation method like freezing or canning is the best way to send them long distances. It is the REDDEST salmon on the planet! The best for making salmon mousse.)

Does anyone have any suggestions of where I could find this? I’m really surprised that it looks like it’s not available here! (I’d really prefer to find it in tins as the recipes I’d like to use it in call for that.)

Thank you!
There’s a little German grocery store in the Tan Kah Kee area, next to Coronation Plaza. They’ve got a number of exotic tinned foods, but I’m not sure if they’d have the exact fish you’re looking for. Unfortunately, like Mal mentioned western grocery stores tend to carry fewer Western products as time passes. When I’ve had a hankering for something that could only be found back home, I’ve had to resort to ordering it online. Try Amazon or Shopee.

Lisafuller
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Re: Groceries Specializing in Western Foods

Post by Lisafuller » Tue, 20 Sep 2022 2:28 am

newSGfoodie wrote:
Sun, 18 Sep 2022 8:02 pm
Hi all!
I’ve been trying to find sockeye salmon in Singapore and after hours of reading articles about gourmet and western groceries and MANY phone calls to local shops the closest I’ve found so far is frozen.

It’s a fairly common product in Canada and the United States. Frequently found in tins which is convenient because it doesn’t need refrigeration and is packed fresh before shipping.

(They are found in the cold waters of the northern US, Canada, and Siberia so a preservation method like freezing or canning is the best way to send them long distances. It is the REDDEST salmon on the planet! The best for making salmon mousse.)

Does anyone have any suggestions of where I could find this? I’m really surprised that it looks like it’s not available here! (I’d really prefer to find it in tins as the recipes I’d like to use it in call for that.)

Thank you!
There’s a little German grocery store in the Tan Kah Kee area, next to Coronation Plaza. They’ve got a number of exotic tinned foods, but I’m not sure if they’d have the exact fish you’re looking for. Unfortunately, like Mal mentioned western grocery stores tend to carry fewer Western products as time passes. When I’ve had a hankering for something that could only be found back home, I’ve had to resort to ordering it online. Try Amazon or Shopee.

Lisafuller
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Re: Groceries Specializing in Western Foods

Post by Lisafuller » Tue, 20 Sep 2022 2:33 am

sundaymorningstaple wrote:
Sun, 18 Sep 2022 10:54 pm
Tried Amazon? Frozen from overseas won't get through without inspection. Best thing if it tinned already is have it shipped from a overseas supplier There is lot's of stuff you cannot get here. You learn to alter your taste buds or find alternatives or do without. You came to a foreign country. If you wanted home you should have stayed there. Eat local. Give your tastebuds a REAL treat. You are not in a northern country, you are on the equator and for the number of requests for something like that, I doubt seriously they would bother to set up a supply chain for one or two cases a year or month even..
A little harsh but you make a Good point, bringing in temperature sensitive food necessitates more effort than it is worth if it’s only to cater to a handful of people. Even something like Stacy’s pita chips, which are all the rage back in the US I can’t find locally. I have to order them online, for 15 bucks a pop no less! That gives you an idea of how much I love them.

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Re: Groceries Specializing in Western Foods

Post by Lisafuller » Tue, 20 Sep 2022 2:45 am

malcontent wrote:
Mon, 19 Sep 2022 7:46 am
Western focused grocery stores, like many retailers here, have only become less westernized. Today it’s more about what percent is non-local, and it’s usually a very small portion. It’s just not worth bringing in the stuff to sell in such small quantities. Even the stuff that is brought in is limited to those items that have some appeal to locals. That said, I will second the comment on Redmart — they have expanded their selection of imported western foods. A quick check on their site and I found this —

https://s.lazada.sg/s.0oGck

Might be the best you can hope for.
Yup, and get a load of the “international” sections in local grocery stores. Almost laughable - the selection is so small and the products themselves are if you described the country to someone else and then had them pick out the foods.

Lisafuller
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Re: Groceries Specializing in Western Foods

Post by Lisafuller » Tue, 20 Sep 2022 2:46 am

jalanjalan wrote:
Mon, 19 Sep 2022 1:51 am
Song Fish sometimes has red salmon (frozen), and I've seen it on Redmart (tinned). There's a place called the Alaska Guys that sells sockeye salmon, but I never tried them.
Salmon doesn't really match with the kinds of fish dishes that are more common - eg. steamed with soy/ginger, in soup/porridge, curry, assam, sambal etc. Maybe that's why it's less common. I've pretty much abandoned it for saba and batang.
You’re definitely right. Salmon is fairly popular here but the rarer species/preparations are not so no reason for them to have it.

nelyanne
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Re: Groceries Specializing in Western Foods

Post by nelyanne » Tue, 20 Sep 2022 12:02 pm

Maybe try an online shop called Fisk. Seems they have a lot of salmon. And their website says "never EVER frozen".

newSGfoodie
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Re: Groceries Specializing in Western Foods

Post by newSGfoodie » Sun, 25 Sep 2022 11:55 am

nelyanne wrote:
Tue, 20 Sep 2022 12:02 pm
Maybe try an online shop called Fisk. Seems they have a lot of salmon. And their website says "never EVER frozen".
You're right--Fisk does have a lot of salmon options. No sockeye though. I have found in my search that many locally-owned stores like Fishwives and Jasons (subsidiary of Cold Storage) typically carry fresh or frozen pink salmon.

newSGfoodie
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Re: Groceries Specializing in Western Foods

Post by newSGfoodie » Sun, 25 Sep 2022 11:56 am

Lisafuller wrote:
Tue, 20 Sep 2022 2:33 am
sundaymorningstaple wrote:
Sun, 18 Sep 2022 10:54 pm
Tried Amazon? Frozen from overseas won't get through without inspection. Best thing if it tinned already is have it shipped from a overseas supplier There is lot's of stuff you cannot get here. You learn to alter your taste buds or find alternatives or do without. You came to a foreign country. If you wanted home you should have stayed there. Eat local. Give your tastebuds a REAL treat. You are not in a northern country, you are on the equator and for the number of requests for something like that, I doubt seriously they would bother to set up a supply chain for one or two cases a year or month even..
A little harsh but you make a Good point, bringing in temperature sensitive food necessitates more effort than it is worth if it’s only to cater to a handful of people. Even something like Stacy’s pita chips, which are all the rage back in the US I can’t find locally. I have to order them online, for 15 bucks a pop no less! That gives you an idea of how much I love them.
I could have sworn I've seen Stacy's Chips somewhere in Singapore. I checked Mustafa's Centre but they don't have it in their grocery section. I guess you can get *almost* anything at Mustafa's.

newSGfoodie
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Re: Groceries Specializing in Western Foods

Post by newSGfoodie » Sun, 25 Sep 2022 11:57 am

malcontent wrote:
Mon, 19 Sep 2022 7:46 am
Western focused grocery stores, like many retailers here, have only become less westernized. Today it’s more about what percent is non-local, and it’s usually a very small portion. It’s just not worth bringing in the stuff to sell in such small quantities. Even the stuff that is brought in is limited to those items that have some appeal to locals. That said, I will second the comment on Redmart — they have expanded their selection of imported western foods. A quick check on their site and I found this —

https://s.lazada.sg/s.0oGck

Might be the best you can hope for.
Thanks--I think you're right--the online delivery services seem to be the best option for this particular product.

newSGfoodie
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Re: Groceries Specializing in Western Foods

Post by newSGfoodie » Sun, 25 Sep 2022 11:57 am

Lisafuller wrote:
Tue, 20 Sep 2022 2:28 am
newSGfoodie wrote:
Sun, 18 Sep 2022 8:02 pm
Hi all!
I’ve been trying to find sockeye salmon in Singapore and after hours of reading articles about gourmet and western groceries and MANY phone calls to local shops the closest I’ve found so far is frozen.

It’s a fairly common product in Canada and the United States. Frequently found in tins which is convenient because it doesn’t need refrigeration and is packed fresh before shipping.

(They are found in the cold waters of the northern US, Canada, and Siberia so a preservation method like freezing or canning is the best way to send them long distances. It is the REDDEST salmon on the planet! The best for making salmon mousse.)

Does anyone have any suggestions of where I could find this? I’m really surprised that it looks like it’s not available here! (I’d really prefer to find it in tins as the recipes I’d like to use it in call for that.)

Thank you!
There’s a little German grocery store in the Tan Kah Kee area, next to Coronation Plaza. They’ve got a number of exotic tinned foods, but I’m not sure if they’d have the exact fish you’re looking for. Unfortunately, like Mal mentioned western grocery stores tend to carry fewer Western products as time passes. When I’ve had a hankering for something that could only be found back home, I’ve had to resort to ordering it online. Try Amazon or Shopee.
Thanks for this--I tried German Market Place (wow--a whole grocery store of German products!) They do have fish in tins (mackeral, tuna, etc.) but not sockeye salmon.

newSGfoodie
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Re: Groceries Specializing in Western Foods

Post by newSGfoodie » Sun, 25 Sep 2022 11:58 am

jalanjalan wrote:
Mon, 19 Sep 2022 1:51 am
Song Fish sometimes has red salmon (frozen), and I've seen it on Redmart (tinned). There's a place called the Alaska Guys that sells sockeye salmon, but I never tried them.
Salmon doesn't really match with the kinds of fish dishes that are more common - eg. steamed with soy/ginger, in soup/porridge, curry, assam, sambal etc. Maybe that's why it's less common. I've pretty much abandoned it for saba and batang.
Thanks for these suggestions. I've actually seen salmon both FRESH and in tins in just about every (larger) FairPrice and Cold Storage but it's always "pink" salmon which is perfectly delicious but "red" sockeye salmon works best for salmon mousse. Checked Alaska Guys and they always carry frozen sockeye salmon--with FRESH available on Mondays so this is a good option.

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