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The Story of Kowloon Market

Two years ago, this almost two-decade-old Hong Kong grocery was renovated, partly due to encroachment of rival T & T. At the same time though, the Booth Street Loeb closed: the elderly and handicapped were worried about having to traipse to Bank Street for shopping. So Kowloon Market’s owner Philip Yip stepped in, decided to provide both produce that appealed to Caucasians (packaged boneless chicken breast and dairy products, for example) plus English signage. As he says, “I wanted to help the community.”

Kowloon’s known for its orderliness, its cleanliness. And where else in Chinatown can you buy custom-deliveries of high-end Brome Lake duck? Also available in season: red spinach; five kinds of fresh mushrooms (including shiitake!); and small blushing pears. On hand, too: frozen sliced ribeye for stirfries; the fatty tuna bonito; and sometimes, live eels.

Don’t forget, either, Kowloon’s extensive selection of dry goods. From Taiwan, for instance, comes cooking rice wine—the elegantly-packaged saké-like Michiu.