The Produce At The Royal Projects Market At Central Mall Is Freaking Fabuloso!

[Jingthing]

Wow!

Sometimes there is good news to be told.

As many of you already know, there is a small Royal Projects market opposite the Central Food Hall Supermarket, ground floor of Central Pattaya Beach Mall.

For awhile this market was some stands out in the middle of the lobby, but now they have a permanent inside location. Yippee!

This is the best place in town to buy produce.

They have a great assortment of high quality, often hard to find items, very fresh looking, and fantastically friendly prices.

I suggest a look in this market FIRST before going into Central Food hall as you will find similar items (and some unique ones) that look better for less money.

For example, yellow squash, jalapeno peppers, Haas looking obviously Thai grown avocados at 3 smallish ones for 40 baht, bok choy, MASSIVE bag of western celery for 30 baht!, western lettuce, etc., etc. I am less impressed with their non-produce selection and prices. For example they had some choices for Thai coffees but none offered with whole beans.

Anyway, with more good news like this, these are the good old days ...

Edited January 5, 2012 by Jingthing

[Darrel]

Sounds good. I'll take a look at that tomorrow.

[Jingthing]

Sounds good. I'll take a look at that tomorrow.

That's

(Loso = Thai content )

Edited January 5, 2012 by Jingthing

[NormanW]

Sounds good. I'll take a look at that tomorrow.

That's

(Loso = Thai content )

I've just been sitting in Coffee World for about two hours and I didn't even think to look round. I just assumed it would be Central higher then the rest priced products.

Will give it a look at tomorrow when I finish work.

You never know.

Bon appetite Jingthing

[Thailaw]

A great find! I made a trip there yesterday. The avacodos were too small and too ripe, but all of the other produce was great, especialy the western celery, which I have never seen in Thailand before. Sek Loso and his brother, Fabu, will definitely approve! I hope that people will support this place, it needs to (and should) survive.

Had you made this post in December, i would have voted for you for "Poster of the Year".

Edited January 7, 2012 by Thailaw

[Darrel]

I had a look also. I agree that the avocados were small. (I dont understand why avocados are so expensive and rare here; the climate seems very suitable, just like the Philippines where avocados are very cheap and very plentiful.)

Other stuff not bad at all, and better than most supermarkets, though for the things that Thais buy regularly I think that the local wet market is better value.

[Jingthing]

The cados I bought were indeed small but not yet ripe. That happens at all stores here selling cados, they leave them out till they are well beyond ripe. Some stores have learned to discount them the day they start to be near ripe. Generally the price in other stores is 40 to 50 baht for a medium sized cado. The three small ones are I reckon nearly equal to two medium sized ones, so stay tuned for their new shipment of not yet ripe ones. They appear to be Haas cados, proving anyway that Haas cados are and can be grown in Thailand.

Tips: to test the ripeness of cados and not damage them, put the entire cado in the palm of your hand and gently squeeze. Do not directly poke them with a finger. If you buy a hard cado and you want to ripen in faster, place it with a ripe banana and put them in a paper bag (or wrap well in newspaper).

Other stores often have western celery but the size bag I bought at the Central Royal Projects place would have cost well over 100 baht at Villa or Best (North Pattaya).

Yes I agree we should support this place. It's on the small side so some people may miss it.

Edited January 7, 2012 by Jingthing

[Darrel]

Was at the Thepprasit night market this evening so I walked on to Tesco. They had quite a lot of farang celery, in various size packets, and I would say it was cheaper than the Royal Projects, especially the large packet which was very large indeed for 45B. Royal Projects looked a bit fresher, perhaps because they remove the outer branches and cut the leafy tops off. (Why do they do that? The tops are great in soup/casseroles.) Hass avocados were large(ish) but 49B each, or 2 for 95B. Next time I will get some crabs.

They also had many reduced-price (about -30%) fresh items (fried fish, other cooked Thai dishes, French bread, apple croissants, miniature tomatoes) and that both made my day and filled my fridge.

[Jingthing]

Not my experience at the Royal Projects place for celery. The tops were on and the bag contents were very massive. For 30 baht, I actually thought it was a pricing mistake. Also the best deal in town for jalapeno peppers.

[patroller]

They had quite a lot of farang celery, in various size packets, and I would say it was cheaper than the Royal Projects, especially the large packet which was very large indeed for 45B. Royal Projects looked a bit fresher, perhaps because they remove the outer branches and cut the leafy tops off.

I find almost astonishing that one can debate the price of a packet of celery from one place to the other.

I'm glad I planned my retirement more carefully.

[Jingthing]

They had quite a lot of farang celery, in various size packets, and I would say it was cheaper than the Royal Projects, especially the large packet which was very large indeed for 45B. Royal Projects looked a bit fresher, perhaps because they remove the outer branches and cut the leafy tops off.

I find almost astonishing that one can debate the price of a packet of celery from one place to the other.

I'm glad I planned my retirement more carefully.

Does that make you feel superior? In my view, the vast majority of people on the planet have to be careful with pennies.

[Darrel]

Not my experience at the Royal Projects place for celery. The tops were on and the bag contents were very massive. For 30 baht, I actually thought it was a pricing mistake.

Ah, then I suspect that they "rejuvenated" them before I got there as they were definitely leafless and missing a few branches when I saw them. Worth bearing in mind.

[Darrel]

I find almost astonishing that one can debate the price of a packet of celery from one place to the other.

I do find it astonishing that anyone could be stupid enough to assume that being careful with money is the same as not having any.

[Jingthing]

Not my experience at the Royal Projects place for celery. The tops were on and the bag contents were very massive. For 30 baht, I actually thought it was a pricing mistake.

Ah, then I suspect that they "rejuvenated" them before I got there as they were definitely leafless and missing a few branches when I saw them. Worth bearing in mind.

That's possible. I said it was good store. Not the garden of Eden!