Shanghai Expat :: View topic - Where can I find a good wet market?

Shanghai Expat

Questions and Answers - Where can I find a good wet market?

zhongshanpk - Dec 24, 2008 - 11:09 AM
Post subject: Where can I find a good wet market?

The question is in the title. I want to find a large and authentic Shanghai wet market, partly for touristy reasons but also because I'll be here a while and it would be useful.

Traen1 - Dec 24, 2008 - 11:17 AM
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Not knowing what it was, I Googled "wet market."

Quote:

Wet market: A live animal market, a common sight in many areas of the world and a source of influenza viruses and other infectious disease agents for human beings. SARS outbreaks have been traced to wet markets in southern China.

Wet markets sell live poultry, fish, reptiles, and mammals of every kind. Animals may stay from days to weeks. Daily introduction of new animals provides optimum conditions for the development of disease agents such as influenza. Add the daily human contacts (including children) with the live animals, and conditions are optimal for the transfer and evolution of infectious disease agents.

Hmm...don't think I'm so interested in wet markets.

orphee - Dec 24, 2008 - 11:43 AM
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Traen1 wrote:

Not knowing what it was, I Googled "wet market."

Quote:

Hmm...don't think I'm so interested in wet markets.

I've yet to see a wet market here that sells "mammals of every kind." Don't believe everything you read. Shanghai isn't Guangzhou. My local wet market is my first stop for fruit, vegetables, rice, grains, eggs, fish, frog, pork and beef. (The supermarket is for condiments and beverages.) Wet markets are all around; can't really advise you, Traen1, without knowing what neighborhood you live in.

edolis - Dec 24, 2008 - 11:49 AM
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Anyone knows where is the vegetables market in JingAn? I live quite close to NanjingXiLu metro station.
After one year I have not yet managed to run into it...
Thanks!!

Frankenstein - Dec 24, 2008 - 01:35 PM
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If you're close to Nanjing Xi Lu, the nearest wet market I know of is in Julu Lu, between Shaanxi Nan Lu and Xiangyang Lu. It's on the north side of the street opposite a restaurant, and has a great variety of eggs, fish, meat, and super-fresh vegetables. Enough food for a family will cost about 20 kuai.

Or there is another one in Dagu Lu near Shimen Yi Lu.

Traen1 - Dec 24, 2008 - 02:04 PM
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orphee wrote:

No, I'm just a little cynical on this my first Christmas Eve away from home. Twisted Evil

I live near Zhangjiang in Pudong, and there are a few fruit/vegetable markets that sell produce, etc. very cheap. I'm sure they're fine.

Zak101 - Dec 24, 2008 - 05:16 PM
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@orphee .... Frog ? You eat those trussed-up Chinese Bullfrogs ? Erk.

Gotta agree with Traen1 though. In Australia, you usually buy "fresh" Coriander (Cilantro) in 5 gram plastic packs. $1.20 AUD for 5 grams makes it $240 AUD/kg (about 1,100 RMB).

When I was a complete 1 week newbie (you know, the buy price on the presented calculator) I stumbled across a local wet market and bought some vegetables for a stew. Caused quite a stir, only the 3rd Laowai to venture in - in a year.

Grabbed a handful of Coriander, put it on the scales and the lady gave it to me for free. I'm like WHAT ? Six bucks worth of Coriander for free ? And a handful of tiny spring onions for free ? Amazed.

I'm sure they didn't rip me off on prices, despite being as green as grass, because when I pulled out a hundred kuai note, she spotted the 20 in the wallet and gestured. Tapped 20 on the calculator and did the "give me" mime.

*Some* Chinese shopkeepers are honest & kind.

Perhaps if she gouged the Laowai, the Suzhou Grannies standing next to me might have launched a tirade. Who knows ?

True story, often worth sharing with other expats - and Merry Christmas !

Z.

sweenytodd - Dec 24, 2008 - 05:28 PM
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Zak101 wrote:

Grabbed a handful of Coriander, put it on the scales and the lady gave it to me for free. I'm like WHAT ? Six bucks worth of Coriander for free ? And a handful of tiny spring onions for free ? Amazed.

Z.

Its a truly Asian thing getting handful of herbs free when you shop for veges in the fresh vege markets - in some seafood places, they also throw in a few shrimps as a bonus to your overall buy. Coriander rocks! Very Happy

orphee - Dec 24, 2008 - 06:18 PM
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Zak101 wrote:

@orphee .... Frog ? You eat those trussed-up Chinese Bullfrogs ? Erk.\

I'm not familiar with the "trussed-up" variety, but fresh frog is delicious. ,

monalisalee - Dec 24, 2008 - 06:18 PM
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The googled description of "wet market" is one sided, and totally innacurate.

My wife buys all our basics at our near by wet market. She goes almost on a daily basis, buys all fruit veges, pork, beef, fish, eggs. She goes about 7.a.m, as the meat is delivered every morning daily, and goes into a large fridge, and as Zac reports they often give you something for free. Sometimes a few eggs. The cost is ridiculously low.
I dont know of any in the Jing An area, but as we live in a Chinese area in Putuo, there are 3 or 4 within easy walk.
WAY to GO.

Zak101 - Dec 25, 2008 - 12:11 AM
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@MLL:

Mother in Law heads out every morning to buy foodstuffs for dinner & lunch at the local wet market every day, sometimes I hear her lock the door at 7 am, when I'm thinking of coffee, yawn, stretch and roll back over under 2 quilts, back to sleep.

Fresh is best ! But I still refuse to eat Chinese freshwater fish & freshwater eels.

Find your local wet market and you probably won't have to bargain.

The stuff is fresh off the truck, 24 hours max harvested from the farm, and I enjoy that part of China.

I'll turn a blind eye to pesticides, ripping off farmers and so on. I have no choice. ?Organic? Pah.

Z.

zhongshanpk - Dec 25, 2008 - 04:40 PM
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Er.....no offence but I kind of feel everyone went off on a tangent here and ignored my question. As for the google quotation, I'm sure thats way too extreme but to be frank, and sorry to all animal lovers, but thats kind of why I want to go to a wet market. I can buy fruit and veg outside my door, I want to go and see some snakes in a cage. Best place for them.

mswp - Dec 26, 2008 - 08:23 AM
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Wet markets are great -- I would choose vegetables from a wet market over Carrefour, any day. Having said that, the only one I've been to is Zhongshan Park area is the poorest quality one I've been to -- out of a dozen or so. I can't remember the street name, but if you came out of carrefour, faced the metro station, crossed the street and turned right. Walk a block or so, and it's on the left. There have to be others, get someone to show you the characters, it will be something about "xx district vegetable market." You can't go a 10 square block section of the city without hitting a wet market. Typically, the street has a small entrance, and there will be prepared food at the front end. It's only when you walk into the market that you get to see all the good stuff.

Zak101, love your story about being a newbie. I started armed with a year of college chinese and way too high expectations of how I could communicate. The wet market I frequented was a regular source of humiliation as women screamed at me as if my hearing was impeding my comprehension.

Ponzonia - Dec 26, 2008 - 08:57 AM
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Zak,
I had the same thing happening to me when I went to the local (VERY Chinese) market next to our office. When I first went there, I just let them take the money straight out of my wallet because I couldn't understand their gesturing for the numbers. They never ripped me off, I think. It's unbelievale how cheap the vegetables are. I think I'm actually the ONLY westerner who EVER set foot into that place, but now I've become quite a regular, so they really love me now. And also my Chinese class is starting to pay off, I know the numbers and they love me even more for being able to ask the price and say "Nihao" "xiexie" and some other phrases.
Something I really like about living here Very Happy

wefrucar - Dec 27, 2008 - 06:56 PM
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Wet markets can be found in virtually every non-expat neighborhood. Chinese people still prefer to buy their meat and veggies fresh. I've never seen live animals there (except seafood), so no need to get all worried about influenza.

Like other people have described, it can be a great experience shopping in a wet market. Very few laowai's venture in, so they're more excited to see you. And it's one of the few places where I feel safe that the shopkeepers aren't trying to rip me off (although the meat vendor always tries to sell me more than I asked for... hmm, maybe she's just trying to make sure I'm well fed). Great for grabbing a few fresh ingredients and cooking a quick meal.
They tend to close fairly early (at 7 half of the stalls are closed already).

shanghaithunder - Dec 28, 2008 - 09:38 AM
Post subject: wet market

There aren't any "authentic" wet markets like which you woud find in Morocco(spices), Saigon(live animals save for chickens and ducks) or any "bazaar" types you woud find in Kashgar.

The wet markets here are for neccessity featuring the most basic meat,vegetable and food products favored by the local palate.

However, nearest Zhongshan Park I would say the largest and most interesting one is located in Putuo district. Daduhe Lu/Caoan Lu(Wuning Lu)

Have a look.

Zak101 - Dec 28, 2008 - 04:12 PM
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@ShThundering.

Good advice, however, in my local wet/dry market I find dozens of sacks full of different condiments, varieties of chili, rice & beans and vendors with frozen chicken etc..

Then there's the butchers with slabs of pork hanging on hooks (Yuk).

All at drop dead prices. However, to get my favourite Jasmine long grain rice I have to go down to the local Auchan and buy a bag. Not something I relish.

Luckily at my recent email suggestion (to Auchan) they have put in a few express check-out lanes, "5 items or less", with a Taser zap from the guard if you're 6 items (kidding).

When I'm pushing a modest trolley-full and there is some carpenter and his wife in front of me with 39 items in the express lane, I get their attention, pull off the gloves, indicate the sign above the checkout lane and utter in Chinese as I count them off on my fingers, 1 to 5. Sigh.

Colonialist. Arrogant Laowai. Oops, very sorry, he obviously can't read Chinese or English - of course.

Kind of embarassing for the carpenter (losing face in front of the unknown Laowai, in front of his wife), and it's another Karma thing I have to pay back. I'm also embarrassed and the arrogant event will haunt me.

Hang my head in shame at home.

But, I guess the French Manager(s) agreed with me. Dealing with Laowai management staff does sometimes have a mutually agreeable outcome.

The Auchan supermarket here is 50 check-out lanes, (that's 50 mind you) 1,500 customers in line with trolleys full. In Australia, you'd be lucky to get 5 exit lanes.

Back to thread : Yeah, Chinese wet markets are an interesting and painless experience.I enjoy going there - even get Okra for my Chicken Gumbo, dirt cheap.

Z.

motherOf2 - Dec 28, 2008 - 10:33 PM
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We will be moving soon to Hongqiao area and we are new in Shanghai. Could anyone tell me where the wet market is there?
I know there's the huge Carrefour in Gubei that everyone talks about but it seems like the wet market is the place to go for good deals Smile

bonalisa - Dec 29, 2008 - 02:09 PM
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Quote:

there wont be any snakes or other funny animals. as mentioned before you will mainly find veggies/fruit, some meat, fish (alive), toats/frogs, chicken (alive - they will kill and de-feather it for you .... another small one (if you are anyway on a stroll through the french concession) is right on the corner of jianguoxi/taiyuan lu - dont worry, you will be able to smell it.

anyhow - you might also be interested to go to the fish market in shanghai ... go with friends, buy some seafood and then head to one of the restaurants near by where they prepare it for you ... (dont have the address handy, but you should be able to find it online)

sallywonderland - Dec 29, 2008 - 07:48 PM
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There's a good wet market on Xikang lu..going north towards the Marie's Art supply store...on the same side of the street. If you pass the art supply store, then you've gone too far.

mswp - Dec 29, 2008 - 08:27 PM
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I think live chickens were banned during a bird flu scare. Early in 2005, there were still live birds at the market near Fudan, and even when I moved to XuJiaHui. Late in the year, the XJH market was renovated and relocated, and the live birds disappeared. The two markets I've been to in XJH have live snakes, but nothing like in the south where they'll eat anything with a heartbeat.

As for pricing, I thought the prices were fine until I went with a Chinese woman who berated the egg seller for overcharging me. She couldn't have inflated the price more than a jiao or two, I felt really bad for the egg seller.

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