Talard Thai Market

FYI for anybody looking for a new market mainly for Thailand - there is one recently opened called Talard Thai Market at 5351 N Broadway. This is a little north of the Berwyn Red Line stop, a little north of Argyle.

According to their Facebook page, they are importing a lot from Thailand (and some other parts of SE Asia):
https://www.facebook.com/Talardthaichicago

Talard Thai Market
5351 N Broadway
Open daily from 8am to 8pm
(773) 942-6566

https://www.facebook.com/Talardthaichicago
http://talardthaichicago.com

That's exciting news! I stopped by on Saturday to find they aren't open yet. The owner told me he plans to open on Friday, October 25. Looks like a nice store.

We stopped there today and it's pretty great. The store is immaculate and well-organized with produce clearly marked. Highlights were the produce section, prepared foods (similar to PNA) and selection of Thai flavored potato chips (e.g. tom yum, nori, green curry). I picked up some really nice looking holy basil and Thai basil. They had a great selection of Thai greens and vegetables including pea eggplant, pak wan, cha-om, wing beans. There are a few sparse sections and an empty butcher case (they are planning to add meats and some other products per the friendly woman at checkout). This is a great addition to the Argyle area--the Thai focus of the products is very clear.
The photo below is about 1/5 of the produce selection.

Thaiobsessed any indication of, or do they already have, hot prepared foods ready to go like in the old Thai Grocery, where Ba Le is now. I loved that shop especially the prepared foods, I still dream of the crispy fatty cartilage laden spicy chunks of fried pork ribs.

Thanks for the info/first look, can't wait to check Talard Thai Market out.

Thaiobsessed any indication or, do they already have, hot prepared foods ready to go like in the old Thai Grocery, where Ba Le is now. I loved that shop especially the prepared foods, I still dream of the crispy fatty cartilage laden spicy chunks of fried pork ribs.

I perused the prepared foods fairly quickly (I had a 5 y/o in tow who I had to bribe with one of the Japanese Popin' Cookin' candy kits they had for sale). I did see fried pork riblets as well as various curries, a few soups, har mok gai, shrimp dumplings, fish cakes, shrimp paste rice, sticky rice, kari puffs [disclaimer: most things were labeled in Thai characters only so I'm guessing at some of the contents of the containers]

thaiobsessed wrote: I did see fried pork riblets

Be still my slowly beating plaque clogged heart! I'm going to try to check out Talard tomorrow, thanks for the info.

looks like a great addition

I visited Talard Thai Asian Market on Broadway today. The market is a small grocery store with many unique Thai goods that you do not see in other Asian markets. I liked that the prices are very reasonable on the shelf items as well as the perishable items like Thai Basil. They are currently just doing a soft opening and are not full stocked yet. The cashier told me the planned grand opening is around the 22nd of November.

They did not have hot food section opened today and the cashier mentioned this is planned as well. They did have a couple prepared food items in a individual container right before the checkout registers on a shelf including a chicken Massaman curry, spicy fish curry, 2 types of pork salad all at a $7 price point. The labels on the prepared food items were in Thai but the friendly cashier explained each item to me.

Oh-My!

First visit today to The NEWEST Thai Grocery in Chicago.
Much larger than PNA + and very friendly owner who had worked at Star of Siam for many years before opening his own business.

In the front display-case are many prepared foods and salads - lots of "Jerkey"- both Pork and beef- very thinly shaved and cured......lots of Thai Sweets and Desserts and savory little "Empanadas"......yumm!
Thai Grocery Store in Chicago- Talard Thai Asian Market by R. Kramer, on Flickr
Durian- too stinky for you?
Well- how about fresh packed-Durian- already "prepped for ya"?
Thai Grocery Store in Chicago- Talard Thai Asian Market by R. Kramer, on Flickr
They've got it- waiting for ya- just- a little bit pricey- IMHO!
Thai Grocery Store in Chicago- Talard Thai Asian Market by R. Kramer, on Flickr

Here's a "sweet" option I'd not seen before-
("Toddy" FWIW- is a boozy Palm-fermented-beverage sold in Kerala,India-
and Road-Side places serving those who consume it- called "Toddy-Shops")

Thai Grocery Store in Chicago- Talard Thai Asian Market by R. Kramer, on Flickr

A tropical fruit I'd discovered in Bogota Colombia- called Uchuva- or Golden-Gooseberries are
sold here in a Jar-
Thai Grocery Store in Chicago- Talard Thai Asian Market by R. Kramer, on Flickr
Lots of THAI-Chili Paste(s)
Thai Grocery Store in Chicago- Talard Thai Asian Market by R. Kramer, on Flickr
I also learned an important fact about THAI BASIL.......
I'd always thought- the purplish-colored Basil
I see with my PHO- is Thai Basil- and
what they sell in teeny-tiny packages at Pete's Fresh Market is Thai Basil-
but- Au Contrare Monfrere....
Two Types of Thai Basil- only one- is The Holy one...... by R. Kramer, on Flickr
This- is THAI HOLY BASIL.......
versus......
Two Types of Thai Basil- only one- is The Holy one...... by R. Kramer, on Flickr
which is THAI BASIL.......
point-taken.

A GREAT Market-
and- if- you leave here-
with nothing to buy- sumpin's wrong w/you!


<b>Talard THAI Asian Market
5353 N. Broadway St.
Chicago,IL.60640
773.942.6566</b>

I also forgot to add- the hard to find- Thai Sausage- that makes the
Crispy Rice Salad- have that "FUNK"-
is called Naem- and Talard Thai Market
sells a home-made
one that's 1000x better than the one at PNA.
3 bundles of Naem for $6.00.

“Naem”- sold at (new) Thai Grocery Store @5353 N. Broadway, Chicago by R. Kramer, on Flickr
And- the packaging- reminds me
of smuggled Drug-Bundles-in-The-Big-House
(not that I know- from experience....just in Movies!)

Stopped Saturday and could not find the fermented pork sausage as pictured.
Did pick up some other pork products, all made in the USA.
Knowing of the trial and tribulations getting Iberico Jamon imported into the USA, no wonder that the pork products are Made in the USA.
Looked for a brand of soy sauces recommended by the book 'Hawkerfare' branded 'Happy boy' but only found 'Healthy Boy' and these pictured.
It appears that the different Thai soy all use a capsule color system or label color system.
Found the store, clean. neat but the only sales person totally clueless.
Hard to find were the small eggplants used raw in Thai salads.
Also purchased fresh Galangal and these noodles.
Butcher Shop section not open as I was told they were looking for a butcher.
Hope they stay in business but when I was there at about 10am, not much business.
-Richard

Thankfully galangal has been relatively easy to find, showing up almost all the time at the Niles Korean triumverate of JB (technically Glenview), Assi and Super H-Mart.

However, I swear the first time I bought galangal (when H-Mart first opened, 2006?!) it was a more slender tuber, somewhere between ginger and turmeric in size, and a lot easier to slice. What I've found since seems to be nearly as solid as a tree limb.

I’m not sure how galangal should ideally be, but every time I have bought it at H Mart it is quite thick and tough.

@BudRichard- I would reccd that the next time you visit Tallard Market,
you ask for " Kris Suphakit Jeensopa"- the owner- pictured in the Mike Sula Chicago Reader article.
He will lead you to what you desire.

The staff- might speak Thai better than they speak English-
which is fine, but in case there's anything you'd like Kris to source for you-
I'm sure- he's all ears to please a customer.

Hope that your Nam Khao Tod Salad turned out fine
as you made do
with the ingredients
you were able to source.



https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/talard-thai-asian-market/Content?oid=76213896

I wasn't totally impressed with the produce on my visit this weekend, especially since Tai Nam has been so good lately. The real draw for me will be all the different varieties of nam phrik which should make for a lot of interesting and easy home cooking.

I wasn't totally impressed with the produce on my visit this weekend, especially since Tai Nam has been so good lately.

I was there this weekend, too. The produce section wasn't nearly as well stocked as my first visit but I was pretty stoked to see makrut limes (actual limes, not just leaves), though no holy basil this time. The woman who was stocking the produce section said that in summer, they plan to sell home grown produce as well.
Also, the chow fun noodles weren't so hot so I stopped at Tai Nam on my way home.
The prepared food section, however, has expanded--the nam prik selection is amazing, they had hor mak, Khao man gai among other things. There are a few pics below (which probably capture about half of the prepared foods). Also, there were lots of varieties of naem/nem (in both the refrigerated and freezer sections.

I picked up a small container of Nam prik pao and it’s amazingly vibrant but fiery. Next time I’m going to see if they have a milder version. It’s good but too easy to overwhelm a dish.
The basil I picked up lasted a surprisingly long time in the fridge but the small green chilis went bad before I could eat them all.

Octarine wrote:The basil I picked up lasted a surprisingly long time in the fridge but the small green chilis went bad before I could eat them all.

Small fresh chiles freeze remarkably well. I've used them in salads, soups and curry pastes with great results.

Does anyone have a sense for how long homemade nam prik would last in the fridge before going bad?

DJH wrote:Does anyone have a sense for how long homemade nam prik would last in the fridge before going bad?

I've had mine for several years now. Still makes great tom yam goong.

More photos.
For the record, the nice young clerk spoke excellent English but was still without any knowledge of anything.
I did not observe anyone else to help and the clerk did not suggest she contact anyone for information. The fermented pork as pictured and yellow bean paste were never found by myself.
Salad turned out excellent!

Went early today - to pick up a few items for a THAI-influenced dinner I was making
tonite.
Specifically wanted Galangal for my Tom Yum Goong soup- and a new Thai Chili Paste,
and was gonna look for some more of that home-made Naem (or Nam, as others spell it) for a Naem Khao Tod *Thai Crispy Rice Salad I was making too.

Struck out on both.
(they offered frozen Galangal- and did have lots of other Naem Sausage(s) to select from.....)
Found out- WEDNESDAY is the day that Fresh Produce comes in to their Store!
Got a Thai shopper to offer her favorite brand of Thai Chili Paste (same brand as the canned Red Thai Curry Paste I generally buy)....but discovered some interesting items I'd never seen before.
Cilantro Roots.
Lots of Thai Recipes call for 'em- never-ever witnessed 'em for sale.
Cilantro Roots for sale! by R. Kramer, on Flickr

Tiny Round (Quil) Eggplant... at $9.00 a pound each lil eggplant a greenish orb the size of a walnut......
Thai Eggplant I’d never seen for sale before by R. Kramer, on Flickr

Ya know those very deep ceramic Mortar/Pestle ya see Thai Aunties pounding their curries in? Well
Mortar and Pestles by R. Kramer, on Flickr
they've got two sizes of them for sale- in the "Housewares" Aisle.
I also punched a "Meal-in-a-Kit"- a Combo of Rice, shredded Omelette-, A Cured Pork Sausage, and Pork Meat and other accoutrements- like Ginger and Red Onion etc.- that are allegedly to be all tossed together and enjoyed with the supplied sauce.

Mondays dinner.
Sadly- I found lots of items with only THAI Labels and US Prices in the handmade food section. When I tried to get the only Employee in the front of the store to tell me what they were- he wasn't able to describe them articulately enough to enable me to make a buying decision.
I did offer a suggestion that they could "sell more things"- if they label items in 2 languages- to offer Round-Eyes like me- a chance to dig on some of their good stuff- too!
We'll see if the Cashier hands that "suggestion" up the food-chain.

Still-IMHO- great addition to Chicago's ever evolving Ethnic Food Market scene!
Support this place- and- ask for translation of the Thai-labeled-goodies in the front-case!

AlekH wrote:I wasn't totally impressed with the produce on my visit this weekend, especially since Tai Nam has been so good lately.

Really rooting for these guys, but have to agree. Tai Nam is so far clearly superior on selection, quality/freshness, and price. I certainly don’t mind paying more to support this place, but so far I’ve had to make a follow-up trip to TN to pick up whatever produce was unavailable or didn’t look good at Talard. Hope business picks up and the turnover improves.

Overall produce and product availability has been much improved last couple stops and the ability to grab frozen isaan/sai ua for at home grilling has been a real nice addition to quarantine summer.

AlekH wrote:Overall produce and product availability has been much improved last couple stops and the ability to grab frozen isaan/sai ua for at home grilling has been a real nice addition to quarantine summer.

Agree on the Thai sausage, have grilled both from Talard a few times and its a real plus. Up to my last visit I would have agreed on Talard steadily improving, earlier in the week they were low on prepared foods, produce and even dry goods such as rice.

It was a Tuesday, maybe that's restock day for them, harder to excuse was the indifferent interaction of the two female clerks when I asked a question and, when I attempted to check out, they could not figure out the cash register even with manager assistance. After about 8-minutes I simply left leaving my items. They did not seem surprised and, the woman in back of me left as well.

I went to Tai Nam but did not even try to pull in the lot as cars were backed up into the street waiting to get in. Viet Hoa, my old standby, had spaces in their lot, was well stocked and newly setup with barriers at checkout for social distance shopping.

I want Talard to do well, will be back in a week or two, hope this was just an anomaly.

Talard Thai Market, hope to be a Fan!

Open less than a week Talard Cafe, back of the market, came out of the gate strong. Rice with 2 or 3 accompanying items. I got 3-items with an egg and prik nam pla on the side. Thai straw pork and egg, Morning glory curry and Pad Ka Praow (basil chicken) with actual holy basil. All three tasty, basil chicken exceptional.

Efficient, inexpensive, tasty, takeout or seating. Plus, one can grocery shop after lunch. A nice addition to Chicago Thai.

I should add Talard Thai market itself was well stocked both with food and employees, everything looked fresh, I bought a few items and overall a noticeably more positive visit than my last.

Click on image to enlarge


Meat and three Thai Style, Count me a Fan!

Go to Talard Thai Asian Market For the Groceries, But Stay for Lunch

https://chicago.eater.com/2021/11/23/22 ... -thai-food