Not Restaurant Depot

Free Rider · #1 08-20-2008, 06:30 PM

I asked this question before and I think everyone thought it answered when it wasn't, so I'm asking again.

I like Smart and Final, but they're only on the west coast and I am now on the east coast. I'm looking for a place like Smart and Final that caters to the foodservice industry (wholesale prices, professional equipment and food ingredients rather than prepackaged tv dinners). To make it clear... I do not have a foodservice business and so I cannot go to Restaurant Depot as much as I may like to.

Any suggestions? I'm in the Northern Virginia area.

Thanks.

iconoclast · #2 08-20-2008, 07:55 PM

im not sure how youre going to get wholesale pricing with out a tax id...

jbd · #3 08-20-2008, 08:44 PM

I spent 40 minutes searching the web for the type of place you are talking about and found nothing that fit the description in Virginia. None of the foodservice companies I am familiar with had an operation like Smirt and Final in the Virginia area. The closest thing I could find was GFSMarketplace which we have in Kentucky but they are not in Virginia.

If you have not already done so, you may need to ask local food businesses where they go when they need something last minute.

shyartist · #4 08-20-2008, 09:17 PM

jbd nailed it...talk to all the local resturants in the nova area...go through the yellow pages if u have to

damack · #5 08-22-2008, 04:12 PM

do you have a costco out there? its about 40$ a year but huge whear house store that has lots of good stuff

Free Rider · #6 08-22-2008, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by damack

do you have a costco out there? its about 40$ a year but huge whear house store that has lots of good stuff

The reason I prefer a wholesaler to food service is that places like Costco have too much pre-made stuff. I'm looking for the odd things that chefs use. Costco doesn't have great deals on a pound of yeast, for example. They do have great deals on bread.

I order some things online from King Arthur Flour, Penzey's Spices and Chocosphere, but sometimes I'd like to just see what's available and go with that.

I have found, all within three miles of my new home, an Asian (Chinese/Korean) grocery, a Latin grocery and and Indian (Asian) grocery. Tomorrow I'm going to check them out and see what they're like in person, but they've got good reputations. They're named H-Mart, Americana and Daily Spices respectively.

DMT · #7 08-22-2008, 06:46 PM

Sam's Club may have some of what you need, and they list a couple of stores in the Richmond area, one each in Charlottesville Woodbridge & Sterling...

Free Rider · #8 08-23-2008, 11:46 AM

Same problem with Sam's Club as with Costco. Also, Richmond is a good three hours away.

Anyway, I went by the Super H Mart and the Americana Latin Grocery today.

Super H was quite big and had lots of interesting things. Lacked a bit on the fresh fruit and vegetable side, but that just may be something that is regional for all fruits and vegetables. They did not have live fish. I couldn't find the ume, but it looks like they probably do have it.

The Americana Latin Grocery was a disapointment. They had fruits and vegetables, but only the American taste. They had packaged dry and canned foods that were imported from Latin America. It looks like a great place for remittance processing. They told me they never have the tuna (prickly pear) or nopales (cactus) that I was looking for.

Rambo · #9 09-10-2008, 10:29 PM

I live in Waldorf, MD about 30-40 minutes south of Alexandria. If you're looking for really good, really fresh, really local foods... there is a St. Charles county fair this Friday and Saturday and there are going to be a lot of vendors and farmers there. I just moved here from Delaware, so I don't know a whole lot of other spots, but the best food always comes from the best farms, and these guys know their land. Can't wait to see you at the fair! I'll save you a seat at the pig races!

Yeeehaw!

Rambo
You have much to learn, grasshoppa

RSteve · #10 09-10-2008, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Free Rider

I do not have a foodservice business and so I cannot go to Restaurant Depot as much as I may like to. Any suggestions? I'm in the Northern Virginia area. Thanks.

If you are a skilled cook, capable of large scale cooking, volunteer to assist at a church dinner, if they'll get you an I.D. certificate for Restaurant Depot.

newtech2008 · #11 09-12-2008, 01:24 AM

the type of place you are talking about and found nothing that fit the description in Virginia. None of the foodservice companies I am familiar with had an operation like Smirt and Final in the Virginia area. The closest thing I could find was GFSMarketplace

newtech2008 · #12 09-12-2008, 01:26 AM

The type of place you are talking about and found nothing that fit the description in Virginia. None of the foodservice companies I am familiar with had an operation like Smirt and Final in the Virginia area. The closest thing I could find was GFSMarketplace

Cheri · #13 09-17-2008, 08:04 PM

Check out BJ's wholesale
44444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444 44

Fel3232 · #14 09-22-2008, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheri

Check out BJ's wholesale
44444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444 44

true that, 110%

marcbjohnson · #15 09-25-2008, 04:07 PM

The only option I know of for you is probably Sam's, Costco, or BJ's. It's unfortunate, but that is really your own option at this point. You have to be creative.