Korea Prospects

A Serendipitous Error

“Lucky’s already at Woodlands, we don’t need to pick her up”. Marie twigged that Mick was aiming for Fulham to collect the black labradog we look after while her owners are away. Mick took a different route to the A3 that takes us to The Woodlands Retreat Centre - via Mitcham Eastfields railway station, past the allotments and along Figges Marsh. As we skirted Mitcham town centre I chance to look left and noticed a large warehouse with a familiar blue sign. “Whoah! How long has that been there?” I yelled at Mick. “A couple of weeks? Dunno, not long”. It’s on my walking route to Colliers Wood but I haven’t been out that way this winter.

Korea Foods has a huge cash and carry in New Malden - which we passed half an hour later - a cornucopia of Asian food nestled between Halfords and The Big Yellow Storage place under the Shannons Corner flyover near the Northrop Grumman headquarters.

I learned about this place from Bea Young, who came to the Putney School of Art and Design Illustration class many moons ago. We used to talk food as it was a common interest. So, one day I rode the little 152 bus from Streatham all the way out to New Malden to scope this place out. I was in seventh heaven.

New Malden is “Little Korea”, it’s easy to get to from where I live but it’s a bit of a trek. Mitcham, however, is a 30 minute walk.

Today - a bright spring Sunday - we strolled out to Mitcham to investigate the new store. Wow! Asian food as far as the eye can see.

I stocked up on noodles (more than 57 varieties), seaweed, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, kimchi (the Korean version of sauerkraut - don’t get me started on sauerkraut!), Miso, tofu (if you buy fresh tofu in London it’s most likely made by Korea Foods), sauces and spices. That’s before we get on to the fresh vegetables.

That’s the menu sorted for the foreseeable future!