Other than browsing the kim chi selection at Korean supermarkets, Korean markets are also my favourite shopping sources for seaweed – from kelp, nori, kombu to wakame seaweed varieties … from dried seaweed for soups, to roasted or deep fried seaweed for snacking.

My favourite Korean grocery store when I lived in Vancouver, BC, Canada:
  •   H-Mart (numerous locations within the Greater Vancouver Area, BC)

Korean supermarkets within Silicon Valley:
  •   Galleria Plaza (Santa Clara, CA)
  •   HanKook Supermarket (Sunnyvale, CA)

Inside each of the Korean supermarkets mentioned above are small Korean food stands that serve traditional Korean dishes to satisfy your cravings for bibimbap, japchae, bulgogi (Korean grilled beef) and kalbi (Korean BBQ short ribs). Yum!

HanKook Supermarket has an added hidden gem. Fresh roasted seaweed! Two different varieties of roasted seaweed are available – regular and low salt. We found their seaweed snacks to be less salty, less oily, more delicate in texture and, of course, fresher than the commercial-packaged and off-the-shelf roasted/deep fried seaweed snacks. This shop is a treat for those who love snacking on seaweed.