Submitted by silad57913 t3_104trp0 in philadelphia

Basically the title - Trying to make incredible umami ramen broth from scratch and looking for places that sell Japanese kombu.

Locations scouted but no luck so far : H-mart, hung Vuong , online stores

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barchueetadonai t1_j36xy8i wrote

H-Mart and Hung Vuong definitely have it. Even Whole Foods has it.

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silad57913 OP t1_j36yvr5 wrote

I found Chinese and Korean kombu there but no Japanese kombu! I’ll look again.

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urbantravelsPHL t1_j3711o5 wrote

I buy my kombu at Hung Vuong. I'm pretty sure you're dealing with the same species of kelp regardless of the packaging; is there something special about a Japanese brand besides the packaging?

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silad57913 OP t1_j371nl5 wrote

Not really - I have made broth with Korean and Chinese kombu and now I want to experiment with Japanese kombu :)

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givemebackmybrain t1_j37zwic wrote

Then none of them will have it. I've already scoured it. I ended up buying specific types like rausu kombu from the internet. But also, Maido! would be your best bet, if not it's a fine place to visit regardless. I visited only once, but I also didn't really look for kombu at the time. But everything is MIJ.

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[deleted] t1_j36wk2i wrote

Try Essene, they have lots of Japanese ingredients there, including kombu. I don't know whether the seaweed itself is from Japan or not though. I'm not sure where you're looking online but Mitoku brand is from Japan and is available online. They carry Mitoku products at Essene but I'm not 100% sure they have their kombu.

ETA: https://ediblephilly.ediblecommunities.com/shop/great-japanese-pantry-staples-essene-market, looks like they do carry Mitoku kombu at Essene.

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internet_cousin t1_j374nh1 wrote

Maido on the mainline would have Japanese brands for sure, but like another poster said, the Chinese/Korean/etc brands would be essentially the same thing.

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LightheartedHorror t1_j373ess wrote

The H-Mart in Cherry Hill just over the bridge has Shirakiku brand Dashi Kombu if that's what you need

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shichimi-san t1_j37m8tq wrote

The Chinese market at 4th and Spring Garden has it. That’s my go-to for most Japanese ingredients. There is also s place in Ardmore (Maido—used to be in Narberth) where you can find it all.

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DuctTape_OnFleek t1_j37pbub wrote

Just came here to suggest this store! New Spring Garden Supermarket. You can find some real gems there.

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day_break t1_j36yusd wrote

Fishtown seafood has several kinds of kombu. You should try the kombu from places outside of Japan as for this product there is a terroir to it and as a result different locations will have different taste with there being pretty big differences even between areas in Japan.

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malwarezomb t1_j36vuit wrote

does anyone know if Herman coffee has Kombu? I know they have 6 kinds of ponzu

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porkchameleon t1_j37lhqo wrote

> online stores

Quick online search says Weee! has some.

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