Crestview Market

crestview is my favorite of the three asian groceries within blocks of each other on n high st. their selection of produce is the best, and the staff are really nice. sometimes, i can’t read the signs pointing out sale items, and the cashier will walk me over and explain, e.g. «you get a free bag of steam buns along with this box of mooncakes you’re buying.» if you’re not sure which sign matches up with which leafy green, they’ll help you and explain the difference.
one of the only things i don’t like is i always feel really insecure about ringing the bell when i’m ready to check out, but no one minds. also, no ice cream mochi! but yao lee has it right down the street.

I’m an «ethnic» person and I am glad that a place such as Crestview exists. Yet, being an ethnic person does not make me turn a blind eye to animal cruelty such as cramming living frogs in freaking bags. Culture is no excuse for cruelty. Thankfully, many other «ethnic» people have similar mindsets which is why we see shark fin bans now throughout Asia. It really looks bad when people such as Kim D. accuse people such as Eliza D for cultural insensitivity. Frankly, it’s racist.

I find it hilarious when I see non ethnic people shop at Crestview. People like Eliza D thumbing her nose down at what is considered normal for billions of people because her lily white sensibility isn’t use to such odd displays cracks me up.
I won’t buy live frogs or fish because it is strange to me, but I admire the store for being so brave to sell such a unique product. I always buy their fresh tofu and roast duck because the flavor is perfect. The tofu taste fresh and nutty. The duck has the right amount of five spice seasoning. The roast pork is nice and crisp too.
I enjoy getting my veggies here. I can only eat so much boring cauliflowers and kale. I yearn for the greenness of water spinach and tender amarath. I buy an abundance of the watercress for soup and I will stir fry the bitter melon.
For a small shop, Crestview has a lot of variety of Asian goods. I can buy products to make Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Indonesian and Vietnamese cuisine.
I also love how friendly the staff can be. They are very nice and helpful people.

I haven’t been to many Asian Markets, so I’m always pleasantly delighted when I happen to venture out. Driving by this joint thousands of times, I’ve managed to never notice it. So, while out with a good friend, Seven Seas came up (this grocery store use to be called «Seven Seas Market»). Stephen needed more vinegar for his dressings, so we decided to stop in.
It’s on the smaller side (definitely not giant market size), but has a good amount of stuff to pick from. Since I wasn’t looking for anything in particular, I just perused the aisles. I enjoy looking at the packaging and art that set each thing apart.
Not necessarily the place to go if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for, since there were only two people I saw working. I’m glad I know have a place of reference to tell others about!

If you’re going to accept debit/​credit cards you are legally obligated by your contract with the service provider to NOT expect a minimum on transactions.
I was already extremely offended by the fact that they have around 40 live frogs all trapped together inside a small net bag. I am understanding of culture etc but that’s not ok.
Total fail. I’m disappointed. I’d rather pay more for rice vinegar elsewhere.

Crestview has been around for over 35 years. On a visit back to Columbus, my mom wanted to stop in. It was her favorite place to shop for Asian food when we lived there. As per usual, it was well-​stocked. Not only with non-​perishable foods and kitchenware, but also live tilapia, frogs and crabs. Good eating!
This is not the cleanest looking or most updated grocery, nor is it commercial. This is authentic Asian grocery shopping, no frills.

While showing my newly transplanted roomie the finest asian foodstuffs that columbus can offer on foot, we stepped into Crestview for some snacks, veggies, sauces, etc to lug back to our place. They have well stocked frozen/​refrigerated items as well as sauces and seasonings. I love coming to the back right corner, where they have their aromatic, roasted ducks greasily hanging for purchase.
However, their produce has always been on the iffy side. Exhibit A: overly ripened decaying mangoes for 99 cents or exhibit B: a bag of snow pea sprouts. The latter seemed rather innocent until I actually took them out for a quick sauté. It was a waste of $ 4– wilted, dry, and overly chopped. Their bagged veggies are a no-​go. But otherwise, they’re a good place for some asian staples.

Dear Crestview Market,
I am looking at you right now. I watch you sleep. Yes, your black and yellow sign is right across the street from me, and I can see you out my kitchen window, as I prepare the delicious frozen pork buns you sell there for a decent price. But I do not buy anything else besides pork buns at your establishment because I do not know what anything else is. Someday I should be adventurous and try those things that look like pink balls of… something. But I may need to bring a Chinese friend along for the ride.
Love,
Jon

Crestview is one of the biggest and best stocked Asian markets in the city. I wouldn’t know how to cook with much of what’s found on the shelves. I’ve purchased sake there (but not last time i tried, because my ID was missing and the counter girl wouldn’t sell it to me); the tea selection is very wide, and i’ve picked a few winners (pinhead gunpowder green tea) and at least one that sat in my cupboard without much action (black tea with lychee, an apple like fruit found in China).
As Kris H noted they sell live frogs. It makes me a bit melancholy to look at them sitting nearly stationary inside of mesh bags. Crestview also sells live tilapia.
In addition to the colorfully packaged food stuffs, the market also carries cookware, tea cup sets that can make nice gifts, and a variety of Chinese dietary supplements, like royal jelly and ginseng. My purchases have been limited to tea, cups, sake, dried shiitake mushrooms, rice noodles, and condiments like sriracha hot sauce. Crestview can probably cover the ingredients list of the most obscure Asian recipes, though, and just walking in there feels like stepping out of the midwest and into another country.

I really like Asian markets primarily because they smell like Asian markets. The smell is a mix of fluorescent colored packaging and sad amphibious creatures.
This market is no different. You’ll notice the smell, no doubt, as soon as you walk in. You’ll find tons of extremely cheap dry goods with questionable origins and handling procedures. But again, the food is really cheap. A lot of Ramen-​style noodles, strange gelatinous goo, exotic drinks (grass jelly is pretty good, fyi), and my favorite, live frogs sold by the pound. I’m not sure exactly what to do with the frogs, but my friend bought one and set it free. Apparently the bonds of slavery had been driven deep in this frogs mind because it just sat there as if it were still in the box.
I never go in with anything particular in mind, but it usually takes me about 30 minutes to find it. I usually walk up and down the aisles looking at all the interesting food –trying to catch a particularly hilarious translation.

Crestview Market is probably one of the earliest… if not the earliest Asian food market in Columbus. Pretty sure it’s earlier than Four Sea Emporium. Well… I know it has been there before 1984 when we moved to Columbus. The original Crestview Market was actually further down the road on 200 Crestview Road, and then later moved to 2950 N High St.
The store itself is small. The aisles are really tiny. If I was any fatter, I could probably knock down all their stuffs walking thru the aisles =P Parking can be a pain, you have to park on the street.
They have varieties of Chinese groceries and products like fresh meat and live fishes. They also have BBQ Pork, Roast Pork, Buns delivered from Chicago and NY Chinatown. Back then, we mostly go to Crestview and Yao Lee for grocery shopping. But now, with Sunrise, CAM and Tensuke popping up, we go to Crestview less and less. Plus… they did change owner.