Rangoli Bazar

Don’t know how I can give this place less than 4 stars; there are so few Indian groceries in this area, it’s so nice to be able to all (or at least most) of the spice mixes I crave, to make my own versions of Indian foods. They also have a small selection of frozen & other foods, and some specialty groceries. As Steve S mentioned, you definitely won’t find the variety or selection that you’d find in some of the Indian supermarkets in the North Jersey/​New York area, but for most of your basics, you should find them here. A very nice addition to Baltimore Pike!

I needed some hot peppers for an Asian dish and didn’t want to go all the way to 69^th Street. I’ve passed this place hundreds of times but never stopped in. What looks like a typical grocery store up front has many ethnic/​Asian items in the back including meat and veggies.
Lots of spices, beans, and stuff I can’t pronounce. The proprietor did not seem very friendly to outlanders but he had what I needed so that’s ok.
There is an ATM in the middle of the store as well.

The Cookery of India has been an off and on way to beat the boredom of every day dining.
Since my Wife had a Dramatic Diet change, because of Kidney Stones, it has become a
part of OUR Daily Lives.
Online Ordering was the only way to Purchase, authentic, and the simplest of ingredients
needed to fill a simple recipe; without resorting to bargain or Supermarket Brands.
Shipping and Handling Charges are a BITCH.
Rangoli Bazar has changed that. They do not have it all
.
R.B. is a: Small Strip Mall, Hole in the Wall;
Sneeze and you will miss it, Not well Signed from the Road.
Simple Ingredients will have the information you’ll need to go to your phone or P.C.
to have Catalogs sent to you.
Fresh Ingredients are very, very Limited.
Use the H-​Mart, at 69^th Street, AND the Rangoli Bazar to Fulfill the Complex of Recipes!
I shop here, once a month, and glad i do!
usually, when i have been here the young ladies are here.
today, the gentleman. he keyed all the items, gave me the price, i gave him the money;
he bagged my purchase, leaving it on the counter and walked away…
he did not hand it to me or even move the bag to me.
left it where he packed it, and walked away.

When you’re married to an Indian woman, you have learn where to get the items that she craves from home.
For instance, one day in the beginning months of her pregnancy, she was craving jal jeera masala. Apparently she used to drink it as a kid, and it helped settle her stomach. After a description of what to look for, she sent me here to see if they had it.
Yep… They had it.
Rangoli is the closest Indian store to where we live, so we are semi regulars. I’ve personally been to Indian stores with far greater selection. This store will never be able to compare with places in Edison, NJ for instance. But they do very well for a store of their size.
Plus, they’re my hook up for when I need Parle G biscuits. When I visited India in 08, we drove past the Parle G factory in Mumbai as it is located close to where my wife grew up.
Now, Mumbai tends to be polluted and smells like it. But at that moment when we drove past, Mumbai smelled like cookies and it was glorious.
So when I want to relive that moment, it’s nice that I only have to go to Clifton Heights instead of buying a $ 1500 round trip plane ticket.

It’s a good thing Rangoli’s is actually a decent place since there are so few Indian stores in the Western suburbs of Philadelphia. The organization is somewhat haphazard, but they actually carry quite a decent variety of items at good prices. The vegetable selection is particularly impressive (just bought frozen drumsticks, and fresh curry leaves are often available if you time your shopping correctly), and they also sell fresh roti on the cheap. Definitely recommend.

So where do I start? How about the homemade samosas for less than a $ 1? Amazing. Perfectly spicy without being overwhelming and filling. They sell homemade foods made by them and other local Indian families. Lots of their items are imported from India, and ridiculously cheap. My friend who is Indian taught me everything that I needed to know. If you are going alone and feel intimidated, don’t. Everyone who works there are super friendly, and they sell basics like veggies and basmati rice. If you want easy suggestions, ask them for roti, gulab jaman in the can, and any of the curry boxes in the back. Oh and if you want to taste REAL Indian food, buy a bottle of ghee. But don’t use it all of the time or you will turn into the cow on the ghee bottle. Oh and the Maggic Hot & Sweet tomato chili sauce goes good with, hmm, everything.