Not ‘ethnic,’ ENOKI
Catskill store offers traditional Asian foods reflecting the Korean, Chinese roots of these NYC transplants
When New York City transplants Shirley Lim and Tommy Lam moved to the Hudson Valley, they were disappointed at what the “ethnic food” aisles in local grocery stores had to offer. For two years, the couple dreamt of the idea of bringing their roots to their new soil.
That idea turned into Enoki Catskill, the couple’s passion project and their response to a gap in authentic Asian stores locally. Enoki, named after a Japanese mushroom, opened on April 21 in Catskill, its shelves stocked East Asian pantry staples and contemporary foods, “foraged” vintage clothing and unique household items.
“Being second-generation Chinese and Korean American, we found ourselves falling in love with the life upstate, but severely missing the parts of us that make us who we are — our people and our food,” the owners said in an Instagram post introducing the store.
After months of searching, the couple found a convenient location at 393 Main St., which was coincidentally owned by a Korean woman.
“When we told her that we wanted to open an Asian pantry, she was very excited,” Lim said. “It felt like it was meant to be.”
Over the last several months, the couple has been renovating the space with the help of several friends to give it a clean and minimal look, far from any supermarket, Lam said.
Their handmade shelves are now stocked with classic and trendy Korean, Chinese and Japanese items — Omsom sauces, noodles in multiple varieties, Korean pancake mix and Asian beverages, plus other boutique grocery stapes items like Graza olive oil, Touchy Coffee beans, incense and body oils.
But it’s snacks like chocolate, matcha, black sesame almonds and churro-flavored turtle chips that are the ultimate crowd favorites, Lim said.
While they’re open to suggestions for new products, the owners only carry items that they know very well — there isn’t one sauce, beverage or ingredient in the store they don’t currently have at home or had during their childhood.
“We know what Asians like, we grew up eating Asian foods, and obviously our parents cooked for us, so we know what is truly a staple and what’s not,” Lim said. “At the end of the day, we just want to show people what Asian American products are being made right now in addition to the more traditional stuff.”
Besides food, Enoki Catskill is also an expression of the
...We found ourselves falling in love with the life upstate, but severely missing the parts of us that make us who we are — our people and our food.”
Shirley Lim and Tommy
Lam, owners, Enoki