“You guys coming in? I'm just opening up.”
We’re not, we’re just window shopping, but wait a minute, I know that voice.
I know the man.
Last week, we were on our way back to the car after breakfast at Pho Chu The. With the current COVID situation, we decided the safest time to have pho is 9 am
(I know, I know, the safest time is actually “don't leave home at all”.)
We walked past this Asian grocery, and a wall full of Ichiran instant noodles stopped me in my track. A rare view, because they’re usually sold out at KT Mart or TANGS. Usually I see two or three left on the rack, damaged. This place, you’d think it was a flagship store.
That’s when Vien popped his head out.
Vien is the only commercial photographer I know who was shooting in both Melbourne and Tokyo. I consulted him once upon a time when Chika and I thought of having a life in Japan.
We said to each other “OMG WTF is going on” but my surprise only lasted for five seconds.
Of course, Vien would open an Asian grocery store.
Who else but him?
His passionate character radiated from the sun, with all his insights from working and traveling to and from Tokyo, his connections.
Flashback to his izakaya stories.
Flahsback to Santiago from Mame Cocoa telling me he stocks his chocolate at this particular quirky store in Footscray.
Everything just clicked.
Photographers meeting photographers after 2020 is a little bit like post-war veteran trading stories.
How did it affect you, where were you when it happened, what was the damage, how did you, not die? In a way, just to survive and not end up with an alcoholic, gambling or anti-depressant addiction, is worth celebrating.
During COVID, all photography work stopped, he said.
And I miss the Japanese konbini, he said.
The opportunity simply presented itself, he said.
The name D&K is owned by his family. (If you think it sounds familiar, that's because D&K Live Seafood around the corner is synonymous with the best seafood within the dapper Asian foodist circle. Again, a ‘slap on my forehead’ moment.)
When I told him about my cookbook, he was genuinely more excited than I was. That’s Vien for you.
Personal bias aside, his shop completely kicks ass.
Reason number one - Beksul sesame oil.
The one I said to use for your Korean japchae (or anything, really), the one I said chefs use when I was shooting a Korean restaurant, he has plenty, and plenty more such as corn syrup, soy bean oil, soup packs... No more crossing fingers at KT Mart for me.Frozen shokupan. I know fresh is best, but the Pasco branded one, makes life easy for us. Into the toaster, and it reminds Hana of breakfast at jijibaba’s house in Fukuoka.
“OOOOOOOOOH What are you making?” Vien asked as he scanned our four packets of Koji. Koji is the fungus Japanese use to kickstart the fermentation process in sake, miso, soy sauce etc. Chika makes miso and amazake (Japanese sweet rice wine) with it. We’ve been trying to track down as many as possible since COVID. Maybe I’ll share her recipes one day.
Oh man, Weipa. It is my best-kept secret. The luxe chicken essence / stock cubes from Kobe, the Chinatown city of Japan. Restaurants use it, housewives use it. If you miss Japanese-style fried rice or gyoza, add Weipa. It’ll change your game.
I’m not a fan, but Vien has so many hibachi's in different shapes and sizes, binchotans available to order. (Constantly sold out.)
He also recommended a bottle of 3-year fermented squid sauce. Think fish sauce, but instead of fish, it’s squid. A few drops add such intense, charcoal umami (my kryptonite), I apply it on grilled scallops, I add them in Japanese curry, in bolognese, on my hard-boiled egg, on onigiris, fried rice, fried noodles...
Remember lockdown five and six, with the 5km restrictions? Vien saw many went from ‘having it tough’ to ‘mentally ill’, so he tried his best to bring some joy to the neighbourhood and collaborated with restaurants such as Yum Sing House (the camping guy I from Blanket Bay months ago!), 279, Wabi Sabi Salon, Takeshi Sushi, Tori’s Artisan Baker, Mamecocoa…
The queue to get to 279’s onigiri and bento boxes, was two blocks long. Customers message him to reserve up to 8 boxes of Santiago’s chocolate. Takeshi’s sushi was sold out within 15 minutes.
I’m not going to name names, but how many times have you been to a fancy store, only to realise you’re not paying for the products, but the beautiful fitouts, the branding, the mark ups?
The biggest takeaway for me, is that D&K is simply Vien in the form of a grocery store, an extension of his life experience. No fancy interior, no neon lights, yet extremely good and practical inventory. A lot of heart.
If you have good taste in cooking Japanese, Korean, Chinese food, you’ll like D&K.
And if you need help, simply speak to the man behind the counter.
He’s probably been to Japan more than you, with a vast knowledge of Japanese food vocabulary.
I better stop before this sounds like a sponsored post.
In fact, I’ve suggested maybe we could do some sort of side project. A recipe booklet, some ‘how-to’s, or ‘where to travel in Tokyo when you get to Tokyo’ (by 2025, probably).
But honestly, Vien doesn’t need anymore exposure at the moment.
People come here through word of mouth (some all the way from Bright), mostly chefs too.
What Vien really needs, is his liquor license.
It’s going to take some time, but I can’t wait to see what sake and beer he ends up choosing.
Deep down, I don’t want the place to be too popular, because I want to have access to the things I love.
D&K Asian Grocery is located along 17 Byron Street, Footscray.
Follow them on Instagram here.