A free introduction to Korean food

A customer stops for a free sample of Korean noodles at H Mart in Fort Lee.

If you haven't already discovered the vibrant flavors of Korean food, H Marts in Bergen County provide an easy way to try the cuisine without spending money on a restaurant meal.

On the weekends, H Marts in Fort Lee, Englewood, Little Ferry and Ridgefield provide free samples of fruit, Korean noodles, rice cakes, seaweed-vegetable rolls and other food, and not all of it is spicy.

On Sunday, I sampled translucent noodles called japchae at the main Fort Lee store, as well as dried fish, fruit, rice cakes and a seaweed-egg omelet.

The woman offering the free noodle samples attracted customers with a sing-song, "Japchae ... kimbap sushi ...japchae."

Translucent noodles with vegetables were $5.49.

Vegetable, rice and seaweed rolls (kimbap) contain egg and imitation crab.

H Mart also is a great place to buy fresh fish, and prices are among the lowest around. 

All seafood is labeled with country of origin and whether it is wild or farm-raised.

At the H Mart fish counter in Fort Lee, wild carp trumps farmed pompano from China.

I found whole, wild-caught whiting from the United States at the H Mart Fresh in Fort Lee for $4.49 a pound, and we had it for Sunday dinner, along with fresh broccoli and organic brown rice with organic diced tomatoes prepared in an electric cooker.

We love whiting for its minimum amount of bones and its maximum of flaky, white fish. I also bought japchae and kimbap at H Mart Fresh.
 
A farmer's market was operating on Sunday across the street from H Mart Fresh, the smaller of the two H Marts in Fort Lee. The last day for the outdoor market is Nov. 18.

Whole pan-fried whiting with broccoli and organic brown rice.

H Mart, 112 Linwood Plaza, Fort Lee; 201-947-7800. H Mart Fresh, 1379 16th St., Fort Lee; 201-944-9009.

For other store locations, consult the Web site:

H Mart