Mirrors, signs, floors and more

The French bakery in Englewood has a small retail store filled with delights.

Stopping for baguettes at Balthazar Bakery in Englewood doesn't sound like it would be risky, but on Wednesday I found a broken telephone-pole-mounted mirror at the exit that didn't show approaching buses, trucks or cars.

I had to inch my car out of the small parking lot as I tried to peer around parked cars for traffic bearing down on me on narrow, one-way South Dean Street, which is something of a raceway.

For many years after the wholesale bakery's retail store opened in late 2002, customers took their lives into their hands driving out of the lot.

The round, convex mirror was installed two or three years ago.

I called the bakery today and was assured someone would be sent outside to fix the mirror (214 S. Dean St., Englewood; 201-513-9717).

At Bergen Town Center in Paramus, personal improvement, home improvement; and smoking, drinking and eating fried food are all available at one exit off Route 4 east.

The new sign at Giant Farmers Market in Hackensack is too small for the full name. I prefer to drive out of my way to shop for fresh fish and produce at H Mart in Little Ferry.

 

The floor at Han Yang, a supermarket in Bergenfield, is clean in spots and badly worn in others, above and below. Prices seem higher and produce and prepared food don't look as good as they do at H Mart, the Korean supermarket at the Little Ferry Circle.

Mandu as a lure

Han Yang in Bergenfield is trying to attract new customers with the grand opening of a Mandu Factory inside the Korean supermarket.

Mandu, also spelled "mandoo," are Korean dumplings filled with kimchi, noodles, meat or vegetables.

I spent 30 minutes in the store on Thursday while my son was across the street taking a piano lesson.

The mandu weren't the small dumplings I've eaten in the past, but what one woman referred to as "king mandu" or large, steamed buns. 

I told the woman behind the counter I don't eat meat and she said I could buy the mandu with kimchi, but after she took the money, I asked again, and she said they contained a little pork.

No sale.

The king mandu were $2 each or three for $5.

One intriguing non-food item I saw at the checkout counter was Bamboo Salt Toothpaste from LG, the same Korean company that makes cellphones, TVs and home appliances.

On two visits to Han Yang, I've bought a 5-pound box of Spanish clementines for $5.99 and a large canteloupe for $1.49. Both items were on sale.

On Thursday, the box of Bagu Clementines was $7.99 (433 S. Washington Ave.; 201-384-8288).