Everything originated from a pack of Indomie Mi Goreng, the Indonesian instant noodles—a love-hate relationship indeed. Despite its ubiquitous presence in major supermarkets, the price isn't so appealing. Even in stores like PX Mart or Simple Mart, known for their discounts and competitive prices, it's a bit higher. Oddly enough, it's slightly cheaper at Indonesian stores, but nowadays, the price gap isn't substantial. Previously, purchasing a whole box directly from online platforms like Shopee was the most cost-effective , coming down to less than NT$10 per pack. However, buying a whole box at once comes with its own burden and guilt, though immensely satisfying to devour those two packs of Indonesian fried noodles at once. It's an experience that's hard to forget!
After the pandemic, even Indomie Mi Goreng couldn't resist the tide of price hikes. It has increased slightly, making me reluctant to buy from supermarkets. I wondered if there were Southeast Asian supermarkets offering more cost-effective options. Surprisingly, I found two large Southeast Asian supermarkets in Taipei, both chains that have been around for a while. Many expatriates frequent these places for their shopping needs.
RJ Supermarket and EEC GLOBAL TK are located on Section 3 of Zhongshan North Road, right next to each other. They both stock common Southeast Asian snacks, seasonings, and ingredients. Their prices are a bit lower, attracting Taiwanese shoppers as well. However, the current prices aren't as attractive as before; many items have seen adjustments.
Before heading there, I checked the prices of their Indonesian instant noodles. However, the actual prices in-store didn't match what I'd seen online. They're pretty much on par with the Indonesian stores, so it's not worth the extra trip.
The two supermarkets have some overlapping product categories, yet their prices might differ. It's more cost-effective to compare and then make purchases, but whether it's bothersome depends on individual preferences. Later on, I became particularly interested in their condiments, noticing quite a few sauces that aren't commonly seen in Taiwan. However, there was one issue that ultimately deterred me from buying—the ingredients list on some of these products was somewhat alarming. The number of additives present was truly overwhelming. Even if I wanted to try them out, I couldn't get past the mental barrier because there were too many incomprehensible substances combined in those products.
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