We’re big fans of these 11 supermarkets

When you ask food people about where they like to shop there are so often one of two answers: a variation on the farmers market and/or a tiny specialty place that has some fabulous small-batch artisanally milled flour from the guy Chad Robertson uses, or some variation of that. — Jenn Harris Multiple locations at traderjoes.com Ralphs Albertsons was my first American supermarket experience but it’s Ralphs that retained my loyalty. Then she quickly added, “But I go to Ralphs about three times a week.” — Andrea Nguyen Multiple locations at ralphs.com Shun Fat Supermarket Let’s get this out of the way: Shun fat means prosperity in Chinese. — Andy Ricker, chef, restaurateur and author of Pok Pok cookbooks 1100 N. Main Street, Los Angeles, 343-9000, lax-c.com Food Off Menu: An education in Thai food with Jitlada’s Jazz Singsanong In the first episode of “Off Menu,” Food columnist Lucas Kwan Peterson and Jazz Singsanong, longtime proprietor of the Thai Town restaurant Jitlada, head to LAX-C, a vast, warehouse-like grocery store that’s sometimes known by its informal nickname, Thai Costco. — Genevieve Ko Multiple locations in Southern California and across America, mitsuwa.com Wholesome Choice A massive grocery store and food court in an Irvine shopping mall, Wholesome Choice began as a market for the area’s vibrant Persian community and has expanded to include an extensive selection of foods from many other regions, notably Mexico, South America and other parts of the Middle East.