An Asian Food Adventure in Orlando: H Mart and Taste of Chengdu

Exploring Central Florida's Asian Food Scene

After a quick bite at our hotel's breakfast buffet, we set out for what became an enjoyable day exploring a small slice of Central Florida's growing Asian food scene.

Our first stop was H Mart, one of the more notable additions to the Orlando area's international food landscape in recent years. While H Mart is a grocery chain with locations across the United States, visiting one for the first time can still be a bit overwhelming. Imagine a supermarket where the seafood department is large enough to house live king crabs, the produce section is filled with vegetables that rarely appear in mainstream grocery stores, and entire aisles are devoted to snacks, noodles, beverages, and frozen foods from across Asia.

Founded in South Korea in 1982, H Mart has become one of the largest Asian supermarket chains in North America. The Orlando-area location serves not only Korean shoppers but also customers looking for ingredients from China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, the Philippines, and beyond.

We spent a good amount of time browsing shelves stocked with everything from instant ramen and specialty sauces to frozen dumplings and Korean barbecue ingredients. Even if you're not shopping for a specific recipe, it's the kind of place that's easy to wander through while discovering unfamiliar products.

Beyond the grocery store itself, H Mart also includes a large food hall and entertainment area, making it feel more like a destination than a simple shopping trip.

After filling our cart with dumplings and supplies for future Korean barbecue dinners, it was time for lunch.

Lunch at Taste of Chengdu

One of the challenges of finding regional Chinese cuisine in many parts of the United States is that menus often gravitate toward familiar American-Chinese dishes. That's why Taste of Chengdu stood out on our itinerary. It's one of the few restaurants in Central Florida specializing in Sichuan cuisine, a style of cooking known for bold flavors, generous use of chili peppers, and the distinctive numbing sensation created by Sichuan peppercorns.

Growing up, I probably should have developed an appreciation for Sichuan food much earlier. My uncle was from Sichuan Province and cooked regularly, but as a kid I simply couldn't tolerate the heat. Back then, the piles of dried peppers and intensely spicy sauces seemed more intimidating than appealing.

A couple of decades later, my tastes have changed considerably.

These days I enjoy the signature combination of heat and numbness that defines many Sichuan dishes. The peppercorns create a unique tingling sensation that's unlike any other spice, while the chili oils add layers of flavor beyond simple heat.

We ordered several dishes and came away impressed overall.

The mapo tofu was particularly satisfying. The soft tofu, savory sauce, and characteristic Sichuan peppercorn flavor came together exactly the way you'd hope. Other dishes delivered the familiar red-oil richness and spicy kick that make Sichuan cuisine so distinctive.

Not everything was a hit, however. The cucumber salad was the lone disappointment. Rather than balancing sweetness and acidity, it featured a heavy amount of granulated brown sugar that overwhelmed the vinegar dressing and threw off the dish's balance.

Still, one imperfect side dish was easy to overlook given how much we enjoyed the rest of the meal.

Travel Tips

• H Mart Orlando can get busy on weekends, particularly around lunchtime.
• The food hall inside H Mart offers several dining options if you want a quick meal while shopping.
• Taste of Chengdu's menu includes dishes ranging from mildly spicy to extremely hot. If you're unfamiliar with Sichuan cuisine, don't hesitate to ask for recommendations.
• Consider shopping before lunch if you plan to purchase frozen or refrigerated items.
• Both destinations are located in the Orlando area and can easily be combined into a single outing.

Final Thoughts

What started as a grocery run turned into a fun day centered around food exploration. Between wandering the aisles at H Mart and enjoying a lunch filled with Sichuan flavors, it was a reminder of how much culinary diversity can be found around Central Florida if you're willing to venture beyond the usual restaurant choices.