Ocean's Fresh Food Market

Bakery: Ocean's Fresh Food Market
Address: 4557 Hurontario St., Mississauga ON
Website: www.oceansfood.ca
Style: Chinese
Price: $ 

Ocean's is a fairly new supermarket (at least, in this location -- they have two other, older locations in Brampton) in Mississauga, specializing mostly in Chinese food. I don't really go here often as it's not in the area... okay, more like I'd only gone one time before this, but we were off to Highland Farms and the mom stopped here for some dinner, so I thought: well, why not? :P

Perhaps it's best to simply compare this place to that other Chinese supermarket, T&T, since that would make it a little easier to get this post started. ^^ Well then, Ocean's actually has a surprisingly large bakery section with a lot of selection, although most of this is in the form of sweet and savoury buns. The variety is pretty big and these guys definitely outdo T&T on that subject, especially when you're in the mood for meat ones. The Mississauga location, at least, meat buns and just buns in general have been going steadily downhill at T&T, but Ocean's has got the usuals and then some. Seeing as I'm talking about sweets, they have the usual pineapple buns, red bead, custard, coconut cream, even chocolate. Really, I think that if you do want to try Chinese buns, this is the place to do it. Not even an individual bakery has such selection!

The only thing that puts T&T at the advantage is their selection of fancier pastries, both Chinese and "continental" (cakes, mousses, egg tarts, etc.), which you don't really get at Ocean's, but still, if you're just after something simple, this is a pretty good place to go. Not the best (since those independent bakeries do beat it, taste-wise), but good all the same.

As for the specific purchases, there were a few! I picked out two buns, one coconut... or was it pineapple -.- ($1.09) and the other a cluster of three stuffed buns in one: one with custard, one with red bean and the third with coconut (if I remember correctly) ($1.29). The first was fairly typical with a mass folded into the dough. Soft, fluffy, though a little lacking in the actual filling. The three-way cluster was a huge surprise hit, because as the brother who ate it said, "you get a little bit of everything!" He got very excited. XD I can't say I've seen this anywhere, so it must be a signature one.

In addition to this, we got a box of almond cookies ($2.49 for about a dozen), which wasn't the greatest. The cookies didn't taste very fresh and fell apart and crumbled very easily. They tasted of shortening and there was too little of almond in it. This, it seems, is better at a bakery.

Lastly, I got a steam cake ($1.19 -- first picture) (this is actually baked by H&A bakery and shipped here, so you know what that means: separate post!!!! :)) which just could not compare with the one at T&T: too doughy, too crumbly and with a kind of.. greasy, Crisco aftertaste. Can't say I recommend it, but there'll be more on that in the full review.

Still, what's the verdict on Ocean's: stick to the buns and you'll be fine. :P

Rating: **1/2