Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2002 | 8:11 a.m.
Las Vegas is dotted with markets catering to the Hispanic community, and they are located mostly on the north and east side of the city, where the majority of our Latino population resides.
Since much of our Spanish-speaking population is Mexican, most of these markets carry a host of Mexican food products. There are fresh tortillas made on the premises and fresh meats such as oxtail and goat that are hard to find in conventional supermarkets.
The larger markets also have a huge variety of American goods, as well as foods from Spain, Brazil, El Salvador and Argentina, and other notable features. The bigger markets are characterized by an on-premises bakery, a meat department that cuts and marinates meat daily, and a hot food section where it's possible to sit down and eat a proper meal.
These markets are more than just fun to visit and interesting cultural encounters. Prices can be so low, shopping in them might quickly become habit forming.
King Ranch Market
810 N. Decatur Blvd., 1570 N. Eastern Ave.
Those unfamiliar with Hispanic markets will find this place surprisingly accessible. Signage is in both English and Spanish, and the market is set up to be a cross- over place to shop. "If there is anything that makes us different from the other Mexican markets," says Manager Gerardo Amaya, "it is that we are customer-service oriented."
Spanish pop music plays loudly over the speaker system here, and the market, almost as big as a Vons or Smith's, is spacious and bright. There are many great bargains here. The store was selling 12-packs of Tecate, a premium Mexican beer, for only $6.99.
In the meat department, where all cuts are posted in two languages, there are gorgeous rotisserie chickens, dusted with the store's special spices, for $4.99 each. There is an entire rack of beef labeled Angus Select, and prices are more than reasonable.
The market is a California-based chain that owns many of the farms where the produce sold here is grown, so fruits and vegetables are reasonable as well. Yucca root, anyone? Two enormous ones are only 99 cents. Papayas? Two pounds for, again, 99 cents. For the adventurous home cook, there are bins of dried chilies.
Mariana's
3631 W. Sahara Ave., 2551 E. Bonanza Road
This enormous, spotlessly clean market is locally owned, and that is the owner's daughter in the picture embossed onto the lapels of the women at the check-out. Again, English is spoken here, but not everyone that customers encounter are fluent.
Tortillas, still warm in their plastic bags, are three dozen for $1.50, and it's fun to watch them being turned out hot from the comal, the tortilla oven located by the in-house bakery. The baked goods here are fine, from the 18-inch fruit and cream cakes that sell for $30, to the humble 49 cent Mexican sweet breads.
Fresh fish such as vagre (catfish) is only $1.29 per pound here, and the meat is all cut daily; nothing is packed.
Of all the Hispanic markets in town, Mariana's has the best-looking cafeteria hot food section. It's equipped with a bar for chips and condiments, as well as bench-style seating for those who come for hot meals. Combination plates of barbacoa (stewed beef), chile rellenos and much more start at around $3.99, and they are huge.
In the produce department there are specials such as six ears of corn for 99 cents and ripe Haas avocados, three for $1. A separate area for beer, wine and spirits, called a licoreria in Spanish, has a good selection of tequilas and imported beers.
Del Rancho Market
860 E. Twain Ave.
Unlike the first two mentioned, this smaller neighborhood market has no cafeteria area, and does not have additional locations. English is less widely spoken here, but those large yellow signs mean especially good prices. The market also makes its own pinatas.
Two liters of the refreshing Mexican apple-flavored soft drink Sidral Mundet is only $1.39 here, for instance, and a giant six-pound can of white hominy, if anyone is planning to make the Mexican corn soup called posole, is $1.59.
All meat is cut and marinated here, and the variety is quite impressive. Longaniza de rez, a spicy beef sausage, is $2.39 a pound. Owner Manuel Martinez says his butchers will prepare almost any cut to order.
There is a bakery here and the pastries are worth a try. The best of them might just be tres leches, individual cups of the traditional three-milk (whole, condensed and evaporated) layer cake. It's $1.50, and we'll guess about four calories per penny.
Super Mercado Del Pueblo No. 2
4972 S. Maryland Parkway
Aisles are crammed and the market isn't quite as well maintained as the others discussed above, but there are usually a few good reasons for a visit here. It is probably better to have a Spanish speaker along, as English is minimal.
One day last week, Haas avocados were three for 98 cents. There is also a fine selection of dried, packaged chilies, and good produce, such as jicama, a low two for 69 cents, nopales, edible cactus, $1.29 for two pounds, and tomatillos, 99 cents per pound.
The rotisserie chickens here are pricier than in the other markets, but that's because they look almost bionic. Eight dollars buys a well-seasoned and beautifully roasted bird that weighs in at four-plus pounds. If that doesn't hit the spot, chivo, fresh goat meat, is a bargain here at $1.69 per pound.
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