What I love about Daiso & No Brand

Because my home is walking distance from Robinsons Galleria, it’s very convenient for me to shop there. I usually go at 10 a.m. when the mall opens and there aren’t that many people yet. I have two favorite stores in Galleria: Daiso and No Brand.

Many of you are probably familiar with Daiso, where most items are priced at P88. I love how the Japanese are so organized that they have so many storage options and organizers to choose from. I’ve bought refrigerator organizers (my ref looks so orderly now), shoe boxes, zip lock bags (in all sizes) and food containers. I’ve also bought assorted laundry bags for undergarments and delicates for the washing machine.

They even have giant hangers that are quite handy and practical when drying towels and bedsheets. I also purchased a couple of their futon wands, which I placed in each of our bedrooms. The wand resembles a giant fly swatter, and it’s used to pagpag the mattress when you’re making your bed. I also regularly buy Daiso’s anti-bacterial hand soap (the lavender and cucumber melon scents are my favorites) and kitchen paper towels which come in threes.

I’ve also picked up plant holders for my pocket terrace, which my helper has used to plant a few herbs in. Also irresistible is the kitchen ware aisle, where I’ve discovered cute gadgets like a timer, a mini food-weighing scale and silicone baking accessories. My daughter and I enjoy browsing in the stationery aisle as well, thanks to the appealing binders, plastic envelopes and pencil cases. Daiso is a store I can spend hours in, just going through each aisle and checking out their items.

My next stop after Daiso is usually No Brand store, a relatively new shop in Galleria which I discovered only a few weeks ago. I’ve been there three times since, and the store has quickly become a favorite. No Brand looks like a big, clean and well-organized Korean grocery store that carries a variety of food items and dry goods. The nori sheets that I use when I make sushi bake are bought here, and I recently tried their uniquely yummy wasabi-flavored nori sheets. Also worth every peso are their Oriental and sesame-flavored salad dressings, which are very good. They have frozen food items as well, and I’ve tried and enjoyed their fried rice in shrimp and chicken flavor. My daughter liked both kinds of fried rice as well because they’re quite spicy, unlike the usual Chinese fried rice. For his part, my son loves No Brand’s corn dogs and chicken nuggets. For me, the vegetable and shrimp dumplings are irresistible musts when I have them pan-fried. The store also carries instant food sauces. I’ve only tried the galbichim so far, and it’s delicious. No Brand also has a wide range of nuts, instant noodles, chips and drinks. They even have a chest freezer filled with a variety of popular Korean ice cream bars.

Since it looks like it will be another couple of months before we can travel abroad once again, I recommend these two stores as the safer and more affordable option for those who miss being  “transported” to Japan and Korea. Arigatozaimashita!