Jaya Grocer @ The Intermark

Jaya Grocer is popularly known as the gourmet grocer of PJ with outlets in Damansara Perdana, Jaya33 and Empire Shopping Gallery, among others. A spiffy new outlet in The Intermark is the brand’s first venture into the city centre, a sprawling 30,000 square feet of groceries.

It’s the most attractive Jaya Grocer outlet of all, mostly down to its spaciousness and functionality. It feels bright, cheery and inviting – less the case in some of the other outlets. The fresh grocer section stocks hard-to-get imported fruits like Japanese melon and grapes, and the highly sought-after Pakistani mango. In the pipeline are attendants to man each vegetable stall, great if you want to learn the traits of artichoke or if you’re having trouble choosing between different spuds for a roast.

The meat section is a compendium of Wagyu, categorised by eight and nine marbling scores. Impressive as that may be, we’re more struck by the live French oysters on display. The slippery creatures are kept live in their shells coiled with stringy seaweed. Get them shucked at the counter, or grill a few at home for an outdoor barbecue. For canned seafood, the gourmet produce shelf has an enticing range of ready-to-eat Spanish sardines, which taste better with 12-year aged balsamic vinegar and a freshly baked French loaf from the in-house bakery. Or some truffled Brie or cumin gouda from the cheese counter.

Meanwhile, packaged items include the standard brands, save for a few exclusively imported items like The Collective (a New Zealand yoghurt range in flavours like apple crumble and Russian fudge), honey soy chicken chips from Australia’s Red Rock Deli, Dutch stroopwaffles and Wonka chocolate bars. Slumber party of the year right there.

Vom Fass, a separate German cellar where oils and alcohol are stored in casks, is what truly excites us. Test whiskies, spirits, flavoured liquors and oils from barrels and get them packed into potion bottles for you to take home.

Returning to this outlet is the popular Fresco concept practised at Empire: If your seafood or meat packaging has a green sticker, bring it to the Fresco counter just outside the supermarket to get it cooked on the spot for free. If steak isn’t enough, grab a side pizza or salad from the counter and lug your load to the surrounding dining space. We’ve tried a seasonal smoked duck and chickpea pizza that rings close to what you’ll typically get at Ben’s General Food Store.

For the pork-inclined, well-loved ramen joint Menya Musashi heads the pack at Jaya Grocer’s adjacent food court. Plus, stalls run by Lam’s Kitchen for char siew, Woo Pin Fish Head Noodles, Sun Huat Kee’s pork ball noodles and Hamky Panky for Subway-style pork sandwiches. Surekha Ragavan