Bibimbap

Are they the number one Asian grocery store on Yelp? Bat (yes, in Khmer).

Do they have a perfect five-star rating on Tripadvisor? Mochiron (of course, in Japanese).

Are these the reasons why we’ve decided to profile Gulf Gate’s premier Asian specialty store, Oriental Food and Gifts? Aniyo (no, in Korean).

The truth is that each of us on the Edible Sarasota team has a different reason to love this grocery store/café/gift shop, owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Moni and Karol Keo. Tracy, our editor, gets up early on Saturdays to make sure that she doesn’t miss out on the homemade bibimbap and bulgogi—they’re apt to run out before noon on the weekends.

Tina, our publisher, has a soft spot for a family-run business—and you don’t get more “family run” than visiting on a busy day and being waited on by the Keos’ precocious 11-year-old son, Micaiah, or their unfailingly polite 15-year-old son, Maddox.

My boyfriend is half Korean, so I’ve had occasion to visit many Asian grocery stores recently and I’m partial to this one because his mother and I both have a sweet tooth, and they have the best selection of Korean sweets.

Every Wednesday Karol spends a few hours making everyone’s favorite fermented treat, kimchi, and Moni can often be found making japchae noodles. Based on everything that I’ve mentioned so far, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Oriental Food & Gifts is a Korean specialty store but that’s only because I haven’t finished telling you about the plethora of delights available for perusal and purchase every day. Except for Sunday; they’re closed on Sundays.

Karol and Moni are originally from Battambang in Cambodia, and they took over Oriental Food & Gifts from the previous owners in April 2023. I asked Karol how they discovered the location and she laughed and said, “We were kimchi customers, and now I make the kimchi!”

In addition to the Korean delicacies on offer one can also find Vietnamese, Chinese, and even Cambodian sausages; a myriad of Thai seasonings and dishes; and a veritable treasure trove of Maneki-Neko, the famous Japanese Lucky Cat said to beckon wealth and prosperity with a waving paw. The Keos took over an established store and inherited some loyal regulars, so they didn’t feel the need to reinvent the wheel right away by making arbitrary changes, but they are slowly putting their own stamp on both the merchandise and the atmosphere. Karol has always been a business owner in a way; before running the store, she was a realtor.

The Keos are very happy in their Gulf Gate neighborhood, surrounded by an eclectic collection of restaurants that they enjoy frequenting, such as Hoshi for sushi, Teas Days for bubble tea, Brine for seafood, Kolucan (an Edible favorite) for Mexican fare, and Clever Cup for a cozy cup of coffee. Next time you’re in the area make sure to stop by and say hi to the Keos and—if you manage to get there in time—make sure you try the bibimbap!

Oriental Food & Gifts: 2212 Gulf Gate Dr, Sarasota; 941-924-8066; facebook.com/orientalfoodandgifts