Virgie's Asian Store is a supermarket on Halswell Rd in Hillmorton, in southwest Christchurch, holding a 4.4 Google rating. Its online presence is a Facebook page.
A good Asian supermarket does the work of several shops at once: fresh greens and Asian herbs, pantry shelves of soy sauces, rice, noodles and spice pastes from Chinese, Thai, Filipino, Korean and Japanese kitchens, and a frozen section worth exploring for dumplings and steamed buns. Staples such as rice and sauces often cost less than at the big chains, so many shoppers do their Asian grocery run here before the weekly main shop. Labels may appear only in the original language, but staff at a good store will happily point you to a brand or suggest a substitute. Regulars tend to visit weekly for the fresh and frozen goods, less often for the pantry.
For Hillmorton households, it brings that breadth to Halswell Rd without a trip across town.