By TAYLOR THOMPSON
Tiger Media Network
Melanie’s Kitchen Asian Cuisine has opened a new Asian market as an extension of their current restaurant.
Customer shopping in market 
Front entrance of the market 
Snacks such as mochi, Yam Yams, and shrimp snacks 
Spices for soups, including hot sinigang mix and annatto seeds 
Sauces including fish sauce and coconut vinegar 
Variety of canned sweets and syrup, including kaong green, red mung green tropics, and Jack Fruit heavy syrup 
Main section of market
The market officially launched in early October. The owner, Melanie Elder, says the new market offers a variety of Asian spices and snacks that are not normally found in Hays grocery stores.
“We have a little bit of the Korean spice, soybean paste, different kinds of soy sauce, oyster sauce, and Shaoxing wine. You can’t find it here in Hays,” Elder said. “I try to carry a little bit of everything.”
Elder says that she hopes that the market will make Asian spices more accessible for locals, who currently often have to travel long distances to find them.
“There’s a lot of Filipinos in the area, and we have to drive to, you know, Wichita and Salina before we can get our seasoning,” she said. “So I think it will be easier for them if we have a little bit here that they can look at while they eat.”
While the market is still small, Elder hopes to expand it in the future and is open to suggestions from the public for new items.
“If anybody wants something that they want to see in the Asian market, I will get it for them and I’ll try to source it for them,” Elder said.
The market will be open during regular restaurant hours, from 4-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday, as well as Friday 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-8 p.m.