“Let's go the aquarium!” my uncle said to me once, when I was 6. Off we went, into an amazing display of enormous crabs, colorful fish, and slimy eels. We bought a crab, which they were nice enough to steam for us before we left. As it turned out, this was 99 Ranch, not the aquarium, but I was impressed nonetheless. Kids these days, though, require considerably more to be awed. Take the new generation, then, to Hawaii Supermarket, the Monterey Bay Aquarium to 99 Ranch's Aquarium of the Pacific.

The live frogs in a tank amongst a sea of tanks is just one of the many rarities you'll find here and not at 99 Ranch; the entire store, in fact, out-ranches 99 Ranch. The produce selection is stocked with hard-to-find Asian herbs and vegetables, and the miles-long aisles promise that you'll find the unique Vietnamese ingredient you just can't find elsewhere. Best. Field trip. Ever.

This is one of over 400 pieces in this year's Best of L.A. issue. Check it out.

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