by Fenny L.

Driving back from a quick drop in at my parents' party, my husband and I came upon a strange and marvelous sight.  Across from Wintergreen Plaza, along Rockville Pike, was a huge sign 30 feet in the air, proudly proclaiming "Bubble Tea, Kabobs, Gelatos and Hookahs".  Nearly causing an accident on 355 as we turned ourselves around and stopped in on Sam Cafe and Market [sic] (yes, that's right, it's "Sam Cafe and Market", not "Sam's Cafe and Market"), we were both mesmerized and terrified by the oddness of the sight.Sam Cafe and Market is where the old Appliance Land used to be, next to Ba Le (yum!).  This space houses both a market as well as a little hidden cafe.  As I haven't eaten at the cafe portion (it's on the right side of the store, but hidden behind a tall row of shelving units, so it's easy to just assume it's their "back room), this review is only for the "Market" side of the store.The best way to describe the market side is 'bizarre" in all ways this term can be used.  There are gigantic and beautiful hookahs everywhere, limited fresh produce in the back, and a plethora of Middle-Eastern treats and goods.  Looking for Turkish delights?  They have an entire shelfcase full of different varieties.  Looking for homemade pistachio cookies?  They have an case full of handmade treats and delights.  We found candied dates, three different kinds of freshly baked baklava and a variety of olives!  My husband (who loves all things ethnic) had the best time combing through the aisles looking at the various spices, buying jars of ghee and sniffing and tasting everything.Although I wasn't brave enough to try to bubble tea (sorry, it just seemed too weird to find boba in a Middle Eastern market), we did try the gelato.  Creamy, smooth and rich, the gelato was delicious!  Cold enough that it wasn't melty, with a plethora of odd flavors to try.  I tasted the honey and tangerine, which sounded good in theory but I could tell from my tiny little taste that it would quickly become too rich and sweet for me, so I ordered the mango, which was like biting into a frozen fresh creamy mango!Although Sam Cafe and Market seems a little sketchy and tacky from the outside, the inside is a glorious bizarre of ethnic randomness!  The staff was very helpful and nice (although you could tell that they were laughing at how lost and confused we were), and honestly, walking through this place was an absolute trip.  Can't wait to come back with friends and try the cafe part...review update to be forthcoming, I hope!P.S. It seems that Sam Cafe used to be across the street in the little shopping center behind the IHOP where the Pho 95 is, but moved in the past few weeks to this location.

by Matt H.

This place rocks my socks! Seriously, I love this place. I was very sad when it moved out of the previous premises they held in the shopping center down the street, because I didn't know where they went to. I was much relieved when I discovered that they had simply moved to a much more prominent location, right on 355.This review will be just for the Market part of the establishment as I haven't yet had a chance to eat in the Cafe part (yet). That being said, this place is one of the best places around (definitely the best in Rockville, probably the best in MoCo, quite possibly one of the best in the DC area!) to buy random middle eastern/ethnic/random goodness. I say goodness because that is exactly what they sell. Everything from rose scented water to unique funky ingredients that you have never heard of before, to amazing home made gelato. They offer a small array of olives and cheeses all for exceptional prices. In addition to all that, they are one of the only places around that caters to the hookah smoking crowd. Not even Georgetown Tobacco can compete with this place in terms of selection. *They only sell Three Kings quick-lite coals at the moment, but I recommended to the owner that he stock Coco-Nara as well, so hopefully soon they will sell an alternative to the quick-lite variety.*And to top it all off, the owner, Sam, is a really awesome guy! He's helpful, friendly, and if there's something that you're looking for that they don't carry, he'll do his best to get it for you. Now that's customer service!All in all I would highly recommend this place to anybody seeking a fun, unique shopping experience.