T&T Supermarket Chinatown Store — Local services in Vancouver

This Asian supermarket is a staple of both this neighborhood as well as for all your essential asian supplies. It is always seemingly busy here however these days there does not seem to be a line up outside the door anymore. They have appropriate COVID screening.

When you enter immediately to your left is the fish station where there are live swimming fish and lobster and crab and shellfish. Seasonal shrimp and prawns are also live in the tanks. As you work your way around the corner you get to the frozen fish section with processed fish balls and tofu and what not. Typical Asian fare. Moving along you encounter the meat section which admittedly used to be quite a bit bigger however they still have a butchery and fresh ground meat as well as selected cuts. There meat is generally well priced. There is also a selection of pre packaged cuts for Korean barbecue or hot pot. As you work your way around the store there is the dried good section where you'll find a wide selection of different types of rices and grains. Here you'll also find rows upon rows of sauce is and dips and spices and other oils for a asian cooking. The cooler section has all of their tofu and fresh rolls and fresh made noodles. The frozen food section is very large as well it contains your complete selection of dim sum fare as well as other asian fare such as Thai or Filipino or Vietnamese. Korean and Japanese food also well represented. There is at least 2 complete aisles dedicated to reamen and instant noodles which is amazing. There tea selection is also very deep.

Looking for asian cooking supplies? It's here as well. Both hand tools and manual items as well as high tech equipment like rice cookers and steamers and induction cook tops.

The supermarket also has a large produce section where you can get all manner of Asian type vegetables and fruit. The freshness and price of the produce is usually quite exceptional. Towards the back of the store you'll find the barbecue section where they make steamed buns and barbecue pork / barbeque duck and any types of hot foods. There is a bakery house within this supermarket which makes fresh cakes and rolls and cookies and other sweet treats.

There is ample parking down stairs underneath the supermarket and condominium complex. The supermarket is located across from a large mall which does not have all that much within it but there is a lot of Street facing stores which are open. There is of Rexall pharmacy right next door as well. This location is essentially right on one of the sky train stops. If you looking to complement the rest of your weekly shopping for food stops, Costco is also just a stones throw away.

Overall an amazing...

I give this store 2 stars, and here's why. Having lived in Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and frequent visits to Laos) for 15 years since the 90s, I have a deep familiarity with authentic Southeast Asian, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cuisines. Unfortunately, this store falls short of offering a truly authentic experience.

While the selection is decent, it feels more Canadian than Asian to me. For example, items like durian are treated as a novelty, and the prices are steep. I would rate the selection a 2 to 2.5 out of 5 for those well-versed in authentic Asian food. Notably, the Japanese and Korean selections are also quite under-represented, which is unusual compared to Southeast Asia, where Japanese products, in particular, tend to be much more diverse.

I might drop in every now and then for the lack of better alternatives with some items, but they don’t have the specific Asian items I would be looking for. In fact, some non-Asian-oriented stores in Vancouver carry those items. Generally, I wish durian was cheaper—where I come from, it’s more common than popcorn, and I’m used to getting it fresh at 1/10th of the price.

Another thing worth mentioning is that many Asian stores I’ve visited before often carry Western foods but adapt them to suit local tastes, which adds to the experience of a truly authentic Asian market. Unfortunately, I didn’t see that kind of creativity or authenticity here.

Additionally, my experience with the staff was disappointing. On two occasions, male staff members gave me incorrect directions when I asked for an item. Their English proficiency seemed limited, and their behavior came across as rude and dismissive. This contrasts sharply with the polite and helpful staff I encountered in places like Bangkok, Malaysia, and Singapore, where excellent service is the norm.

In summary, this store seems like a Canadian interpretation of an Asian market, and it may work for those unfamiliar with authentic Asian products, but it falls short for those of us who...

This location’s store gives me a lot of pressure, and a negative impression. This is a real story about me and happened in this T&T supermarket location. Back in 2009, I was a student and with one of my friends visited this store. And my friend bought something from this grocery store, but I didn’t purchase anything. After we completed the check out, we came out from their entry door while a man (Maybe manager) called us, and told me I needed to open my backpack for a check. I remembered at that time there was no alarm ringing while we went out. But he was very rude to ask me to check my backpack because he saw in their camera that I opened my backpack while we were shopping. I was very shocked by what he was saying. I remembered that I opened my backpack in their store because I felt thirsty and I was just drinking my bottle of water, and the bottle is a silver bottle (No similar bottle from their store). Anyway, at that time I just came to Canada as a student, even though I was very sad by this man requirement, but I still opened my backpack to let this man check. Obviously he DIDN’T FIND ANYTHING in my backpack. However, he made me have a lot of negative impact, so until now I still remember it!!!! I WOULD SAY YOU DON’T HAVE ANY RIGHT TO OPEN ANY PEOPLE BAGS, IT SHOULD BE THE POLICE'S DUTY, AND YOU ARE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATOR. I am really sad about what they were doing to me, and I cannot forget until now. I wish if you have the same situation, or if you have another choice of grocery stores, please don’t go there unless you want someone to treat you like a thief. But remember to ask the police to come, or talk to your lawyers for your...