T&T Supermarket is a place I’m assuming many students don’t know about since there are few locations in Vancouver, none of which are too close to UBC. However, as someone who spends close to 99% of my time either craving or dreaming about Chinese food, I can definitely say T&T is well worth the trip out to. Whether it’s the cute snacks, exotic produce, or weird but insanely inventive house appliances that you are seeking after, T&T will have it all.
Having spent the first 18 years of my live living in China, my homesickness sometimes can oddly enough be cured by a trip to T&T. We’re lucky that the large population of Asians in Vancouver means there is a huge range to choose from when it comes to finding Asian food. Here are several reasons why I think T&T is worth the trip to:
1. Snacks
The first order of business, and in my opinion the most important, are the snacks. Snacks were an iconic part of my childhood, as was the same for many of my friends growing up. You name the Asian snack, I’ve had my obsessive phase over it. The multiple aisles of snacks at T&T will leave you occupied for a good while, but don’t get too carried away or you might find yourself with two carts full of goodies (not necessarily a bad thing though…).
As I’ve grown older, I have definitely stopped my habit of eating an entire bag of senbei crackers or haw flakes after every meal. However, I still get the craving once in a while, and thankfully, I don’t have to call my parents up and beg them to send me a care package just to fill the void. Seeing the aisles full of “Wang Wang” goods and shrimp chips makes me feel at home more than anywhere else in the city.
#SpoonTip: If you’ve been dying to try the highly coveted Japanese matcha kit-kats, you can find them here.
2. Produce
Another reason you should go to T&T the next time you need to go on a grocery run is their amazing selection of produce. Chinese restaurants in Vancouver sometimes just don’t cut it when it comes to my craving for a home-cooked meal, but most grocery stores don’t carry a lot of the classic vegetables present in Chinese dishes.
Looking for bamboo shoots, lotus root, or water spinach (aka morning glory)? T&T will most likely have it. And if you’re one of the wild ones who loves durian, they had an abundance of it the last time I was there.
3. Anything else you can think of
Seriously, T&T is more like a Target with everything you could ever think of needing rather than an ordinary grocery store. If you’re looking for some insanely ingenious Japanese housing appliances that you didn’t even knew you needed in you’re life, they’ll have them. Looking for some pre-made Asian food to grab on the go? They’ll have it too.
The closest T&T to campus is in Chinatown, which luckily isn’t too far away. Take a trip out there and be prepared to need to call a cab back because of all the shopping bags you’ll be leaving with.