T and T Market (web site, map, 179 Keefer Place, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, phone: 604-899-8836, Store hours: 8:30 am – 9:30 pm) is a large Chinese/Asian grocery store with several locations in the Vancouver area (view a list of all locations). The Keefer Place location is very close to the Stadium Skytrain station, GM Place Stadium, and BC Place Stadium.

The supermarket is well known for their exotic seafood and vegetable selections. Frommers writes that Tnt Market is “where strange and ungainly comestibles lurk: fire-dragon fruit, lily root, and enoki mushrooms”. But never fear, there are plenty of palatable items lurking here, which even those with Westernized tastes can enjoy.

I especially like the steamed dim-sum and buns, such as the BBQ Pork Bun (Cha Siu Bow), as well as the egg custard tarts. I also really like their Chinese BBQ Chicken which comes pre-cooked and sliced into bite sized pieces – a tray of chicken costs around $6 and makes a great takeout item to serve at home with some steamed rice and veggies.

T&T Supermarket also sells pre-prepared sushi trays such as the one pictured below (around $5.00). The sushi is tasty, and while a dedicated sushi restaurant might do better, T&T’s sushi is quite good value for the money. (The supermarket has some eat-in tables for hungry shoppers who can’t wait till getting home to start munching away.) After around 6:30pm the sushi items start being discounted by a few dollars every hour until they’re all gone.

I also tried their Vietnamese Salad Rolls served with peanut sauce (also pictured below, around $5.00) which I thought were a little bland. The Vietnamese restaurant in the food fair at Tinseltown Mall (just across the street) serves much tastier and fresher salad rolls, at about the same price.

Take out sushi tray from T&T Market in Vancouver, $5.00 (California roll, Salmon Nigiri Sushi, and Unagi sushi)

Vietnamese Salad Rolls ($5.00) from Tnt Super market in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

The Hamilton Street Grill (map, web site, 1009 Hamilton Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-331-1511) is a casual steakhouse in downtown Vancouver’s upscale Yaletown neighborhood. In addition to steaks, the Hamilton Street Grill offers tempting seafood and creative “small plate” appetizers created by their chef.

The HSG (as it is affectionately called, not to be mistaken with MSG which the chef most certainly avoids in his/her kitchen) is a favorite lunch place for me and my coworkers, as our office is nearby. Lunch prices are in the $11 to $15 range and dinner entrees are in the $25 to $35 range. The restaurant’s menus are available on their web site.

Pictured below is the Hamilton Street Burger ($12), which is made with house-ground Certified Angus Beef, bacon, cheddar cheese, sautéed onions, and chipotle mayo. I ordered my burger with a Caesar salad (included in the price) but I could have gotten a regular house salad, their popular Yam Fries, or regular fries instead. I thought the burger was especially delicious and gobbled up the whole thing in a flash (all the while making conversation and being pleasant of course!).

For more photos from my previous visits, please view Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 or Part 7.

Hamilton Street Burger ($12) with Beef, bacon, cheddar, sautéed onions, and chipotle mayo from the Hamilton Street Grill in Vancouver.

I made another visit to The Templeton (web site, map, 1087 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-685-4612) and enjoyed their Mangled Eggs ($8.00, pictured below) which are cheesy scrambled eggs served in a croissant with your choice of veggie bacon or real bacon, and some tasty hashbrowns (potatoes).

My friends who were dining with me both ordered the Templeton’s baked macaroni and cheese entree (not pictured), which looked incredibly delicious and healthy too: with some creative ingredients like aged white cheddar, gorgonzola, Italian parmesan, fresh tomato salsa, and side organic mixed greens – a huge step up from good ol’ KD (Kraft Dinner).

The Templeton is also a cool place to check out because it has the original furnishings of a classic 1950’s diner, complete with swivel bar stools and a functioning mini jukebox at each table. They show cartoons or movies on the projection screen above the stainless steel bar, and the food is not what you’d expect from a diner: it’s surprisingly modern and updated for healthy lifestyles. They have a good selection of organic and vegetarian entrees as well as some non-vegetarian choices. Serving breakfast until 3pm, the Templeton is open late for dinner too!

For more info and photos please visit Part 2 and Part 1.

Mangled Eggs ($8.00) for Breakfast at the Templeton restaurant on Granville Street