South China Seas Trading's new location - Vancouver, Gourmet Market, Pictures
South China Seas Trading opened up a satellite store on Victoria Drive at Grant a little over a month ago. I live right in this neighbourhood so I'm very excited about this.
SCST's flagship store is located at the Granville Island Market, which has been getting more and more inaccessible to Vancouver denizens over the last few years. It's a great place to shop, but you have to go through contortions to find parking. With tourist season approaching, the Island will be effectively off my shopping destinations list.
The owners Don Dickson and Joyce Chang, recognizing this problem, decided to open this new Victoria Dr location to service the area and the cooks who are regulars to his GI location. Don and Joyce is a long time residents of the Commercial Dr neighborhood where I also reside, so I know they will do a good job to promote and adapt their offerings.
Their offerings will include frozen specialty seafoods, cookbooks, kitchen tools and of course, high-quality spices. They have a small kitchen at the store where Don and Joyce will make for sale small-batch sauces like Thai curry sauces and Mexican moles. Don is an experienced chef and cooking instructor and cooking workshops are also in the plans.
I popped in to buy anise seed (these ones are great - unbroken stars), sichuan peppercorn (these actually have flavour and "ma la" - that numbing spiciness) and a few other assorted goods.
The attached pictures don't show their new deli case...which I hear has arrived in Vancouver so should be installed very soon.
fmed
Apr 23, 2008 10:42AM
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1904 Grant Street Vancouver BC
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Great intel, fmed! I will head there after the Winter Market this weekend, if all goes well.
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Hit the new SCS on the east side today after the Winter Market. They are still waiting for equipment that will allow them to display fresh/frozen items such as dumplings and housemade sauces, so they are in soft opening mode. Because of this they are offering 10% off all products right now! I picked up some KoonChun brand hoisin, some Sweet Sakura cherry blossom tea, some toasted tea, a packet of Super Lemon candy, and (drumroll) some KoonChun red vinegar, which I have been looking for. Apparently they even have trouble sourcing it. Oh and BTW they have an excellent selection of cookbooks which will be permanently on offer at 15% off publishers' prices. If you're near Victoria and Grant, check them out.
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Popped in today to pick up my fresh corn masa which I special ordered...very handy. I'm making chicken tamales tonight.
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Fresh corn masa??!!!! Sometimes I really wish I lived in Vancouver! I'll definitely have to cross the pond again soon & check this place out.
What's the KoonChun red vinegar like?
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>> Fresh corn masa??!!!!
I phoned ahead to special order.
>>What's the KoonChun red vinegar like?
It's slightly sweet and not as strong in aroma and flavour as black vinegar...and often used for dipping. I have only really had red vinegar at restaurants. I believe KoonChun is one of the brands that actually uses red yeast rice (the colour come from the koji mold) in its manufacture. Many manufacturers use red food colouring instead. Good to know that we have a source.
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Okay, so it's the red vinegar served with certain dim sum dishes I guess. Yum.
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It seems to come frequently with XLB (at least where I've had 'em) with a bit of slivered ginger added. It's also mighty fine with pretty near any steamed dumplingesque dim sum item I've brought home frozen too :-).
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YIPPEEE That's my fave place at GI. Very happy about the new locale. My office is at Commercial nad Grant so I'll be sure to stop by!
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