Where to find ketjap manis in Vancouver?

[sumashi]

Yeah, we also usually buy the red label ABC too. The green/yellow ABC says "sedang manis" meaning it would be less sweet than the regular kecap manis. The red label one tastes better though IMO!
I haven't seen any other kecap manis brand except for ABC and Conimex in Canada and honestly Conimex is no good as a sub for ABC.

[Sam Salmon]

According to this blog from Winnipeg there is another Kecap Manis on the market in Canada haven't seen it in/around Vancouver yet though.

http://indonesia-eats.blogspot.com/se...

[Andaliman]

Hi Sam,

I first found kecap manis bango brand in Vancouver; it was in 2007 when I visited Van. There is an Indonesian lady who supplies Indonesian products to some Asian grocers in Western Canada, including Winnipeg. If you need to get that lady contact's #, I can give you. Please email me (see at http://indonesia-eats.blogspot.com for it).

Now, that brand can be found at two big Winnipeg's Asian grocers, Lucky and Young. ABC brand is easier to be purchased. Most of Winnipeg's Asian stores and Superstore have it.

[fmed]

You can get ABC red in glass bottles (instead of the more common plastic bottles) at South China Seas Trading. I used to be able to get ABC kecap manis at Donald's Market close to my home...but they haven't carried it in a while. T&T and El Sureno may carry it, but I am not certain. My most recent purchese of KM is from Hen Long in Surrey.

[Sam Salmon]

I've seen ABC @ South China Seas but the hefty Granville Island premium nauseates me-I can't see paying 100% more for a commonplace product 'just because'.

Surrey is a very long way from Kitsilano and much of the area is So Awful I never go there unless under *extreme* duress.

A quick phone call to Hen Long confirms they do have Red Label ABC Kecap Manis so it may happen.

[vandan]

think i have seen it at sunrise market

[fmed]

Good call. I bet they have it there.

[LotusRapper]

I might have seen in at Famous Foods on Kingsway (one block east of King Edward) in Vancouver.

[Sam Salmon]

Sunrise is sold out/unable to obtain any more Famous Foods carries Conimex-not the same thing at all.

sigh........

[vandan]

just thought of another place that i think i have seen it, asia market is a great little store with huge selection

[vandan]

they do have the abc red at asia market, but i might have to boycott there as the "friendly" woman who works there rolled her eyes and pratically chased me out the door when she found out i wasn't buying it after taking a whole 5 seconds of her time to show me where it was

[bill_n_opus]

You can buy ABC pretty much anywhere Asian products are sold. TnT Supermarkets, SuperStore .... if you're looking for a specific brand, or a boutique brand then perhaps the Asian markets would be a good choice to start looking.

[Sam Salmon]

T&T in Chinatown doesn't carry ABC Kecap Manis (as of last week) and in fact it's a rarity in any Chinatown store since it's Indonesian and most Chinatown shoppers are Cantonese.

I did find the Yellow label @ 727 Gore St. but the Red is nowhere to be found.

I'll try 265 E. Hastings tomorrow.

[fmed]

It used to be much easier to find ABC red. T&T used to carry it IIRC, but I haven't seen it there for a long time. I haven't checked Superstore (since I don't tend to buy Asian goods there). A couple of other places to check are Supermarket 88 (Victoria/33rd), and Asian Way (above the T&T at Renfrew/1st).

[Sam Salmon]

Well the dust has settled the cows are headed for the barn and ABC Red Label Ketjap Manis is once again 'in the house'.

Thanks to vandan for TOFTT I found it easily-the price is up but not to the stratospheric levels @ GIM.

Asia Market itself is a wonderland of SE Asian ingredients I can see myself shopping there a lot in future-they stock a number of brands I've never seen anywhere in a bright clean store-overall prices are very easy on the budget and service is great.

Asia Market
265 E Hastings St,
Vancouver
604-688-6824

[grayelf]

Thanks for posting the deets on Asian Market, Sam, I've been meaning to go there for weeks to get the powdered Thai tea mix they sell. Now I'm even more keen to go.

[vandan]

no probs sam, i guess service is always friendlier when you buy something, but still, and you never know when that customer might post it on-line for many to read

[fmed]

Some pics of the ketjap selection from a weekend visit:

[Andaliman]

Yeah I use that green one with bird picture on it. Bango brand.

[acbrooks]

I'm kind of surprised it's difficult to find since I buy it regularly at the Safeway in Oakridge mall (ABC brand).
It's been a couple weeks since I've last picked it up though; I'll have to double check next time that it's still there!

[fmed]

It is probably still easy to find, but I did notice it started to disappear from the stores that I frequent (Donald's, T&T, etc.).

[vandan]

add superstore grandview to the list, spotted there today

[bill_n_opus]

Well, it's not ABC ... but I did find Conimex Manis over at the Holland Shopping Center (think it was Conimex) in New West ... thought of this thread.

[bill_n_opus]

Oh yeah, saw ABC Kecap Manis red label at Save On Middlegate in burnaby ... so, it can't be that hard to find nowadays. :)

-----
Save On
2838 E Hastings St, Vancouver, BC V5K, CA

[Andaliman]

red label is the sweet one and green label of ABC is medium sweet.

[Sam Salmon]

Not to alarm anyone but there's been a run on Kecap Manis (and Kecap Sedang as well)-shelves in both Sunrise Produce and Sieu Thi Wong Xin Market are empty-I was told 'next week' so who knows.

Didn't get to Asia Market today but they had expanded their selection of the sweeter product I'd be surprised if someone has cleaned them out too but you never know I may be hiking out to Hen Long yet.

[fmed]

Try 88 Supermarket on Victoria Dr.

[vandan]

Where on victoria is it ?

[fmed]

33rd ish.

[koshfoodie]

I am late to the party but...

I saw it at Save on Foods on Cambie and 8th today....