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Hong Tai Supermarket
- Price Range:
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$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
4 reviews for Hong Tai Supermarket
4 reviews in English
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Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
3/31/2011 9 photos
After I read Tony F's review about Hong Tai Supermarket, I expected the worse and ready to fight with that little old Asian lady... ! Me VS that evil woman that elbowed everyone ...
but to my surprise on a weekday, Hong Tai Supermarket is so peaceful... Everything were in the right place, no pushing no screaming no shopping carts trying to wheel me over...
Even the seafood section was so clean.. no water puddles and I cannot even smell that yucking fishy smell....
Everyone were behaving... oh so disappointing! I guess I came at the wrong time!!
They accepts Visa, Mastercard and InteracListed in: Grocery Store I Visit
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Review from Alexia S.
Toronto, ON
1/1/2011
I love all things Asian, especially the cuisine. So tonight I headed out to Hong Tai on Vic Park to get my fix and was pleasantly surprised to see that they were open on New Year's day.
Now I got to tell you, although I shop there often, I never actually enjoyed shopping there. Yes it's dirty and smelly as the other reviewer pointed out, but the main reason I hate shopping at Hong Tai is because the staff is almost comically obnoxious and rude.
After grabbing some stuff I walked up to the cashier who simply continued chattering to some other girls as I stood there, apparently invisible? Okay no biggie I thought, just your typical Hong Tai "hospitality", so I decided to draw her attention and ask if she's open. Big mistake. Although she finally acknowledged my existence by looking at me, she also proceeded to sigh deeply and roll her eyes. Acceptable behaviour perhaps ... if you're in 3rd grade!
Needless to say, I won't be back and thankfully, living in Toronto means there are many other Asian grocers to choose from. -
Review from Tony F.
3/29/2010 2 photos
It's mad, it's crowded, dirty, disorganized and if you're not careful a little old Asian lady WILL elbow you in the stomach to get by. It's the complete antithesis of the Sobey's or Longo's experience. I brought my friend's parents from Newfoundland to one of these Asian markets once, they walked in was mortified and walked out. They hadn't seen this many people squished into one place in their lifetime. The noise was deafening and it's a bit claustrophobic. However, for a single person, I'm able to save $20-40 a month especially on fresh produce. And for me an extra $400 a year in my pockets is worth this blood sport known as grocery shopping!
Yes I can't get everything I need (like cheese or salad in a bag), but I can get things here I can't anywhere else. I love my Asian BBQ, and you can get your roasted pork, duck, chicken all in one spot here. You do have to be aware that if you don't ask for them to discard it, they will throw in the head if you order a whole Soy marinated chicken (see my photo). It's funny, I used to never be bothered by this when I was a kid, but it now bothers me.
I manage to survive the experience and get around by imagining that this is what its probably like in Asia, and that I'm on a some kind of adventure vacation. I put on my headphones, crank up some Gwar and pretend I'm in some version of the Running Man. If you have enough imagination, your heart starts pumping and it's a game.
For those wondering where the fruits and meats are coming in from, you only need to take a look at the boxes. Unlike Loblaws, they tend to move a crate of the fruits in and just open the box. Most of them are clearly labelled from Ontario, Florida, California and South Africa. For the meats, always look for the grade stamp. The majority of the meat I've seen is all from Ontario. Asians are the most finicky people you'll meet when it comes to freshness, and much of the seafood is kept in a zoo like aquarium. It just doesn't get any fresher.
Is this experience for everyone? Probably not, but for the amount of money I save, it's worth it to wear some armour and do some warm-up stretching for my grocery shopping.Listed in: Chinese BBQ
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Review from Michael V.
Toronto, ON
4/10/2011 3 Check-ins Here
This place is great for deals on fish (always check the flyer and the sign - 2 prices: cleaned or not cleaned fish). Also the fruit is fantastic... just eat it quickly.
