The Outreach Team tried everything in the kitchen at t&T Supermarket so you don't have to

I fear we have already lied to you, dear readers. The Outreach team did not, in fact, try everything at the T&T Kitchen, but we did make the largest dent I think we could manage in one lunch. 

If you’re not aware, the Chinese-Canadian grocery store chain T&T Supermarket opened its second store in Washington (and the United States), less than a mile away from the main campus on 196th St SW. 

In addition to operating as a grocery store, T&T has a kitchen and hot bar where you can get self-serve Chinese food, pre-packaged meals and snacks, drinks, and desserts. With a huge selection from each category, not knowing what to pick for your first visit (or even your fifth) is almost inevitable. So, after our team’s large lunch, here are our thoughts on what we got to help you decide what to get there.

Self-serve hot bar

The pinnacle of self-serve hot bars, T&T’s is near perfection in the number of options and flavors. The fried rice, stir-fried green beans, Szechuan chicken, and Szechuan fish are a must-include in every bowl you create for yourself. The chicken and fish have a nice kick of heat and an amazing floral note from the Szechuan pepper corns. Along with the truly perfect fried rice and stir-fried green beans, you have a good lunch with those four options alone.

There are more vegetable options as well. We were personal fans of the stewed eggplant and mixed vegetables. They were tasty, well-seasoned, and great for rounding out your bowl. 

Grab and go

T&T’s grab-and-go options are absolutely where the decision paralysis sets in. There are so many options here, and they’re really good. Our two favorites were the spicy bean curd, a great vegetarian option, and the Taiwanese sausage sticky rice, the best non-vegetarian option. The spicy bean curd is particularly great with the small cups of steamed rice you can get near the hot bar. The sticky rice was my personal favorite from our lunch and was packed with sausage, pork floss, a boiled egg, and some pickled vegetables.

I didn’t eat all of it at first because we had so much food, but I went back to it a couple of hours later because it was so good. Both make great snacks on their own, so if you’re just looking for a quick bite, these are great to pick up. 

Drinks and Desserts

It feels strange to say this, but T&T’s pre-made boba is better than some actual real boba shops in the area. The Pineapple Sunset drink is incredibly balanced between sweet and sour. It also includes pineapple chunks and popping boba. It’s my personal favorite and something I get every time I go to T&T, regardless of whether I’m going for groceries or the kitchen. It feels even stranger to say that the soy milk was also a great drink choice. It was just sweet enough and oddly refreshing.

For desserts, we got two mango custards, one with small tapioca pearls in it and one without. Both had a great mango flavor and a creamy custard beneath them. 

Conclusion

Overall, everything at the T&T Kitchen is amazing. It’s close, convenient, and offers good food you can’t get anywhere else without ordering family-style. That doesn’t help with your theoretical decision paralysis, but it means that no matter what you pick there, you’ll get something good. Go check it out!