Sandy J.
Yelp
I've been to Heng Fa more than 20 times the last 2.5 years I've traveled to Philly and compared to the Chinese markets in Flushing NY and Atlanta, GA, this one is definitely pretty good. It carries all the essentials and then some. IT certainly can't beat the giants in larger cities where land is cheaper, but for a Chinatown grocer, I highly recommend this place for people needing Chinese ingredients. Many of the locals come here and a lot of the Chinese students in nearby schools come here for their groceries- plus it is super close to all the yummy restaurants so you can eat and then shop after!
Food options: Pretty good. I think their veggies and produce are reasonably priced considering they are in downtown Philly and fresh produce in general is expensive. You can bet that Napa cabbage is always dirt cheap. I love that they don't shy away from Chinese fruits like rambutans, longans, and persimmons when they are in season. The fish and meat section don't shy away from the organs and parts traditionally found in some traditional dishes as well, so it's super authentic. Plus I guess i fyou're a med school student, getting some pig feet here to practice suturing isn't a bad idea either!
Desserts/ Snacks: Go to the basement. They carry all the essential Chinese cookies and crakcers that you must be acquainted with if you're gonna consider yourself a true Asian snack junkie. I recommend the glutinous rice balls to cook at home for a cold evening. You can't go wrong with the koala crackers. I don't like the sponge cakes too much b/c they actually taste like sponge being packaged like granola bars that long... what did you expect?
Dry Goods section: Basement. The noodle section here is incredible. You're gonna see every type of noodle there is in ASian culture down here made in almost every possible grain (bean, rice, flour, etc). The dried herbs and teas are prtty good selection too- red dates, green bean, etc are pretty good.
Sauces: Pretty much can find every main Asian sauce here that a restaurant has. Let's just see if you can read the Chinese on there :P Though chances are the more Chinese it is, the better it tastes- take a gamble ;)
Service/hospitality: Everyone speaks chinese here. Don't expect some friendly staff to show you the works of this place. Hustle and bustle is what it is. Better be prepared to squeeze by people and pay fast at the counter against all the locals who know what's going down.