Where I live, the restaurant supply stores divide into basically Western and Asian. Yes, there may be other cuisine-specific businesses that carry both foodstuffs and tools, but for equipment outlets, there isn’t a lot of crossover.
I’ve wandered aisles in Asian places, but never thought “I need that” or “This one’s better than that one.”
So what do you like, and what specific features or brands ae worth pursuing?
bamboo steamers and meat cleavers
At a Chinese restaurant I saw teacups that I thought would be perfect vessels for making petits pots de crème, so I asked them if they could get me some. They could, for $3 each, so I asked for a dozen. The ones I got were of thinner porcelain, which was even better.
I have never noticed Asian focused restaurant supply stores in my area. I mean, they must exist, right? I have a wok spatula, everyday cooking chopsticks, lightweight aprons, and a few other items on my gift lists.
Bamboo steamer, wok (+ steam cover), chopsticks, and those metal retriever thingees for hot pot.
In SF and Oakland there’s a few kitchen supply stores that carry both Asian speciality and Western tools. Kamei in SF and Chanco in Oakland carry both with a tilt towards Asian stuff. You can find all the usual mainstream western gadgets, tools and knives but also a lot of Asian table and service ware, plates, bowls, platters and small Asian appliances. If you ever want to look at a bunch of rice cookers in one place, both have a large selection. First visit you can spend an hour or two just looking. When relatives or friends visit a stop is usually made.
Restaurant supply stores are fun in general. As for East Asian restaurant supply stores, I think the followings are something unique
As for brand, the only brand I care about is the Chan Chi Kee knives.
I am curious about Chan Chi Kee knives, but I am a little skeptical they will live up to the hype compared to other similar cleavers. There is a store in San Francisco that carries them but I haven’t been there yet. I’m not aware of anywhere in Sacramento that stocks them.
At Asian restaurant supply stores I gravitate to:
Large stone Mortar and pestle
Thick stainless steel Asian soup spoons (mitsufune brand is especially good). They have two styles both of which I enjoy using.
Mitsufune brand mesh strainer
Ramen bowels
Chop sticks for cooking (long)
Japanese square omelet pan (ideally copper)
Donabe clay cookers, especially rice steamer
Onigiri mold
Anything made by Zojirushi
Do use a Donabe clay cooker for your rice? If so, what’s your take?
No I don’t have a donabe rice cooker but I want one. I doubt they make any difference, which is my stance on all clay cookers, but somehow I still want to try it.
The best part of cooking rice in a Donabe (or any clay pot) is the resulting o-koge.
I haven’t tried Japanese burnt rice but I’ve had the Korean version from a dolsot.
But I’m not aware of any culture that has focused more on variations of oily crispy bottoms of rice pots as Iranians. I’ve had rice tahdeeg, potato tahdeeg, flat bread tahdeeg (lavash, tortilla, Trader Joe’s pa jeon), and even onion, and lettuce versions.
If you’re gonna burn it, might as well make it a art form 
I, too, have been intrigued, but increasingly I find myself using grains other than rice, especially barley. It started when I read about arsenic levels in rice. 
I use a small donabe for rice. Love it. Mine is an inexpensive one from a H Mart equivalent.
Wok shovels, in pairs, because I can’t toss food on an induction stove.
I don’t think they are the best out there. I do think they are pretty good at their price point (despite the price has almost doubled now).
I’ve been looking on eBay to see if I can find one for cheap, maybe if the seller hasn’t noticed the name.
The tiny shredder for preparing kani salad.
I am in Hong Kong now. Went to the CCK shop. 1912 cleaver is 410 HKD, around 50 euro. Old price!!! 
Thinking of getting a stainless steel butchering cleaver.
