Well Fed On the Town

When is the last time your significant other turned to you and said, “Let’s go out to the grocery store and eat dinner.” The truth is, it might not be that uncommon any longer. More and more of your upscale grocery store chains are adding a salad bar or other buffet style offerings with a small attached cafe area to sit and enjoy your food. However, you would be very hard pressed indeed to find a grocer that has embraced and improved upon this concept more than Whole Foods Market.

The almost universal truth about the ever more popular grocery store salad bar, sandwich shop, etc. is that you wouldn’t go out of your way to eat there. However, if you were in the store and found yourself getting hungry it might be nice to take a load off for a few and enjoy a bite to eat. This is especially helpful if, like me, you actively avoid shopping while hungry. Who knows what I’ll buy if I shop hungry…shudder.

Again though, this is where Whole Foods sets itself apart. I would specifically go to my local Whole Foods Market just to grab a bite to eat there, and whether dining in or carrying out, I do so on a regular basis. The offerings are hard to beat.

• Wine & Cheese Bar: In the mood for a snack, but not sure what? Perhaps that Spanish Rioja and a nice six months aged Manchego have been teasing you? Look no further than the wine and cheese bar. Sit and enjoy an interesting selection of wines designed to showcase some of the very reasonably priced and interesting wines offered in that store along with artisan cheeses that compliment those wines. Whether you’re just looking for inspiration for your next dinner party or you wanted to take a moment for a yummy treat, this unique offering is something you won’t find at your typical local grocer.
• Made to Order Sandwiches: Starting with their baked in-house artisan breads and fabulous ingredients they offer a menu of great sandwiches, a few pre-made sandwiches for those in a hurry or for the choosier diner, build your own. My favorite? Smoked turkey on a rustic baguette with artichoke, red onions and the like served as a panini.
• Sushi Bar: Grocery store sushi has also become more common. Several of my friends grab a roll or two for lunch daily from their local grocery stores. The secret to great sushi is great ingredients, the highest of quality. So it stands to reason that the sushi in Whole Foods which features one of the finest seafood sections found in a large grocer would be superb, and it is.
• Pizza: Concentrating more on their gourmet ingredients the freshly made or made to order pizzas are a stand out hit. My favorite? Chicken with spinach and feta cheese.
• Salad Bar: Where a grocery store salad bar is typically lettuce with a few other veggies and a smattering of dressings and fake bacon bits, I would be hard pressed to find a better appointed salad bar than that of my local Whole Foods. A trip around it is more akin to an internationally inspired stroll through what every country would consider a salad item than it is a salad bar. Skip the iceberg here and enjoy fresh baby spinach, arugula, mesclun, hearts of romaine, couscous, macaroni salad and more.
• Hot Foods Buffet: Dishes range from the expected sides (scalloped potatoes), mashed potatoes, green beans, etc.) to main dishes like herb baked chicken, turkey meatball ragout, teriyaki chicken and standout sides like Tuscan vegetables and cumin sweet potatoes. Don’t miss the soups either.

Here is my advice. Check out their website; http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com and find the one nearest you. Show up about 11:30 AM on a Saturday and make sure you come hungry. Hold off on grabbing a cart just yet. Being a Saturday, numerous sampling stations will be setup. Enjoy those first and…having been suitably inspired, decide which of the various, exquisite dine-in options you want to enjoy.

Full and satisfied from a great meal. Now grab a cart and find those items you enjoyed most in your sampling and take a few home. If nothing else get what you need for a Sunday afternoon snack. Grab a nice artisan bread, some Ossau Iraty Cheese, red seedless grapes and a younger, milder Bordeaux to compliment it all.