Supermarket Sweet

There's a new sheriff in town and his name is Whole Foods.

Usually, the weekly routine is thus:  Whoever's week it is too cook picks out a menu (at least two dinners for the week), compiles a list of goods, and then decides when and where to buy groceries.  Trader Joe's, being the flavor of the week is usually where, but when we saw that there was a Whole Foods opening up nearby, it's perch at the top of our list became tenuous.

Having actually been there now, it's been dethroned.

Aside from it being a little more steeply priced than TJ's, Whole Foods is a revelation of organic goodness.  The variety of everything they have there is astounding.  Whatever your heart desires, you can probably find it at Whole Foods.  The clincher for me was seeing freshly made tortillas sitting on a shelf in the bakery section.  They were impeccably light, doughy, and soft, but it remains to be seen whether they can match the truly handmade sort you can find elsewhere.

My favorite part of the store has to be its devotion to local foods and produce.  My second favorite part are the food stations littered about the outskirts of the store.  It's often said that the healthiest way to shop at a supermarket is to stick to the outer regions of the store (produce, dairy, and deli), but the wine/tapas bar, churrascaria, and asian counters have to be seen to be believed.  I've already been there for lunch and dinner and I have to admit that I am hooked.

One minor quibble is the price point.  It's no Bristol Farms, but it's no Trader Joe's either.  Granted, when buying a higher quality loaf of bread, you expect to pay more, but it's a great wallet emptier if you're not careful.  Otherwise, I could spend hour upon hour just perusing the aisles.