| Saturday, October 15, 2005 |
| When Walmart meets Whole Foods |
I have been to Wegmans, and it was good. I decided to try and beat the weekend hordes by going last night after work and pick up dinner. I had no idea......
140,000 square feet of grocery store. An Asian food super-bar. Every kind of pre-cooked food you can ask for. Cheese and fish I'd never heard of. And in the olive bar?? Fresh caper berries!
Things I was impressed with:
The cheese
The tea selection
The bakery
The meat, fish and pre-cooked food selections
The cosmetic and bath products - no more trips to Rite Aide after grocery shopping.
The upstairs lounge, internet cafe, seating area
Things I wasn't as impressed with:
The international food section: For the most part, they paid lip service to a lot of international foods. The British section was a joke, and while the availability of Asian and Indian foods is getting better in even the more routine grocery stores, if I want really good curry paste and spices, I'll go to the Punjab market on Broadway, or Shyam's Market in Woodlawn. Also, you cannot beat "Asia Foods" on York Road for anything else you might need (like a translator to help you read the boxes and cans). Besides, Wegmans had only a short shelf of boxed and canned items. No fresh / frozen international food or vegetables were to be found. They also duplicated a lot of things between the International Market and the regular grocery store area which also had the usual assortment of Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Kosher, and Middle Eastern items we've come to expect in large grocery stores. Nothing special here. I still have to rely on my neighbor for my Conimex Indonesian mixes and Stroopwafel when he goes to Holland.
The produce: Sorry - it just wasn't all that. OK, it was cool that they had truffles selling for $299 / lb. in a locked glass case, but the chanterelles, which are my favorite mushroom bar none, were looking a bit beaten up and old to warrant $14.99 /lb. They certainly have lots of everything, but nothing you couldn't find at Superfresh or Giant.
The housewares section: Overkill. Lose it. Seemed like an afterthought.
Despite the enormous crowds these opening weeks, I have a hard time imagining that they are actually able to sell all the freshly made items before their time. It seems as if enormous waste is inevitable.
So....Go. It's worth your valuable time. It's not Harrod's Food Hall, but it is pretty damn comprehensive, and if you're planning a dinner party or special meal with hard to find ingredients, you're bound to find them here.
For dinner, I ended up with some crab stuffed mushrooms, French lemon chicken, and the roasted harvest vegetables. I picked up some steaks for tonight.....
I have to admit, the foodie / gourmet scene in Baltimore has improved dramatically in the 10 years since I moved here from Philly. When I moved here, the most "gourmet" store was Eddie's in Roland Park. I missed all the ethnic stores (especially Italian)that they had in Philly, and Whole Foods, which didn't arrive in Baltimore until '97. While I've managed to create a short list of good ethnic markets, the new super stores are a welcome addition to town from a gastronomic view, if not an economic, environmental one. |
posted by Broadsheet @ 9:16 AM   |
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bah, Wegman's!