23731 Tue Apr 15 23:22:06 -0700 2003 30 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 90853 I'm planning on going to the new Whole Foods Market in San Mateo. What are people's favorites at these stores? Many locations in the Bay Area The new one in San Mateo: San Mateo Whole Foods Market 1010 Park Place San Mateo, CA 94403 650.358.6900 Store hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Tue Apr 15 23:22:06 -0700 2003 0 Arlene 1 90854 The house brand sparkling water, the aged goat gouda, the peach pie from their bakery when it's in season. I'm not sure they all stock the same things, especially in the deli. The one in San Jose and the one in Los Gatos have different things. Tue Apr 15 23:41:59 -0700 2003 90853 0 Judith Hurley 2 90875 The prepared tuna salad is great. Wed Apr 16 10:17:56 -0700 2003 90854 0 Ken Hoffman 1 90863 The house brand balsamic vinegar (which won a taste test in Cook's Illustrated against vinegars at 5x the cost); the wine department; the loose bins of teas and spices; the sandwiches from the deli. And in Palo Alto and San Francisco, the chair massages. Wed Apr 16 01:34:06 -0700 2003 90853 0 Windy 1 90874 They make great house-made sausages, too. Wed Apr 16 10:15:50 -0700 2003 90853 0 Frenchie 1 90881 Whole Foods is referred to by many in my circle as "Whole Paycheck." Shop carefully. Wed Apr 16 11:25:01 -0700 2003 90853 0 SLRossi 1 90884 Please go to Berkeley Bowl, if you're ever in Berkeley. It has a lot of the same stuff as Whole Foods, but at a better price and is known for its produce. It's quite an amazing place. Although I do also shop at Whole Foods. Wed Apr 16 11:52:38 -0700 2003 90853 0 Pixie 2 90891 Shhhh. We must stop telling people, it's getting soooooo crowded. I refrained from providing this wonderful alternative in my post for that very reason. Wed Apr 16 12:45:35 -0700 2003 90884 0 SLRossi 3 90914 Speaking of which, anyone know when the new Berkeley Bowl on the West side will open? (That should relieve congestion at the Shattuck store!) Wed Apr 16 14:08:07 -0700 2003 90891 0 Margot 3 90927 GETTING crowded? It's always been crowded -- back to the days of the old Bowl location. Still there are some occasional lulls in the crowds -- weekday afternoons (between 1:30 and 4:30) usually aren't bad. And they do have unquestionably the best checkers of any large market. How they identify the produce (multiple varieties, organic and conventional, different sizes and grades for many items) is remarkable. So the lines aren't as bad as they look. Just do not, under any circumstances, go there within a couple of days of a major holiday. Wed Apr 16 15:37:18 -0700 2003 90891 0 Ruth Lafler 4 90970 Warning--within a couple of days of a major holiday would be NOW. I was there early afternoon today and the parking lot was fierce. The halibut cheeks looked great, though. Wed Apr 16 20:00:45 -0700 2003 90927 0 Windy 4 90997 And if you must go on a weekend, be there before the doors open. You won't be the only one waiting, but you'll get the run of the store for half an hour (but no more). At least the aisles are twice as wide as at the old store. The Whole Foods in Manhattan, which very big for a Manattan grocery, but smaller than other WF stores, has a laminated sign at each register that says how busy it is at different times on different days - Monday evening, crazy busy; Tuesday afternoon, no lines, etc. Thu Apr 17 09:51:23 -0700 2003 90927 0 Caitlin McGrath 4 91168 My problems with BB are as follows: Some organic produce is mixed in with conventional and some is in its own section, which means ulitmately having to walk the whole huge dept., then little lives up to the quality I'm accustomed to from SF health food stores; the idiotic decision to force anyone purchasing bulk goods to stand in one line to get them weighed before going to the regular check-out line. Fri Apr 18 19:41:10 -0700 2003 90927 0 Fine 3 90953 yes. this is a secret club and food finds should always be kept secret never to be shared. Wed Apr 16 18:35:59 -0700 2003 90891 0 anton 4 91003 Main Entry: fa·ce·tious 1 : joking or jesting often inappropriately : WAGGISH 2 : meant to be humorous or funny : not serious synonym see WITTY Thu Apr 17 12:08:55 -0700 2003 90953 0 SLRossi 5 91172 thanks, i was wasn't i Fri Apr 18 20:01:37 -0700 2003 91003 0 anton 1 90898 I go there for the cheeses, meats and vegetables. Other items are generally overpriced. The best bargain in the meat section is usually their London Broil, which is excellent for the $/pound (can't recall price, but competitive). Age it a couple of days in the fridge, season with some Kosher salt and ground pepper -- it makes for a great barbecue. Wed Apr 16 13:19:06 -0700 2003 90853 0 Zach Georgopoulos 1 90928 I am partial to their water crackers with cracked pepper. So good, and pretty inexpensive from what I recall. Also, on the general topics board recently, Mrs. Smith talked about their cheese curls which rock ... link below. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/292059#1592783 Wed Apr 16 15:43:09 -0700 2003 90853 0 jen maiser 1 90930 We really like the housemade soups from the SF store (note that these are not the house brand 365 soups in the cardboard boxes). The spinach lentil, the black bean, the Moroccan chickpea, the spicy sweet potato, the yellow split pea, the minestrone, the curried carrot...there are soups with meat, w/o meat and vegan -- something for everyone, and, sad but true, all better than my homemade efforts. I have not been as impressed with the vegetarian miso, and keep in mind that cream-based soups lose some of their smooth texture after freezing. We keep one or two in the freezer for those too-tired-to-cook weeknights, and after my third round of gum surgery in Feb., I thought about writing a review of Whole Foods' soups for this board. I was too lazy, but those are my recommendations (g). Wed Apr 16 16:05:43 -0700 2003 90853 0 Millicent 2 90942 Yes, their soups are quite good. From the Berkeley store, my favorite is their Bombay curry lentil. They infrequently also have Thai chicken curry noodle(or something like that) which has coconut milk. (Note: I think most of the food comes from a central kitchen.) The deli/prepared foods section has its ups and downs, but overall is pretty good, although some items are a little pricey. It's a godsend for those who want/need to avoid chemical additives. Wed Apr 16 16:50:44 -0700 2003 90930 0 Margot 3 90945 You're right about pricy -- I pretty much never get deli/salad bar food, just soups. Though I used to know a guy who worked in the kitchen of the SF store, so I know they make a bunch of things onsite. Probably from standard store recipes though. Wed Apr 16 17:08:07 -0700 2003 90942 0 Millicent 1 90972 The 365 house brand Arborio rice is not a bad deal; can't recall exactly how much, though. Wed Apr 16 20:46:21 -0700 2003 90853 0 squid-kun 1 91035 Ah Whole Foods. One of my favorite topics. Yummy things: Outside of the Berkeley Bowl and the Farmer's Market, you are probably not going to find a better or wider selection of produce. I appreciate greatly the fact that they give you the whole story on all your fruits and veggies: waxed or non-waxed, conventional or organic, and what country they are from. Some of my favorites from the produce section are the multi-colored baby carrots (with tops), the watercress, andd the pre-packaged snack-pack of carrots, celery, and radish, pre-peeled and cut, and organic, too!. The fish selection is very expensive, but beats Andronico's hands down, in my opinion. Short of going to a fishmonger directly, you're going to get the best fish here. Again -- the whole story is told -- whether it's wild or farmed, how it was caught, where, etc. This is great for those of us who carry around the Monterey Aquariam "Seafood Watch -West Coast Seafood Guide", while we shop, and try to buy fish responsibly. The mongers behind the counter are very knowledgeable about fish freshness and cooking methods, and also are happy to give you the skinny on the prepared fish things (like crabcakes) which is a plus. They even have previously-frozen wild-caught salmon in the salmon off-season, so you never have to buy farmed. It's never as good, of course, but when you're desperate for salmon... The meat department, though a wonderland of fine, organic and free-range product, can have it's problems. Last Christmas I ordered a kosher turkey from them days in advance, and when I showed up on Christmas Eve they had sold it (grrrrrrrrrr), so I was stuck with a 20-pound behemoth, the only kosher turkey they had left. Be careful about things like that. However, if you some very fine, top-end, expensive meat that you don't have to feel particularly guilty about, Whole Foods can provide. A couple of standout cuts in my experience: the boneless ribeye -- is very thick and about 1 pound per piece. It's well marbeled and can easily feed two or three people, so the 14.99/pound price tag isn't that bad. A nice cut that you usually don't see in most butchers. Their baby back ribs are the best I've bought in the Bay Area, and we have them pretty often. I also am fond of their Sonoma lamb, and they also have a pretty good, not tasteless, New Zealand Lamb. Their chicken is superior, and very fresh. The cut parts are, surprisingly, a standout -- they have a very low-priced huge whole chicken leg that is too much for one person, and is great for stir-fry for up to four. Taking a walk down the aisles can lead to trouble -- 25$ truffle oil that's been on the shelf for months, etc. The problem with Whole Foods is you can go there to get wonderful food for a special recipe, but then get stymied on simple things (Heinz ketchup, Morton's salt, etc) and have to go to a separate store. Most of their shelf items are either organic, a vegan version, a low-fat or low-salt version, a similarly healthy version, and occasionally something imported. (Don't go looking for lots of Asian items -- you won't find them). So unless you have special needs or desires when it comes to packaged goods, buy those kind of shelf things elsewhere. You will save big bux. Their dairy section is a wonder -- Strauss milk and butter, and even raw and goat milk. Fine selection of yogurts and cheeses, and lots of tofu-vegan type things. I've never eaten their prepared food, but it's gotten many good reviews. If I ever do plan to eat prepped food from the grocery store, my first choice would be Whole Foods. Their bakery is great -- not just whole wheat and berries! They make a fine, fine chocolate chip cookie, and very good breads and buns. It's in-house, fresh, and again -- full disclosure. You know exactly what you're eating, and not eating. No chemical additives, no colorings, etc. I've often thought the products from their bakery were as good or better as I make at home. I only frequent the Franklin/California store in San Francisco, so I'm sure there will be variation at your local. Don't pass up trying their 365 value store-brand merchandise, either -- though it's hit or miss. I like their cheese curls and non-high-fructose-corn-syrup (they use cane sugar) sodas. Select with caution, but these are less risky because they are usually not terribly expensive. Report back with the treasures you find at your store, please! Thu Apr 17 14:39:37 -0700 2003 90853 0 Mrs. Smith 2 91060 I'm a devotee of the Franklin/Calif store as well. The only thing I would really skip in their prepared foods is the hot roast chicken which is done way better at numerous other places in SF. (I know the original poster wasn't asking about the SF location, but there are alot of similarities in all markets). The prepared brisket is wonderful as are the lamb shanks. The do a good job of aspapragus - cold and hot. The risotto cakes are very nice as well. If you see the shitake, mushroom and walnut salad ... and it looks like it was made that day ... snap it up. The lemon chicken breast, chili chicken breast, turkey are all very nice. The herbed lamb they are currently featuring is a winner (and an excellent match for pu-ehr tea). They make the BEST buche de noel that I've found to date in the Bay Area since Grace Bakery closed it's retail shops (my former favorite). Nice creme carmel. Skip the hot cross buns. Thu Apr 17 17:08:57 -0700 2003 91035 0 Stanley Stephan 3 91062 Poor SS! Still on the quest for the perfect hot cross bun ... and time is running out! BTW, did you call Acme and find out if they're making Kulich? Thu Apr 17 17:18:47 -0700 2003 91060 0 Ruth Lafler 4 91066 Yeah, I caught Liberty Cafe's version and it was just ok. The bun was a little dry. They do a non traditional custard type topping which was very good, but (I know this sounds dumb), Liberty Cafe's bun tasted TOO home made. Had a nice piece of quiche for breakfast though. Their coffee is OUTSTANDING though. I finally tried Malvina Brothers coffee from South San Francisco. I'm more of a fan of edgy strong brews like Graffeo or Cafe Roma. This smooth blend made me a fan. Take THAT Mr. Espresso. In the hot cross bun category, even though they are not as good as in the past, Boudin still wins. Virginia bakery close behind. Thu Apr 17 17:36:33 -0700 2003 91062 0 Stanley Stephan 5 91068 Sorry, thinking about a cap I had at caffe Malvina. The coffee Liberty serves is Mountanos Coffee. Here's a previous post about it with a link to a Chronicle article. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/20515#71424 Thu Apr 17 17:43:26 -0700 2003 91066 0 Stanley Stephan 4 91069 Acme has kulich and panetone and "cross buns". Thu Apr 17 17:45:56 -0700 2003 91062 0 wally 2 91083 You might be happy to learn Whole Foods (at least the Berkeley store) now sells organic Heinz ketchup (made in Canada). I first saw it at Berkeley Bowl. Thu Apr 17 18:38:31 -0700 2003 91035 0 Margot 1 91099 I like their tofu basil dip. I toast pita bread and dip those. If I'm not careful I could eat the whole thing. Their sweet potato dip is good too. I discovered Midnight Moon goat gouda there during October and it has become one of my new favorites. I also like their meat and fish department. My only frustration was echoed by another poster: I often have to follow my trip to Whole Foods with one to Safeway so I can get regular old brands. Thu Apr 17 20:57:58 -0700 2003 90853 0 babyfork 1 91122 Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Finally made a trip over there. It's a very nice store and my bill was double what I would have spent at Safeway but so many things caught my eye. Husband and I went after work and before dinner which is very bad idea cuz we were so hungry... ate some samples of gouda I think, it was ok got a bunch of organic asparagus 1 lb/2.99 Acme Olive bread $4.39 chocolate chip cookie w/ pecans-very good .89 cents marshmallows-tried them and they are very good, homemade, gooey, soft. $2.56 a bag 12 oz seafood soup--very good, ate this in the store, paid for it up front, cashier helped throw it away after noticing it was empty. $3.49T Santa Cruz orange mango juice-sounded good $2.59 + .05 CRV Upper Crust small peach pie $9.99 (hope it's worth it)curry karma snacks $2.49 on sale garlic herb snacks $2.49 on sale smoked mackerel $5.50 looked good garlic white org 1.20 for two bulbs lemon org (2=.49) 2001 Malvasia Bianca wine 9.99T from BonnyDoonVineyard Mackenzie 2000 Chardonnay Sonoma County $7.99T Clover non-fat milk $2.89 Total bill $61.32 Fri Apr 18 02:42:15 -0700 2003 90853 0 Arlene