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Originally Posted by mtofell
(Post 34193508)
To me, TJ is kind of a substitute for going out. I spend about a week a month away from my family for work (and have access to a kitchen) and will often just go stock up on quick/easy (but good) meals. A couple salad bowls, a frozen meal or two that are better than national brands, maybe a pack of smoked salmon, some fresh fruits/veggies. They have some really good marinated beef short ribs that cook up super easy and things like that. I can grab a container of good coffee beans and a couple bottles of wine. All at a decent price. A week's worth of food and drinks runs me $50-$75 and it's good stuff with little preparation needed. Going out 1-2X would cost more and the food would be less healthy and taste worse. I wouldn't do my weekly shopping for a family of 5 at TJ but for a few things it fills a great need.
Originally Posted by mtofell
(Post 34201181)
So, if I don't need 5 boxes of birthday cake mix I'm just screwed I guess.
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Originally Posted by escog
(Post 34198622)
In the San Francisco Bay Area, Draegers for the high end, and Berkeley Bowl for good produce.
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Japan | Chicago
Originally Posted by paperwastage
(Post 34170724)
Donki/don quijote - sensory overload & mess of a store, but it's great!
technically a discount store in japan - there's a version of "Mega"donki in japan that's more of a hypermarket.
Originally Posted by JBord
(Post 34178363)
[edit] When Bob Mariano opened the chain [Mariano's], it was pretty darn amazing in terms of our Chicago options. But since it was bought by Kroger, it's just a Jewel with a different sign on it.
Originally Posted by Duke787
(Post 34171210)
That's disappointing. I'm making my first trip to Chicago in years this summer (haven't been outside the airport since 2014). Guess there's no need to swing back by the old neighborhood to check on Mariano's.
But then, he struck a deal with a landlord to not renew the lease of a genuinely independent grocery store in order to open another of HIS stores in the same location! View this thread on the LTH Forum for an overview of the situation. {Warning: This can go very deep.} |
I have fond memories of Géant in Bahrain, because they had giant supplies of ras malai, ras gullah, and jalebi ... although jalebi is best freshly fried.
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In Chicgoland Valli is getting better & stronger, 10 % off on Senior Tuesdays too ! Good prices & quality on sale items.
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RE: Trader Joe's
I may have jinxed myself! I've noticed that in the past couple of weeks, they no longer carry those Valrhona chocolates. Quite a dilemma for me; continue enjoying them as I have the past 2 decades and cough up $5+, or live without it? Hm...perhaps, I'll change to the inferior Lindts? |
Originally Posted by Visconti
(Post 34217466)
RE: Trader Joe's
I may have jinxed myself! I've noticed that in the past couple of weeks, they no longer carry those Valrhona chocolates. Quite a dilemma for me; continue enjoying them as I have the past 2 decades and cough up $5+, or live without it? Hm...perhaps, I'll change to the inferior Lindts? Oh, and something else I like about TJ's, their "What's New" page: https://www.traderjoes.com/home/prod...s%22%3Atrue%7D. Also, I don't quite get the problem with the frozen foods. I don't buy them. And supermarkets with larger shelf space have larger frozen food sections, too. What's left? Flavorless tomatoes, Bleu cheese-stuffed ham, and Churros cereal? OTOH, there are a lot of weird ingredients in TJ's foods, much like almost everywhere else in the US. That shredded part-skim mozzarella didn't quite melt right. |
Originally Posted by BuildingMyBento
(Post 34217534)
Have you chatted with the local manager? There are periodically supply shortages ... at least, that's what they say.
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Originally Posted by Visconti
(Post 34217466)
RE: Trader Joe's
I may have jinxed myself! I've noticed that in the past couple of weeks, they no longer carry those Valrhona chocolates. Quite a dilemma for me; continue enjoying them as I have the past 2 decades and cough up $5+, or live without it? Hm...perhaps, I'll change to the inferior Lindts? |
Originally Posted by corky
(Post 34218206)
The Trader Joe Belgian chocolate bars (little sets of 3) are made by Callebaut and I think they are really good. I start my day with a half of a TJ dark chocolate bar.
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Originally Posted by Visconti
(Post 34218607)
Oh wow, didn't know that! Gonna pick some up later today.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b384b27245.jpg |
Originally Posted by corky
(Post 34218780)
These. They also come with almonds or milk chocolate. It is a pack of 3.
PS - Having a bar now with my coffee. They're great! If the Valrhona's return (which doesn't appear they will at my local TJ's), great; if not, I'm set. On my own, I would never had known just by looking at the packaging that these were high quality Beligan chocs. |
Originally Posted by HMPS
(Post 34217371)
In Chicgoland Valli is getting better & stronger, 10 % off on Senior Tuesdays too ! Good prices & quality on sale items.
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I have never been to this supermarket but drove by it today, and figure it deserves a mention :cool:
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...eaf661d35b.jpg -J. |
Anyone been to Erewhon? https://www.erewhonmarket.com
Also anyone going to France should check out Picard. An only frozen market. Even the most talented sophisticated cooks have done whole dinner from Picard. https://www.picard.fr |
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