Looking for bargains at Whole Foods

Image by Matt Stratton via Flickr

Before I picked up a rotisserie chicken at Whole Foods Market in Paramus on Friday, I walked through the store looking for sale items. (See earlier post, "A beautiful rotisserie chicken").

There are some incredibly high-priced items, such as one liter of extra-virgin olive oil from Sicily for $27.99. sold under the label of a restaurant, Frankies 457 in Brooklyn. I asked a couple of employees how much of that goes to organized crime. A 32-ounce bottle of Rao's marinara sauce was on sale for $7.99 -- you save $3. I passed on both.

Did you know artisinal pasta is made in New Jersey? Two pounds of dried pasta from Westmont, N.J., was on sale for $6. Whole Foods' wonderful dried organic pasta from Italy wasn't on sale, unfortunately. It was $1.99 a pound.

I needed cilantro (photo) for tacos (my wife found none at ShopRite in Englewood). An organic bunch was $1.69, which seemed reasonable. When I got home, I chopped it up immediately and put it it a container with chopped white onion -- the classic taco garnish used in Mexico. I have found cilantro lasts far longer when combined with onion. (See earlier post, "Lamb tacos in 45 seconds").

So much food, so little time

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

 

I only had a hour after I dropped off my son for his piano lesson in Englewood yesterday to pick up some of the terrific food the city has to offer.

My first stop was the kimchi factory on West Englewood Avenue, where I bought a half-gallon jar of Arirang-brand mahk kimchi ($9.99) from the always helpful Mrs. Oh. She combines crunchy nappa cabbage with red pepper, salted shrimp, anchovy sauce, garlic, scallion and other ingredients. It's a healthy and delicious side dish with a sandwich or a complete meal. (Photo shows woman in South Korea offering kimchi.)

Not far away is Balthazar Bakery on South Dean Street, where for the first time I found a dozen ficelles or miniature baguettes ($6). I also picked up a quarter of the bakery's signature rye, sliced ($3.75), and successfully avoided buying another scrumptious pear-hazelnut galette we tried for Christmas.

I drove down South Dean to Jerry's Gourmet & More, not so much to shop as to graze among the cheese, bread and salami samples. I did pick up two aseptic packages of Pomi marinara sauce and chopped tomatoes from Italy, each about 26.5 ounces for $1.69.

I headed back toward the kimchi factory and made my final stop at H Mart, the Korean supermarket near the Palisade Avenue monument. There, I concentrated on prepared food -- a pound of stewed tofu with red pepper sauce ($2.50), cucumber kimchi ($2.50) and honey rice cakes studded with beans ($3.49).

Arirang Kimchi (Gaboh Inc.), 191 W. Englewood Ave;
Englewood, 201-503-1314. 

H Mart, 25 Lafayette Ave., Englewood; 
201-871-8822.


Balthazar Bakery, 214 S. Dean St., Englewood;
(201) 503-9717.
 ‎
Jerry's Gourmet & More, 410 S. Dean St., Englewood; 
201-871-7108.