Trader Joe's

You don't need me to tell you how great Trader Joe's is ... So since I haven't gone to any new restaurants in a couple of weeks (we went to Naomi Sushi a few nights ago and had a yummy meal as always), I thought I'd post about some TJ treats I recently discovered and love: 1) dried lychees, and 2) wasabi peas.

And stay away from the dried dragonfruit. Blech.

Oakville Grocery's T-Day Menu

I have absolutely no intention of ever -- EVER -- cooking a Thanksgiving dinner. Luckily, there are other members of my family who enjoy doing that. But if you're playing host this year and feeling a little unsure when it comes to your culinary skills, get yourself to Oakville Grocery.

They're offering traditional, but definitely gourmet, to-go meals. All you have to do is reheat, place on pretty platters, and serve at your Thanksgiving table. You can even test out Oakville's Thanksgiving meals at their customer appreciation parties, scheduled for this Thursday night at the Stanford and San Francisco locations. The entire Thanksgiving menu will be available for you to enjoy, as well as some goodies from the Fall Catering menu. (I'm sure this is going to be waaaay better than Costco free food sampling!)

From Oakville's press release:

Starters include homemade butternut squash and pear soup, wild mushroom tartlets, Medjool dates stuffed with blue cheese and walnuts and petite crab cakes. Side dishes range from our traditional classic cranberry sauce, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, turkey gravy and artisan bread dressing with fennel and apples to Oakville favorites such as creamed spinach with Parmigiano Reggiano, maple-baked sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts with pancetta and cippolini onions. Oakville is known for its wonderful cheese and charcuterie selections and the stores are brimming with local and imported artisan products from house-made Gorgonzola Torta to Farmer’s pate.

As for dessert, finish off your feast with an assortment of delectable pies from Napa Valley’s Sweetie Pies Bakery. Choose from freshly baked apple crisp, classic pumpkin or maple pecan.

You can order your Thanksgiving meal from Oakville as late as Sunday, November 19. And in case you can't make it to either of the parties this week, call them up and they'll fax you a menu. So easy, it's making me think that maybe I should host a Thanksgiving dinner one of these years!

Oakville Grocery
When: Thursday, November 9, 6-8pm
Where: Palo Alto (Stanford Shopping Center); San Francisco (The Cannery at Del Monte Square)

Oakville Grocery, Palo Alto

I stopped into Oakville last night to pick up some Tea Sweets -- these excellent little cookies that are made by Amai Bakery in NYC. But as soon as I walked in, I knew I was in trouble. Yes, there's a reason why I only pop into the store a few times a year. It's dangerous, I tell you!

You'll want to put every other thing you come across in your basket. Pumpkin spread! Waffle mix! Fig balsamic! Pomegranate simple syrup! And then there's all the prepared foods and sandwiches.

After about half of an hour, I walked out having spent about the same amount of money as we normally do for a week's worth of groceries. But all I had in my bag were cookies and a couple tins of tea. *sigh*

And this is why I can't go back to Oakville until 2007!

Oakville Grocery
715 Stanford Shopping Center
Palo Alto, CA
(650) 328-9000

Coming Soon to Los Altos: Whole Foods

Yep, that's right. Whole Foods' domination continues, with a new store slated to open soon in Los Altos (4800 El Camino Real). The single-story, 55,000-square foot market will offer two levels of underground parking, which is enough for about 360 cars. It sounds like the set-up will be similar to the San Francisco (California Street) and San Mateo locations -- which have conveyer belts that deliver the grocery bags down to the parking area.

The Los Altos location has been posting job opportunities on various sites, so I'm guessing that the doors will be open around August/September.

Draeger's

I am suddenly a big fan of Draeger's prepared foods. I find myself craving their stuffed potatoes (mmm -- cheese, chives, garlic). The sesame noodles are perfect when you're on the go (they can be consumed hot or cold). And the garlic butter has me making toast ALL the time now.

The San Mateo location also includes a restaurant (upstairs from the grocery store) and a cooking school. Jon took a knife skills class there a few months ago. He sliced his hand towards the end of the lesson and had to go straight to the ER... But don't let that deter you from enrolling in one of their many courses!

Draeger's

222 East Fourth Avenue
San Mateo, CA
(650) 685-3700

1010 University Drive
Menlo Park, CA
(650) 324-7700

342 First Street
Los Altos, CA
(650) 948-4425

Sigona's Farmer's Market

I just got back from Sigona's and decided to pen a quick post about it while it's still on my mind. This place is great. Fresh fruits and veggies out front. Inside, about a third of the store is devoted to bulk food, candy, dried fruit and nuts. Pasta, snacks and other groceries are available as well.

Don't forget to check out the freezer, where you'll find Marianne's ice cream -- a sentimental favorite from my Santa Cruz days.

Sigona's Market *
Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto; (650) 329-1340
2345 Middlefield Road, RWC; (650) 368-6993

* Hmmm... I wonder if the goods are priced the same at these two very different locations...