Searching for Gourmet Grocery Store Junkies

Hi all,

I'm a new LTH poster who happens to be a food writer for the Chicago area's 59 Pioneer Press newspapers.

I'm writing a feature story about the gourmet grocery store, whether it be a trendy type like the Chopping Block or simply a really good ethnic corner shop, such as D & D's Finer Foods in Evanston.

Any Chicago-area (city, north, northwest and near western suburbs) LTH posters want to weigh in on their favorite gourmet shop? Why do you patronize that particular establishment and do you actually cook with the ingredients you find? Or do they sit on your shelf waiting for just the right Gourmet Pear-Caramel Dessert Sauce Occasion?

If you post online and want to be quoted, send me an email with your first and last name. Also email if you're up for a real live interview.

Thanks,

Stephanie Fosnight
lifestyles features writer, Pioneer Press
sfosnight@pioneerlocal.com
www.pioneerlocal.com

Defining a “gourmet store” certainly cannot be getting any easier. I look around at my local Jewel and Dominick’s and find items that not long ago would have been considered “gourmet” – I’m talking about stuff like artisanal bread, salsas that go way beyond Pace, and sections devoted to Asian and other ethnically-specific ingredients. Then there’s Whole Foods, Fox & Obel, etc., which have aisle-after-aisle of more esoteric items that would once have been carried by much smaller boutique places.

“Gourmet” itself is kind of an old term, and I’d guess some stores might actually shy away from the word because it sounds, I don’t know, kind of 80s or maybe even 70s.

The case could be made that with the general gourmet-ification of the American public, there is no longer a need for the small shops that carry specialty items.

That said, I’d be glad to lend a hand in your research-gathering…but am not exactly sure how to do that.

David “We’re all gourmets now!” Hammond

David -- excellent point.
The places I go shopping for 'specialty' items are more like neighborhood produce markets, ethnic stores such that I wouldn't consider high end (as in Whole Foods or Trader Joe's would be), or supermarkets with an ethnic theme (Mitsuwa, H-Mart).

It's rarer for me to go into a Whole Foods, rarer still for a true gourmet shop such as Cheese Stands Alone.

And where do you put a place like Sunset Foods, which has always had higher-end items, with higher prices too?

Agreed-- "gourmet" seems like kind of an old-fashioned term. Several of the stores I'll go out of my way to shop at, like Sunset Foods and Dee Jay's, don't even bill themselves as specialty food stores (which is probably the term I would use for the sort of thing I think you are talking about). Same goes for Mitsuwa: it's a supermarket, but it's the only place I can find certain things.

"Gourmet" does seem like a term that business owners use, though. You see it on product labels and to describe shops. I notice that Foodstuffs bills itself as "gourmet" on its website; the word does seem rather appropriate to them. If there's anything that comes to my mind when I hear "gourmet store," it's something like Foodstuffs or Fox & Obel that carry high-end products. Just a guess, but if you use the term "gourmet" in your title, people may expect to read about those sorts of places. (Actually, I would love to read an article about Foodstuffs. I am always talking to the people when I go in there, trying to wheedle recipes out of them to no avail. That outfit is kind of mysterious to me.)

The stores that I frequent most for specialty/hard-to-find/ethnic/organic items are:

Oakton Market in Skokie for huge produce selection, olives,
olive oils, cheeses, fresh breads, nuts, etc. A truly international
market.

Stanley's Produce on North Ave. for organic produce

Thai Grocery on Broadway/Argyle for Thai foods

Golden Pacific Market @ 5353 N. Brodway for a huge seleciton
of Asian groceries and produce. Specializes in Thai foods.

Broadway Supermarket @ 4879 N. Broadway for all things
Vietnamese, including dishware & cooking utensils

Chicago Food on Kimball Ave. for Korean foods and cafe

I love love love Tensuke in Elk Grove Village for their uber fresh sashimi at ridiculously good prices! Also, I find Tensuke to have a wider selection of cute, irresistible Japanese snacks than Mitsuwa. Then again, Mitsuwa has a larger food court, the Japanese-style bakery and book store...

And if we're including ethnic spots, it's hard to beat Carniceria Jimenez. It's good sized grocery store, but it's like a little trip south of the border. They have a few locations, but I'd imagine the one in Wheeling might be most helpful for a Pioneer Press article. Then there's Seoul Market in Buffalo Grove, and Fresh Farms in Wheeling for Russian food, and P&P Asian Imports in Niles for Indian/Pakistani food. Other suburban Korean spots include Oriental Market on Dundee at Landwehr, Hyundai Super on Willow at Pfingsten, and Asia Super Market on Milwaukee near Greenwood.

It's a great time to be alive. You can get great ethnic food even in the suburbs. Every time you turn around, a new ethnic grocery store appears to be opening its doors. Toss in the high-end spots and the new offerings at Jewel, and it's amazing what you can find.

Oh -- and let's not forget The Spice House in Evanston. Not food, but definitely a go-to place for people serious about cooking.

Stephanie wrote:simply a really good ethnic corner shop, such as D & D's Finer Foods in Evanston.

D&D's is ethnic?

Amen and a half to Golden Pacific. There was once a long thread (plus another short thread) extolling its virtues. They haven’t changed. The place is cleaner and neater than just about any place I’ve ever visited and its range of Asian products is enormous. Not to mention the extraordinary willingness of its proprietor to help in any way that he can. Worthy of our accolades and, more, of our continued business.

And the other nice thing about Golden Pacific is that it's only about 1/2 a block south of Queen of Sheba Cafe (Ethiopian).

nr706 wrote:

Stephanie wrote:simply a really good ethnic corner shop, such as D & D's Finer Foods in Evanston.

D&D's is ethnic?

Well, the folks who run it are Greek, I believe. And I've found a good selection of olives and Mediterranean ingredients there before, as well as commonplace grocery items. But I haven't been inside for awhile.

(Sorry for the lull in posting, I was at the International Home & Housewares Show yesterday, which is always fun!)

You've all raised excellent points. In fact, I've waffled between referring to these stores as "specialty" and "gourmet." I suppose specialty is more accurate because it implies one can find ingredients at the store that are unavailable in your typical supermarket.

Stephanie wrote:

nr706 wrote:

Stephanie wrote:simply a really good ethnic corner shop, such as D & D's Finer Foods in Evanston.

D&D's is ethnic?

Well, the folks who run it are Greek, I believe. And I've found a good selection of olives and Mediterranean ingredients there before, as well as commonplace grocery items. But I haven't been inside for awhile.

From my perspective, you could find a lot more interesting places to write about than D&D, unless you have a specific story to tell about finding things in unexpected places.

If you want to have someplace in Evanston, as mentioned previously, the Spice House deserves coverage, unless it's not "grocery" enough for your approach. Maybe Sea Ranch, where I've never been? If you take a "specialty" slant instead of specifically "ethnic" you could include butchers and fishmongers. Does that slippery slope lead to bakeries then? (That reminds me, Kaufman's is a nice example of an "ethnic" place that has enough stock to qualify as a grocery, even if I usually go for a sandwich instead of groceries.)

I haven't been to D&D in a long time but when I lived in the neighborhood it was not terribly inspiring.

Kaufman's Bagel & Delicatessen
4905 Dempster St, Skokie, IL
(847) 677-6190

Stephanie wrote:You've all raised excellent points. In fact, I've waffled between referring to these stores as "specialty" and "gourmet." I suppose specialty is more accurate because it implies one can find ingredients at the store that are unavailable in your typical supermarket.

You know what I actually think of these stores as-- my secret weapon stores. The ones where I get stuff that makes my guests say, "Where did you get this?" Also, they are the stores where it's fun to shop and where you get new cooking ideas.

Most people I run into know that places like Fox and Obel exist, but they may drive by Mitsuwa every day of their lives and never go in. (Anyone catch the "Check, Please" episode that featured Mitsuwa?)

Via my definition of "gourmet," I would recommend Foodstuffs and Fox & Obel. I also enjoy shopping at Lincolnwood Produce (Lincolnwood), Produce World (Morton Grove) and Garden Fresh Market (Northbrook) but I'm not sure I'd count them as "gourmet."

=R=

Foodstuffs
2106 Central Street
Evanston, IL 60201
847 328-7704
(and other locations)

Fox & Obel
401 E. Illinois
Chicago IL, 60611
312 410-7301

I'm more of a "far western suburbs" person rather than near, but my favorite is Caputo's, and there is one on Harlem Ave (?) isn't there (never been inside that one, only suburban locations)? They have so much stuff to choose from - great produce, good readily available fresh herbs, an excellent deli, etc. What's not to like? Unless this doesn't qualify as a "gourmet" grocery store.

Another good spot is Produce World on Waukegan at Dempster in Morton Grove. They have a wide range of Eastern European and Middle Eastern products, and they're great for getting specialty meats. A couple of years ago, I wanted to make cabrito asado, and when I called and asked if I could get half a baby goat, they said "no problem."

These are great suggestions! Please keep 'em coming if you have a good one.

I can see that I'll have trouble differentiating between "specialty" and "ethnic." As many of you have pointed out, the two often overlap. When cooking out of May Bsisu's marvelous "The Arab Table" cookbook, I found Lebanese cous cous (much bigger than what we usually see in America) at the Pita Inn Market on Dempster in Skokie, but I haven't seen it in general grocery stores.

I've been to some of these places but not all of them. Caputo's is great, as is the Spice House.

A friend who'd spent time in Japan was just in town so we headed to Super H Mart in Niles (closer than Mitsuwa's) so she could get her Bento Box. Before going, I called another friend who loves the place for directions, and she advised me to "consider my produce needs" before leaving my house. Since I'd just bought a bunch of produce I didn't make a list or plan to buy anything, but I came home with loads of amazing fruits and veggies. It's truly a wonderful place, and it's also a store where you notice discrepancies in the English-Korean translations, such as a Gatorade-type drink with the rather unappetizing English name of "Sweat."

Cynthia wrote:Another good spot is Produce World on Waukegan at Dempster in Morton Grove.

I like Produce World, but I more often go to Marketplace on Oakton - similar vibe (Eastern European, mostly), but larger. And, for Asian, closer to Evanston than H-Mart, but much smaller, is Richwell Market.

Produce World Deli & More
8800 Waukegan Rd (at Demmpter) Morton Grove, IL

Produce World
8325 W Lawrence Ave Norridge, IL

Market Place on Oakton
4817 W. Oakton, Skokie IL
http://www.marketplaceonoakton.com/

Richwell Market
6120 Dempster St Morton Grove, IL

Here's what I like about the Garden Fresh market on Skokie Boulevard in, I think, Northbrook. It's a grocery store located pretty much on the border of Glencoe, Northfield, Northbrook and Highland Park, none of which are exactly ethnic capitals of Chicagoland. Yet, you can get avocados that are actually ripe, cilantro that has not sitting around for days, bread from every Eastern European bakery, and Indian spices in the large bags that cost half of what U.S. companies charges for tiny bottles. You can do better on most ethnic items in the City or at the Marketplace on Oaken, but Garden Fresh is great to have in the neighborhood.

Jonah

I love shopping along Devon Avenue. The produce is much cheaper and often fresher than at Dominick's and Jewel (this is true for many ethnic stores) and I get lots of new ideas and interesting new foods. I love the boxes of Shan spice mix (79 cents) which make incredible biryani, tikka, etc. And I love the Georgian bakery, and the Russian and Jewish delicatessens. I go into these places and buy things and come out feeling excited to go home and try my new foods, and not feeling as though I have been overcharged, as I do at places that I think of as "gourmet".

Stephanie wrote:It's truly a wonderful place, and it's also a store where you notice discrepancies in the English-Korean translations, such as a Gatorade-type drink with the rather unappetizing English name of "Sweat."

That would be Pocari Sweat which is a classic Japanese bottled drink, much as Gatorade is classic in America - no translation snafu at all. There are some marketing differences for Japanese drinks in the U.S. - For instance the whole line of Calpis drinks is marketed as Calpico here, as I suppose something that sounds like "Cow Piss" might be unappealing.

Jay K wrote:That would be Pocari Sweat which is a classic Japanese bottled drink, much as Gatorade is classic in America - no translation snafu at all.

Pocari Sweat saved my life

germuska wrote:If you take a "specialty" slant instead of specifically "ethnic" you could include butchers and fishmongers. Does that slippery slope lead to bakeries then?

Sure, why not? But it's worth adding that there can be an upscale (some would equate upscale with gourmet) side to such specialty stores. For example, Zier's in Wilmette is a wonderful, wonderful butcher. It's not particularly inexpensive. But you can walk in and get an aged prime rib (I think the last one we bought was around $10/lb), which you can't do at most food markets or even necessarily many other specialty butchers. IOW, all butchers are specialty stores, but not all butchers appeal to the upscale/gourmet part of the market. (I don't know whether the OP is looking to make that distinction or not.)

Same thing with bakeries (a category which encompasses bread bakers and pastry makers). You can get outstanding whole wheat bread at D'Amato's on Grand, but it's not upscale/gourmet. Even full-line bakers like Bennison's or Tag's in Evanston aren't mostly upscale/gourmet IMHO. But compare them with, say, the breads and French pastry offerings at places like Three Tarts Bakery in Wilmette, Gourmet Frog (next to, and part of, Froggy's) in Highwood, or Vanille Patisserie in Chicago, or the Sicilian pastry offerings at Pasticceria Natalina in Andersonville, and all of the latter seem like they're going after a more discriminating clientele (not merely by price, although that too, but also by the nature of their products).

BTW, I would add all these places to the mix when discussing the names of specialty and/or gourmet shops in the area.

I'd tend to agree with ronnie suburban's definition of "gourmet." However, like so many of those who have responded to your question, I am much more likely to shop at a market with a multi-ethnic clientele, where I can get "gourmet" ingredients at significantly lower prices. (Marketplace on Oakton shelves their their pantry products by country of origin.)

To me, a "gourmet" shop (Fox & Obel) offers a narrowly edited selection of produce and meat in comparison to a general market with a multi-ethnic clientele. I don't recall seeing pigs trotters or tongue in the meat cases there, for instance, and durian, a regular at H-Mart, is only occasionally seen at F&O.)

A "gourmet" store also offers more prepared foods. There is at least a perception that rather than mass-market salads prepared in factories, they tend to make more dishes in-house. Some of these dishes are things that only the domestically impaired would consider purchasing ready-made.

Another thing that characterizes a "gourmet" shop is the profusion of tiny artisanal brands. While European products are well-represented, many of these are American products like gourmet potato chips or small-batch jellies. There is an emphasis on the packaging that tends not to be present to the same extent at the general multi-ethnic markets.

Another possibility is that the label "gourmet" is a function of the address and physical characteristics of the store. I think of F&O as Chicago's Fauchon or Harrod's.

Historically, (since the earliest days of restaurants in the U. S.) all things French are considered gourmet in this country, and a true gourmet store tends to offer items like foie gras (I know, I know) that are taken for granted in France, but rarely available here. Currently, Italian specialties threaten to displace the French ones in the affections of Americans.

Whole Foods has been mentioned above. The reason I go to Whole Foods is to purchase organic and all-natural items like Tom's Toothpaste that I can't find elsewhere. I grudgingly purchase other items, for the convenience, as long as I am there.

One spot that has not been mentioned in this thread is Treasure Island. Though they are certainly not cutting-edge in either the general market or "gourmet" dimensions, I imagine that they might have been at one time. (They should do some focus-groups to re-tool their stores, I think.)

This sounds like an interesting project. Good luck with it.

Josephine wrote:
To me, a "gourmet" shop (Fox & Obel) offers a narrowly edited selection of produce and meat in comparison to a general market with a multi-ethnic clientele. I don't recall seeing pigs trotters or tongue in the meat cases there, for instance, and durian, a regular at H-Mart, is only occasionally seen at F&O.)

In the Dominick's on Lake in Oak Park, I spotted several packages of trotters just last week. I was surprised as this is not a usual item there, but perhaps they're test-marketing it. Honestly, I will be very surprised if I see that product there again.

Y'know, it's funny but I remember that Dominick's always used to have pickled pigs feet in a jar at the deli counter, even in the Jewish-heavy west end of Northbrook in the 70s. A couple years ago, trying to find ham hocks for red beans and rice, I had to search pretty far and wide (found some nice smoked ones at Valli Produce, eventually).

But it begs the question: can you really classify trotters, offal etc. as gourmet? Sure, it's got a revival in high-end restaurants, but it's still what most of America throws away. I don't buy much of it, but I know if I want a great stock, I can go to H-Mart and buy a big package of chicken feet, and neck bones of several beasties, not to mention fish and shellfish that still have heads, bones shells, etc.

Stephanie wrote: ... It's truly a wonderful place, and it's also a store where you notice discrepancies in the English-Korean translations, such as a Gatorade-type drink with the rather unappetizing English name of "Sweat."

I assume you are speaking of Pocari Sweat.

It is a very popular sports drink in Japan that was specifically named Sweat - it's not just a result of English translation. At least that is what my sister who lives in Tokyo says. A wikipedia article also says the same thing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocari_Sweat.

It's official , there now is indeed a wikipedia article on absolutely everything.

Ralph

ralph wrote:

Stephanie wrote: ... It's truly a wonderful place, and it's also a store where you notice discrepancies in the English-Korean translations, such as a Gatorade-type drink with the rather unappetizing English name of "Sweat."

I assume you are speaking of Pocari Sweat.

It is a very popular sports drink in Japan that was specifically named Sweat - it's not just a result of English translation. At least that is what my sister who lives in Tokyo says. A wikipedia article also says the same thing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocari_Sweat.

It's official , there now is indeed a wikipedia article on absolutely everything.

Ralph

I am now informed. I still find it to be an unusual name!