justjoan wrote:

gleam wrote:

zoid wrote:I've never been to Costco before so maybe I don't understand the model, but there does not seem to be a seafood department nor a dedicated meat/butcher shop, there's just a large confused "cold" section - is this normal?

Yes, although most locations have seafood on some fridays/saturdays.

no, it is NOT normal for the 'lincoln park' store (which is not really in LP). there is a large meat dept. with butchers visible through the glass wall. the fish dept. is only 1 large cooler, but it exists 7 days a week. justjoan

Well, we have different interpretations of what he meant by a "dedicated meat/butcher shop". There's no butcher you can talk to for certain cuts (except to ask them to put out another cryovac pack of ribs, or something), there's no array of deli meats ready to be sliced to order, etc.

And there's fish in that one cooler, but I'm talking more about the seafood roadshows, which are what someone who hadn't been to costco would call a "seafood department".

JoelF wrote:

zoid wrote:There was almost no seafood, no prime beef to speak of

Go to the service desk and ask for it.
The Mt Prospect/Randhurst Costco did not carry Prime beef for a number of years. I kept asking for it. About a year ago, prepackaged steaks showed up. In the last couple months, butchered steaks appeared in the meat dept. I'd like to think I had something to do with it. (nb the Glenview location had prime meats from day 1)

Their fresh fish selection is slim, but of good quality. I have never bought from their weekend seafood carts yet, the prices don't compare to the Asian markets.

Do the Asian markets have good quality seafood? and which markets do you prefer? i live in Northbrook

thanks in advance ;-]

brown eyes wrote:Do the Asian markets have good quality seafood? and which markets do you prefer? i live in Northbrook

thanks in advance ;-]

I shop at Assi Plaza in Niles (Milwaukee just south of Ballard) and H-Mart also Niles (Waukegan and Oakton, set back from Oakton). Your mileage may vary, I know some folks who don't find either place acceptable to them, but I've never had anything there that isn't perfectly fresh. Then again, I don't buy a lot, mostly shrimp and occasionally a fish if I'm eating alone (my wife doesn't eat fin-fish)

JoelF wrote:

brown eyes wrote:Do the Asian markets have good quality seafood? and which markets do you prefer? i live in Northbrook

thanks in advance ;-]

I shop at Assi Plaza in Niles (Milwaukee just south of Ballard) and H-Mart also Niles (Waukegan and Oakton, set back from Oakton). Your mileage may vary, I know some folks who don't find either place acceptable to them, but I've never had anything there that isn't perfectly fresh. Then again, I don't buy a lot, mostly shrimp and occasionally a fish if I'm eating alone (my wife doesn't eat fin-fish)

Thank you JoelF

New to the Costco's I visit
Fage 0% greek yogurt $5.79 per quart ($2 less than whole foods)

Plus, the Cara Cara oranges are in as well.

Spotted atomic cakes at the Mount Prospect store today, a rare northwest suburban sighting of this South Side favorite.

Also, have to report sadly that the $1.50 Polish has no snap whatever. Next time, I'll get the pizza or the chicken bake.

Our last trip to Costco turned up corned-beef hash from Manny's in the refrigerator case. Really the next-best thing to homemade.

Not to be disrespectful to LAZ, but I just logged in to warn people OFF of the Manny's CBH. I was massively disappointed with it. I thought it was watery, greasy, too sweet, and too-finely ground up.

And the portion was small for the price .

I do agree, though, that home-made corned-beef hash rocks.

Giovanna

Giovanna wrote:I do agree, though, that home-made corned-beef hash rocks.

Giovanna

I'm looking forward to Easter for the ham hash I plan to make with leftovers.

Regards,

I've been stocking up on Doña Paula Malbec at my local Costco, $10.99/bottle for a well made wine. Try a bottle if you can find it, you won't be disappointed. Marques de Cacera is also marked down to $10.99/bottle, that's $5 less than you usually find it for.

I have to agree with Giovanna. The Manny's corned beef hash, IMO, was just awful! Small portion, greasy, just not good. Every time my husband and I walk past we comment on how much we didn't like it...

From the new produce room at Costco on Damen/Clybourn: a 1.5# bag of shelled English peas (from Guatemala) for $4.99. They may not be local, but they're delicious.

I steamed a big bowl of them last night--planning to eat some for dinner and the rest for lunch today--added a dollop of mayo and proceded to eat the entire bowl in one sitting. (BTW, peas with mayo is a new discovery for me, but one I love. I'm imagining it would be awesome with some crispy pancetta added to it.)

I am also a big fan of the shelled English peas -- I found them last year and nearly ate the entire bag myself, they were so good.

Suzy

I buy at least 4 bags of those peas every time I go to Costco-they are delicious. I make the whole bag for dinner -steamed with a little butter - and eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. I froze a couple of bags but haven't cooked them yet. I hope they hold up.

I see that Costco (in Lake Zurich) is selling Callebaut chocolate. They said that this is a short term thing which they are trying out. I am not sure if this means that they are only there over the weekend. Is Trader Joe dark chocolate the same as Callebaut dark chocolate?

Diane wrote:I buy at least 4 bags of those peas every time I go to Costco-they are delicious. I make the whole bag for dinner -steamed with a little butter - and eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. I froze a couple of bags but haven't cooked them yet. I hope they hold up.

If you don't have a Costco membership, I noticed that Trader Joe's was selling shelled English peas that look just as good. (Didn't notice where they're from.) I want to say the price was $2 for 10 oz, in which case the price is even better than Costco's.

Someone above mentioned Callebaut chocolate, and I've seen it elsewhere as well, in big old chunky chunks. Is this something that happens in other parts of the country? I'm asking, because when I mentioned baking with Callebaut or Valhrona, my MIL who lives in San Diego said (in what seemed like a very disparaging way) "Oh, that's an East Coast thing, we don't do that here in California." I didn't ask what kind of chocolate they baked with out there, I was kind of processing, trying to figure out if she was really insulting me or Chicago or European (or European style?) chocolate.

I was on the phone with my brother in Massachusetts last night. We were both snacking on and talking about the Acme whitefish salad -- he got a tub of it at his local Costco for Passover. I was eating a little 7 ounce tub I found at our local Jewel. I've never seen the Acme whitefish salad at Costco. One of my mother's friends was complaining last year how she gets it at her local Costco in Miami when they are there for the winter, but she can never find it when she returns here in the spring. Has anyone seen this stuff on the shelves? It would definitely be in the refrigerator section. My brother says his Costco had a whole "kosher for Passover" section and he found it there. I would gladly travel to buy it at a different Costco if it was available.

Suzy

sdritz wrote:I was on the phone with my brother in Massachusetts last night. We were both snacking on and talking about the Acme whitefish salad -- he got a tub of it at his local Costco for Passover. I was eating a little 7 ounce tub I found at our local Jewel. I've never seen the Acme whitefish salad at Costco. One of my mother's friends was complaining last year how she gets it at her local Costco in Miami when they are there for the winter, but she can never find it when she returns here in the spring. Has anyone seen this stuff on the shelves? It would definitely be in the refrigerator section. My brother says his Costco had a whole "kosher for Passover" section and he found it there. I would gladly travel to buy it at a different Costco if it was available.
Suzy

I buy it all the time at either the Lincoln Park or Niles stores. I've never seen it out south here.I think it's around $9.00 for 2 lbs.

Also available at Oak Brook or Melrose Park stores...

lincoln park costco has cases of glass bottle mexican coke made w/ cane sugar...24 bottles for $18.99.

(makes it seem expensive when you compare a case of the goose island soda case of glass bottles that's made w/ cane sugar but sells for 12.99!)

p.s., there's a sign outside this location that says gas is coming soon. maybe it'll be $4.89 instead of $4.95! :]

dddane wrote:lincoln park costco has cases of glass bottle mexican coke made w/ cane sugar...24 bottles for $18.99.

(makes it seem expensive when you compare a case of the goose island soda case of glass bottles that's made w/ cane sugar but sells for 12.99!)

p.s., there's a sign outside this location that says gas is coming soon. maybe it'll be $4.89 instead of $4.95! :]

Costco's been carrying Mexi-Coke at all their locations for a couple of years. May seem pricey compared to Goose Island pop, but that would make sense since Chicago's closer, shipping-wise and it's otherwise about a buck a bottle (or more) on the open market.

HI,

The whitefish salad I see at Glenview and Mettawa are not from Acme. They are from Blue Hill Bay. A picture of it is on the link.

I buy it occasionally and find it very good, though I haven't tried a broad range of whitefish salads. How it compares to Acme, I have no idea.

Regards,

My browser can't open your whitefish site Cathy. I've never had whitefish salad. What is it like? Anything like tuna salad?

Cathy2 wrote:HI,

The whitefish salad I see at Glenview and Mettawa are not from Acme. They are from Blue Hill Bay. A picture of it is on the link.

According to their site,Blue Hill is a division of Acme.
http://www.acmesmokedfish.com/bluehillbay/aboutus.html

Cogito wrote:My browser can't open your whitefish site Cathy. I've never had whitefish salad. What is it like? Anything like tuna salad?

It's more of a blended texture as opposed to chunks of fish (not quite a fish pate, but there are definitely no discernible pieces of fish). It's been a staple of Jewish-style delis for as long as I can remember (and likely longer). A great smoked whitefish salad on rye is a helluva sandwich.

Artie wrote:

Cathy2 wrote:HI,

The whitefish salad I see at Glenview and Mettawa are not from Acme. They are from Blue Hill Bay. A picture of it is on the link.

According to their site,Blue Hill is a division of Acme.
http://www.acmesmokedfish.com/bluehillbay/aboutus.html

Thanks! I only knew the packages I have bought were not boldly labeled ACME, because that is a name I would recall from cartoons.

Blue Hill Bay at the Costco's I visit is an ongoing product offering not there only for major Jewish holidays. I occasionally buy a carton, which quickly disapears. I'd buy it more often, but then the specialness would disapear.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:

Artie wrote:

Cathy2 wrote:HI,

The whitefish salad I see at Glenview and Mettawa are not from Acme. They are from Blue Hill Bay. A picture of it is on the link.

According to their site,Blue Hill is a division of Acme.
http://www.acmesmokedfish.com/bluehillbay/aboutus.html

Thanks! I only knew the packages I have bought were not boldly labeled ACME, because that is a name I would recall from cartoons.

Blue Hill Bay at the Costco's I visit is an ongoing product offering not there only for major Jewish holidays. I occasionally buy a carton, which quickly disapears. I'd buy it more often, but then the specialness would disapear.

Regards,

The Costcos I visit regularly (Niles, Glenview) offer it year-round. They consolidate the Kosher items for Passover and Rosh Hashona so it's easier to find, but it's generally available near the other prepared fish products the rest of the year (It's a staple in our house). Costco has also started carrying a Mahi-Mahi salad which is a touch too sweet (pickle relish, I think) but otherwise pretty good.

I was in the Clybourn store yesterday and noticed that the 2 liter Kirkland brand EEVO I wanted seems to have been replaced by a product from Filippo Berio. I think it also had a Kirkland reference.

Anyone know if this an up, down, or sideways move in quality? I didn't check the price because I wasn't prepared to purchase as I really liked the the straight Kirkland brand both for quality, taste, and price.

http://filippoberio.com/Products/

I seem to recall Consumer Reports rating Berio the best of the supermarket / widely available olive oils some time back...