547 replies to this topic

[Ed Hamilton]

I was introduced to Trader Joe's in Las Vegas and was impressed with their mustard and wine. Back in Chicago, a friend brings me their gingerbeer which is a great mixer with rum. It's not too sweet and the bottle is easy to hang on to, ergonometric, I think that's the word. Like any of the discounters you have to know what to pay but it is certainly worth checking out, unless you live in the hub of the universe.

[Stone]

Oh yeah. I bought a bottle of "Bagel Beer." I forgot it's in the fridge. That should be interesting.

[Malawry]

Fat Guy, I went to a birthday party recently for a child and her father. There were two photocakes on hand from Baskin-Robbins to celebrate the occasion. They weren't dreadful (which is about the best I can say for it) plus they looked pretty cool. Surely there's still one or two Baskin-Robbins outlets in Manhattan?

obTJs: I love Trader Joe's. Most of the frozen meals and canned goods in our house come from there. I also really like their tortilla chips. And of course I buy all my Plugra butter there for $3/lb. Can't beat that price.

[maggiethecat]

Trader Joe's kinda has an Elmore Leonard philosophy. He "leaves out the parts that people don't read." TJ's doesn't devote a lot of space to stuff people are bored to buy...detergent, paper towel, etc. Yeah, you can get it there, but the space is overwhelmingly devoted to the fun stuff.

[Cheffie3]

I'm not crazy about Trader Joe's at all. I've gone twice and wasn't even tempted to buy anything (which is SO not my character in a food store), three times the charm though, so I'll try again with the recommendations from this site. I think Whole Foods has the best seafood/meat selection than any store I've been to, but it is pricey.

Maggiethecat...thanks for the info on Caputos, I don't live far from Hanover Park and will definitely go there this weekend.

[gknl]

Fat Guy, I went to a birthday party recently for a child and her father. There were two photocakes on hand from Baskin-Robbins to celebrate the occasion. They weren't dreadful (which is about the best I can say for it) plus they looked pretty cool. Surely there's still one or two Baskin-Robbins outlets in Manhattan? .

Yeah, they don't suck, but if you bring in a photo of a celebrity, make sure you tell them you took it.

[Fat Guy]

Right-o. It turns out Baskin Robbins does have photo cakes available at some of its New York City locations. Conveniently, if you use the store finder on the Web site it tells you which have it and which don't with the handy "freeze frame" icon. But these are of course ice cream cakes, made from mediocre ice cream. But I suppose they're kind of cool (no pun intended).

[aaustin]

Trader Joes---annoying because if you need lemons, they won't have them on the day you go or you'll have to buy 4 when you need 1...AND--at least at my local store--you've really gotta watch the expiration dates on salad packages, breads, juices, etc. They're often expiring within 2 days of purchase so you've got to dig to the back for the fresher stuff.

But I'm a sucker for some of their stuff: Tofutti Cuties--so yummie. There's an EVOO packaged in a gold wrapper and I use it for salads constantly--it's so mild and quite nice. It's not dipping-bread worthy, but good. Great green fruit juice--not sure what it's called, but it's by the orange juice. I've been buying soy wheat bread (trying to get my fiber) for toast lately. The salmon steaks are pretty good as well, nice to keep in the freezer for a fish craving--my dad makes trips 4 times a year to Alaska so I get plenty of the good, wild stuff, but when it runs out the craving doesn't.
Also--this may be tacky (I've been known to enjoy the trashy foods now and again), but their TJ brand vodka marinara is the perfect thing when I'm craving a big, hot saucy bowl of spaghetti. Top it with some parm or even some fresh moz (get the melting going) and you're in heaven.

[tsquare]

Grocery list:
Bottled water (this thread or the other?) at $0.34 vs $1.19. French lemonade. Actually, house frozen lemonade - pulpy, tart and cheap. Chocolate for baking - $2.99/lb (?). Peanut butter. Flour. Cheese - not all of it, but some are good. Frozen Thai green curry or Indian chicken...Yes, watch the expiration dates, and avoid high expectations of health food. Look for specials - Batali sauce, cheap and decent pasta - especially dried. Dish soap. Toothpaste.

[mhadam]

We love there garlic cheese bread -- two slabs for 1.99.

Umm..what else....the lobster ravioli , the brie (great price beats the grocery stores and whole foods), the jars of stuffed olives (1.99 for a pound).

Venison burgers (4 for 2.99), the chocolate, the orange flavored pelligrino (which I can't find anywhere without going into the city), the sales on the wine, and the terriyaki sauce. It's wonderful.

[tsquare]

Recent acquistion - "handmade pasta from Italy - dry product by Toscania. $1.69-$1.99 for 500 g. This stuff seems really good to me, but what do I know? The packaging is nifty too.

[cheffreytp503]

I live in lower Manhattan, and I do not own a car.  (This is important.)

When I used to read about Whole Foods, I got really jealous.  We didn't have any here, and it sounded like Mecca.  Then we got one.  It's not Mecca.

Now I read about Trader Joe's.  I feel jealous again.  It sounds like Mecca.

.  .  .

You get my point?  It's not that I believe I have every wonder of the food world available to me; I'm just trying to rationalize away my jealousy. 

if you live in ny and find whole foods to be no big deal, trust me you wont find tj to be all that special. They do carry some fun specialty items ie cashew-macadamia nut butter ( outstanding). I dont think Dean and Deluca has it but I could be wrong.

[heyjude]

It's about the bargains. Here in Seattle, the various nut butters(Mr. Heyjude's daily breakfast)are $4.99 as compared to as much as $16.99 at Whole Foods. Next time you are at D&L's, check their price. Other prices are comparably low at TJ's, often as much as 50% less than supermarkets and specialty stores.

[tsquare]

Just bringing this forward for NJ!

[sashae]

I'll also tout the pre-made indian marinades (they have a masala sauce, that with the edition of a bit more spice and some creme fraiche also available at TJ's is pretty darn good), maple nut/vanilla nut crunch cereals, and most importantly...

Scotch.

They have UNREAL bargains on single malt scotch. Currently they have Balvenie Doublewood 12 yo for $30 ($45 at my local liquor store), Glenmorangie 12yo wood finishes (port, sherry, madeira) for $30 ($48), Lagavulin 16yo for $40 ($68), Laphroaig 10yo for $30 ($47), Macallan 12yo for $30 ($45), Glenlivet 12yo for $20 ($36).

Remarkable. The bargains on the vodkas are quite good as well, with Moskovskaya, Monopolowa, Svedka, and Black Sea all around $10 or less for a fifth. The Monopolowa is particularly good.

Beer prices are also fabulous, with such bargains as Bitburger for $4.99, Murphy's Stout in pub cans for $3.99, etc.

-s

[Priscilla]

Yes, the hard liquor at TJ can hardly be underestimated. When I become impatient with the unappetizing overweening encroachment of prepared foods scarcifying shelf space for ingredients, I try to remind myself of this.

Currently, (and like all TJ stock, it comes and goes) there is a not-bad Calvados for $10.99, an astounding bargain considering that $40-$50 Calvadoses can be utter, utter rotgut.

Seconding the Moskovskaya, a cool $7.99, I believe, for the liter, my favorite vodka at nearly any price, and the Balvenie, which I imagines comes along as the rich older brother of those cheap and cheerful triangular $9.99 liters of Grant's whiskey they also carry.

[plax]

I love Trader Joe's and keep hoping they'll come south (I live between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale.) In the meantime, I have a friend in Connecticut who sends me care packages for birthdays & Hanukkah (which is coming next week... yay!) Love the shortbread thumbprint cookies with chocolate filling, the cats & dogs cookies, the blueberries, the sundried tomato pesto... I could go on & on!

Neil

[kitwilliams]

New favorite item at Trader Joe's: Candied Tomatoes. Has anyone else tried these? A product of Thailand, they are small, whole, dried tomatoes which have gone through the same sugaring process as candied ginger. Chewy, sweet and slightly acidic. I end up eating most of them out of the bag but managed to chop up an entire bag and put it in my mincemeat this year.

[awbrig]

there is a new trader joes that has opened in Chicago that we are going to check out this weekend...Can you buy brand name stuff there such as soda (coke,diet coke) or is it all TJ brand? Also, how is the quality of their seafood, meats and produce?

[nightscotsman]

You will not find many major name brands at all - certainly no Coke products. Trader Joe's isn't really trying to compete with common grocery stores, so there is a very limited selection of many product categories. They've just recently started carrying some fresh meat and more fresh produce. Again, limited selection, but looks like good quality including Niman Ranch meats. All of the seafood is flash-frozen, but also very good quality. Large selection of extremely low-priced wines. Lots of organic options in dry goods. Excellent nuts, dried fruits and juices. Some good cheese, great price on Plugra butter, and be sure to pick up some Total greek yogurt.

Edited by nightscotsman, 19 February 2003 - 11:15 AM.

[col klink]

Good point NSM, I just picked up some plugra on the cheap and made a damn decent pie crust with it. Unfortunately in Washington the liquor laws prohibit the sell of liquor in grocery stores.

I have to admit that when TJ's first arrived in Seattle I was sceptical as they had poor selection except on hippy crap. Now I'm regularly buying $2.99 and $4.99 bottles of wine and they're produce is slowly evolving, they're not a bad place to buy fresh basil. So far I haven't had the courage to buy any of their fresh meats (not great prices or exceptional quality) but you're right about the seafood, it's not bad at all, especially for frozen.

[Kobicook]

Whole Foods? Blech. Overpriced---way. Condescending hippyshit "Mission"

I am with you Maggiethecat. Just wish there was an equivalent to Caputo's in the D.C. area.

TJ's is the best for cheese and nuts. But the reason to visit: BRESAOLA!

[maggiethecat]

Briggie: Everything that NSM and col klink said. Especially about the frozen fish/seafood. It's often better than the fresh we can get locally, and much cheaper.

For produce, nah. I talked to the manager of our local TJs and he said, basically, that produce was not really their thing. Sorta there in small volume should you really need to pick up an onion or a lemon.

The cheese is good and reasonable. And check out the frozen cakes and other desserts. The apple strudel is good, and it's cheap. I've almost stopped making it myself.

And dare 'ya: Buy a coupla bottles of three buck chuck.

[nerissa]

I went to the new TJ's in Chicago on Lincoln and Grace. As maggie says, it's fun. The place is small and as others have noted, the produce is nothing to write home about. Basically, if you need to pick up lettuce.

However, awbrig, they did have your beloved Fiji water for $1.59. Is that a good price? TJ's is the place to load up on snacks and bottled fizzy water, wine, and Orangina.

I am going to take the 3 buck chuck challenge.

It is right next to a CB2 (crate and barrell 2), another fun place to throw money away.

[awbrig]

, awbrig, they did have your beloved Fiji water for $1.59. Is that a good price?

depends what size...

I pay around 1.10 for the small size and around 1.99 for the larger bottle...

Edited by awbrig, 19 February 2003 - 04:12 PM.

[nerissa]

I think it was the larger size--i.e. not a single lunch serving. 1.59 seems like an appropriate discount.

[pixelchef]

Does Fiji water really taste any different than any other bottled water? I mean, really?

[awbrig]

Does Fiji water really taste any different than any other bottled water? I mean, really?

Pixel,

Normally I cant differentiate between them. But with Fiji I can tell, in a huge way. Besides the terrific clean fresh taste, the softness of the water and its mouthfeel are noticeable upon the first sip you take. The water is so soft and elegant on your tongue and throat. I love it, love it, love it. The bottle is pretty cool too!

[awbrig]

Does TJ have coupons or weekly specials? - Do you need to register for a card for additional savings?

[tsquare]

No coupons, no specials, no cards. But a fun(ny) newsletter. Some days they have what you want, some days they don't. Changes regularly.