Why does it take so long for things to really “happen” in Santa Clarita? Just the other day, I was asking my husband if he remembers when The Old Road didn’t connect Valencia and McBean. He didn’t!
For us foodies, we wait and wait and wait to get what the valley, as in The San Fernando Valley gets. I’m talking Whole Foods, Bristol Farms and yes, Vallarta!
What is the big deal, you ask? For those of you who do not know Gelsons from Food For Less, I will explain the beef, so to speak, about these three markets.
Whole Foods is like Lassen’s, which I love, on steroids. Whole Foods is about natural and organic products. From produce, to seafood, to meat – you are getting products as close to the grower or farmer as you can get up here in the SCV. Unlike most grocery stores, they have a huge vitamin and supplement department and a salad bar that puts Soup Plantation to shame (as if you needed a reason?). They carry the largest selection of natural cleaning and paper products of any store locally. The deli department with the hot food bar, pizza counter, Udon and sushi bar, carving station, burrito and bowl bar and cold prepared food displays gives a family lots of choices for even the pickiest of eaters. In my family, where pickiness isn’t much of an issue, no one can decide what to eat because it all looks so yummy. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have 12 or more Ciao Bella Gelato flavors to choose from for dessert. We call Whole Foods the $100 market because you can’t get out of there without spending a fortune. One has to expect to pay more for unusual and organic products. For families who eat mostly organically, WFs is a must! For the rest of us, it is just darn fun. Here is a hint – they let you try anything in their deli departments – just ask.
I call Bristol Farms…. Burrata Farms because it was the only market to carry my favorite fresh mozzarella cheese, Burrata for a long time. Burrata has a thick, milky membrane which, when broken, oozes silky, stringy, moist and mellow fresh cheese that spreads easily on a warm baguette. If you have never had Burrata, run over RIGHT NOW to Bristol Farms and get some. Make sure to check the date because it is best to eat Burrata within 24 to 48 hours of when it is made. Oh… I digress..
Bristol Farms, “extraordinary food, extraordinary service” is all about gourmet. Yes, they do carry organic and natural products but there is much more. Bristol Farms is to Food For Less as Porsche is to Hyundai. If you are looking for truffle infused salt, homemade lamb sausage or saffron, BF is your market. When you walk along the isles of this market, you feel like you are on a movie set. Products perfectly placed shoulder to shoulder along the isles of dry goods compete with the tenderly stacked produce in the market’s most northwesterly corner. The meat department, carrying anything from veal to lamb to pork, buffalo, chicken, beef and game, showcases its provisions artistically, colors and shapes methodically placed to emphasize the gorgeous, fresh cuts and combinations of cuts of proteins. And nowhere in the SCV can you fill a container with cold, fresh, sushi grade Aloha Poki, a combination of Ahi tuna with soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, seaweed and sesame seeds, I think. If I don’t weigh the Ahi container before I get to the checkout line, they might have to weight me before and after to find out how much I ate! I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the cheese and olive department. First of all, the manager of the cheese department, like all of the managers are of their respective departments, is extremely knowledgeable about types of cheese (milk), preparations of cheese, and cheese paring. They are willing to special order cheeses that they do not regularly carry or at least help you find where you can buy it. You can sample cheeses and olives before you buy. Of course, if you are really into cheese, there is no place like The Beverly Hills Cheese Shop. But I digress again…. In their own words, ” Find the latest and greatest gadgets, and kitchen goodies, the most current and innovative items in the industry. With product lines like Cuisinart, Joyce Chen, Le Creuset, Oneida, Oxo, just to name a few, you can’t be steered wrong. Bristol Kitchens carries everyday items as well as your special Holiday entertaining product needs. You will find a variety of table top linens in patterns that will suit your taste. They carry all sorts of crystal stem wine glasses to accompany any wine selection”, which did I mention is FABULOUS. Bristol Farms has a fine espresso bar, gelato counter, floral area and bakery as well. Bristol Farm is on the cutting edge of the culinary world. If you see a product on Food Network, chances are you will find it at B.F.s.
Finally, my new favorite market is Vallarta, located on Lyons near Orchard Village. Vallarta, self proclaimed “The supermarket for all families”, started to serve mainly the Hispanic marketplace back in 1985 but now owns 27 stores in 6 counties in California and attracts diverse customers of many backgrounds. With their Full and Self Service Meat Departments, Hot Food Kitchen with dining area, Bakery, Deli/Cremeria Department, fresh made Tortilla Department, Produce, Health and Beauty Aid and Grocery Departments too, it is challenging to not find what you are looking for. Not only can you feed a family of four for $10 (one whole chicken, beans, rice, potato salad, tortillas and salsa) in the Hot Food Kitchen, they make the corn tortillas right in front of you and happily hand fresh ones to the kids as you shop. I think Vallarta has the best prices on produce in the valley with onions at $.39 a pound (and sometimes cheaper), avocados sometimes as low as .25 each, watermelon at 3 pounds for $1.00, corn on the cob at 4 for 1.00 and nectarines $.89 a pound. The meat and seafood departments are impressive and extremely reasonable. Many weeks, they offer whole frying chickens or thighs and legs for $.89 a pound. Because they sell such a high volume, the meat is very fresh. No flies or bad smell in this meat department! They offer multiple types of sour creams, cheeses, and sausages, all of which they sample. The bakery department, which generally bakes without lard, prepares fresh breads and bakery treats daily including gorgeous cakes and other confections. If you have not been to Vallarta, stop by. My family eats a lot of fresh vegetables and fruit every week. It is not usual for me to fill up a cart with fresh produce and spend less than $30. Go see for yourself.
Thank goodness we are finally getting some decent grocery stores to shop in. Now if we can get a Nordstrom, my life will be complete.
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