Fresh Market

This summer, I listened up when my sister recommended Fresh Market's meat selection. Fresh Market is the kind of suburban grocery store that is hard not to like.

The sockeye salmon (about $19.99/lb) did not disappoint - it tasted like it had swum onto the grill. Nor did the house-prepared Chicken Cordon Bleu (about $3.99 per piece) - although, to be fair, white meat chicken is prone to being a bit dry if overcooked. Everything was pretty darn fresh, and I would gladly go back. While the space is pleasant and aimed at yuppies, even the poor grad student can find high-quality proteins here. While you could stop by to buy fresh swordfish steaks ($19.99/lb.), you could just as easily bring home a wine-and herb rubbed roaster chicken for a little under six bucks.

The basics, like the meats and cheeses, are solid. The trick is leaving once you've got the goods.

While I can't speak about the more established locations, the Vienna grocery store has a lot going for it. There is an olive bar, which I'm sure I'd appreciate more if I were into olives or things that include olives. The produce is stacked in neat pyramids (similar to Whole Foods). There is a churn-your-own-nut-butter grinder, offering peanut and almond varieties (similar to Safeway Select stores) - which is really nice for people who 1) eat lots o' nut butter and 2) don't want preservatives in it. It's a brand-spanking new store, though, so users can grind away without worrying about who's maintaining and cleaning the grinding stuff. There is a row of barrels of whole coffee beans, which are fun to dip one's scoop in.

The middle of the store is dedicated to a center island filled with barrel bins from which you can make your own trail mix of choice. This is the part where I am like a kid in a candy store, surrounded by banana chips, wasabi peas, macadamia nuts, and various trail mix blends. I love trail mix.

The store feels like a boutique and does what a boutique should do - it's thoughtful, delightful even, but not overwhelming. A quick glance at the chilled beverage selection shows a lot of editing. There's kombucha but also Starbucks doubleshots, artisinal soda but also Snapple (in just a few flavors).

Also, the staff is really nice. I love this place.