You are the only ones who will share in my excitment:Central Market opens today!

[kwormann]

I have been waiting for months and today is the day. I have never been inside one, but Im hoping it will be somewhat like a farmers market with fresh stuff cheeper than Whole Foods. The best part, its 2 blocks from my school!!!!!
Any experience with Central Market????

[ellielk]

I live in Columbus, OH and we don't have Central Market here. But, out of curiosity, I checked out their web site at http://www.heb.com/heb/cm/indexCm.jsp

They've got some interesting recipes.

[SQ]

I've never heard of Central Market, but I hope it's great! Every week or two we go into Boston to Haymarket where the fresh produce is plentiful and much cheaper than the supermarket. When you buy all that fresh, ripe produce, it's a real inspiration to eat well.

[lindrusso]

I wouldn't say that it's like a Farmer's Market, but they do have a nice produce section - one that is fairly large. But that's really only about 25% of the store. The rest is seafood (a NICE seafood counter), gourmet prepared foods (pestos, raviolis, etc. - very yummy), wines, and specialty foods (vegetarian, gourmet, etc.). I also recall a freezer/refrigeration section where they have some regular items along with some tempting vegetarian items as well. Oh, and a yummy bakery and bulk foods section.

It's actually quite similar to Whole Foods, only larger. Hope it doesn't disappoint. As for prices, I do seem to recall that I didn't buy any produce there that I could get at my regular supermarket - probably due to the prices being a bit more. I don't think it's a place to get things cheaper, but a place to get items you can't get elsewhere.

So sad that this place is still so etched in my mind after 4 years!!

[miamadre]

I am envious. Central Market is a food lover's dream come true. I don't think you will find many bargains there, but you will find such a vast assortment of mouth watering goodies you had best make sure you have plenty of credit available on your Visa. The produce, seafood, bakery, cheeses, wines, condiments are all supurb, but you will not do your day-to-day shopping there.

[Terrytx]

I can hardly wait to check it out. I live way out west, so it is a trip for me, but I will be checking it out soon.

kwormann, see if they have the drunken goat cheese there and let me know if it is worth coming in from Katy to shop.

[kwormann]

Terry, DEFINATELY worth a trip from Katy (afterall, I go to Katy to the mall to shop!)

They do have Drunken Goat cheese, along with everything you every might want! It is HUGE! I am anxious to go back without a list so I can just browse!

Kim

ps...try the juices! Fresh squeezed....we tried apple carrot! It was so refreshing!

[This message has been edited by kwormann (edited 05-30-2001).]

[ama47369]

In college, my two roomies and I loved to go to the one in Austin! We were also really impressed with their fresh flowers! The salsa bar was awesome! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Amanda

[Liz K]

Kwormann, enjoy!

I live about 2 miles from the main Central Market in Austin. I love that place. I buy most of my groceries at the regular HEB, but refuse to buy produce there. I'm spoiled by Central Market. The bulk department is also a great place to get spices (particularly if you just need a small amount for a new recipe). Also, I like the ready to go food and the cafe.

Have fun wandering the aisles!

[sneezles]

Kim,
We are planning a day trip to Houston (5 women) just to visit the new Central Market, Whole Foods on Kirby and Home Depot Expo...life in the country does have its limit! I will however state that I was SUPREMELY disappointed to learn that Central Market is owned by H.E.B.!!!!!!!! One of the biggest mistakes in grocers that I have ever seen and unfortunately have to shop at (our small town doesn't have a store and LaGrange is the next town over and that is the ONLY grocer in a town of almost 5,000!) We figure that ol' Harold E Butt must own the town of LaGrange, no other explanation for it!

[kwormann]

Sneezles,

I have never been to an HEB there isnt one close to me, but Ive had it with the Kroger thats close to my house! I guess I dont feel the need to be treated rudele while I shop for groceries!

[kltcarley]

Kim,
Thanks for sharing about the Central Market for us fellow Houstonians. I plan to check it out soon!
Karen

[diane]

Liz K-I also live in Austin and work close to Central Market.

I don't go there to much b/c it is out of the way from home. However, when I go I have a great time going down every isle and picking up neat items. Produce is great and so are the flowers.

[lindrusso]

The Central Markets that I used to go to was in Austin too. I lived in Temple - a full 60 minutes away, but that didn't stop me from making probably 2 trips a month to Austin! But not just for Whole Foods and Central Markets, but for the great shopping!!It's funny how small-town living can make driving an hour one way just to shop seem like nothing!

[luv2cook]

Kim: I am going to try and go to Central Market today. From what I read in the business pages, it should be a success - especially where it is located - $$$ area.

Did you actually count out the 600 types of cheese they say they have? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

I am going to try and go there today after I drop Jake off for a shave, drop Dixie off for a geriatric blood workup and teeth cleaning and myself for a facial - provided nobody is calling for a pickup in between all that!

I can't wait to see it.

[SusieO]

YOU ARE SO LUCKY!!! I visited Central Market in Austin several years ago, and would love to be able to shop there regularly. BTW, one of my favorite (and easiest) recipes came from a card I got at the entrance there. Avocado Quesadillas. Yum!

[Liz K]

Lindrusso--I used to live in Temple and believe me, I drove to Austin nearly every weekend!

[This message has been edited by Liz K (edited 05-31-2001).]

[brendat4]

Hi! We have been waiting for the Central Market in Houston to open too! My DH has been asking me, do you know if it's open yet? has it opened? I think it's open (and that day we actually drove to see if it was open-it wasn't). Last night he asked again and I said "yes! It opened today!" So a field trip (we're in Sugar Land) is probably in order in the near future.

My in-laws live in Wimberley, but drive to the Austin store all the time to go to Central Market--especially to eat in their cafe. My father-in-law is a super-picky eater so it cracks me up that he likes the cafe in a grocery store so much! Anyway, when we went to the one in Austin, I seemed to remember that their prices were a tad high but they did have some unusual items. I liked their bulk foods section best. My MIL gets lots of different breads there too. But she was funny one time because she went on and on about the marmalade she had found there, said it was so good, we had to get some, etc. so we did. A few weeks later I saw the same thing at our local Krogers. :-)

Interestingly, the Central Market in Austin was featured on Food Network's special "Eat the Heat" last night! (it was all about peppers)

[lindrusso]

LizK - I see you're in Austin full-time now? I love it there! It was really the only thing I liked about Texas - my husband was stationed at Ft. Hood (we lived in Temple due to housing shortages at the time), so that's probably what made it unpleasant more than anything else.

And I also loved all the antiquing that you could do between Temple and Austin (Saledo? and the antique mall) http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif ....you really could shop your heart out along that corridor...especially if you kept on going to San Marcos! Hope I'm remembering these names correctly!

[Terrytx]

Off to Central Market in about 15 minutes. I have already reserved spots for my daughter and grandaughter (both 10) to go to the cooking school. Should be loads of fun for them.

Drunken goat cheese here I come!!

[m4star]

Congrats kwormann!! I am another Austinite and do my weekly shopping at Central Market (in fact I'll be there tonight). It's such a delight to shop at a CM. Prices can be higher but we just stick to getting produce, meats, seafood, bulk goods, and bakery items there. Then we get all of the others things we need at the regular HEB. And we don't spend a fortune at all. You just can't substitute for good quality!!

[Terrytx]

Whew! We have returned from our foray to Central Market....what a place. Well worth the trip and traffic to get there and back.

I got the last slab of Drunken Goat cheese. It was just sitting there waiting for me. Yum! Lets see....black (or maybe dark purple) bell pepper, other produce, 2 kinds of salsa, 3 or 4 different sauces, fresh salmon (on sale), 2 kinds of bread, 2 kinds of coffee, pasta sauce, peanut butter.....oh gosh, so many great things. And the DH had a Cuban sandwich. It will be a regular place to shop for me.

[kwormann]

Terry...Im so glad you liked it! Im taking DH tomorrow to show him! Enjoy the goat cheese! I also bought salmon. Did DH get the cuban sandwich from the prepared food area?

[beacooker]

OK, you guys are killing me with jealousy!! I am a recent transplant from San Antonio to Florida, and I miss Central Market (and HEB stores in general) so much! When I lived in SA, I never had to think twice about whether I could find a certain ingredient at the grocery store, HEB always had it. OK, I also have to admit that I used to work for HEB corporate headquarters, so I'm a bit biased. But I loved them even before I worked for them.
Now I'm homesick!!

[KellyD]

The DH and I checked out the new Central Market the night it opened - it was MOBBED!! But I was very impressed - it's like Whole Foods and Eatzis combined on steroids!! It is absolutely enormous - and the selection is something that has definitely been missing from the Houston grocery scene. I am now confident that I can just go to one place to get all the ingredients for a dinner party - especially produce. I swear, I always end up having to go to Kroger, Randalls, Albertsons and then out of desperation, drive down to Whole Foods.

The cheese wall was impressive - but the olive wall blew me away! The only drawback to the store is that in certain categories, it is rather pricey. Won't stop me, but I've heard some grumbling. Happy shopping Houstonians!

[Ilana]

I'm so happy CM has finally opened. I have been reading about it for quite sometime. I called the cooking school and they are sending me a catalogue. The news indicated that they will be building several in the Houston area, the next to be in Sugarland. Hopefully we will see one in the Clearlake area soon. I can't wait to go.

[Terrytx]

yes, there is a hot sandwich bar back there. It is next to the salad bar.

[KathyLeary]

They are in the process of building a Central Market very close to my house. It will be open in Novemeber. Now I'm more anxious then ever!

Kathy

[kwormann]

I took DH yesterday for a field trip. We got there at 9 am and had to wait in line to get in!

[brendat4]

Woohoo! Finally these stores recognize that we people are out there not wanting to drive in to Houston all the time to get our fun foods! I am really excited now! I know they're building an HEB in Missouri City so maybe that is it instead of Sugar Land! Boy, will my DH be excited too.

The news indicated that they will be building several in the Houston area, the next to be in Sugarland.

[karenv]

wow, this place sounds like Fresh Fields in Wash. DC or Fairway in NYC. Anyone else out there agree. Both terrific stores!

If anyone lives in the LI area (Nassau) Johns Farms in Plainview is THE place to get your produce. Eggplant .49 a lb., apricots, .69 a pound, cherries, .89 a lb. and soooooo much more fresh stuff.

KarenV

[doggerham]

I went over to Central Market on Friday after work -- it was pretty mobbed. I hate to be the party pooper, but I wasn't all that impressed. The fish aisle smelled way too fishy for me, the loaves of bread are displayed in a way that every person over 2 feet tall was handling them, there is no service in the cheese section, etc.

Someone said earlier that it was like Whole Foods and Eatzi's on steroids. I agree, but I think WF and Eatzi's each do a better job of what they do. And, lastly I really dislike the IKEA-like floorplan, which forces you to shop THEIR way, not MY way.

Just my .02. I plan to go back in about a month after the initial hoopla has died out and see what I really think.

Oh, Sneezles -- don't forget to vist Penzey's Spices when you make your foodie trip to Houston. They are not open Sundays though, so that might be a consideration.

Amy

[ashley]

I'm a die hard CM fan - I've already been 3 times and they've been open less than a week!Opening day was insane, but I went back for a cooking class that night (with Tyler Florence from Food 911). It was a great class - yummy recipes and tips. If the rest of their classes are like this, I definitely recommend anyone who lives nearby to sign up. When I went shopping yesterday things had calmed down quite a bit (of course it was mid-morning on a weekday - I love summer vacation!)

Not to make any Sugar Land or Clear Lake residents too sad, but on a tour of the store (preview deal) they told us there would be 2 stores opening in Dallas and 1 in Ft. Worth. I don't think they currently have any plans to open any more in the Houston area. Those suburban stores may just be of the regular HEB variety. I hope I'm wrong - I have a lot of friends and family that live out there and would love a CM nearby!

[brendat4]

I am sad, but I think you're right. Their going to be building a new HEB in Sugar Land though--near New Territory & Greatwood. Just found that out tonight. Oh well--gotta make a field trip to CM then!

Not to make any Sugar Land or Clear Lake residents too sad, but on a tour of the store (preview deal) they told us there would be 2 stores opening in Dallas and 1 in Ft. Worth. I don't think they currently have any plans to open any more in the Houston area. Those suburban stores may just be of the regular HEB variety. I hope I'm wrong - I have a lot of friends and family that live out there and would love a CM nearby![/B]

[kwormann]

ok Ashley, you have me beat! Ive only been there twice. Of course, summer school has been cancelled for today due to the storm, so maybe a trip back is in the future....

Was Tyler Florence a doll?????

Kim