One thing I really enjoyed about our post Thanksgiving Roadtrip was the theme….it really wasn't planned, but much of it revolved around food in one way or another……we ended up in San Bruno for two nights. San Mateo is close enough and we ended up going market-hopping. There are places where I didn't really take the time out to take photos; Nijiya and Whole Paycheck in San Mateo, but here's a couple of other places we stopped at while just checking things out:
Crystal Springs Produce:
I had read about tis place and thought it might be a nice stop. I didn't quite know where it was and the irony of the location and where we were was to evident in our selection for dinner, which was basically right across the street, though we didn't know it at the time.
The shop is not very big and you can't really do all your shopping here, but this is one of those places that every neighborhood should have; a nice selection of local, organic, with a nice selection of European products.
The Missus was especially interested in the Sardines and tinned Seafood, having been to Portugal earlier in the year.
The Missus was obsessed with apples at this time; She hoarded them, Jazz Apples, Crimson Gold, Blakc Arkansas……we added to the collection here…..
Remember those" I went to xxxx and all I got to show for it was this t-shirt", well, I went to NorCal and all I got to show for it was a bunch of apples…..
This was a nice shop, every neighborhood should have one of this quality; though I gotta say, the young man manning the counter treated me like he was doing me a favor by ringing me up……
Crystal Springs Produce
770 Polhemus Rd
San Mateo, CA 94402
The Gourmet Corner:
I'd actually heard about this shop a while back.
When we entered, it looked like what I'd call a "box wine shop"…..
With a nice selection of canard products. I mean, I really wish I had room for a six pack of duck confit!
Things really didn't click for us until one of the guys working here said, "we've got lots of other stuff in the back" and opened the door……
While there wasn't anything amazing…..think of this as the "Smart and Final" of French ingredients.
I was tempted to ask "Pardon me, would you have any Grey Poupon?"
Some of it was quite good……
Some of it was meh……
Still, I'd really love a shop like this in San Diego….though I'm not sure we could support it. The gentleman at the front counter told me that a good majority of the duck products went to Canada and I later saw some of it a Surfas. I was also told that I "should have come here before the foie gras ban"
I really enjoyed this stop.
The Gourmet Corner
873 N San Mateo Dr
San Mateo, CA 94401