I wondered for a year if this place would ever get up to speed. It seemed like the conversion from Cub Foods to Metcalfe's took forever - and every time I went, I left disappointed (because it wasn't even close to the fabulousness that is their Hilldale store).\n\nWell, glory hallelujah - it's finally finished! It's much larger than the Hilldale store - in fact, it feels almost cavernous by comparison. But that's not a dig - there's nothing I hate more than an overcrowded grocery store. The lighting is interesting - spotlit in the fresh food areas and deli, with standard overhead lighting in the supermarket aisles.\n\nNow, I have to say, I haven't done a \"full shop\" at Metcalfe's - and probably won't. Their prices on standard grocery items are MUCH higher than those at other stores in the area (Woodman's, most notably). But frankly, I don't think that's why one shops at Metcalfe's. It's for the lovely produce, great bakery and top-notch specialty items, as well as the terrific deli and ready-to-eat foods (soups, salad bar, etc). One of my very favorite things is that they always have chopped or shredded rotisserie chicken on their salad bar. Sometimes I by-pass the salad and just get a container of chicken - a welcome short-cut to a homemade frittata, risotto, or gumbo. (Of course, I probably shouldn't have mentioned that - because now everybody will do as I do, leaving me SOL when I need chicken.)\n\nIn fact, I've developed a little Sunday ritual - grabbing a latte at a nearby coffee shop, then stopping into Metcalfe's for a little \"coffee and\" from their wonderful selection of local, artisanal pastries. It's a lovely moment of tranquility before I dive back into the work week.
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