Sunday, November 16, 2003
La Encantada - Part 1 by Karyn Zoldan
La Encantada or the enchanted has not always been so enchanting to its nearby foothills residences. Their greatest fear was that people from everywhere else will come knocking. But time heals wounds and today at least everyone and their mothers were out shopping at La Encantada.
Ask a jaded Californian about LaE and it’s not that big of a deal but ask a long time Tucsonan who has been dying for some upscale-ness beyond Casa Adobes and St. Phillips Plaza and they’re in heaven.
Walking into AJ’s Fine Foods, I felt like I was in West Hollywood’s Pavilions (the upscale Von’s), Gelson’s, or Bristol Farms. If you’re from Northern California you might compare it to Andronico’s. The first thing I noticed was a magnificent magenta protea – one of those fuzzy, phallic flowers so rarely seen around these parts. Certainly walking through the flower section was an assault of color but lacked fragrance.
We moved into the produce aisles abundant with more varieties than agriculturally possible. I have never seen violet kohlrabi before. Brussel sprouts were strung on long stems resembling a bouquet of vegetables. Star anise, passion fruit (ugly), a jewel box of berries, ripe pineapple, a basket of multiple varieties of mushrooms…everything looked unreal in its freshness. People were three-deep reaching out to touch and fondle freshness. Warning: Buy your pre-washed, pre-bagged lettuce elsewhere. In Trader Joe’s it costs $1.89, in Fry’s $2.49, and here $3.49.
The crowd swept me up and I missed the seafood grotto entirely but landed in front of the meat counter where ground round ranked in at $4.19 a pound. Ground pork was fashioned into a pig face which was totally cute. Already prepared skewers and stuffed pork roast was ready to go. We passed the wine cellar with a tasting room off to the side.
Beyond lay prepared foods with a sushi bar, pizza takeout ($2.99/slice), and a gourmet array of food fare just waiting to be carried out. Sesame chicken all aglow along with chutney turkey salad, Asian noodles, purple potato salad, and so much more to boggle the tummy. Chocolate truffles and minutely manicured pastries wait for consumption around the coffee bar.
Fortunately we weren’t hungry so just meandered up and down the aisles oohing and aahing at all the packaging. There were entire aisles for mustards, sauces, teas, ethnic foods, baking supplies that I never knew existed. Even the frozen food aisle held more choices than what you find in Safeway. And ice cream addicts can opt for some unusual Bertie’s flavors of fig, roasted banana, cinnamon vanilla along with Japanese labeled ice cream for green tea, azuki bean, and ginger bliss. A pint of Atkins’ Endulge was $3.49, less than it costs at Fry’s. Look beyond Coke and Pepsi to the rainbow of psychedelic colors and bottle shapes and flavors. Beers went around the world and back and the good thing is that you can make your own six-pack.
A large outdoor patio with a crackling fireplace encourages you to socialize and eat so you don’t have to wait until you get home. If La Encanta is this busy now, don’t even think about going there pre-holiday. Waiting for summer might be your best bet because this is an outdoor shopping experience and crowds are bound to subside when the thermometer hits triple digits.
AJ’s Fine Foods is open daily at Skyline & Campbell.
La Encantada or the enchanted has not always been so enchanting to its nearby foothills residences. Their greatest fear was that people from everywhere else will come knocking. But time heals wounds and today at least everyone and their mothers were out shopping at La Encantada.
Ask a jaded Californian about LaE and it’s not that big of a deal but ask a long time Tucsonan who has been dying for some upscale-ness beyond Casa Adobes and St. Phillips Plaza and they’re in heaven.
Walking into AJ’s Fine Foods, I felt like I was in West Hollywood’s Pavilions (the upscale Von’s), Gelson’s, or Bristol Farms. If you’re from Northern California you might compare it to Andronico’s. The first thing I noticed was a magnificent magenta protea – one of those fuzzy, phallic flowers so rarely seen around these parts. Certainly walking through the flower section was an assault of color but lacked fragrance.
We moved into the produce aisles abundant with more varieties than agriculturally possible. I have never seen violet kohlrabi before. Brussel sprouts were strung on long stems resembling a bouquet of vegetables. Star anise, passion fruit (ugly), a jewel box of berries, ripe pineapple, a basket of multiple varieties of mushrooms…everything looked unreal in its freshness. People were three-deep reaching out to touch and fondle freshness. Warning: Buy your pre-washed, pre-bagged lettuce elsewhere. In Trader Joe’s it costs $1.89, in Fry’s $2.49, and here $3.49.
The crowd swept me up and I missed the seafood grotto entirely but landed in front of the meat counter where ground round ranked in at $4.19 a pound. Ground pork was fashioned into a pig face which was totally cute. Already prepared skewers and stuffed pork roast was ready to go. We passed the wine cellar with a tasting room off to the side.
Beyond lay prepared foods with a sushi bar, pizza takeout ($2.99/slice), and a gourmet array of food fare just waiting to be carried out. Sesame chicken all aglow along with chutney turkey salad, Asian noodles, purple potato salad, and so much more to boggle the tummy. Chocolate truffles and minutely manicured pastries wait for consumption around the coffee bar.
Fortunately we weren’t hungry so just meandered up and down the aisles oohing and aahing at all the packaging. There were entire aisles for mustards, sauces, teas, ethnic foods, baking supplies that I never knew existed. Even the frozen food aisle held more choices than what you find in Safeway. And ice cream addicts can opt for some unusual Bertie’s flavors of fig, roasted banana, cinnamon vanilla along with Japanese labeled ice cream for green tea, azuki bean, and ginger bliss. A pint of Atkins’ Endulge was $3.49, less than it costs at Fry’s. Look beyond Coke and Pepsi to the rainbow of psychedelic colors and bottle shapes and flavors. Beers went around the world and back and the good thing is that you can make your own six-pack.
A large outdoor patio with a crackling fireplace encourages you to socialize and eat so you don’t have to wait until you get home. If La Encanta is this busy now, don’t even think about going there pre-holiday. Waiting for summer might be your best bet because this is an outdoor shopping experience and crowds are bound to subside when the thermometer hits triple digits.
AJ’s Fine Foods is open daily at Skyline & Campbell.
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