Northern Light
Superstar
Metro is a regular let down with their hot counters. Everything seems to be either too bland, or too dry, or too salty.
Metro has 2 decent points, in a small number of stores they have 'The Carvery' where they do fresh (cooked in store that day) Roast Beef, Montreal Smoked Meat, and Smoked Chicken.
The roast is sometimes a bit over......but not bad; the Smoked Meat is actually decent (I mean its not Jewish deli level...but its quite edible). But its really only good early in the day in most stores, typically its made overnight/early morning, then put under the heat lamp. Good at noon.........but if its sitting there at 5.......(they may be out)...... yeah, not so much.
The Onion Rings, while frozen actually aren't 1/2 bad. The use red onion, in a decent chunky size and the batter has some interesting spice to it.
Haven't tried Farm Boy's hot counters yet - I often peruse the offerings, but they usually look dried out and stale - like c'mon, is it that hard to come along every now and then and stir the contents so that the top layer isn't crusty while everything underneath is mushy? Maybe the temperature setting is too high? Either way - LAZY. Put more effort if you want to entice me.
I find the same issue. I tried their counters back when. I found that their best items any given month (they rotate the menu monthly) was often decent'ish. But the rest.........very plain/understated.
Either way, like the Carvery at Metro, stuff tends to go out for lunch.......if it sells through every day, they might have one replacement tray, If not, it tends to age unfavourably.
I'd love to know more hot counters with better quality, or other solid grab 'n go places like the Rooster.
Whole Foods used to be great....... they made everything in house, and had chefs/cooks who knew local tastes.........but the American management imposed their menu (bland); and then contracted out 1/2 the food to third party vendors. Sigh.
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