More Than Just A Market

Kurren Bafna  

It started with just a, “C’mon! I promise you’ll love it!” I had no interest in walking with my friend all the way to Babo Market, located at 403 Washington Street down by the 411 Loft apartments. But much to my surprise, I found that Babo is a quaint little deli/market with nearly every food you could imagine. From the mouthwatering display of hot and cold prepared meals to the never-ending line of cheeses and wines, Babo Market has it all.

My disgruntled attitude toward being dragged to Babo was immediately reversed when I walked inside the shop. The glass windows, metallic-silver shades, and unfinished pipeline ceiling create a contemporary atmosphere. At the front of the store are racks of organic, locally grown produce. Healthy! Babo prides itself on the freshness of its produce as it also supports a local economy.

As I made my way further into the store, I saw a complete selection of hot and cold foods. This is really the best part. The delectable section of hot and cold foods has an eclectic variety of meats and other prepared dishes. I’m a vegetarian so I stuck to the salads of the cold side. After taste testing a few different ones, I chose to go with the “roasted cauliflower with lentils” and the “southwest quinoa.” The sweet roasted cauliflower mixed with spiced lentils and onions, which was garnished with coriander and lemon, tasted stupendous. The big crunchy chunks of cauliflower went well with the soft chewy lentils to create a burst of flavor.

Meanwhile, the southwest quinoa with peppers, tomatoes, corn, and beans was more of a standard, refreshing salad. It was not nearly as exciting as the cauliflower salad, but it was certainly delicious. Once past the prepared food, there is a rack of different deli meats and cheeses to take back home. They also have a rack of wine near the cheeses (surprise, surprise). While I’m no connoisseur in that field, I can certainly say that they have all kinds of excellent wine and cheese combinations.

A unique specialty of Babo is the “juicery.” They’ve crafted a series of TASTY smoothies that each contains the healthiest of fruits and vegetables. Could you imagine eating a pound of ginger with four bananas? This combination is made possible except with even more goodies inside. I haven’t tried it yet, but definitely next time.

If you’re looking for a place to shop for fresh items, there is nothing better than Babo. While it is a bit expensive, you’re also paying for the top grade. Definitely a place to keep on the top of your list for new places to try! Bundle up and head over on a Saturday afternoon for a nice lunch.