| The Drive: Fairfield, Ohio Miles: 248 Roll out the Barrels: For an ultimate foreign foodie weekend, visit Cincinnati, or should we say, Zinzinnati, during its annual Oktoberfest, Sept. 22 & 23. www.oktoberfest-zinzinnati.com |
Cross the threshold of the automated doors and you may be nonplused by the scope of the store. The sushi bar looks fresh and tempting; the 6-foot-tall singing Campbell’s can hovering over a soup aisle is intriguing; the 40-plus item olive bar beside the deli is certainly comprehensive. But when does it all add up to a cook’s nirvana? Just turn the corner past the award-winning restrooms …
Lay your fears to waste, and skip merrily toward the vanishing point at the other end of the store. Why? Entire freezer cases of dim sum-worthy Asian dumplings, topped with a mannequin pulling a rickshaw. A full deli case for just the cheddar cheeses. More than 1,400 hot sauces displayed beneath, appropriately, a fire truck. Fish so fresh, there’s a biopond hatchery with an observation platform in a quiet corner of the building. Separate sections for every nation you can think of — including an animatronic Sherwood Forest at the British section and a Hispanic section named Mercado Gigante that’s as big as some entire stores.
A mini movie theater, retelling Jungle Jim’s story since its 1971 inception as a roadside stand, is the perfect place for a quick respite. Then, head back into the light to browse the second half of the store.
The prices on everything are fair to amazing, and while all six acres were hopping with happy customers, we never felt cramped. The very best part? Plenty of checkout lines. Minutes down the road, you’ll find a variety of lodging. We stayed at the moderately priced Cincinnati North Hotel. www.cincinnatinorthhotel.com.
