Just the other day, we were in a supermarket in Frisco and thought, "You know, all this food is nice, but it sure would be great if we could pick up a diamond pendant for the wife and maybe an end table and some throw pillows while we're at it."
Well, Kroger must have read our minds. On Friday, the chain opened the first Kroger Marketplace store at 12221 Custer Road in Frisco. Along with an expanded floral section, selection of organic foods and deli, cheese shop, sushi bar and bistro, the 123,000-square-foot store has a gas station and stores within the store. Those in-store businesses include Fred Meyer Jewelers; Ashley Brand Furnishings; and Bed, Bath and Home (Kroger's own domestics department, not to be confused with Bed, Bath and Beyond).
But perhaps the best news for Frisco drinkers is the promise of nearly 500 types of import, specialty and craft beers and a 1,675-variety selection of wines complete with an in-house wine consultant. Hopefully they'll be generous with the samples, as there will surely be a correlation between the number of sample glasses consumed and the number of recliner chairs sold.
Similar Marketplace stores are planned for Fort Worth later this year, and for Little Elm in 2011.
Also going on this week...
Sevy's first Food and Wine dinner of the year, "Spanish Inspirations," is tonight at 6:30 p.m. with sherry-braised veal, grilled honey caper shrimp over saffron rice, pan-fried manchego cheese and more on the menu along with sangria and wines from Portugal, Spain and California. Seating is $59.95 per person. Reservations (required) are at 214-265-7389.
Also having its first wine dinner of 2010 is The Grape, which will highlight wines from the Piedmont region of Italy with a three-course bistro-style menu Wednesday night. Cost is $45 per person. Reservations are available at 214-828-1981.
Last but not least (expensive) is the Rosewood Crescent Hotel's vintage wine dinner. Chef Juan Rosado's menu for the evening pairs butter-roasted strip steak, tuna crudo, buttermilk panna cotta and more with Champagne, wine and port with vintages that reach as far back as the Kennedy Administration. Cost is $75 per person and reservations are at 214-953-4314.