Jardin Fresh Life Grocer @ Tuggeranong Hypderdome

taninaus said :

The only problem is that you can smell the seafood as you approach and in much of the store – as someone who severly dislikes the smell and doesn’t touch the stuff this is extremely off putting and I really don’t visit the store that often because of that. Pity as there are some really good specials and different items to what you can find elsewhere.

Oh FFS really? Go back inside your hole and continue eating fish fingers and processed chicken you ibmecile. Of course it smells like fish: it’s fish. And I for one hope I do smell fish when I go to a shop that sells fish.

On a side note, visited on my lunch break and found a block of cheese reduced for sale. Shame it only expired 10 days ago.

I was really excited when this place first opened. However, the third week into it, they jacked up the prices and ripped down all their ticket signs in the meat department, which had the current (and ridiculously cheap) prices pitched until October. I was lucky enough to spot a few mouldy tomatoes and vegie prices dearer than the supermarkets. Obviously it was their opening week specials, but they hadn’t adequately decked the shop out in signs indicating this.

I visit every now and then and still pick up a pretty mean discount in meat and veg, but there are some things I’m never so impressed by. The seafood I haven’t bothered touching. I come from the coast and wait for my fix when I go back home. It’s just off-putting in Canberra.

I have been very impressed with the meat quality and the freshness of the fruit and veg. Also, you can get produce you can’t find in the supermarket, like galangal, winter melons, and unwaxed ‘orchard’ apples of several varieties. I have also bought some supermarket items that were clearly cheaper than the supermarket price. AND, the deli has some nice pastries (best caramel slice I have had in quite a while!), a good selection of olives, and the BBQ chickens at around $7!
They also stock some unusual international beers.
I have been saving a significant amount since I started going there. Definitely worth a look. (PS I have not found the fish smell overpowering – just smells like the sea).

doomguy1001 said :

I’m just waiting for the store to change hands again or to just go completely.

The question is – what will kill the mother natures/fresh life first? The renovated Woolies or the continued decay in the entire centre?

I have to say I’ve been thinking the same thing. Markets/delis etc have never done all that well in the long term at the HyperD. My bet is the continued decay in the centre will do it.

I love seafood but when I went there a few weeks ago the seafood section had that gross fishy smell, like seafood that’s not all that fresh, or like the stinky seafood section in any woolworths/coles. Yuck. That would put me off shopping there if I lived in the area.

I’m just waiting for the store to change hands again or to just go completely.

The question is – what will kill the mother natures/fresh life first? The renovated Woolies or the continued decay in the entire centre?

their meat section is amazingly cheap and better quality than what you get at woolies!

I discovered this place a few weeks ago and havent notice any smell and have been happy with the quality of the produce.

I hate the perfumes AND the fish. Coles in Qbn have whole fish out in tubs of ice, and it bloody pongs. I still shop there though, I just scuttle past the fish bit. Sadly, most of their customers seem to marinate themselves in cheap, strong perfume and it’s not so easy evading that.

taninaus said :

The only problem is that you can smell the seafood as you approach and in much of the store

Well, you should be thankful that there are only a handful of places left in this city where fresh seafood is available. Many supermarkets wont supply seafood because of a few people who dont like the smell. Funny, I dont like the smell of the perfumes or the chemicals in the cleaning aisles, but I dont believe that I should be able to dictate to the shop that they should or shouldnt have perfumes or strong cleaning chemicals for sale.