Going Bananas in the North End

Coming home from work, I hardly want to spend a lot of time in a grocery store, perusing millions of aisles just to pick up a few ingredients for dinner at night. So, I usually end up stopping on Salem Street at Going Bananas instead. At first I was skeptical—what convenience-esque store would be able to help me create a tasty and nutritious meal? The answer? This one.
Like a well-run clothing boutique, Going Bananas goes for quality over quantity. It has everything you’d need for a quick weeknight dinner, with some fun extras thrown in. Feeling good? They have fresh salads, produce like bell peppers and tomatoes, small uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, yogurt, fruits, whole-grain cous cous (I couldn’t even find this at Shaw’s the other day) and FRESH herbs. They even have my favorite healthy item-- tofu. Feeling a bit more adventurous? Try some chicken sausage, or maybe one of their Asian-style sauces. Hosting an impromptu-gathering? Fresh cheese and crackers, as well as olives and oils. They even have pre-made pastas like pumpkin ravioli. Or, for a meal on the run, grab a fresh-fruit smoothie and a sandwich, made with Boar’s Head meats.

The best part? I can barely escape Shaw’s spending less than $30. Don’t know how it happens, but extra ingredients must just jump into my basket. Here, I can stop in, grab that lime and cilantro I need for my Asian-slaw I’m making, and leave spending less than $2.

The only thing I have not been a fan of? The name. It doesn’t seem to make much sense. But actually...after raving about this place...I can finally see why “Going Bananas” actually works.