R & G’s Food Basket

The meat dept stinks like crap. Now, I’ve been to staterbros, Ralph’s, northgate, and I’ve been to their meat dept, but this place meat dept has a smell that is just disgusting. The only thing good about this place is their produce prices. But the rest of their items are as comparable prices as the other stores… And I won’t even touch their meats and cheese’s.

I love that they have freshly made tortillas corn and flour. You also can pick up already made dinner. Prices on produce isn’t bad either.

R&G’s Food Basket has been a long-​standing produce market, with the old name being Crawford’s. While most items may reflect your traditional Mexican market like El Super, the Food Basket boasts quite a few wonderful items at a great price.
Here’s is what I liked about the place:
–Many people talk about the produce, and they are not kidding. It is very fresh, well organized, and wonderfully priced. I can’t believe there aren’t more people scooping in for the just the produce.
–It’s clean, and seems to be very well managed. All the items are stocked and restocked over to have great presentation. Most markets like this can get janky, so I really appreciated their attention to detail.
–It’s close to the 605 freeway, so you can get out of there in a jiffy.
–The staff are very helpful if you ask for their assistance.
Here’s where I think the place could use improvement:
–The parking lot can use a little bit more light during the evening
–Smaller improvements to aesthetics can be made, but may raise prices
I used to come here a lot as a kid for produce items, but those trips seemed to have become less frequent in years as I don’t live too close. I just have to remind myself, as I hope you do, that the market supports small business and has great produce.

I don’t come to this market often, but I did this week, and I must say the employees here were very helpful and friendly. I would go back b/​c of this.

Unfortunately nowhere close to what Crawford’s used to be. The store smells like cheap floor cleaning products (even in produce isle). But some items are well priced. I, personally would only buy pre-​packaged items and only some select produce. I am sad to admit but the marinated carne asada Crawford’s was known for — is gone for good. I’ve tried a few times the marinated pollo asada and carne asada from this store and it tasted blunt.

We were walking over to Candle Light Bakery in the same lot, but the smell of steaming masa lured us into Food Basket.
Very nice produce section!
I sent the hubby to go get a handbasket.
The quality and prices were good.
Warm bolillos were being loaded into the case.
Couldn’t resist and got six.
All of a sudden, I started remembering other items I needed.
The husband sighed and went to exchange the handbasket for a cart.
And, to get more re-​usable grocery bags from our car.
I ended up doing a full shopping there.
There, in the corner, was the source of the smell that brought us in.
Tamales!
Steaming hot and good sized! $ 1.49 each
Be careful when opening the flap of the steamer trays. My fingers… ow.
Also– a tortilleria!
Too bad we had just bought some elsewhere the day before. These looked and smelled pretty good.
Oh yeah! Also picked up a small tub of their made-​in-​house guacamole.
Good stuff! Made the chunky way we like.
There’s enough things I like about this market to make me want to come back when we’re in the area.

Besides the smell, or random things they got goin on here.
I always come when their tilapia goes on sale for 1.99 $/​lb or chicken breast ranging from 1.49−1.99 $/​lb, they’re really nice too — as far as the meat section goes!
I go and stock up every time there is a deal!

Excellent prices for produce. They have fresh cheese (like cojita), random plastered animal shaped banks, and a fresh tortilla factory.
Prices for orange juice, milk, and packaged foods are average priced.
I bought fresh chicken meat cut up for tacos, but when I cooked it, there was so much cartilage in it! I couldn’t finish the rest. What a waste.
I will continue to shop at F&E across the street for majority of my groceries.

This R&G’s uses to be Crawford’s. Quite similar to their smaller sister store on Pioneer, except it’s bigger (duh) and there’s more parking. The smell from the carniceria is stronger here. You smell it as you approach the front doors. I can’t stand it, so my visits here are in and out as fast as possible, and in one breathe, if possible.

I had a few things to pick up for dinner so I thought I’d stop by R & G’s Food Basket since I pass by this store on my way home from taking the train in Norwalk. This is store #1 located near the northwest corner of Rosecrans and Studebaker in a strip mall with a crowded parking lot.
I absolutely loved their produce department. They had a larger selection than I thought this little market would and everything looked fresh, clean and was stacked immaculately. I’m sorry I can’t rave like that about their meat and fish cases. Once I walked by to check them out, the stench almost immediately drove me away.
You can expect to find fresh tortillas as well as lots of other Hispanic products throughout the store. Even some of the store signage is in Spanish, i.e. sopa. Some things were deals while others were just overpriced which is typical of a smaller market.
I’ll give this store three stars for their better than O.K. produce department, but buyer beware about higher than normal prices on some items and their questionable fish and meat cases.