As we were just gallivanting around Salt Lake City the other day, we stopped by Pirate-Os in Draper. It was great fun! It is a "gourmet grocery store" and at first we could not understand why it was named Pirate-Os. That name seems more appropriate for a cereal or a miniature-golf center.
It is a quirky place. The outside shows that it was an old storage warehouse. There are eclectic decor that surrounds the building and the dirt parking lot. The kids loved the treasure chest full of 'genie lamps' and the old BMW that is an antique version of a modern SMART car.
We spent about an hour in the store looking over all the shelves. It was so much fun to experience a world tour in such a small shop. We were able to find all kinds of foods we have learned to love over the years of traveling and living in different countries and cultures. We found Furikake from Japan (and Hawaii) that we love to put in our popcorn and on our Musubi.
There was cheese and meets traditionally from all over the world.
There were some areas with fun, quirky gifts to give to people. We enjoyed walking around and just experiencing the store. I say experiencing the store because it truly is an experience.
There was fresh licorice that I learned to love while spending time in Australia. My favorite will ALWAYS be the green apple!
CHOCOLATE!! There is Swiss chocolate, there is New Zealand and British chocolate and they had Ritter chocolate! Both Lady Hiva and I love the almond version of it. Europe spoiled us with good chocolate and most of that does not come in a wrapper, it comes is a decorative box. BUT if you cannot just fly to Europe for your chocolate fix...at least we know where to find some fantastic alternatives.
They even had some of our iconic favorites from travels through Germany and Austria.
There were foods and ingredients from Thailand, India, Hungary, and all over Asia.
We came home with a suitcase full of Hungarian spices a few years ago, now we know we do not have to do that anymore! They also had Fluer de sel, the best flaky salt to top any chocolate chip cookie!
On one trip to Europe, we drove way out of our way to purchase basalmic vinegar from Modena, Italy. They have some amazing choices right here.
Last time we were in Vienna we learned to LOVE these cookies! We were so happy to see that they were sold here in good old UTAH!
They had a whole room for pasta. Both Lady Hiva and I were hoping they would have our favorite noodle--Umbricelli, a noodle native to the small villages of the Umber region.
If you are a hot sauce fan, they have a whole WALL of options!
I tried to get the kids to eat insects with me...neither wanted to take on the challenge.
So, yes, pirates have the best options from around the world! If you are looking for a specialty food or a fun quirky gift for someone special, Pirate-Os is a good stop to include!
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