Seabra Moves in, Widening Lunch Options

Late last year, new owners gave this space a much-needed renovation. 

Springfield, your new supermarket is now open. opened in November, with bright, wide aisles and the same friendly service—in some cases, the same faces—that staffed the old Food King. In the center of the store sits dozens of lunch options—a deli, salad bar and bakery case.

It's no secret that we were never huge fans of the on Morris Avenue. Some places acquire character as they age. This grocery store was downright depressing – but the deli did make a decent sandwich, which they served with friendly service.

The salad bar at the new Seabra includes greens and all of the usual salad fixings, plus pasta salads, coucous and orzo salads, as well as a large assortment of olives. Next to the deli is a hot lunch bar, with foods cooked daily such as beef stew, jasmine rice, sauteed broccoli, as well as whole rotisserie chickens and a soup of the day.

Yes, the lunch options in Springfield have expanded. 

A plate from the hot bar is $5.99 per pound. Last week, we sampled several items, and here's what we thought:

Chicken rollatini—Meat was tender and flavorful, rolled around a thin slice of ham. The cream sauce kept the chicken hot and moist.

Rigatoni with peas in a light pink sauce—This was a disappointment, as the pasta was overcooked and lacked flavor.

Meatballs—Moist and full of flavor, these meatballs were as good as homemade, though a little more salt would not have hurt.

Sausage, peppers and onions – These, too, were well done. The sausage was a little spicy. The peppers and onions were fresh, colorful and not at all overcooked.

The selections change daily, but every day seems to offer a good variety. 

If you're in the mood for a sandwich, grab a roll from the long bins of baked goods and hand it to someone behind the deli counter. We've had turkey and swiss, and turkey and pepper jack, and neither disappointed. It's difficult to go wrong when the meat is sliced right in front of you, and the person making your sandwich is asking what you want on it, right down to the variety of mustard. The price tag is also impressive: $3.59.

Rounding out the options here are desserts. The long sweet roll covered in almonds is a winner, for $1.50. The Bolas de Berlin, like a doughnut stuffed with dulce de leche looked amazing but turned out to be far too sweet. Large oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip cookies are sold for $1. These are only a few of the dozens of dessert options under the glass case, from Portuguese favorites to cannoli. 

Seabra is looking to be a welcome addition to the township's lunch options, a vast, pleasant improvement over its predecessor.