Houstonist Bites: Sandy's Market

Tucked away in the shell of an old K-Mart in a west Houston strip center that defines the word "unassuming" is one of the city's best markets and -- dare we say it? -- the best salad bar around. There. The secret is out.

Sandy's Market doesn't look like much as you pass it on Katy Freeway, almost lost in the shuffle of endless beige stucco buildings that line the city's roadways. But step inside and you'll instantly be pulled in by the strong scent of cumin, cardamom, cloves and hundreds of other spices that Sandy's sells in bulk. It's an intoxicating aroma that belies their markedly simple store.

Although the layout is simple enough -- exposed ceilings, mostly bare walls, simple wooden and metal shelves, no overhead Muzak -- the store offers a complex and thorough assortment of food and health-related items (and even has massage therapists, acupuncturists, nutritionists and other holistically-minded types on hand, especially on the weekends).

At any given time, you'll find the following: wholesale herbs, vitamins and minerals; bulk nuts and spices; endless barrels of organic produce; free-range meat, poultry and eggs; dozens of varieties of bread, most of them made from grains other than wheat; organic milk and many variations of soy and goat milk; frozen dinners that are vegan, kosher, organic, gluten-free; freshly-roasted coffee beans (including Katz Coffee); books and magazines on homeopathic medicine and natural remedies; and even antiques. Yes, we said antiques.

And in the center of this dizzying array of food, spices, herbs and 18th-century oak armoires is the famed buffet. Sandy's serves both breakfast and lunch daily, via a gloriously fresh and delicious buffet. Sunday breakfast buffets, in particular, see a fiercely lively crowd, the market packed with families and friends enjoying a healthy spread that is unrivaled in Houston.

Eating a meal at Sandy's can be tricky for a first-timer. Where do you sit? How do you get a ticket? Do you just walk up and serve yourself? What are these people doing pushing tea carts around? Where do you pay? But it's actually quite a simple process after the first time.

You seat yourself. Anywhere you'd like. There are tables scattered -- literally -- throughout the store. Want to sit by the eggs and milk? The watermelons? The massage therapist and the naturopath? Go right ahead. Grab a wooden tray and a plate and dig in. There are several different areas to the buffet: the salad bar, which has every fruit and vegetable you could possibly want (and a few you've never heard of); the hot food bar, which always has brown rice, black beans and vegetarian chili along with three chef's items of the day; the toast bar, where you can pick from a dozen varieties of bread, butter and jellies; and the drink bar, where you have a choice of several different teas and fresh juices.

Once you've filled your plate, take a seat and tuck in. Check for a price tag on your table; chances are it's an antique, and chances are it's for sale. After a while, one of the delightful little tea carts will come by. If you'd like a pot of hot tea with your meal (your choice of varieties), they'll prepare it for you there for an extra $2.00. If not, they'll simply leave your ticket with you.

Lunches are busy, but the store itself is so large and open that it never feels crowded or harried: a perfect lunch to relax with during a hectic workweek. Breakfasts are decidedly more fun, though, with live music ringing throughout the store and free Wi-Fi for catching up on the New York Times or Go Fug Yourself. There's also the added bonus of being able to do your weekly grocery shopping when you're finished. And, of course, an omelette bar.

For lunch, Houstonist prefers to load up on the salad bar. Aside from immaculately fresh greens and veggies, there's a fabulous selection of other cold dishes: tabouleh, hummus, chickpea salad, tuna salad, chicken salad and sometimes a potent salmon salad. The cold (not iced) fruit teas at the drink bar are the perfect compliment to a light, but hearty and healthy, lunch. If you're still hungry, though, there's always German chocolate cake and carrot cake to finish.

When you're done, simply take your ticket to one of the cash registers up front and pay your $9.95 -- an incredibly good deal for such a healthy lunch. On your way to the registers, though, make sure and check out the other areas of the store. Every time we go, we find another little treasure on our way out: a ridiculously cheap bag of dried chamomile, a bag of decadently plump peaches, some tasty sugar-free dried fruit snacks, a giant jar of turmeric pills (keeps our skin and teeth healthy!) or a pamphlet for an upcoming free holistic medicine seminar. You never know what you'll find at Sandy's...

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Sandy's Market
12171 Katy Freeway
281.870.9999‎