When gauging customer excitement for any new Astoria attraction, one must remember that this town was ecstatic about the arrival of McDonald’s two decades ago.

It’s not surprising, then, that many area residents have embraced the new Safeway store – Oregon’s largest, with 56,000 square feet of floor space – which opened last month. And why not? Sprawled on 5.75 acres (including the parking lot and gas pumps) of waterfront near the East End Mooring Basin, this place is grander than any supermarket the town has ever seen.

Still, the store isn’t without its quirks and disappointments. Foremost is the product mix; frankly, there isn’t much breadth or depth. But as savvy customers joked early on, there certainly are a heck of a lot of bananas.

The purpose of this roundup, however, has nothing to do with produce, grocery items, ground beef or cracked crab. Rather, I visited Safeway numerous times, choosing among the many fast-food items, then sampling the goods at home. Here’s a look at a half dozen categories of ready-to-eat (or drink) offerings. Prices may vary, depending on whether a particular item is being discounted.

Baked goods galore

Promotional material claims that 90 percent of Safeway-brand bakery goods are prepared in-store by professional bakers. My loaves of pecan-raisin and Asiago-cheese bread ($2.99 for a 16- to 20-ounce loaf) were small but weighty and better tasting than I imagined they might be. Crusty, too, although the innards weren’t as chewy and dense as many of the artisan loaves I’ve enjoyed. The Asiago bread showcased the distinctive, nutty flavor the popular cheese is renowned for.

Bagels follow suit – blueberry, raisin, onion, cheese, poppyseed and more, these doughy orbs have decent heft and a shiny crust ($.33 each; buy a dozen and get two free). I purchased my bagels during a week-long special promotion: 14 for $3.49, an unbeatable bargain.

Salads and such

The marinated artichokes exuded flavor, but nothing else was striking about my Mediterranean pasta salad ($5.99 a pound). Broccoli salad ($4.99 a pound) came laced with shredded cabbage, chopped red onions, sesame seeds and raisins. The latter were a bit of a stretch, but the lightly dressed salad was a success, although a vinaigrette would have been preferable to the mayonnaise base. Sundry sandwiches can be had, pretty much any way you want them.

Olives and other accouterments

Almost everybody likes one type of cheese or another, and Safeway boasts an impressive assortment, say Mondrain Swiss-style cheese ($8.99 a pound). Customized cheese platters are available.

A decade ago when olives were the ultimate yuppie food, every upscale supermarket was darn snooty about its selection. Nowadays, a “gourmet” olive display isn’t such a big deal. Still, Safeway offers Astoria’s finest olive bar – black olives, green olives, pimento-stuffed olives, kalamata olives and others that you and I may never have heard of (all $6.99 a pound). If you’re skeptical about the difference between typical olives in a jar and these fleshy deep-hued beauties, try this: Purchase a handful, along with a loaf of artisan bread and a favored cheese; take them home, then sample a sliver of bread and a slice of cheese followed by an olive. Now tell me that’s not a splendid treat!

Take-home meals

Visit the carving station between 4 and 8 p.m. daily for made-to-order cuts of turkey, pork, tri-tip sirloin and prime rib, all paired with vegetables and other side dishes – recently pork loin with a choice of mashed or jo-jo potatoes and glazed carrots or corn ($6.99). More enticing might be a whole roasted teriyaki chicken ($5.99), which could easily feed three. My moist two-pound bird, fresh out of the oven a half hour before (there’s a time designation on the packaging) was infused nicely with a not-too-sweet teriyaki, the latter blended with pineapple juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder and a splash of sherry concentrate.

Sushi, conversely, was second-rate. Sliced California Plus rolls ($6.19 for a dozen) were requisitely colorful and nicely arranged on a plastic mini tray, but they didn’t taste as vibrant as they looked. Pickled and sliced ginger was limp; a lump of pasty wasabi added little. No raw seafood was used – a good thing because this sushi has a two-day shelf life (at least a day too long for sushi-quality fish). Actually, the only seafood I could discern, way down on the list of ingredients, was pollock and imitation crab (presumably surimi).

Something sweet

Individual desserts are ideal for voracious singles or couples willing to share. An eight-ounce slice of nectarean carrot cake ($2.19) was fresh, amply frosted and easily big enough for two. Conversely, a double-tiered slice of mushy German chocolate cake weighing in at seven ounces ($2.19) tested the limits of my sweet tooth. Frankly, I needed to down a couple-three superb kalamata olives to rid my palate of the cake’s over-the-top saccharine aftertaste.

Libations

Anticipating an array of wines from the Northwest and beyond, I was disappointed in Safeway’s unimaginative lineup. Exceptions that caught my eye included Ca’ del Solo Big House Red ($10.99), a mix of multiple varietals; and Francis Coppola Rosso, blended from zinfandel, syrah and cabernet sauvignon ($8.39). For a store this size, the wine section is average, especially considering Safeway’s enormous buying power. Ditto for the beer aisle stocked with the usuals, but not many Northwest craft beers beyond a decent stash from Bend’s Deschutes Brewery. I’ve seen more far-ranging beer choices crammed into the coolers inside corner grocery stores.

Safeway

3250 Lief Erickson Drive, Astoria

(503) 338-2960

Hours: 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. every day

Strengths: Spacious, easy to navigate floor plan; in-store bakery, deli, etc., even a Starbucks; and plenty of parking

Weaknesses: Product mix lacks breadth and depth; wine and beer departments are disappointing

Best bets for quick meals: Asiago bread ($2.99), broccoli salad ($2.50), a sampling of olives ($2), teriyaki chicken ($5.99), carrot cake ($2.19) – enough to feed two for $15.67 (prices may vary).