It’s best to be systematic when entering the new Mystic Market store in Old Saybrook. Otherwise, you might pinball around the spacious cafe/marketplace in a foodie daze and possibly miss some of the many wonderful items available.

It took me a few visits to develop a Mystic Market shopping system: I check the case of prepared pasta-potato, etc. salads first (with more than a dozen on offer), then the soups (at least six), then I cruise the refrigerated cases of green salads and prepared and frozen meals. Maybe I’ll stop at the coffee bar on the way out and whimsically pick out the pastries I’d love to try if I wasn’t in a less-sugar-more-running phase. If none of the above speaks to me, I peruse the lengthy sandwich menu (which can be prepared fresh, or, for those in a hurry, many varieties of sandwich are pre-made in yet another case). I’ll follow a similar course here.

I don’t tend to get too far into the prepared salads case now that I’ve tasted the regularly offered lemon orzo feta salad with spinach ($7.50/pound). This is a divine combination that I insist you try if orzo salads are your thing. At once buttery and lemon-y, the feta perks up the entire mix in the way only feta can, and just the right amount of fresh spinach leaves add a pleasing bit of toothy texture with a hint of fresh green flavor.

Elsewhere in the fresh salads case is another regularly available dish: pork ribs and pulled pork. We went with the latter ($14.99/pound) on a recent visit, and Mystic Market scored another hit. The chef has nailed the level of smokiness good pulled pork should feature: it’s fully present but not overly so, and it doesn’t overshadow the base layer of bright spiciness. It reminded us of the fabulous barbecue we’ve sampled in Texas.

The soups ($3.25 for small; $5.75 for a large) I’ve tried so far have ranged from excellent to just fine with no outright disappointments. In the top tier of “excellent” I suggest the potato leek soup, a smooth, flavorful pureed potato mixture. The beef barley with vegetables proved a very good and comforting lunch on a recent high-allergy-sore-throat day: lots of beef, lots of barley and a tasty broth. As a huge fan of Mexican food, I had high hopes for the Chile Verde soup I picked it up recently, and while it was a tasty and well-thought-out mix of green chiles, pork and black beans, I could’ve used a little more spice kick and heat overall.

On to the prepared meals, in which we encountered two hits and an unexpected miss. First the hits: steak with chimichurri sauce ($12.99) and the ratatouille ($6.99) we picked as a side dish. We were amazed that steak that had been hanging out in a cold case could remain so tasty after a turn in the oven, but somehow it retained proper (enough) texture and the terrific chimichurri — a garlic-y, slightly tangy and fresh and green-tasting sauce — made the whole dish sing. The dollops of mashed potato that came with the steak were perfect.

As for the ratatouille, we loved the way the bright tomato base was allowed to tie together the mixture of squash, zucchini, yellow peppers and eggplant, which we suspect were grilled before they were tossed together. A mild garlic undercurrent in the tomatoes created a satisfying savory effect that paired well with the zing of the chimichurri steak.

Now the miss: a beautiful-to-behold chicken pot pie ($8.99), sporting what was at least an inch-thick crust. I’ve seldom met a chicken pot pie I haven’t liked and while I won’t go so far as to say I didn’t like Mystic Market’s, there is room for improvement. That pillow of crust and beautiful chunks of chicken helped to cheer up the rest of the bland, bland pie, but even the crust wasn’t terribly flavorful and only provided welcome texture. Despite extra time in the oven, the carrots and peas never really softened and a dearth of the gravy that usually pools up in pot pies only made them seem tougher.

I’ll end on a high note, and that is the Cuban sandwich ($8.50) we grabbed for a recent lunch. We found one sandwich to be a very filling lunch for two people (paired with a side of the orzo salad) and it is something we’ll order again and again. Served on an expertly grilled baguette, the layers of pork, ham (more pork than ham), Swiss cheese, pickles and pungent but yummy mustard fused in a perfect expression of hearty flavor with delightful texture; the bread retained some softness, the meats were tender and the pickles crisp.

I’ve only scratched the surface at Mystic Market, and it is an exploratory mission I look forward to continuing. The sandwich menu alone sports more than two dozen options, and if I can forget how wonderful the orzo salad is, I want to try the sesame noodles and cheddar-bacon potato salad I’ve spotted in the salad case. And then there’s the selection of local cheeses in a fridge case ... and the desserts ... and the root beer on tap. Good thing the market is conveniently located off the highway, right on the way home from work.

Mystic Market Kitchen & Eatery South

70 Mill Rock Road East

Old Saybrook

(860) 661-5910

http://mysticmarket.com/south 

Cuisine: Gourmet sandwiches, soups, salads and meals to go; a handful of gourmet grocery items available, too, including olive oils, dried pasta, and breads and chips and dips — many of them local.

Atmosphere: Bright and spacious interior with lots of seating indoors and out; cafe space is farmhouse chic and very inviting.

Service: Most staff we encountered were incredibly friendly and efficient.

Price: Moderate but good value; entrees will feed at least two two people.

Hours: Open daily, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday

Credit cards: Yes

Handicapped access: Ample handicapped parking, no steps to enter, and a roomy interior