Back in 2013, I wrote in this space about the bounty of good food at Bliss Gourmet in Westbrook. Between then and now, Bliss closed, leaving its fans to wistfully drive by the empty storefront on Route 1 for months and months. But a space as lovely and well-situated as this one deserves a second chance, and earlier this summer, the wise minds behind Simon’s Marketplace in Chester set up a second shop in Westbrook, and now we’ve got Simon’s Marketplace - Pilot’s Point. (The market sits right next to the Brewer Pilot’s Point Marina.)

Some of you might be familiar with Simon’s in Chester. Its butter and salt baguette is legendary in the region, and I can report I’ve only tasted delicious things from its bakery and fresh foods case (try the cinnamon rolls). Retail space in the store offers a variety of whimsical gift items — a boon to my holiday shopping mission last year. Simon’s - Pilot’s Point is serving up more of the same but in a space able to accommodate many more food and bakery options and ample seating (the Chester shop can get a bit crowded at peak times of day). On a recent visit, I even found a birthday card for a friend and eyeballed a pair of goofy socks for a possible present.

Along with prepared dinners, bakery and some gourmet grocery items, and “salads, slaws and side dishes,” Simon’s also offers a variety of fresh sandwiches. I couldn’t help but think of the market’s former name as I blissed out on the BBQ pulled pork sandwich ($9.95 for a very large sandwich). The simplicity of it is particularly striking: Served on a fresh ciabatta roll with just cheddar cheese, the tender, juicy and tangy yet mildly smoky pork required no other toppings to deliver on deliciousness. There are other sandwiches I’d like to try from the menu (among them the Ham & Brie on sourdough), but the pulled pork was so perfect, it might dominate future decision-making.

That is, unless I get sidetracked by Simon’s occasional pizza specials. If you get past the long case of pasta salads, etc., check out what’s cooking at the end of it. Just this weekend, among three or four special pizzas available by the slice, I took home a piece topped with sweet potato, goat cheese, roasted corn and carmelized onions ($4). From thick, crispy-soft crust to each and every topping, this was a slice among slices. It amounted to the perfect early fall food: the sweet potatoes remnant of holiday spreads to come; the corn a last hurrah of summer, tied together with the chevre and well-prepared onions: two ingredients that are never a bad idea. Yes, $4 seems pricey, but this was a large, thick amply topped piece of pizza.

But the big draw for me at a place like Simon’s are the many pasta-veggie-potato salads available every day. And lest you think such dishes don’t entail much variety, bring that challenge to Simon’s. If you do, you might get to sample something like the arugula sweet potato pasta salad I tried recently (meatless salads are $8 a pound; $9 a pound for salads with meat; and $5 a pound for potato salads and coleslaw). I’m not sure what the best part of it was: the arugula, which added some tang to the more subtle flavors of the sweet potato and pasta; the feta cheese, a personal favorite; or the overall dressing, which was neither a garlic bomb nor a bore; just fresh and bright. With well-curated ingredients — toothy, campanelle pasta, a dusting of black pepper, just a wee bit of onion and red pepper — a pasta salad goes gourmet easily

A recent batch of peanut noodles also proved tasty. Dressed simply in a thicker peanut sauce than others I’ve encountered and roasted sesame seeds, the overall flavor of the dish was fresh and savory (and not spicy) with the straight-up peanut flavor combining nicely and not clashing with that of the powerful sesame seeds.

When I spied sweet corn, feta and red pepper salad, I looked forward to a fresh and tasty accompaniment to that evening’s dinner of (prepared by me) bean burritos. I’m still wondering how such a promising mix of ingredients fell flat, but somehow, it did. Maybe it needed more salty feta to really pop for me? I’m not sure; everything was perfectly fresh, but I found it a bit bland. However, my husband absolutely loved it (“This is one of the best things that ever was,” he said. “What’s wrong with you?”), so maybe my taste buds were sleeping that night.

As for the bakery items, all is well thus far in my tasting adventures. A strawberry scone ($2.95) was buttery, crumbly, fruity perfection; the salty, crispy baguettes ($3.75 each) are on par with their famous cousins in Chester; and the giant Sprinkle cookie ($2) — a sweet but not too sweet, soft sugar cookie entirely covered in rainbow sprinkles — was the comfort item I was looking for on a low-key weekend night. Bonus: the house-brew coffee, Jim’s Organic, is good too; teas and espresso drinks are also available.

In the end, names and owners may change, but culinary bliss is still readily available on Route 1 in Westbrook thanks to Simon’s Marketplace - Pilot’s Point.

Simon’s Marketplace - Pilot’s Point

631 Boston Post Road, Westbrook

(860) 391-8626

https://www.facebook.com/SimonsPilotsPoint

Cuisine: Sandwiches, salads, prepared meals, bakery items and coffee, breakfast items; gourmet sundries also available

Atmosphere: Spacious, light-filled and casual market with inviting tables and chairs for dine-in customers

Service: Prompt and friendly

Hours: Daily, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Handicap access: Ramps available; plenty of space inside. There is a step up to gain entry via the front door. A ramps leads to a step-less side door.

Reservations: N/A

Credit cards: Yes