Inside Columbia Heights' new Lidl

Lidl, a German-based grocery chain, opened its second D.C. store Wednesday in Columbia Heights.

Catch up fast: Lidl's first District location, which opened at Skyland Town Center last September, was the first full-service grocery store in more than a decade east of the Anacostia River.

• The new Columbia Heights location opened in a more grocery-saturated area, with a Giant a mere block away.

Details: The 27,000-square-foot grocer inside the DC USA shopping center offers a small fresh produce section, a myriad of frozen foods, and a bakery.

Yes, but: You won't find a seafood or deli counter here, though those items were available to purchase chilled or frozen.

Thought bubble: I'm a dedicated Giant shopper, so I came ready to compare the two.

• My first thought was that prices are fairly similar (despite the "suspiciously low prices" marketing plastered everywhere) and the produce section is a bit lacking.
• That said, I'm impressed with the frozen foods section, which allowed me to stock up on some easy meals and goodies, like frozen dumplings.

Giant will likely remain my store for my more serious grocery shopping while I have Lidl in my back pocket for fun snacks or desserts.

My six-word review: Somewhere between Giant and Trader Joe's.

Be smart: Download the Lidl app — it not only serves as a way to get discounts but offers rewards, such as 20% off of certain items for every $50 you spend on a grocery trip.

• Through the app, I managed to save $11.50 on our $66.50 trip and received a reward — 15% off of selected drinks — for next time.