Something for (Almost) Everyone
Written: Jan 10 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Good food, ambience, and service. You'll get addicted to at least one sandwich.
Cons: A bit pricey. Not everything is mouth-wateringly delicious. Soups can be iffy.
The Bottom Line: This enjoyable eatery goes far beyond the cry of mere fast food. With a broad range of soups, salads, sandwiches and more, it offers something for everyone to enjoy.
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| sir_feep's Full Review: Panera Bread |
It's not gourmet, and it's not phenomenal. But it could be the best fast food that's out there.
Panera Bread, a national chain, prides itself on a wide variety of soups, salads, and sandwiches, along with coffee, deserts, and artisan breads. Its menu is diverse, incorporating ingredients from fresh strawberries to smoked turkey to portabella mushrooms.
The restaurant is designed around the relatively new concept of "fast casual," an alternative to the cheap, mass-produced style of most fast food establishments. As a result, the majority of Panera's offerings are prepared to order, with quality ingredients, and can be enjoyed in a comfortable and convivial atmosphere. It's a different way to eat than at Burger King or McDonalds; here, the point is to actually *enjoy* your meal, rather than get through it as quickly as possible and move on.
Contrasting with burgers and fries, Panera's daily offerings are divided into about a half dozen soups, and about as many salads. Then come the sandwiches: they offer 4 or 5 "Signature Sandwiches," featuring fresh, unique ingredients. They have 3 or 4 hot sandwiches, including my personal favorite, the portabella mozzarella on focacia bread. (If it sounds really really yummy, believe me, it is.) And in addition, they have the standard fare of deli sandwiches which aren't too different from what you'd find anywhere else.
Take note, though, that the food quality varies by group. Soups are usually decent, sometimes quite good, but rarely delicious; they're also occasionally not hot enough. The salads can sometimes go heavy on the dressing, and the lettuce is usually decent, but not delectable. The desserts are probably Panera's weakest point, with unremarkable textures and too-sweet flavors. The coffee is pretty good, and cheaper than at Starbucks. The sandwiches are, in my and many other people's opinion, the best part of the menu. The hot sandwiches in particular are unconditionally scrumptious.
Of course, such quality comes at a price, and you can expect to pay twice what you would at the Burger King next door. Most salads and sandwiches cost between $4.50 and $6. A bowl of soup (with a side roll) is $3.49, which I consider the best deal. They also offer a Pick Two special, for $5.99, where you choose between any two soup, salad, and sandwich offerings on the menu. Combine this with a drink, dessert, or coffee, and your bill can hit $8 or $10 for a single person.
However, Panera's quality menu and range of choices makes the extra price, in my opinion, well worth it. Their fast service, friendly atmosphere, and always satisfactory food makes it one of my favorite places to go for a reasonably priced and always enjoyable meal.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
sir_feep
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Reviews written: 10
Trusted by: 0 members
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