Panera Bread: A Carb Addict's Dream
Written: Nov 12 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great food, reasonable prices
Cons: Long lines at lunchtime
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| SHeineman's Full Review: Panera Bread |
Panera Bread opened a restaurant here in my hometown late in May. I'd walked by one in malls in Columbus and Detroit before but had never stopped in. The lure of fresh baked breads and gourmet coffee drinks was way too much for me to resist. I quickly became an addict.
Panera Bread is a casual sandwich shop/bakery with great selections for breakfast and filling lunches. My addiction didn't begin with food oddly enough. My addiction started with a coffee drink. I love cappucino, lattes, etc., and on my second visit, I ordered their I.C. Mocha drink. I assumed it was just an Iced Mocha like you'd find at many coffee shops. It was similar but they add the espresso, steamed milk, and chocolate syrup to the ice then run it through the blender. It makes for a nice frozen drink (and low-fat too!). I took the bar exam this summer, and I went out almost daily for one of these as a study break and reward.
Food:
For breakfast, if you are like me, you will be overwhelmed by the selection. You can choose from bagels in so many flavors, cinnamon rolls that look divine, and many other sweet treats. My personal favorite pastry is the Cinnamon Chip scone. It's a regular scone with *chips* of cinnamon baked in. It's light and not too sweet, nor is it crumbly like many scones can be. These things are fabulous! The prices of the pastries are all very reasonable, from under $1 to slightly over $2.
For lunch and dinner, you can choose from a variety of soups, sandwiches, or salads. Soups are served in their adorable bread bowls. I'm not much of a salad eater, but the Tomato and Mozzarella salad looks quite tasty (then I remember I don't like tomatoes!). Each salad I have seen looks fresh, although I have not ordered one.
I mainly order a ham and cheese or turkey and cheese sandwich. I am an incredibly picky and boring eater. Yes, you can get a much bigger variety of meats, cheeses, and veggies, but I don't like any of that! Their ham is slightly sweet and the turkey is smoked perfectly. The meats and cheeses are piled high on top of the bread.
Oh, the bread. That's what Panera Bread is most famous for! For your sandwich, you have huge selection of breads. Not all are available everyday, but you can pick: Sourdough (my fave), wheat, pumpernickel, asiago cheese (another good one!), and rye. You can also buy loaves of your favorite breads to take home. Our Panera also has a nice little table sitting at the store's entry with a plate full of bread samples as well as spreads. It's great to try new things like this since I am so picky and many things I don't eat.
Service:
I've always had very good luck with service. At lunchtime, the lines are long, but with they move quickly and efficiently. You order at one register and pick up your food at another. Your time standing in line is minimized.
I've had one time where they messed up my order (I asked for a sandwich plain like I always do, and when I got it to my table, it had all the stuff I don't eat on it). I took it back to them, and they replaced it for me with no complaints.
Decor:
The decor is what I imagine an Italian bakery would look like (I've never been to Italy!). The wood is light, the colors are neutral. It's casual and comfortable. Our Panera Bread has umbrella tables outside so you can eat out when the weather is nice. Classical music plays quietly in the background, providing a peaceful atmosphere yet doesn't interfere with conversation. It's a great place to come to chat with friends but you would also not feel uncomfortable sitting alone and relaxing with your coffee and newspaper.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
SHeineman
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 - Top 500 |
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Member: Stacy
Location: Kentucky
Reviews written: 208
Trusted by: 164 members
About Me:
26.2
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