Yup, it is, Panera is really a wonderful place for lunch. I discovered this gem while shopping with my mom in the burbs. That is what I usually do on the weekends. Escape the city to shop with my mom. If you are looking for me on a Saturday afternoon a good place to check is Paramus Park. The first Panera I ever went to actually was not in Paramus Park though, but it was close, it was at this cool outside shopping plaza called Tice's Corner. They have stores like Anthropology, Banana, and Talbots!
OK back to the food, sorry. Anyway when I first starting eating here I did not eat salads yet so I just got PBJ sandwiches, soon after though I saw the light and starting eating salads. I always order their You Pick Two combos that they offer which is a nice cup of soup and a salad. The soups I really love there are the French Onion, Creamy Tomato, a Roasted Pepper yummy thing that I do not know the exact name of and some Mushroom one my mom gets that I usually take some of. The salads I like are the Asian Chicken and the seasonal Strawberry Poppyseed one. That one is really awesome but they only offer it in the summer which kinda sucks. I guess it is just one more reason to love the summer though. I also always get a whole grain baguette with my meal (try to be healthy and all). What I like is that you can also get an apple if you do not want bread which is cool because I really like apples (I have one almost everyday at my desk for breakfast).
I do not really ever order the sandwiches but I see people do and they look ok. I just love the soups and salads and I get bread with it so I don't ever feel the need to get a sandwich.
Panera also has wonderful beverages. I get the Iced Green tea. It is so refreshing and yummy, a nice treat on a hot day! They also have these wonderful IC beverages which are kind of like frappaccinos but I think better. My friend swore that they were not as bad for you as frappaccinos but I just looked up the nutritional information and they have like 600 calories. I do not like liars!!!
The bakery goods are also awesome here. I like the bagels a lot because they have fun flavors like French Toast, Dutch Apple Raisin and Cinnamon Crunch. I love a fun bagel!
One thing that does annoy me is how they give you real silverware and plates. It is nice but really annoying when you have to throw away your food when you are done cause it gets messy. I mean just serve paper and plastic it would be a lot easier.
I really hope one of these opens in NYC soon, near my office would be excellent. I would go for lunch all the time!
10 comments:
the frappacino thing has 600 calories??? I swear i saw it was like 200 ...damn!
Panera is overrated.
Well Nina you were wrong. I think you also told me Frosties were not that bad either. Hmmm
Steve you are also wrong it is not overrated, you just don't like soup or salads.
I also forgot to mention that I like the salads more at Panera now because they use Bell & Evans chicken. They used to use somethign else and it was not good so I never ate the chicken.
I love them for many reasons, their "you pick two" is the best .... did you know, though, Panera was originally named The St. Louis Bread Company and is still called that in and around St. Louis? Just another reason to go back!
its in some book i have...next time i am in rockland i will find it and show it to you
i like the soup and salad at panera..glad to hear they replaced the crappy rubbery chicken
I don't know what to say anymore about this blog. I don't eat at most chains and have never been to a Panera. But I do think it is good that they use real flatware and dishes. It is much better for the environment (green food snob)! Besides, if you go to a place with a wait-staff, they clean it up for you. Of course that is better!
I once again feel the need to post because Panera is my FAVORITE. The Asian Chicken Salad is wonderful, I love the dressing! They are opening a new one on Rt. 303 near Nina and I which I'm thrilled about. Also, maybe I shouldn't open a greek chain, and focus on opening a Panera in Manhattan.
Wow, nice to see Panera really having a presence in Rockland.
I think opening a Panera in the city will be like digging a gold mine.
The French Onion soup is awesome. The salads are good but my complaint is that their meat is lacking. I find their sandwiches and the chicken in their salads to be almost inedible. I once heard that the meat they send to Taco Bell says "Grade D but edible" on the box and I suspect its the same deal with Panera. Its like rubber! The Asian Chicken salad without the chicken is really good. Their homemade Lemonade is also really good. I also must complain that although their bagels are unique and different, they're so fake! Being from NY, we know what real bagels should be and Panera and Einstein Bros. just don't make the cut.
Actually the Panera opening near me and Merr is right on the border so its in Bergen County :)Northvale, NJ across from where I get my gas...They are also opening an Applebees next to the Panera
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