Panera Bread

D.Currie said:

Just noticed a new building with a "Panera Bread Coming Soon" sign. I
googled it, but that didn't help a whole lot. Anybody familiar with this
chain? Is it a bakery that sells sandwiches or is it a sandwich shop that
sells bread?

And is it any good?

Expensive "artisan" deli fare. Good breads and breakfast-type
muffins, bagels and spreads. Small, trendy and expensive
sandwiches with foo-foo ingredients.

I lived near one in Greenville, South Carolina for a year or so.

http://www.panera.com/

-sw

D.Currie said:

Just noticed a new building with a "Panera Bread Coming Soon" sign. I
googled it, but that didn't help a whole lot. Anybody familiar with this
chain? Is it a bakery that sells sandwiches or is it a sandwich shop that
sells bread?

And is it any good?

It's good compared to Subway. But still horribly corporate-feeling.

--Blair

"Steve Wertz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

D.Currie said:

Just noticed a new building with a "Panera Bread Coming Soon" sign. I
googled it, but that didn't help a whole lot. Anybody familiar with this
chain? Is it a bakery that sells sandwiches or is it a sandwich shop that
sells bread?

And is it any good?

Expensive "artisan" deli fare. Good breads and breakfast-type
muffins, bagels and spreads. Small, trendy and expensive
sandwiches with foo-foo ingredients.

I lived near one in Greenville, South Carolina for a year or so.

http://www.panera.com/

-sw

This is one of the best places I've eaten for value for money. Here is we
eat for a total bill for less than $18 including tax for both of us.
Unlimited coffee, 1/2 sandwich, which is large, IMO; and either a bowl (not
a cup) of soup or a salad for around $5.50 to $6.50. There a numerous
choices of salads with meat or cheese. All are good. You are given a very
large piece of their baguette which is very good or in some restaurants, an
apple. The restaurants are clean, the service is fast, courteous and
efficient; the restrooms are clean.
I'm not too fond of their desserts, but most people I've talked to love
them.
Dee Deee

"Blair P. Houghton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

D.Currie said:

Just noticed a new building with a "Panera Bread Coming Soon" sign. I
googled it, but that didn't help a whole lot. Anybody familiar with this
chain? Is it a bakery that sells sandwiches or is it a sandwich shop that
sells bread?

And is it any good?

It's good compared to Subway. But still horribly corporate-feeling.

--Blair

Kind of what I figured, based on the website.

I bake my own bread most of the time, and there isn't a mom-and-pop bakery
nearby. Well, there's sort of one, but it's my ex-landlord. I ended up suing
him, so I'm not exactly welcome on the premises. And I've been inside the
place, so I'd be a little queasy about eating the bread, even if I was
welcome.

Great Harvest bread is here, and that's okay, but they don't do a lot of
styles of bread. Other than that, there's supermarket bread. I was kind of
hoping Panera might be a decent choice for a loaf now and then.

Donna

panera is not bad, but it's another good bread store and not so good
pastries.
Good sandwiches and salads, lots of soups. Not very good service, but
it's clean. Best feature: wi-fi !! Downside: few tables, always
occupied with laptops for hours. But the place is constantly packed and
the chain is growing, and growing, and growing....

"D.Currie" <[email hidden]>
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Just noticed a new building with a "Panera Bread Coming Soon" sign. I
googled it, but that didn't help a whole lot. Anybody familiar with
this chain? Is it a bakery that sells sandwiches or is it a sandwich
shop that sells bread?

And is it any good?

Panera is a corporate entity and it owns the St. Louis Bread Company
restaurant. St. Louis Bread Company serves soup, sandwiches, breads
(retail) etc. Foodwise it's pretty decent for lunch and I will buy their
loaves of bread now and then (I prefer Breadsmith's). Here is a link to
look at http://www.panera.com/ or you can Google for St. Louis Bread
Company and look at some menus.

Michael

--
"The first zucchini I ever saw I killed it with a hoe."
John Gould, Monstrous Depravity, 1963

Steve Wertz <[email hidden]>
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

D.Currie said:

Just noticed a new building with a "Panera Bread Coming Soon" sign. I
googled it, but that didn't help a whole lot. Anybody familiar with
this chain? Is it a bakery that sells sandwiches or is it a sandwich
shop that sells bread?

And is it any good?

Expensive "artisan" deli fare.

The perfect explanation 😉 Years ago when it opened in the old
neighborhood, it quickly became THE mecca for the not yet healthified,
yuppy gentry in the Central West End.

Michael
--
"The first zucchini I ever saw I killed it with a hoe."
John Gould, Monstrous Depravity, 1963

i like panera's as a place for coffee and cookies when meeting with friends
for an afternoon pick me up!

i also like their LOW CARB breads!

--

"D.Currie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Just noticed a new building with a "Panera Bread Coming Soon" sign. I
googled it, but that didn't help a whole lot. Anybody familiar with this
chain? Is it a bakery that sells sandwiches or is it a sandwich shop that
sells bread?

And is it any good?

--
Donna

D.Currie said:

Just noticed a new building with a "Panera Bread Coming Soon" sign. I
googled it, but that didn't help a whole lot. Anybody familiar with this
chain? Is it a bakery that sells sandwiches or is it a sandwich shop that
sells bread?

And is it any good?

--
Donna

My daughter and I like to go in and get the pick-2 soup-salad-or-1/2
sandwich combo. They also now have thin-crust personal pizzas that are
not bad. The coffee's ok, lots of tea varieties, pastries are not my
fave (too bready or just "too"😉.

Along with what everyone else has mentioned, they also have free wi-fi
and don't seem to care if you sit for hours with a cuppa.

maxien in ri

I like their pesto focaccia a lot - I use it as a pizza crust for
goumet-style pizzas. We also like their pick-2 option, becasue I love
soup-and salad or sandwich. They make very good soups, IMO, and I love
soup. I make it a lot at home but it's nice to go out and get something
other than the standard broccoli-cheese.

The pastries are pretty standard but they make a very good danish with
fresh strawberries and cream cheese instead of the typical
canned-pie-filling.

And they make a very nice egg strata for breakfast.

Their bagels are gross.

So you gotta get to know their menu. I'd call it hit-or-miss......there
are certian things I will go there to eat and others that are soooo not
worth it.

For example, (I'm mostly vegetarian) they make a portobello and
mozzarella panini, which sounds like it should be fantastic, but it's
only so-so. The portobellos are strangely flavorless. obvoiusly not
marinated or anything, and then topping them with mozzarella is just
too mild of a flavor combo. Tastes like nothing when you eat it. But
they make a really good garden sandwich with fresh veggies and
gorgonzola, lots of it, on ciabatta.

So you hafta wade through the menu to find their good stuff. But when
you do, it's worth it.

"Jude" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I like their pesto focaccia a lot - I use it as a pizza crust for
goumet-style pizzas. We also like their pick-2 option, becasue I love
soup-and salad or sandwich. They make very good soups, IMO, and I love
soup. I make it a lot at home but it's nice to go out and get something
other than the standard broccoli-cheese.

The pastries are pretty standard but they make a very good danish with
fresh strawberries and cream cheese instead of the typical
canned-pie-filling.

And they make a very nice egg strata for breakfast.

Their bagels are gross.

So you gotta get to know their menu. I'd call it hit-or-miss......there
are certian things I will go there to eat and others that are soooo not
worth it.

For example, (I'm mostly vegetarian) they make a portobello and
mozzarella panini, which sounds like it should be fantastic, but it's
only so-so. The portobellos are strangely flavorless. obvoiusly not
marinated or anything, and then topping them with mozzarella is just
too mild of a flavor combo. Tastes like nothing when you eat it. But
they make a really good garden sandwich with fresh veggies and
gorgonzola, lots of it, on ciabatta.

So you hafta wade through the menu to find their good stuff. But when
you do, it's worth it.

I'll second that portabello & mozz panini -- It's pukesville for me with
that one.
Whatever make them think that that's any good? But it could be.
Dee Dee

"D.Currie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Just noticed a new building with a "Panera Bread Coming Soon" sign. I googled it,
but that didn't help a whole lot. Anybody familiar with this chain? Is it a bakery
that sells sandwiches or is it a sandwich shop that sells bread?

And is it any good?

--
Donna

Panera is a bakery that served sandwiches, soup, and salads. They make very good
bread and bagels, and the food is quite tasty.
The french onion soup is my favorite, but they make several and they're all good. The
roasted tomato bisque is delicious.
The sandwiches are separated into hot (panini style) and cold. I am not a sandwich
person by nature, but my husband loves the chicken olivada.
The salads are great, and some are very unique. Try the Fuji apple chicken sometime.
They also make something similar to pizza, but better.

They have a large selection of breads, all made in house and really quite good. There
are savory and sweet selections. The Asiago and Tomato Basil are both very good, and
so is the lower carb Italian Herb. The cinnamon raisin makes great french toast.

The pastries, now, those are something to savor. They have a zillion to choose from,
but my favorite is the orange scone. It is tender and moist (unlike most scones! lol)
and has a good hit of orange flavor. The cobblestone is also popular in my house.
It's the cinnamon raisin bread, cubed, and mixed with apples and such, baked in a
muffin shape and topped with streusel.

Give it a try sometime. It's great for a light lunch.

kimberly

"Steve Wertz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

D.Currie said:

Just noticed a new building with a "Panera Bread Coming Soon" sign. I
googled it, but that didn't help a whole lot. Anybody familiar with this
chain? Is it a bakery that sells sandwiches or is it a sandwich shop that
sells bread?

And is it any good?

Expensive "artisan" deli fare. Good breads and breakfast-type
muffins, bagels and spreads. Small, trendy and expensive
sandwiches with foo-foo ingredients.

I lived near one in Greenville, South Carolina for a year or so.

http://www.panera.com/

-sw

It is not expensive and nothing NOTHING like a deli. You've obviously never been.
$6 for a fresh, tasty lunch is not expensive. And you must equate fresh with foo-foo.

kimberly

"D.Currie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Blair P. Houghton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

D.Currie said:

Just noticed a new building with a "Panera Bread Coming Soon" sign. I
googled it, but that didn't help a whole lot. Anybody familiar with this
chain? Is it a bakery that sells sandwiches or is it a sandwich shop that
sells bread?

And is it any good?

It's good compared to Subway. But still horribly corporate-feeling.

--Blair

Kind of what I figured, based on the website.

I bake my own bread most of the time, and there isn't a mom-and-pop bakery nearby.
Well, there's sort of one, but it's my ex-landlord. I ended up suing him, so I'm
not exactly welcome on the premises. And I've been inside the place, so I'd be a
little queasy about eating the bread, even if I was welcome.

Great Harvest bread is here, and that's okay, but they don't do a lot of styles of
bread. Other than that, there's supermarket bread. I was kind of hoping Panera
might be a decent choice for a loaf now and then.

Donna

Panera is an EXCELLENT choice for good bread. Some of them great.

kimberly

Nexis said:

"Steve Wertz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

D.Currie said:

Just noticed a new building with a "Panera Bread Coming Soon" sign. I
googled it, but that didn't help a whole lot. Anybody familiar with this
chain? Is it a bakery that sells sandwiches or is it a sandwich shop that
sells bread?

And is it any good?

Expensive "artisan" deli fare. Good breads and breakfast-type
muffins, bagels and spreads. Small, trendy and expensive
sandwiches with foo-foo ingredients.

I lived near one in Greenville, South Carolina for a year or so.

http://www.panera.com/

-sw

It is not expensive and nothing NOTHING like a deli. You've obviously never been.
$6 for a fresh, tasty lunch is not expensive. And you must equate fresh with foo-foo.

Wow. What a [censored]. You're husband can't get it up, or what?

I've been dragged there plenty of times. And it *is* expensive
for what you get (I don't drink coffee, so all you can drink
coffee has $0 value to me).

Let me define foo-foo for you:

Foo-foo: sun-dried tomato ale mustard, Artisan Three Cheese
bread, chopped basil and our chipotle mayonnaise, Rosemary &
Onion focaccia, Asiago Cheese demi, Tomato Basil bread,
All-natural pepper-mustard chicken, Tender, slow-roasted steak
filets with bold gorgonzola roasted red pepper sauce, spinach
artichoke spread, Garlic roasted portobello mushrooms,
caramelized onions, fragrant pesto aioli, field greens, pesto
aioli and olive tapenade, Fuji Apple Chicken Salad, reduced-sugar
Asian sesame vinaigrette, Delicate field greens, lightly seasoned
steak filets, walnuts, gorgonzola cheese and our zesty balsamic
vinaigrette, Mochachip Swirl Bagel.

If that's not some trendy, foo-foo [censored], then I don't know what
is.

-sw

Nexis said:

Give it a try sometime. It's great for a light lunch.

Exactly. A *light* lunch with a heavy price-tag.

I'll take La Boulanger any day over Panera (not that they aren't
somewhat foo-foo, too).

-sw

"Steve Wertz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Nexis said:

"Steve Wertz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Sat, 6 May 2006 22:07:06 -0600, D.Currie wrote:

> Just noticed a new building with a "Panera Bread Coming Soon" sign. I
> googled it, but that didn't help a whole lot. Anybody familiar with
> this
> chain? Is it a bakery that sells sandwiches or is it a sandwich shop
> that
> sells bread?
>
> And is it any good?

Expensive "artisan" deli fare. Good breads and breakfast-type
muffins, bagels and spreads. Small, trendy and expensive
sandwiches with foo-foo ingredients.

I lived near one in Greenville, South Carolina for a year or so.

http://www.panera.com/

-sw

It is not expensive and nothing NOTHING like a deli. You've obviously
never been.
$6 for a fresh, tasty lunch is not expensive. And you must equate fresh
with foo-foo.

Wow. What a [censored]. You're husband can't get it up, or what?

I've been dragged there plenty of times. And it *is* expensive
for what you get (I don't drink coffee, so all you can drink
coffee has $0 value to me).

Let me define foo-foo for you:

Foo-foo: sun-dried tomato ale mustard, Artisan Three Cheese
bread, chopped basil and our chipotle mayonnaise, Rosemary &
Onion focaccia, Asiago Cheese demi, Tomato Basil bread,
All-natural pepper-mustard chicken, Tender, slow-roasted steak
filets with bold gorgonzola roasted red pepper sauce, spinach
artichoke spread, Garlic roasted portobello mushrooms,
caramelized onions, fragrant pesto aioli, field greens, pesto
aioli and olive tapenade, Fuji Apple Chicken Salad, reduced-sugar
Asian sesame vinaigrette, Delicate field greens, lightly seasoned
steak filets, walnuts, gorgonzola cheese and our zesty balsamic
vinaigrette, Mochachip Swirl Bagel.

If that's not some trendy, foo-foo [censored], then I don't know what
is.

-sw

Steve, I must say that I've eaten at a Panera bread (maybe two) where they
had cut down on the amount of food and it was not very good, even at that.
But that was only one -- maybe two.

But there are two or three Paneras that we eat in going up the east coast
that is good value; that's how I decide. When you're traveling 10-12 hours
one-way, you just can't eat at the fast-food places and keep the brain cells
working; this works for us. There is a very similar Atlantic Bread Company
(I think that is the name) that we've stopped, and there are more people
there at lunch, but it is not quite as sequestered. All one big room with
noisy chairs scraping on the floor. We've tried eating at some recommended
hotels, B&B's, etc., things like that. Now THAT's foo-foo at a price!

Actually I'm glad to get a salad with something else other than the standard
little plastic wooden-like bowl with a slice of tomato and canned olive on
the top of head lettuce for whatever over-the-top charge most places like
Denny's charge. Let Panera call it what they like. Yes, I've been to
Denny's (I have to go with f-i-l -- he Loves Denny's).

Hope you don't think I'm a [censored], too -- and I don't discuss my husband's
virility -- tee hee.

Dee Dee

Michael \'Dog3\' Lonergan said:

Panera is a corporate entity and it owns the St. Louis Bread Company
restaurant. St. Louis Bread Company serves soup, sandwiches, breads
(retail) etc. Foodwise it's pretty decent for lunch and I will buy their
loaves of bread now and then (I prefer Breadsmith's). Here is a link to
look at http://www.panera.com/ or you can Google for St. Louis Bread
Company and look at some menus.

Michael

I periodically stop by store #1 (Woodlawn and Manchester) when hunger
strikes while out-and-about in the area. I have always been please with
what I received for my money; it is a step above Subway/Quiznos/etc. in
cost, and in quality. I always think I'm going to try something new but
when it comes time to order, my tastebuds take control of my mouth and I
order "Pepperblue Steak" sandwich (steak and gorgonzola on ciabatta). I
love that sandwich, to my taste, it perfectly balances flavors.

I generally make my own bread and don't buy their bread to take home. If I
buy bread anywhere, it's like to be Lickhalter's Black Bear Sourdough Rye or
Great Harvest's Onion/Dill Rye (my favorite bread for a BLT).

--
To email, replace Cujo with Juno

Steve Wertz wrote:
:: On Sun, 7 May 2006 13:17:31 -0700, Nexis wrote:
::
::: "Steve Wertz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
::: news:[email hidden]...
:::: On Sat, 6 May 2006 22:07:06 -0600, D.Currie wrote:
::::
::::: Just noticed a new building with a "Panera Bread Coming Soon"
sign. I
::::: googled it, but that didn't help a whole lot. Anybody familiar
with this
::::: chain? Is it a bakery that sells sandwiches or is it a sandwich
shop that
::::: sells bread?
:::::
::::: And is it any good?
::::
:::: Expensive "artisan" deli fare. Good breads and breakfast-type
:::: muffins, bagels and spreads. Small, trendy and expensive
:::: sandwiches with foo-foo ingredients.
::::
:::: I lived near one in Greenville, South Carolina for a year or so.
::::
:::: http://www.panera.com/
::::
:::: -sw
:::
::: It is not expensive and nothing NOTHING like a deli. You've
obviously never
::: been. $6 for a fresh, tasty lunch is not expensive. And you must
equate fresh
::: with foo-foo.
::
:: Wow. What a [censored]. You're husband can't get it up, or what?
::
:: I've been dragged there plenty of times. And it *is* expensive
:: for what you get (I don't drink coffee, so all you can drink
:: coffee has $0 value to me).
::
:: Let me define foo-foo for you:
::
:: Foo-foo: sun-dried tomato ale mustard, Artisan Three Cheese
:: bread, chopped basil and our chipotle mayonnaise, Rosemary &
:: Onion focaccia, Asiago Cheese demi, Tomato Basil bread,
:: All-natural pepper-mustard chicken, Tender, slow-roasted steak
:: filets with bold gorgonzola roasted red pepper sauce, spinach
:: artichoke spread, Garlic roasted portobello mushrooms,
:: caramelized onions, fragrant pesto aioli, field greens, pesto
:: aioli and olive tapenade, Fuji Apple Chicken Salad, reduced-sugar
:: Asian sesame vinaigrette, Delicate field greens, lightly seasoned
:: steak filets, walnuts, gorgonzola cheese and our zesty balsamic
:: vinaigrette, Mochachip Swirl Bagel.
::
:: If that's not some trendy, foo-foo [censored], then I don't know what
:: is.
::
:: -sw

And 6 dollars for a (foo foo) sammich and a bag of (foo foo) chips and
a 1/4 pickle slice *IS* expensive.

BOB
but I've probably never been there either...

--
Raw Meat Should NOT Have An Ingredients List