Atlanta Bread versus Panera...round 2 (Hilton Head)

I've written about it already, but it's worth discussing again...Panera Bread vs. Atlanta Bread. It's no contest. Panera Bread is far superior. Clearly I am biased on my viewpoint, but I would challenge anyone out there to tell me how or why Atlanta Bread Company is superior.

I spent this Labor Day weekend in Hilton Head, SC. Many of you know, I used to live in this area. And based on the fact that I have a blog about food, you could guess that I enjoy food. So it's no surprise that my visits to Hilton Head revolve around my favorite restaurants. Many of these restaurants are not the most popular, but for whatever reason, I love them. Apparently I have an emotional attachment to them.

Just for the fun of it, here's a list of my favorite Hilton Head/Bluffton, SC restaurants, in no particular order:

• Wild Wing Cafe: A classic fixture on the south-end of the island. Excellent wings. Awesome wraps. Amazing ranch dressing. My favorite past-time at Wild Wing's involved watching the Buckeyes on a Saturday with some cold Miller Lite and The Boss wings. 
• Sippin Cow Cafe: Nice little deli in Old Town Bluffton. I always make sure I visit this place.
• Kobe Japanese Steakhouse: By far the best sushi I have ever had...and I have searched high and low to find an acceptable replacement. My fav is the angel roll. Amazing.

The Angel Roll from Kobe Japanese Steakhouse. Delish.

• Fiesta Fresh Mexican Grill: I hated this place at first, only because I foolishly ordered the quesadilla. This place rocks, however. I personally enjoy the gringo chicken soft taco and the chicken taco salad. They have an amazing avacoda ranch dressing. They also have a salsa bar, which is always a plus. 

I like taking Fiesta Fresh to-go for the beach.

• Big Bamboo: Didn't make it there this trip, but it's worth mentioning. They have an excellent happy hour. Food and drink specials. Plus free popcorn. 

When I arrived on Thursday, I stopped at the Atlanta Bread Company to catch up on some work and to grab a bite to eat. In my pre-Panera days, I used to enjoy my visits to the ABC. Maybe I have gotten spoiled with Panera, or maybe this particular ABC has just gone downhill. Whatever the reason, this most recent ABC visit has solidified my love for Panera. It's just so much better.

My meal at Atlanta Bread Co.

Here's a bullet point list of things I disliked about ABC versus Panera:

• Veggie Sandwich. ABC's was disgusting. It's not even in the same league as Panera's Med Veg. Not even close. 
• Tea. I am a big iced tea fan. I'm borderline neurotic about my tea. ABC had a good tea back in the day. But they tried to fancy things up, and now they have a new tea line featuring flavored teas and your standard black iced tea. Tried them all, and they all suck. Nothing compares to Panera's Acai Tea and regular Iced Tea. Nothing.
• Staff. Obviously this could have been a fluke, but the staff at the HHI ABC was awful. I learned a lot about their love lives and home lives as I forced the veggie sandwich and iced tea down. 
• Music. No music was playing. Isn't that one of the nice things about visiting a cafe like ABC and/or Panera? I find the music relaxing. It also helps to drown out nonsense chatter. 
• Salad. I didn't get a salad this time around, but I vividly remember the greek salad at ABC. It was a standard order for me back in the day. I didn't like that the dressing came on the side. Panera mixes the dressing for you. Giving the salad full coverage of dressing. Key.  

Due to my disappointment at ABC, I wanted to sneak in a Panera visit. I was able to do so on Sunday morning about 10ish. With me on this visit was the Pope's: Brian, Amanda, and their 4-month old Camille! Brian was skeptical about the Panera visit. As I have written before, most men aren't Panera fans, by nature. He was concerned that he wouldn't get a substantial meal. I consulted with Brian before we got to Panera and we decided that the Cuban Chicken Panini would be the best choice.

Camille's first visit to the south-end Panera!

Me: Med veg pick 2, with chicken cobb salad. Amanda: Sierra Turkey Pick 2 Chicken Cobb Salad Brian: Cuban Chicken. Then later...Tuna Salad. Dessert: We split a brownie. Not bad!

Unfortunately, the Cuban Chicken Panini was not enough. Believe it or not, he was still hungry. Brian, being the problem solver that he is, took matters in his own hands and ordered a tuna salad sandwich. After eating the Cuban Chicken Panini and the Tuna Salad sandwich, Brian was full. I mention this because I don't think Brian will ever go to Panera again on his own. (See my previous post on Why Men Don't like Panera) Just as 70% of the men you see at Panera are not their by choice. Look around. The men that are there are being dragged their by a woman. What would make Brian and the rest of the 70% of men go back to Panera on their own? A man menu. Steak. Cheese. Bacon. Hoagie. Sub. Double Meat stacker. Phrases like that will bring in the men...unforced.

Note: They put Brian's 2nd sandwich order as a to-go. Assuming he was going to eat it later or it was 

for someone else.

Regarding the Hilton Head Panera. It's on the south-end of the island and features a drive-thru! Perfect for grabbing a sandwich before you hit the beach or a coffee on the go. 

One other point to ponder that Brian brought up during this visit:

• Panera seems to have more people in workout clothes than any other restaurant. Great observation. It's worth noting.

A trip back to Bluffton, and my "emotional attachment" to food...

Beach Time.

Oh Hilton Head. What a fun place! I made an impromtu visit back down south over the Fourth of July weekend. This happens to be my second consecutive impromtu HHI visit over the Fourth. Perhaps a tradition that is in the making? I stayed with the lovely couple, Amanda and Brian Pope. Typically my visits to HHI involve sun, beach, bars, restaurants...and to balance out the last two indulgences...running. This trip was no different, except that we mixed it up a bit and decided to rent bikes, and rode bikes virtually everywhere around the island. That decision, in my mind, was clutch as this weekend is historically one of the busiest on the island...and parking is a real bitch.

I have already reviewed the Panera on the South end of the Island (Reunited and it feels so good...my Hilton Head Review)...and I have only alluded to the Bluffton Panera, located just north on Hwy 278 in front of the Tanger I outlet. This Panera just recently opened up (well, at least since my last visit). Amanda, who is a school teacher in Bluffton and part-time Coach associate, was very good on updating me on the progress of this Panera. I was quite intrigued when Amanda noted that they were building a drive-thru at this one as well!

Whoever is running the Panera's down south, seem to have the right idea. I think the drive-thru is essential...especially for those morning java addicts, that would normally pass up a Panera, simply because it wasn't convenient.

Here's my REVIEW:

Location: Bluffton, SC - Hwy 278 in front of the new Tanger 1 outlets

Date visited: July 4, 2011

Time of day: 11ish

Items ordered:

Me: Barbequed chopped chicken. Whole grain baguette. Unsweet tea.

Amanda: Sierra turkey. Greek salad. Apple. Unsweet tea.

Upon arriving, I was instantly impressed with the overall exterior design. It is brand-new (obviously) is free-standing, and has an undescribable southern appeal. We were dining in, so I didn't take advantage of the drive-thru...but I am assured that it is efficient (per Amanda).

I missed the drive-thru in this photo. Oops.

It was pretty empty once walking in...I suppose most people are grilling out or at the beach for the 4th. (I was on my way to Savannah to catch a flight)

The food shot...

Random Notes:

• I don't know if it was because this store is so new, but it took our food an excessively long-time to get made, and they messed up my order a couple of times. I also found that the associates were not the warmest. I must be spoiled by the Ohio stores...because I rarely run into those issues in the buckeye state. This did remind me of the vast difference between my experience with retail/restaurant personnel in Ohio vs. South Carolina. While southerners are stereotyped for their warm hospitality...in general I would say that the hospitality does not shine through in these customer service type positions.
• Technology has overtaken us all. Sitting directly across from us, was a family of four. No lie, they all had a different electronic device that they were fiddling with during their meal. Everyone ate in silence.
• Emotional attachment to food. After this visit to HHI, I gave a play-by-play of the visit to another former Blufftonite, Erin Howell Straine. We laughed at the fact that each time we visit we make it a point to basically, eat. Wild Wings - La Hacienda - Sippin Cow - Big Bamboo - Fiesta Fresh - to name a few. It was concluded that we all have an emotional attachment to food in HHI, and perhaps our future trips should be somewhere else to avoid a gluttoness weekend.

Overall, I give this Panera an A for looks, but a D for customer service/sense of urgency. At any rate, on your next trip to the outlets in Bluffton, you should stop by for a caffeine jolt or a nice meal. However, if you are looking for a unique non-chain to dine in Bluffton, SC...my hands down vote is the Sippin Cow Cafe in downtown Bluffton.