Tailgating, Buckeyes, and the Lane Avenue Panera!

If you haven't already heard, Panera just opened a new location on Lane Avenue in the heart of campus. It is housed in the former Cooker building just a few doors down from Varsity Club. When I think of this strip of Lane Avenue, I think of tailgating, partying, and Buckeyes. So when I first caught wind of Panera setting up shop here, I was skeptical. Who is going to grab a pick 2 in the midst of tailgate time? After visiting this Panera, I now understand the method to their madness...quite frankly, I think it is genius.

It was fate. I had no other choice but to have lunch there.

A couple of Friday's ago, I had a couple of appointments in the Grandview area. After leaving my last appointment, I see a huge billboard that states the Lane Avenue Panera is NOW OPEN! I was legitimately not hungry at this point in time...but how could I dismiss this obvious sign of fate? I needed to go to this Panera, and it needed to happen now. I made a quick u-turn, forced myself to get hungry, and happily walked into the Lane Avenue Panera.



THE REVIEW:
Date visited: 10.30.11
Time of day: 11ish
Items ordered: Med veg, chips, unsweet tea
At 8,500 square feet, this Panera is HUGE! As I was walking to the entry, I noticed the large patio seating area that spanned across the front and the back of the building.

I was greeted by 3 Panera associates at the entry and another managementesque Panera associate near the cash register. As they had only been open a couple of days, I imagine this is proper protocol for a new store. I find it rather annoying, and a bit of an overkill. I suppose they gotta do what they gotta do though.

Once again, I was set on ordering something new and exciting, but cracked under pressure once at the register and ordered my new default: The Med Veg. After placing my order, I filled up my tea and looked for a good place to sit while my food was prepared. Even though this Panera is huge, it was difficult to find a good place to sit. There were several college students scattered throughout the restaurant studying who cherry-picked all of the good seats.

Random NOTES:

• Genius ideas: They have a separate entry on the side next to a "To-Go" section. I have never seen this at a Panera, and it doesn't make sense for every Panera. However, considering where this Panera is...it is genius. Perfect for tailgating time.

• Bathroom: It's a 3-staller..and it is rather huge. Keep this in mind during tailgate time as well. Avoid the porta-potty line and visit Panera. Grab a coffee or bagel to go while you are at it.

• I think this Panera location could be a sign of what's to come at a campus near you. I bet this location rakes in a ton of money during game days. I wonder if this has been done at any other campus across the nation?
• Community Room: Naturally, a campus Panera needs a community room. And this one is no disappointment.
• Read up on what The Lantern has to say about the Lane Avenue Panera.

Hold the onions at the Lancaster Panera

This past week my dad and I had a meeting with a customer in Lancaster. Due to the fact that the meeting was scheduled at 11 AM, I secretly hoped that lunch would be involved post meeting. In the back of my mind, I was hoping for a Panera visit. Unfortunately, the meeting ran a little longer than planned, and my dad needed to get back to Zanesville. I was disappointed, but told myself I would be back. I knew I would be able to cope.

Well, you can imagine my surprise, when we happened to drive past the Lancaster Panera. From out of nowhere, my dad suggested we grab a sandwich to-go! How fun! A billboard sale + an unexpected Panera lunch. This day was looking bright!

The Review:
Date: Tuesday, September 20
Time of Day: 12:30ish
Items ordered: (2) Sierra Turkeys on whole grain and 2 unsweet teas to-go.

This Panera is very new. It is the anchor tenant at a small strip center off Memorial Drive in Lancaster. Upon entering the store, the registers are immediately straight ahead, while seating can be found on both the left and right sides of the store. It was moderately busy, but I was surprised it wasn't busier, as it was really prime lunch time.

Random NOTES:

• I rarely order the full sandwich + chips and a drink. I ordered this out of necessity as we ate this in the car. I was surprised that two of the meals with large drinks was just under 18 bucks. The pick 2's, which I typically order, are quite expensive...a pick 2, would have been over 20 bucks for the two of us. Do I sound cheap?
• My dad can't eat onions. One of the primary ingredients of the Sierra Turkey is onions. Oops. Don't worry I had to pick the onions off his sandwich. Fair enough, seeing as how he bought the meal.

The show down: Panera vs. Atlanta Bread Co.

The entrance to the HHI Atlanta Bread Co.

I lived in the Hilton Head, SC area for about four years. During my time at HHI, I became accustomed to the casual cafe bakery chain...Atlanta Bread Company. Not being aware of how strong my true love for Panera Bread was at this time, I always enjoyed my ABC visits. It was ABC that we would frequent after church on Sunday, for an early morning breakfast, or even for a meeting with potential customers for lunch. Yes, ABC was always a good time. My menu item of choice was the "Half & Half", the ABC version of Panera's "Pick 2". I would typically order the ham and cheese sandwich with a greek salad, and the unsweet tea.

I can recall going to Panera on some of my visits home to Ohio and thinking that Panera was way better than ABC. I always wished for a Panera to come to the island. That dream came true, only a couple of months before I moved back to Ohio.

My dog, Boomer on the ride home. He is really good in the car,
but for some reason always looks so pathetic.

This past week, in one last attempt to escape Ohio's winter I packed up the car along with Deb (my mom) and my 4-legged friend, Boomer! I already warned Deb of my plans to review the HHI Panera, so she was fully aware of the inevitable Panera visit. What I neglected to warn her about was the fact that I needed to visit ABC from the eyes of a "Panera Addict".

On the very first morning in HHI, I steered off course and drove to the HHI Atlanta Bread Co, located on the north end of the island. Immediately upon walking into the establishment, I felt a sense of comfort. This ABC represents a fun time in my life...and now represents the fact that I am on vacation when I visit.

Despite this sense of initial comfort, my critical Panera Addict eyes soon awoke. The overall atmosphere of an ABC is far less superior to ANY Panera. It is hard to explain how this is so, I think it just comes down to the fact that Panera's seem to be decorated so much warmer. ABC's are decorated very plainly...white walls, brown floors, natural wood tables. In a word, "blah". I never noticed this "blahness" until my finely tuned "Panera Addict" eyes took over...so I really doubt many other people notice this. I do challenge you to compare for yourself. You might be surprised.

The items ordered. Note the "Pink" magazine. I usually pick up a
copy when I visit the ABC to read up on all things HHI.

I ordered half of a ham sandwich and the black bean and corn salad, with an unsweet tea, of course. Deb opted for a cinnamon raisin bagel and a coffee. Comparing the food is much more difficult than reviewing the overall look and feel of the cafes. On one hand, I enjoyed the options available at ABC. But on the other hand, the sandwiches and salads at Panera are much better. One of my favorite surprises was the black bean and corn salad. It was 9AM and I wanted something with a little substance, and I remember from experience that the ABC breakfast sandwiches are nothing to write home about. But I didn't want a full lunch meal. I was happy to see the "half-sandwich" option...and even happier to learn that it comes with my choice of either: Chips, cookie, potato salad or the black bean/corn salad. And I think it was priced around $4. What variety!! The black bean salad was AWESOME.

For all of you sweet tooths out there...Deb's experience confirms that Panera is still King of the bakery. In an effort to find a suitable substitute to the Panera cinnamon crisp bagel, Deb settled for the cinnamon raisin bagel. And "settle" she did. It was no match for Panera. In further conversation, Deb also acknowledged that the Panera bakery items are way better than ABC.

Let's recap:
FOOD:
ABC has some interesting options on their menu, like the black bean and corn salad. When it comes to food quality, however, Panera is the winner.

ATMOSPHERE:
Hands down Panera is the winner.

PRICE:
The ABC "Half/Half" was $7.19, and it doesn't come with the option of chips, baguette or apple. Panera's "Pick 2" runs about $6.59.

In the end....
Panera 2.5
ABC 0.5 (I give them half a point because of the black bean salad)

Panera wins!!!

My Panera, My surprise! The Clintonville visit...

How surprised I was when my, "MY PANERA" card was swiped this past Saturday and I received $2 off my meal!! What a great reward. My friend Amy, the pregnant one, joined me on this outing...and I immediately turned to Amy upon hearing the news and proclaimed what a great deal that was! Previously, the only rewards I have been getting were a free bagel and/or pastry. 2 bucks off a Pick 2, in my book, made my day!

I had been looking forward to visiting this Clintonville Panera, located on North High Street for some time now. This was my first visit to this Panera. If you are not familiar with this area, Clintonville is a nicer neighborhood of Columbus, located about 10-15 miles north of OSU campus. This Panera is located next to a Chipotle and some other retailers inside of a strip center. I would say the building is fairly new, maybe 6 years or so?

THE REVIEW.
Date visited: Saturday, January 29
Attendance: Myself and Amy
Time of Day: 11 AM
Items ordered:
Me: Pick 2 combo, with the turkey artichoke sandwich and a greek salad. Wheat baguette, and unsweet tea.
Amy: Pick 2 combo, with the Frontega Chicken sandwich and the french onion soup. Wheat baguette and a drink...I think it was water, but it could have been sprite?

That's Amy pictured. She was concerned after she realized I was taking pictures for the blog.

I am trying to order items off the menu that I wouldn't normally...for the sake of my fans. (Note the sarcasm) So on this visit, I really went out of my comfort zone and ordered the turkey artichoke, upon a recommendation from my friend, Megan. I must admit...this sandwich was delightful! If you haven't tried this one, put it on your list of must-haves! The description reads as such from the menu:

Smoked turkey, spinach artichoke spread, Asiago-Parmesan cheese,

tomatoes & caramelized onions, grilled hot on our Focaccia.

I wanted to order a bowl of soup instead of the salad, but I got nervous at the last minute, and went with what I knew...I was already trying a new sandwich, and going for a new soup would have been overkill. Predictably...the greek salad was good. As was the baguette, and of course the unsweet tea.

In regards to Amy's order...I must say I am a little fuzzy on the details. I am 95% sure she ordered the Frontega Chicken Panini. Amy, if you are reading this, please confirm. Also, her go-to soup is the french onion, which she did order. Overall, I believe Amy would recommend her meal.

The LAYOUT.

My vantage point from the table.

This was fairly busy for an 11 AM visit, but not packed. There is a pretty big space between the entrance and the cashiers...similar to the Westerville Panera. From the entrance there are 2 main seating areas, one to the left which is a smaller, more quaint setting...and then the main dining area to the right. We sat to the left...not necessarily by choice. There weren't many options left.

I liked this Panera, and I would visit this one again.

Random NOTES.

• I forgot to check out the bathrooms...sorry no bathroom review. But I sense they would be decent.
• This Panera also had the bar seating area, like the Dublin Panera.
• My biggest complaint about going to Panera with Amy is that she is always in a rush to leave...ironically, on this visit, I had to rush us out. I don't think Amy will let me live this one down.
• Amy is pregnant, and is about to pop any day now. There is a poll on when the baby will be born and the sex. It costs a dollar to get in.

My Orlando trip included a visit to PANERA!

Panera Bread, Sand Lake Road - Orlando. Pictured: Ashley and Abby.

Date visited: 1.7.2011
Time of day: 10:30 am
Attendees/Items ordered:
Me: Old faithful, the Pick 2 combo (Sierra turkey on wheat, greek salad, and baguette) with iced tea.
Ashley: Breakfast panini with bacon, egg, cheese and a Mocha
Abby: Pick 2 combo (Broccoli and cheddar soup with greek salad)
Bonus: I gave my free My Panera reward of a pastry to Ashley and Abby. They opted for the a strawberry danish.

The story:
While visiting my friend, Ashley, that lives in Orlando, I had the distinct honor of going to the Panera located on Sand Lake Road. The weather in Orlando was gorgeous! Sunny and in the high 60s each day...not bad for January! When the weather is so pleasant, it is difficult to be negative...but somehow, I found flaws...mainly due to the service we received.

I fell instantly in love with the exterior of the building. They had an AWESOME outdoor seating area with higher end furniture. Beyond the exterior - my first impression of the interior was that it was quaint. That's right - they did not have a community room, so this was was much smaller. Despite the lack of community room and the more intimate seating, I did like the interior layout. As I said, it was very quaint...proving the age old adage - bigger isn't always better.

The FOOD.
No real trouble with anyone's food, other than the lettuce on my salad was a little brown for my liking, but other than that it was good. Ashley had a mocha with her meal, which she received free from her My Panera rewards card! She did note that while the Panera mochas are good, they are also expensive. (Further confirming the point that Amy made in the St. Clairsville post). I was told that the danish was good.

Our meals.

The SERVICE.
In a word - awful. The food preparer could not get my order correct. First he tried to give me the greek salad with a soup instead of the sandwich. When I told him what I ordered, he seemed rather annoyed. A few minutes later he called my name to pick up my order...only to have the sierra turkey on the default asiago bread, instead of the wheat bread as ordered. I had to inform him that it was still incorrect. Finally he called my name with everything correct, but the baguette. They gave me white instead of wheat. At that point it wasn't worth the fight.

Random FACTS.

• Abby signed up for My Panera card.
• They stop serving breakfast at 10:30...but thankfully Ashley was able to get that last-minute breakfast order.
• This Panera did not have free samples
• Orlando area Paneras use billboards to promote their stores.

Overall I enjoyed my visit to this Panera. I regret not sitting outside on the patio. Although it was nice outside - it may have been a tad chilly to sit there comfortably. Considering the fact that it was snowing in Ohio - I should have taken advantage of the patio seating.

Running for Panera...Antrim Park + Bethel Panera = Good Morning

The Panera Bread on Bethel Road

Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit the Bethel Road Panera. The back story to this Panera visit goes as such: A friend of mine, Abby, and I are running in a half-marathon next weekend in Orlando. Training for this half-marathon for both parties, has been a struggle to say the least. In an attempt to do a last minute training session before next Saturday's race, we agreed to meet at Antrim Park for a 6-mile jaunt. Antrim Park happens to be located just a couple of miles from the Bethel Road Panera, so I was able to convince my friend to make a morning of it...we run, then we go to Panera! What a morning!

The run yesterday was a bit of struggle, but we were able to get through the run knowing that Panera was on the horizon. As we jokingly (or non-jokingly) chanted, "Running for Panera".

The review on the Bethel Rd. Panera:

Date visited: 12.31.10
Time of day: 10:30 ish
Items ordered:

Panera Pick 2: Chicken Salad, Greek Salad

Me: Pick 2, 1/2 chicken salad on seasame semolina, 1/2 greek salad (no olives), baguette, unsweet tea
Abby: Pick 2, 1/2 tuna salad, 1/2 greek salad with olives, baguette, soda

As you will notice I strayed from my typical "pick 2" favorite, which is the sierra turkey. A friend of mine noted that I should explore the menu a little more if I am going to have a blog about Panera. The chicken salad was pretty good, but it definitely was not the best chicken salad I have had. In fact, I think the Kroger chicken salad is better than Panera's. The greek salad was good as usual. Because I strayed from my normal menu item, I didn't know if the pick 2 came with a baguette. The cashier did not offer me the option of baguette, chips, or fruit...and I was given the default white baguette. I was a little disappointed in that.

Regarding Abby's order...she noted that the tuna salad was not her very good, but everything else was very good. She also noted that Panera has really good olives. As an olive hater, I wouldn't be able to tell you the difference between olives. She confirmed that Panera olives are super good. So if you like olives, I suggest you give Paneras a whirl.

Other observations:

They have a community room! So this Panera seemed a little more spacious than those that do not have the room. Another bonus at this Panera is the samples. This is a very key component to your Panera visit. Right as you walk in the entrance, there were samples of bread sitting there waiting to be sampled. Not all Paneras do this, and sometimes if they do all of the samples are gone.

I forgot to mention that I found a HAIR in my food! More specifically, I found it nestled between the top and middle part of the sandwich. I was very grossed out, needless to say. Finding a hair in your food, in my opinion, is one of the grossest things that can happen at a restaurant. I pointed this long piece of hair out to Abby. Naturally, she was grossed out. I somehow overcame the initial disgust and pretended it was my hair. Somehow it could have happened, right? I didnt feel like complaining, and if the worst case scenerio happened, and it wasnt my hair...the people that were preparing the food seemed like they washed their hair. At the end of the day, I ate the entire meal and survived.



The sample tray...and Abby sneaking into the photo.



Anyways...this wasn't my first visit to this Panera. I have been to this one several times over the years. But this is my first official review of the Bethel Panera. Overall, I really like this layout. The community room is a plus. The restrooms were clean.

Westerville: N. State St

Date visited: Saturday, December 18
Time: 12:30
Items ordered:

• Pick 2
• 1/2 greek salad
• 1/2 sierra turkey, on whole wheat bread
• whole wheat baguette
• ice water w/lemon

Those in attendance: just me
Comments:
This Panera is located as an end unit of a large shopping plaza, with other tenants such as Giant Eagle, a sushi restaurant, a bar, and several other businesses. This part of Westerville is located near the Hoover Reservoir. Most of the buildings in this area are newer.
I liked the atmosphere at this Panera. The layout was unique in that there were several pockets of seating. I chose to sit at a table in front of the window.
I have never used the "community room" at a Panera, but this location did offer one. For some completely irrational reason, I like Paneras that have the community room. Again, no reason as to why.
My only complaint in regards to the food, was the lettuce did not seem as fresh as it usually is. The staff was very friendly. I have the "my Panera" card, and in my experience, the staff is not very trained on asking you if you have the card before you pay. It is usually an after thought. The cashier that I had on Saturday, however, asked me right after I placed the order.
Bathrooms were not the greatest. After my meal, I was going to use the facility, but opted not to after a quick look in the bathroom. This was probably out of the staffs control, but the toilet was stuffed full of toilet paper...for all I know, this could have happened just before I went into the bathroom.
Overall I enjoyed this Panera. The layout was very pleasing, and the location is in a nice area of town. I did not have a friend to dine with, and I did not have any work to do, so I did not bring my laptop. I do think this location would be a good place to camp out for a couple of hours and get some work done. Again, the layout allows for this.

Why am I doing this?

I might have a miniature obsession with Panera Bread. My friends will tell you that it is true, I do enjoy my Panera Bread more than the average person. They will also tell you that it really does not make sense that Panera is always my restaurant of choice.

You see, I am a pretty frugal person, and Panera is not a cheap meal...especially considering what you get for your money. A typical lunch at Panera runs close to $10.

This brings me to my first experiences with Panera. I was a college sophomore at UD. A newly built Panera was just a short-walk from my apartment. I had been to Panera beforehand, but I never had this much access to it. Shortly after it was built many of my friends liked to frequent Panera to help nurse a hangover. Reluctantly, I joined my friends on these outings. I was admittedly, disappointed on each of these occassions...so much so that I stopped going. As a poor college student, $10 for a hangover meal was far out of my budget. Not to mention the fact that it was my contention that the key ingredient of hangover food should be grease...french fries, burgers, etc. Clearly Panera did not meet any of the tough requirements.

That was in the year 2000. Fast forward to today. A lot has happened in 10 years. One of the biggest changes is Wifi. Sure, they probably offered Wifi back then...but I did not have a laptop, and I probably didnt understand what Wifi was. Another change in the last 10 years...my hangovers. While I would like to say I have grown up and hangovers are a rarity...let's just say I still have hangovers, but for some reason the classic greasy meal isn't as appetizing or as settling on the stomach as the fresh ingredients from Panera.

Panera can be enjoyed with a group of friends, with just one or two friends, and even by yourself. I can be found at many central Ohio Paneras working on my laptop...and sometimes you will see me dragging along a friend or two to join me. Either way I enjoy the atmosphere and the energy that Panera offers. From the background music to the people watching...Panera is a great place to dine.

I recently visited my sister in Cleveland, and had the opportunity to go a Cleveland area Panera. It sounds weird, and perhaps creepy...but as I was sitting at that Panera I couldn't help but think, "Wow, if I had to rank my favorite Paneras, this would be at the very top of the list"....and so you have it. I have decided to visit as many Panera Breads possible and rank them.

In an effort to complete this goal, I am starting with visiting all of the Columbus area Panera's. I have already been to several of the 19 locations throughout the years. But I am going to make a fresh start and re-visit even the ones I have already been to.

I will rank them based on my personal opinion, and my own likes/dislikes. As further background information....my favorite menu item is the Pick 2. I enjoy half of the sierra turkey on whole wheat (I dont like the default bread) and the other half is a greek salad, no olives. I also typically opt for a whole-wheat baguette as my other side. Drink of choice is an unsweet tea. And...even stranger...I will order this at anytime of the day...even for breakfast. I am not a big sweets person, so I can't fairly rank the bakery side of the restaurant.

Thank you for reading about my journey....