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| - Looking for lunch this afternoon, I decided to try a place I drive by all the time, The Paradise Bakery and Cafe.
As I walked in I saw a large dining area and menus hung on the wall behind different stations. I surveyed the menu and wandered up to the front awaiting direction from one of the many employees standing behind the counter.
I was greeted with "Soup or Salad?" Confused, I explained I would like to order a half sandwich with a cup of soup. The employee took my sandwich order and then handed me a receipt and directed me down the line for soup service. I carried the paper slip down to the soup section of the cafeteria like presentation line. There, another employee fulfilled my soup request and asked for the paper slip. Handing me my bowl of soup, drink cup and order placard, I was told the total and paid for my lunch. I ordered the Turkey Avocado BLT with a cup of Fire Roasted Tomato soup.
Walking away from the counter I discerned that the employees were neither rude nor friendly, just void of emotion.
As, I filled my drink from the self service station and looked around for a seat I noticed every patron was staring at me like I was unwelcome on their sacred ground. I took a seat at a booth and awaited my sandwich.
Within a few minutes my sandwich was dropped on my table and my number placard taken without an exchange of words. Looking at my recently delivered plate, first thought was the presentation was insulting. It looked like someone tossed the ingredients on the plate and topped it with a piece of bread.
After reassembling the sandwich, I took a bite. Considering it's a bakery, the sour dough was bland and tough, same could be said of the turkey and the bacon was either microwaved or prepackaged. Moving on to the soup, it had more flavor but didn't wow me by any means.
As I finished my meal and looked around I was encompassed by 2 types of patrons, the elderly and suburban hipsters flaunting their Mac Books and tablets and glaring at me.
The highlight for me was the not so terrible chocolate chip cookie that came with my my sandwich. Perhaps the other baked goods are tasty but I'll never know. I won't be back.
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