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| - This particular Panera is a staple in my life - which I honestly don't care to make a major corporate, chain-run restaurant my place to run to on rainy days, when I have a cold, or when I just need a bowl of soup or a healthy salad to start my day. But it is. It's been not only that but a place of longing that various co-workers have agreed that when we hear some Chet Baker or otherwise lounge-jazz music that we'd "rather be at Panera." It's reliable, the food is always good, and I always know what to expect.
That said - for those who aren't in the know of Panera, get out from under your rock and get in the 'know! Panera is a light lunch/breakfast eatery that offers a bakery with morning bites, with jazz music floating throughout. It's a hit with all ages, offering free wi-fi, and its very popular with everyone from children to seniors. They have a you pick two deal which allows you to mix and match a variety of things from the whole soup/salad/sandwich/etc so you can get a pretty sweet combo for just six-ish bucks. You typically have kids working there who remember your name, your preferences (One girl would give me a free cookie if I always wore one piece of Nintendo gear so I ended up with a lot of free cookies!)
My only complaint with this particular location is that the upholstery, carpetry, and the door handle and a few things here and there needs an upgrade. They're worn and their age is showing as opposed to a few years ago when they looked brand spanking new. A major warning that I have as far as just "dropping into" this place is to make SURE that you are not coming on a soccer afternoon! See that field across of Rainbow? Chances are that a lot of the players are going to flood Panera as soon as their game lets out and not only is going to grind service to a halt, but you may be finding that a good chunk of the menu is now depleted. The upside to this is that there are other very good restaurants in this place about twenty feet away: Viet Bistro, Market Grille Cafe, and Chipotle.
My particular favorite dishes? I adore the Chicken/Rice soup, Chicken Almond Salad Sandwich, and the Thai Chopped Chicken salad are among my favorites. Keep in mind that the soups change from day to day and that certain non-creme based soups do not do well in their delicious sourdough bread bowls.
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