The Case of the Panera Bread Hideaway

by Brooke on January 25, 2011

Today’s post is brought to you by the letters S for Sick Day, and P for Panera. It’s also brought to you by the number 76, which is a great number and has nothing to do with anything I’m going to say from here on out.

I was contacted a couple of weeks ago by the folks at Panera, wondering if I might be interested in joining forces with them for a handful of months. I was delighted, because Panera is the place Bethany Jones and I went a hundred years ago when we needed a place to settle in a share manuscripts we’d been writing on. Hers was lyrical and full of riveting prose. Mine utilized the word “hot” no less than eight times in a single paragraph. My future as a scintillating science fiction writer was consumed along with the chocolate pastry I devoured that day and a bowl of Fuji Apple Chicken Salad with the most mouthwatering dressing I’d ever wrapped my hot lips around. The restaurant proved a perfect place for the two of us to tuck in for a businessy sort of lunch, get lost in a crowd of chatty companions, and connect our laptops to the ragingly quick Panera internet connection.

Today it proved equally suitable for another girlfriend get together. This time not with Bethany (though have no fear, Bethany and I will reunite at this summers NKOTB reunion tour in Phoenix. Whoot.), but rather with my little Becca who was home playing hooky–er, I mean sick–with the sniffles.

I had a handful of work to catch up on. She had a Science Fair project to organize. So we scooted ourselves down the street for some fresh baked bread, hot tea, and soup (Becca lurves the Panera tea bar with it’s plentitude of offerings).

As much as I love Panera for it’s laid-back, business casual atmosphere, great food, and fresh-baked breads and pastries, perhaps the thing I love most about the restaurant is that the menu clearly shows the number of calories in each serving of food. I feel so saavy when I can order a meal and know exactly how many calories the dish will set me back.

Perusing the calorie counts on that menu, I couldn’t help my oogle that giant picture of Panera’s newest salad, the spicy Thai Chopped Chicken Salad. I couldn’t help myself. I ordered a bowl right up for me. Darling Becca went with the meaty Italian sub. We settled in seats near the fireplace, pulled out work and science fair papers, and busied ourselves like two old women plowing through the latest town gossip.

Just as it was all those years ago with Bethany, Panera is still one of my favorite restaurants to enjoy a working lunch. I love it for lazy girlfriend chats and the reading of hot, self-penned fiction. But, I think today I found my most favorite way to enjoy the restaurant. Sitting at a table for two, mom and daughter, with nothing but time and a chocolate pastry to savor. Deee-lish!

This post is part of blogging venture paid for by Panera. Though I am compensated for my time spent writing about Panera, I gladly offer my own personal opinions about the experience and try to give clear, honest feedback. It’s important to me that you enjoy your time at Panera as much as I enjoyed mine.

Psst…Did you know Panera actually has a whole slew of recipes on their website?
Oh loverly. You didn’t? Well, now you’re in the know big time. You can check them out here.