It was a rare move approved by almost all AU students: the Mary Graydon Center opened a new Panera Bread this month.
Gone are the noodles and rice bowls of Paper Lantern. The Asian eatery lasted just one year in the MGC’s flagship storefront and never proved popular enough to remain. Also gone is the dreadful, chaotic ordering system at Einstein Bros., which seems to have closed to make room for the new cafe. Einstein's chronic bagel shortages will not be missed.
What should you order at Panera now that it’s finally open? You could dawn a beret, order an entire French baguette and bike around campus while pretending to see the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Or you could take our suggestions. This author at Spoon University ranks five plats très bien for your dining pleasure.
5) Greek Salad
Meal swipes for lunch and dinner are redeemable exclusively for Panera's You Pick Two deal, which is exactly what it sounds like: select two of your favorite entrees from the menu and receive a half-portion of each. This includes soups, sandwiches, pastas, grain bowls and salads.
I find the Greek salad here to be light and refreshing. The Kalamata olives on top are tangy and salty, as is the crumbled feta. They complement the red cherry tomatoes and romaine quite well.
4) Broccoli Cheddar Soup
There's nothing like a cup of hot soup to chase away the autumn chills. Panera's rendition of this classic is quintessential, stick-to-your-ribs comfort food. Plus, it's a relatively healthy choice (especially when compared to the monstrous "kitchen sink" cookie).
All soups here are available in a bread bowl--arguably Panera's claim to fame. This delectable sphere of sourdough is a house speciality; it is called Panera Bread, after all.
3) Sprouted Grain Bagel
What's the difference between sprouted grain and, well, regular grain? For one thing, the former uses the whole grain (as opposed to white flour, which does not). For another, it has more vitamin content, making it a wholesome choice of bread.
Details aside, this bagel flat is scrumptious. Best enjoyed when toasted with whipped butter, it is my go-to bagel order at Panera. It might be different from what New York bagel loyalists are used to, but it's a solid option by Washington, D.C. standards.
2) Baja Grain Bowl
It's rare to encounter a dish like this one at a quick service chain. There are so many thoughtfully curated flavors dancing together in one delicious tango.
Two different types of salsa--corn bean and verde--dress brown rice and quinoa in vibrant colors. Adding a Greek component to this southwestern platter, Panera throws feta and sour yogurt into the mix. I especially love the fiesty, pickled red onions juxtaposed against mild, fresh slices of avocado. As far as entrees go at this 2,000-location franchise, the Baja bowl is impossible to beat.
1) Lemon Drop Cookie
We all know the lyrics to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," in which Judy Garland sings about "troubles melt[ing] like lemon drops". Sprinkled with powdered sugar and bursting with citrus-infused flavors, this lemony cookie is a treat worthy of the Wizard of Oz himself.
Bakers at Panera use an ingenious sugar cookie recipe involving lemon concentrate, vanilla extract and unsalted butter. They mix in a generous amount of "white confectionary drops," which, for all intents and purposes, are white chocolate chips. The result is a mouthwatering and inspired confection. If nothing else, at the opening of this new restaurant, AU's campus will have gained access to these remarkable cookies.