Just before noon, Panera Bread is packed with hungry Baton Rougeans eager to try the new restaurant’s flavorful fare. After enduring the painfully long line, I gave my order to the cheerful cashier, and happily took the buzzer that would alert me when my food was ready.
My friend and I took advantage of Panera’s “You Pick Two” option and ordered half of a roasted turkey and avocado BLT and a Mediterranean chicken flatbread sandwich. We paired the sandwiches with creamy tomato soup and a strawberry, poppy seed and chicken salad.
Each choice was uniquely delicious. The turkey on the BLT tasted as if it had been freshly carved. It was perfect with the crisp bacon and fresh avocado between slices of chewy sourdough. Both plates came with a generous slice of Panera’s famous bread, which proved to be the perfect vessel for the tangy, smooth tomato soup.