A Guy Named Renfield

For someone who professes to dislike chain restaurants I sure eat at a lot of them, don’t I? Anyway, I consider Panera Bread a sandwich shop more than a proper restaurant, so my stringent criteria need not apply. It actually wants to be a hip and trendy coffee shop, and it goes a long way to achieving its goal. Free wi-fi sells a lot of coffee and sandwiches these days.

My wife and I stopped in at the one by Arundel Mills next to the Safeway, as we had to pick up a lot of groceries in preparation for a big dinner party we were having and we wanted something quick. We split a Lemon Artichoke Panini, which was very tasty. The ingredients were distinct, the chicken was tender, and it was slathered in hot melted cheese. I always forget how greasy the bread is, but it’s not too bad.

We sat at a booth in the corner, allowing me to observe the layout of the room. They have lots of small tables in the center, presumably ideal for the lunch rush, and a few booths on the sides. The décor and lighting is all very modern and tasteful, and the only problem I had was due to their strict adherence to their design scheme. They have a very pleasant little walled-off nook with a fireplace. There are a few regular tables in the area, but right in front of the fireplace is a coffee table with two padded easy chairs. Tell me, what is the point of designing someplace so hip and trendy that has only one good seat? I’m guessing at larger locations that area is much expanded and includes many more seating options, but it really seemed like they crammed that section in. And I love sitting in front of the fireplace darn it!