I really miss California food places. Corner Bakery, Jamba Juice, Lazy Dog Café, El Pollo Loco, Café Rio, Jade’s Palace, In and Out, Pinkberry, this Huntington beach yogurt place, Trader Joes even though its not technically a food place. This has been the hardest adjustment besides leaving family and friends behind. And the funny thing is I hardly ate out while I lived there, and I don’t eat out much here. But when I do, I want to go to my favorite places.
So I did what any girl would do after moving to a new city that lacks all those favorite places above and I am looking for substitute places, where food might be similar even though it’s not the same. Jacksonville does have a Mimi’s, Auntie Anne’s and Cheesecake factory. So I thought I would blog about the journey when I can actually do a comparison (when I have a few dollars to splurge of course, so this is very random).
So today’s comparison is based on, “The Corner Bakery D.C. Chicken Salad on Steakhouse Rye.” This sandwich is made with roasted chicken, crisp green apples, currants, red onions, celery, mayonnaise, and toasted almonds. The sandwich also has lettuce and tomatoes. The bread has nuts in it giving the sandwich the perfect blend. Chips and a pickle come with this meal. Its heaven to eat and I crave it with no satisfaction in sight because there is no Corner Bakery in Jacksonville, FL.
The contender is Panera Bread’s Napa Almond Chicken Salad; this is made with all-natural pepper-mustard chicken, diced celery, seedless grapes, almonds & our special dressing. Served with lettuce & tomato, on Sesame Semolina bread. Also includes chips and a pickle. To make it fair I did ask them to add red onion to my Panera sandwich to lessen one more ingredient that is missing from the DC chicken salad.
My Impressions….
Corner Bakery gives you a greater portion of the extras in the chicken salad, more flavor, its chunkier and what I learned is chicken, apples, currants and bread do make a big difference in taste!. What a difference roasted chicken makes in the taste of chicken, they had regular chicken at Panera and while I appreciate it is antibiotic free, there was no flavor! The bread was good, but wrong for the sandwich, I think the rye works better from Corner Bakery because it has the nuts and holds the sandwich flavor better.
I seriously could have made a better sandwich myself. The few grapes were squished and did not add any flavor, the chicken salad was sparse (the amount is comparable to the chicken salad you might find in a plastic container from the gas station. I could not taste or feel the crunch of the celery or the almonds in the chicken salad. The only thing I could taste was the red onion I had them add, the lettuce and tomato and the bread tasted good, even though I did not like the combo of the sandwich. I was disappointed, but relieved to know the truth because now I will never eat there for their chicken salad.
The chips were about equal, except Corner Bakery gives you more! And the pickle I got from Panera was pathetic and looked limp, but tasted fine. I could have fared better at Arby’s eating their chicken salad than I did today at Panera Bread.
I also love the décor of Corner Bakery; it’s relaxing and is designed really well.
Panera has a hip feel that is fine. Their plates are to big making you feel like you are not getting as much food.
My closest Corner Bakery is in Atlanta GA and eventually they are putting them in South Florida by 2012 (14 to be exact) and of course it is 5 ½ hours away, meanwhile I suffer with pregnancy cravings for a sandwich that is nowhere near me. If anyone comes across the actual recipe will you send it to me? I found a few online I am going to try.
Panera’s saving grace is their delicious bagels and their bakery; I love the Cinnamon Crunch Bagel with Honey Walnut Cream Cheese. This bagel tastes like heaven and brings me so much joy and happiness. I am dying to buy their Bagel pack (13 bagels and two tubs of cream cheese for $14 dollars) and fill it with Cinnamon Crunch bagels and two containers of Honey Walnut Cream Cheese and not share it with anyone (Would be eaten slowly over two weeks to savor and enjoy)!
I told Jeff that is what I want for my birthday. He laughed and said okay! He is great at remembering things I want so I trust this is one gift I will receive for my birthday!
Next Contenders...
Eventually I am going to compare my favorite Jamba Juice to Tropical Planet Smoothie. My sister-in-law Lindsay said it tastes good and is natural, so I am going to compare the two. I LOVE Jamba Juice so we will see. The sad thing is Jamba Juice used to be in Jacksonville and both places were shut down due to the economy. I was so devastated to find that out. Until I try the tropical smoothie place, I am enjoying Sonic drinks during this hot and humid weather. Jeff and I love going during happy hour when the drinks are half off. They also have great strawberry shakes (buy one get one free)!
Can you tell I am pregnant and thinking of food! Don’t worry, I do not indulge in my bagel fantasies (meaning one bagel and some cream cheese) often just on occasion and sonic is pretty inconsistent as well, it depends on how many quarters we can find! LOL
