Aiee! It's here!

[chipotle]

There's a few chain restaurants I've missed since I moved out here. A few "little" ones, ones that aren't going to make you go wow but are just good hangout joints -- Steak-n-Shake, Waffle House (God help me). And, Panera Bread Cafe. In the Bay Area, Le Boulanger wants to be a Panera, but they don't quite cut it: their sandwiches and soups are good enough, but their pastries pale in comparison and their atmosphere is more like a fast food restaurant than a cafe. And to add lameness, they all close at 7:00 pm at the latest.

Today, I drove south to Gilroy and found the first Panera Bread in Northern California, which has only been open since Thursday. Those who know Gilroy will probably ask, "Gilroy? Why Gilroy?"; the answer is, apparently, because it's growing real fast, and the Panera is in one of two retail centers that weren't there a year ago, stocked with upscale suburban tenants.

And, like most Panera Bread Cafes now, it has free wi-fi. That's new in the last two years, but they've always been laptop friendly, with plenty of tables that have electrical outlets.

I ended up staying there close to seven hours, having lunch and then later an afternoon pastry with coffee. (Their coffee is, to be truthful, so-so at best, but it's drinkable and there are free refills.)

For better or worse, Gilroy is too far to travel to hang out too often, although it's probably a bit closer--and certainly faster to get to--than Soquel, where my favorite independent coffee shop is.

But, they're opening a Panera in Cupertino soon, I'm told, and there are plans for 15 around the SF Bay Area.

Comments

[prickvixen.livejournal.com]

I never thought Steak & Shake was that good, really. Not sure what else to say about it, just that everyone seems to think it's awesome and I find it unremarkable... maybe it's the cost/meat ratio.

[raventail2.livejournal.com]

Same here. I've always found Steak & Shake's food to be rather bland. Maybe it's that they seem to concentrate more on the decor than the food.

[chipotle.livejournal.com]

It's not awesome -- I specifically disclaimed "wow factor," after all. :) Can you get better burgers? Sure. Around the South Bay, Kirk's and Mojo Burger are both better... but they're not much faster than SnS, they're not full table service, and I think they're actually a little more expensive. I like Steak-n-Shake because it's a cheap diner joint. It's Johnny Rockets with a bigger menu and without the irritating retro pretense. It's full table service with a dessert menu I really don't think can be beat for the price. And try getting a chili five-way at McDonald's. Not gonna happen. (Let alone when you're driving back from somewhere and it's 1 am.)

I'm sure it's a 'your mileage may vary' thing, and I'm sure quality at various branches varies, too. Maybe the ones around mordrul suck, I don't know. But personally, I miss having 'em around.

[varjohaltia.livejournal.com]

You know, Whataburgers are suddenly popping up all over central Florida again.

But yeah. S'n'S food isn't gourmet -- but it's decent, very reasonably priced, the menu is nice and varied, they actually have pretty good shakes (their banana split shake was quite awesome) and as you stated, at 2 am, or even at 11 pm, it's about the only decent hangout left open in most places.

[prickvixen.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, I'm just used to everyone gawping at Steak & Shake when they're on vacation or something like it kicks all kinds of ass, and I'm there with them thinking 'What? It's just a Howard Johnson's with a radically stripped-down menu.' Perhaps they are bedazzled by the checkerboards. Therefore I must punch holes in that particular balloon whenever I can.