Panera Bread located inside the Lansing Mall on Saginaw Highway in Lansing
I used to be scared of Panera Bread. I always assumed there is nothing there I would like because they didn’t make greasy hamburgers and fries. My girlfriend finally got me there one day while we were doing some extended work in Decatur, IL. We had exhausted all of the downtown restaurant options and another lady we were working with had mentioned she was going to Panera Bread. I decided not to argue and went along for the ride. To my surprise, I actually found quite a bit there that sounded and looked good. Panera has always been a standby for J. She eats there pretty much every time she has to work in Kalamazoo or anytime she has to find someplace to eat and I’m not with her.
Today, we needed to run to Horrocks before heading back to Illinois for the weekend. J just wanted a salad for lunch and asked if there was a Panera close. The only one I could think of was the one at the Lansing Mall so after we grabbed what we needed from Horrocks, we headed down Saginaw Highway to the mall.
Panera Bread is located inside the mall, but they do have an outside entrance which is actually the main entrance. There is mall access as well, but you’ll need to go through the dining room to get to the counter. All Panera’s are set up the same with both a bakery and a cafe. You can buy their Artisan breads by the loaf if you wish or you can go past the bakery to the cafe and order soup, salad, or a sandwich on their fresh baked bread.
Strawberry Poppyseed Salad from Panera Bread
It was lunch time when we got there and everyone had the same idea we did. There was a little bit of a line, but nothing to bad. J got the Strawberry Poppy seed Salad with a whole wheat baguette. She says that salad is her favorite salad from any place, but it’s only available in the summer, so she takes advantage of it while she can. The salad starts with a bed of crisp romaine lettuce. Fresh strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, Mandarin oranges, and pecans are piled on top. A fat-free sugar reduced poppy seed dressing comes on the side. This is similar to a salad I make at home for her quite a bit, but Panera’s is much better. The difference is the Mandarin oranges which she says reminds her of one of her Grandma’s.
I got the Asiago Roast Beef Sandwich with a French baguette for a side. The sandwich starts with an Asiago Cheese Demi bread that is filled with oven-roasted roast beef, smoked cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions and a horseradish sauce. This is by far my favorite Panera sandwich even though it’s not quite as healthy as I hoped it would be. The roast beef really does a lot of damage to the daily calorie count I’m trying to hit. The sandwich is delicious though. I never imagined I would like a horseradish sauce, but it adds such an incredible layer of flavor to the already flavorful sandwich. I love smoked cheddar and the roast beef ain’t bad either. The bread is really hard which makes eating a challenge, but a challenge that is totally worth it.
Asiago Roast Beef sandwich from Panera Bread
Our bill was just over $15 for the two meals and one Diet Pepsi. We showed up during the lunch rush so it did take a few minutes for our order to come up. We decided to take our meals to go just because we had some other things to do. For a chain restaurant, Panera probably has one of the best, most comfortable dining rooms anywhere. There’s a little extension to the dining room that spills out into the mall. It’s almost a sidewalk atmosphere but indoors. There is a patio out front if you’re actually looking for a real outdoor dining experience too. Since that first trip in Decatur, we’ve eaten at many Panera’s and I don’t even argue anymore. Who would have thunk it? A meatatarian can actually find a good meal at a cafe.
Mid-Michigan Dining 
Thanks for reminding me that I need to get that delicious strawberry poppyseed salad before it goes away! 🙂
Anything I can do to help 😉