Miller & Lux

Miller & Lux opened in 2021, and immediately caught my attention.  I'll admit, I was drawn in by the "celebrity chef" nature of it, but also, by some of the unique touches.

"Tyler Florence’s new modern American Steakhouse Miller & Lux at the Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors, delivers a refined and comfortable restaurant experience through a sophisticated lens."

For the unfamiliar, Tyler Florence is a local chef and Food Network star (he hosts shows like The Great Food Truck Race, was a judge on Worst Cooks in America, and, uh, was on a single episode of the reality show Special Forces: World's Toughest Test this past year).  His other restaurant, Wayfare Tavern, is a San Francisco darling, with plenty of fans (I've reviewed their private dining before, and takeout as well, but somehow never wrote up a real visit).  Miller & Lux is clearly where he is pouring his energy right now though, as most reviews you find mention that he was there, visited every table, and in many cases, prepared a dish tableside for folks.  Alas, he was not there the nights I visited.

Miller & Lux is basically a classic steakhouse, a very upscale one, with a touch of additional, showy flair.  The prices are quite high, but so is the calibre of service, quality of ingredients, and remarkable plating and attention to detail.  They are quite clearly aiming for a Michelin star, or two.  And yet it also feels quite comfortable.  Or, as comfortable as it can, with a menu filled with a non-so-casual $350 wagyu tomahawk, a more modest $92 French dover sole, or $98 caviar donuts and fancy trolleys rolling through the dining room for tableside preparation of some dishes.  With all that high end flourish, it doesn't feel stuffy, even if the waitstaff are as impeccably dressed as the tables and the cuisine.

I visited twice, a year apart, once as a solo diner in the bar area, once with a friend in the main dining room.

My first visit had some very strong points (omg, get the charred brassicas side dish, and thank me later), and don't even get me started on the desserts ... stunning, high technique, and downright delicious.  I gladly returned for a splurge to sit in the main dining room for the full experience, although I did quite like my lower key bar experience.

Setting

Miller & Lux is not located in exactly what one things of as a classy place, or, at least I don't: Chase Center.  On days when there is game, my understand is that it is crazy packed.  VIPs have an entrance they can use that goes directly into the arena, or something like that.  Luckily for me, I visited on a non-game days, so it was peaceful.  Actually, it was deserted.  That area doesn't draw crowds outside of games and other events.

Entrance.

The building was hard to find.  I walked all around Chase Center looking for the entrance, looking at Google maps as I circled around and around, never quite hitting the mark.  Once I found it, there was a sign above the door, but it was subtle, and from the other 3 sides of the building, there were no pointers to where Miller & Lux might be.  The area had lots of other signs to specific sections of seating, parking, etc, but no navigation clues for finding the restaurant.

Patio.

Outside was fairly barren.  There were two tables out front, but neither had chairs nor umbrellas and were clearly not set up for dining (which makes sense, it was a cold, slow evening).  There were rings of rust on the pavement, presumably where previous tables had been?  These stains did make it look a bit grungy. 

Bar.

The entrance level is on the ground floor, and houses a bar area.  This is a classic round bar, with stools all around for patrons to enjoy a drink or a bite.

The main dining room is upstairs, as are the bathrooms.

Tables.

The downstairs area also has a few semi-circle tables, generally not reservable, unless you are a VIP or member.  Yes, you can purchase a membership to the restaurant, which entitles you to thinks like reservations and "complimentary" little extras during your meal.

Although this is a bar area, it is set up just as nicely as the main dining room.  Every table in the downstairs bar was set with a freshly laundered, wrinkle-free, perfectly snow white and lightly starched table cloth.  Each had a lit candle flickering, and a small pot with rather unique (dried?) plants.  Every table was identical and ready for diners.  The tables were all set with water glasses, bread plates with butter knives, a regular fork and knife, and napkin for each diner, along with a personal pepper mill per table.

Main Dining Room.

The main dining room upstairs has similar style table, along with beautiful lighting and decore.

Drinks

Like seemingly every element of the business, Miller & Lux takes the beverage program seriously.  And with some fanfare.

Throughout the meal, there are multiple carts that roll through the dining area, some doing table side preparations of savory or displaying all the desserts, but others are for drinks.  To get started, there is a champagne cart.  After dinner, there is an after dinner drinks cart.  Carts, carts, everywhere, although they are only used in the main dining room, not downstairs in the bar area where I was.

Drink Menu.

In addition to an extensive, separate, wine list, Miller & Lux offers a decent variety of wines by the glass, including unique treats like Opus One Overture ($75/glass).  I was tempted to splurge for that, given how rare it is to find it, particularly by the glass, but my server told me that he actually thinks it isn't quite worth it, and recommended the considerably cheaper Miller & Lux house label cabernet sauvignon instead (for $35/glass).

My first visit, I decided instead to focus on the cocktail program, as I was in the bar area after all.  I might as well let the bartenders do their thing.  I'm sure they would be happy to make any standard cocktails, but they also have a selection of signature cocktails ($16 each), with interesting use of spice (Chinese Five Spice?!), herbs (rosemary, thyme), and even a spin on a hot buttered rum that seemed quite weather appropriate.  I was drawn to the premium cocktails though.  These were an interesting trio: a very classic "Lux Martini" with either gin or vodka, their namesake "Miller's Manhattan" with either bourbon or rye, and a crazy sounding warm "Flaming Beauty" with, um, everything (Henessey VSOP, grand marnier, rum, chocolate bitters, and more).

Beer drinkers have options too, with some on draft, some cans, and some larger format bottles.  Soft drinks, a few juices, and signature mocktails round out the drink menu, along with sparkling or still water

Miller's Manhattan (Bourbon Version). $24.

"Sonoma Distilling Cherrywood Smoked Bourbon."

I settled on their signature Manhattan.  It was available with rye or bourbon, I picked bourbon.

It was delivered on a tray, and served with the extra in a carafe on ice on the side, which was a lovely touch I've never seen before.   Like my water, when my cocktail ran low, someone refilled it.  Once the carafe was empty, it was cleared from the table.

The drink was ... fine.  At $24, I expected it to be pretty special (most other cocktails were only $16).  It was not noticeably any better nor worse than any other Manhattan I've had, besides the extra carafe part.  I liked the 3 sweet cherries on the skewer, they were clearly higher quality than your standard maraschino.  It definitely hit me harder than I was prepared for, so it clearly had a substantial amount of booze in it.

So, fine, but not worth the $24, and not something I'd get again.  ***.

I failed to get a photo of it, but, my next visit, I went for wine rather than a cocktail.  I asked for a recommendation, and my server was able to tell me quite a bit about different options, and then offered to give me a small taste of a couple so I could select the one I wanted.  I ended up with a very reasonably priced Californian red, the Cabernet Sauvignon Blend, Chappellet, "Mountain Cuvée", CA 2021, which I quite enjoyed, and would get again.  It was somehow quite complex, without being too high in acid nor tanin, which was really exactly what I was looking for.  ****.

Ramos Pinto 20 year Tawny Port (1/2 glass, $25).

To go along with my dessert my second visit, I opted for a glass of port.  My dining companion and I asked to split a glass, which was done for us with no problem, although we were warned the pour would look small.

The port was good - nice depth to it, not just sweet, and I thought it went very well with my desserts.  That said, I really do just love port when I want to splurge a bit and finish a meal with something extra.  The sommelier did try to steer us in the direction of a sauternes instead as a better pairing, but, I was happy with my selection.  ****.

Savory Cuisine

Miller & Lux is at the core a steakhouse, and Chef Florence really wanted to bring back some of that old school steakhouse showmanship, with many table side experiences, such as the French dover sole that is deboned and finished at the table, the Caesar salad that is literally harvested at your table, and a chowder that is poured in front of you.  Along with the steak, they have a pretty legit seafood program, boasting the only true dover sole in San Francisco, and oysters housed in an in-house estuary until right before they are served.  It may sound a bit over the top, and the prices reflect it, but it doesn't come across as tacky nor pretentious, just actually, really high quality.

Visit #1: January 2023

Dinner Menu.

The dinner menu at Miller & Lux is broken into 5 categories: raw bar, hors d'oeuvres & salads, steaks & plates, sides, and sauces.  Oh, and an optional truffle supplement, $50 for a half ounce, shaved tableside (which, I really did consider getting to add to my sides!).  The sauce girl in me loves that they have an entire section just for sauces (intended for the steaks of course).

The raw bar is seafood heavy, the entrees beef heavy, but there are vegetarian options as well, including a goat cheese salad or deviled eggs for starters, and two entrees (polenta with wild mushrooms or pumpkin ravioli).

Since I was dining alone, my options were slightly limited, in that most of the starters and sides are meant to share.  I skipped the raw bar section of the menu, and actually, the mains (steaks & plates), and made a multi-course meal out of hors d'oeuvres, soup, and sides (and dessert of course, but more on that soon).

Truffle Popcorn. (Complimentary).

At one end of the bar was a popcorn machine.  It had popcorn in it.  I didn't see anyone eating popcorn, but when I was asked if I'd like their signature bread starter (a popover) I said yes, but, asked about the popcorn.  I was told it was truffle popcorn, and asked if I'd like some.  I enthusiastically said yes, because, um, I adore popcorn.  I don't think it would have been offered otherwise.

The popcorn was described as truffle popcorn, but I didn't really taste any truffle, not even truffle oil.  It was very salty, and very oily, but I'm not complaining.  It was a great bar snack, and went perfectly with my cocktail.  That said, if they want it to be truffle popcorn, they really need to amp up the truffle nature.

* as truffle popcorn, but *** overall, and I'd definitely ask for it again when seated in the bar.

Popover: Complimentary.

Right before he took my order, my server asked if I'd like their signature complimentary popover.  I said yes, even though I wasn't ever really in love with these at the chef's other restaurant, Wayfare Tavern, either.  I know how much others rave about them.

My popover was delivered to my table right after my order was taken, within a minute.  It was warm, light, and fluffy.  It had a sorta eggy taste though, that I just don't care for, much like choux pastry.  I like eggs, just, not in my bread in this kind of form it seems.  I think though that it was a nicely made popover, popovers just aren't my thing.  **+.

Butter.

The popover was served with branded butter, which was high quality.  I felt bad though that I had a whole thing of butter just for me, so I didn't finish it (normally a table full of people gets one to share, and I was alone).  Still, good butter, and it melted nicely into the warm popover, and definitely enhanced the eating experience of the popover.  ***+.

HORS D’OEUVRES & SALADS 

To get the main meal started, Miller & Lux has items from the raw bar (that I skipped, but, their oysters are very well known, as they have an in-house estuary that apparently really does yield pretty incredible oysters ... if you like oysters), along with other small bites like (truffled) deviled eggs (a signature item at Chef Florence's other restaurant too), caviar topped creme fraîche filled donuts (!!!), classic steak tartare, and an assortment of canapés, plus soup and salad.  One of the salads is the tableside Caesar salad for two, where the lettuce literally arrives still growing in a pot, and it is harvested and the salad is prepared tableside, with lots of ceremony.  A $34 salad, but, for two.

I was pretty tempted by much of this section of the menu.  They may not be high brow, but I do love deviled eggs, and when I asked, the server did say he could do a smaller portion for me (they come as 6 eggs normally, for sharing).  And the caviar donuts definitely sounded like something I'd enjoy - fried dough balls filled with crème fraîche custard and topped with caviar?  Um, yes!  They normally come 5 to an order, for $98, but my server also said he could do a half order of those.  I still wish I had ordered them, and I would love return to try them.

In the end, my first visit, I settled on a collection of canapés to start, as I love that they are priced individually, and that allowed to try a variety of the menu.  The collection changes with the season, but generally features 5 little bites, two vegetarian, two seafood, and one surf & turf.  Members of their club are given a platter of these complimentary.  

I also decided to order the chowder as my main dish, even though on the menu as a starter.  I knew this was no ordinary chowder (more on that soon), and I actually just wasn't in the mood for steak (much of the entree section of the menu), and the French dover sole sounded lovely, but that is another dish designed for two (and another one with an elaborate tableside prep, deboned at the table, sauce finished at the table, etc, and it is a pretty hefty $92).  If I was dining with a companion who wanted the seafood though, no question, I'd get that dish.  When he is on-site, Chef Florence usually does the tableside prep himself, and guests love it.

My server asked how I'd like the meal coursed, and suggested the canapés first, which I agreed with.

Canapés. $5 each.
Surf  & Turf Crudo, French Onion Tartlet, Salmon Rillette.

I opted to try 3 of the 5 canapés, ruling out the kampachi tartare as I don't generally like raw kampachi, and the potato rosti only because I had plentiful potato coming in my next course.  The rosti looks fantastic though, super crispy.  My server encouraged me to order two of each, rather than just one as I ordered, and I accepted his suggestion.  My platter came with two each of the salmon rillette and surf & turf, and four of the little french onion tarts.  I'm not sure if a single order of those is normally two, or if they decided to just add two more to fill out my platter?

The canapés came on a fancy stand, that had scratch marks all over it.  I was not provided a plate separately, and my bread plate was already cleared away, so I had to eat them straight from the fancy stand, which felt a bit awkward. 

It took about 15 minutes for my canapés to arrive.  The different bites were described in great detail, with the person who delivered it gesturing at each item, and describing the garnishes and everything.  I finished the bites quickly.  Several staff members came by to ask how it was, and I told them it was good.  Another server came by and refilled my drinks, and also asked how it was.  I again said good.  Even though both of these staff members came by after I was finished with it, they did not clear it away.  I had consumed all of it, so this was a bit odd.  I waited 5 minutes, and then visibly pushed it to the side.  It took another 5 minutes for someone to come take it, saying, "May I take this for you?".  It was greater than 10 minutes after I had finished it.  This felt like a bit of a service miss, given the standards of the restaurant.

"Surf & Turf Crudo" 

First up, the surf & turf crudo, which I knew was a gamble for me, given that I'm never excited about oysters or steak tartare, and it was exactly that: an oyster with steak tartare, frissee, and a ring of fried shallot.  I took the gamble because 1) it was just a single bite, so not a big deal if I disliked it and 2) people rave so much about the oysters, I wanted to at least try one, and this was better than ordering a tray full, and 3) the chef is known for his steak tartare preps.  So, I kinda just thought I'd kill two birds with one stone, taking two of the restaurant's most highly regarded appetizers, the oyster and the steak tartare, and pairing them.  This was a chilled item.

The pairing was not successful for me.  The briny oyster was the dominant taste, and I didn't taste the tartare at all. One of my oysters had grit.  Since I don't love oysters to begin with, this was not something I enjoyed.  I mostly got it because people rave about how fresh the oysters are, plucked from their estuary after all, but, for me, it was just a briny oyster, with grit, and thus, a miss.  For the second one, I tried to just have the tartare separate, so I could taste it, but I still didn't get much flavor from it.  I'd be curious what those who like oysters and tartare normally think of this bite.  Still, at $5, it was a very reasonable price (the oysters alone are normally $29 for 6).  **.

French Onion Tartlet

Next up, the adorable tartlet, a slightly warmed bite.  This was a partial hit.  The tart shell was just thick enough to hold it together, but not dominate.  It had a nice snap to it.  I liked the caramelized onion cream in the base and gooey, flavorful cheese element above that (I think a tiny hunk of Mt. Tam, the same they use on the burger?), but the slice of olive on top felt out of place.  It added a nice salty component, but, it didn't really make sense.  I've never seen olive with french onion before, and I think a tiny little crouton or cheese frico would be a better fit.  I removed the olives from my subsequent pieces, and liked them much more.  These would make a great party appetizer.  ****.

Salmon Rillette

Finally, I had the salmon rillette, which came rolled in a crepe-like hard shell, perched on its side, and topped with roe and a perfect little sprig of dill.  This was a cold item.  The salmon filling was soft and mushy, not particularly exciting, but remarkably well seasoned, with strong dill element in the filling, and salty in a good way.  The roe added a nice pop and additional salinity.  It was an enjoyable bite, and another one that would make for a good party snack.  The seasoning in particular really impressed me on this one. ***+.

Clam Chowder: Before.$ 25.

"Smoked Bacon, Fresh Thyme, Potato."

The chowder deserves a special call out presentation-wise.  I knew to expect it, as I had seen reviews, but, it still was a sight to behold, with the chowder components (finely diced sofrito, cubes of vibrant purple potato, bits of smoked bacon, manilla clams, and potato chips perched upright) arranged in a circle around the bowl, with a well in the center.  The knife skills and showmanship were high here.

Clam Chowder: After.

My server then poured the main chowder base into the middle.

I immediately dug in.  Unfortunately, the components that were already in the bowl before the tableside pour were fairly cold, and the tableside poured chowder was lukewarm.  I ordered chowder wanting a warm, comforting dish on a cold night, and this was a letdown.

It was a letdown in other ways too.  I found the bits of bacon quite chewy, and the chowder base itself lacked flavor.  I was looking for a more complex taste, some brininess here, and it was not particularly seasoned.  This was surprising given how well seasoned the canapés and my subsequent dishes were.  I added a lot of fresh pepper to it, but it still felt quite flat.  

That said, I loved dunking the potato chips in it, the sort of thing I do at home when I'm eating lunch, and would never expect to be encouraged to do in a fine dining setting, particularly with such an elaborately plated dish.  They provided the only salty component to the dish.

While I lamented that it wasn't served warm enough, it truly was a unique, memorable, beautiful dish, that showed off great knife work from the kitchen, but, wasn't as flavorful as I'd expect.  I wouldn't get it again.  **+.  

Sides

Since many of the entrees are steaks served a la carte, Miller & Lux has sharable sides to go along with them.  Like the rest of the menu, there are nods to classic steakhouse dishes, but this area of the menu is actually fairly interesting.  While only 5 items large, it has some unique choices.  All are vegetable based, but none are actually light dishes.  This is a steakhouse, after all.

Of course, Miller & Lux needs to satisfy the (literally) meat + potatoes crowd, and thus, 2 of the 5 options are potato based: a smooth potato puree and fries.  The fries are not just any old fries though, they are black truffle parmesan fries, served with dijon aioli, and the potato puree is along the lines of the Robuchon potatoes, with about equal parts butter and potato.  People do rave about the fries.

The other options include two that change out seasonally, and one staple: creamed kale, basically, their spin on creamed spinach.  During my visit, the two seasonal sides were roasted delicata squash (with chermoula, harissa glaze, and pepitas), and charred brassicas, that I had seen rave reviews of.

Sides. $15 each.

I actually was interested in any of the sides, but settled on just two.  I intended to have my sides alongside my chowder, as sides to my main, but I think my order was confusing, and they coursed them out as their own course, after I finished the chowder (and my plates had been cleared, table crumbed, and a new plate and cutlery brought out).

They arrived in attractive metal pots, on a wooden board.  The portions were such that two people could easily share if they were having alongside a steak or seafood, or one person could enjoy as a protein-less main dish (there were two vegetarian main dish options too, seasonal ravioli or risotto).

This is where my meal went from just ok to great.

Side: Charred Brassicas. $15.

"Broccoli Pesto, Parmegiano-Reggiano."

Um, wow.  I had seen great reviews of the brassicas, but I still wasn't prepared for it to be as delicious as it was.  This was a phenomenal dish.  Certainly the best brassicas I've ever had, but also, one of the best vegetable dishes I've ever had.  Star dish of the evening, certainly.

What was it?  A bunch of assorted brassicas, including romanesco, purple cauliflower, broccoli raab, and others.   A very vibrant collection of vegetables, each with a touch of their own personality, but all were lightly al dente, lightly charred, and really perfectly cooked.  The cook on these veggies?  Nailed.

But what made the dish transcend into OMG level of deliciousness was the insane flavor from the broccoli pesto and the dots of Meyer lemon bernaise.  I mean, really.  Wow.  Garlicky, well seasoned, high but not over the top salt level.  Such complex flavor.  I swear I could taste anchovy, but I think that was in my head.  This was a flavor powerhouse.  On top was a bit of micro greens as garnish.  I'm not sure where the parmesan mentioned on the menu was, but I didn't mind not finding it.  This dish needed nothing else.

I could have happily just devoured a bowl of this and declared my visit a success.  I highly recommend, and would get it again and again.  And I'd order an extra side of it to take home.  I think you could crack an egg on top and call it dinner, perhaps with a popover on the side.  I suspect it works great cold too, as a side salad.  But, wow, what a dish.

Perfect ***** and nothing I would change at all.

Side: Sonoma Hills Creamed Kale. $15.

"Crispy Shallots, Lemon Zest."

I love kale.  I eat kale most days of my life, sometimes raw in salads, sometimes cooked with other veggies as a side dish with dinner, sometimes stirred into chowder, mac and cheese, or mashed potatoes to lighten them up a bit.  I like curly kale, red or green, lascinado kale ... I really like kale.  

I also like cream, cheese, and heavy side dishes.  I definitely like crispy shallots.  So I loved the sound of this creamed kale, an upgrade from standard creamed spinach.  Particularly after the glory of the charred brassicas, I had high hopes for this.

It was ... fine.  The main base was creamy and well seasoned.  It didn't have much additional flavor though, I would have liked some onion or garlic.  I liked the crispy shallots on top of course, but the other toppings I didn't care for.  I think my server said it was "fried spinach leaves", but that didn't quite seem to match what I found.  Regardless, it was some kind of fried green on the stem, there was lots of it, and it was really quite oily, and rather bitter.  I definitely like the idea of the fried crispy pieces on top, but in practice, the taste was too bitter, and it was just too oily.

Overall, it was rather average creamed kale, and I wanted more flavor, and a better topping.  I would not get this again.  **+.

Visit #2, January 2024

Dinner Menu.

The menu was much the same as my visit a year prior, the same categories, most of the same dishes, just some slight variations on preparations or specifics (e.g. French onion soup instead of clam chowder, a roast pear salad instead of beets, a different vegetarian pasta shape, and one different veggie side).  But mostly, it was much the same.

We opted to skip the raw bar and hors d'oeuvres and salads, and just get entrees, sides, and of course, save room for dessert.

Raw Steak Platter.

At some point as you peruse the menu, your server will come sauntering over (well, as much as they can bearing the weight of this thing) with a platter of all the raw meat on offer that night. Two giant tomahawks, right there in your face.  Filet.  A New York strip.  

And then they'll start telling you about each of the preparations, what sauce it comes with, a bit about the marbling and breed, etc, etc.

I felt a bit bad for our server, who definitely struggled with the weight of that platter as she had to keep lugging it around the dining room, but also, we already knew what we were going to order by the time she arrived with it, and I felt bad cutting off her monologue.  I get that this is part of the show and flair of the restaurant, but I actually wonder if it does turn off some folks?  Those who eat meat, but, aren't super into it?  I could imagine my father for example not wanting to order a steak after seeing it raw in his face like that.

Anyway.

Amuse Bouche: Beef Consumme.

As we settled in, we were brought a little sip of beef consumme.  It was poured from a tea kettle at the table into little espresso glasses that were waiting at our seats.  This part of service is not included in the bar area, so I was glad to get to try it.  It was however too rich for me. 

House-Made Chips (Complimentary, in lieu of popover).

Since I know I don't care for popovers (eggy bread isn't my thing), I asked if I could get the truffle popcorn from the bar instead.  Sadly, they no longer make that, but offered me house made chips instead.  This is also what they provide to gluten-free diners and are the same chips that come with the caviar.

The chips were fine - thing sliced, lovely appeal with the skins till on, assorted sizes.  Not too greasy, well salted.  Just plain chips, but nicely done.  I did wish for more flavor, e.g. truffle like the fries or aforementioned popcorn, but these were fine for what they were (and, intended to go with caviar after all).  ***.

Popover (Complimentary)

I did not have the popover, but my guest did.  It did look a bit darker than usual?

Sides: Miso-Glazed Royal Trumpet Mushrooms / Creamed Kale /
Black Truffle Parmesan Fries. $16 each.

We ordered two side dishes, and my guest's burger also came with an additional side, the fries.  They arrived all together on a platter, and were set in the middle of the table.

However, our sides arrived incorrectly with the creamed kale rather than our charred brassicas.  When we mentioned this to the person who brought the dishes to the table, he whisked it away, saying they'd eat it.  The correct dish was brought within a few minutes.

Black Truffle Parmesan Fries. $16 (included with burger).

"Dijon aoili."

Fries are available a la carte, but also came with my guest's burger.  I did find it interesting that this is the only dish on the menu that comes with a side.  I wonder if you could opt to swap the fries for another side as all are priced the same?

I tried a few fries and found them average.  Thin fries, not too greasy, slight truffle flavor, lots of parmesan and herbs on top.  Fine, but not special. ***.

The dijon aioli on the side was likewise fine but not particularly special, and dijon wasn't strong enough to notice.  ***.

I wouldn't get these again.

Miso-Glazed Royal Trumpet Mushrooms. $16.

"Roasted Mushroom Purée, Unagi Sauce, Sesame Seed."

Now this was a great mushroom dish.

At the base was flavorful and creamy mushroom puree.  Then the mushrooms, so meaty and flavorful, big hunks of royal trumpets.  They were cooked very well, scored, with a sear on them, and yet juicy inside.  So good.  Most likely cooked with plenty of butter as they had a richness that was unreal.  This is exactly how I like my trumpet mushrooms.  They were also intensely flavorful, from the miso glaze and unagi sauce (although I didn't necessarily detect any of the later).  There was also thinly shaved pieces that I liked for the contrast.

A scattering of sesame seeds added to the asian flair, and I liked the fresh green garnish (chive sprouts?). 

Overall, this was as good as a mushroom dish really can be, and I'd certainly get this again.  Would pair great with the steaks and mash most likely.  I think my favorite dish overall although a very close tie with the next one.

****+.

Charred Brassicas. $16.

"Broccoli Pesto, Parmegiano-Reggiano."

The other side dish we opted for, well, I opted for, was the glorious charred brassicas I had on my previous visit.  It looked near identical to my visit a year prior, although it lacked broccolini on top this year.

The mix was mostly multiple colors of cauliflower, vibrant purple and orange, along with some green tinged (romanesco?).  I believe there was one or two pieces of broccolini as well.  The vegetables were all cooked very well, not mushy, not too al dente, truly, just right.

The top was garnished with lots of fresh micro basil leaves, and a few dollops of some kind of cream.

At the base was the glorious broccoli pesto, that truly makes this dish a standout.  It is remarkably flavorful, and goes so very well with the roast vegetables.  My guest also enjoyed this element.

Overall, this was just as delicious as my previous visit, and I'm glad it was still on the menu, a full year later.  ****.  My favorite dish.

Maine Diver Scallop Provencal: Before. $64.

"P.E.I. Mussels, Jumbo Prawns, Pumpkin Rouille, Crispy Arborio Rice, Saffron Sauce."

For my main dish, I went for the seafood option that wasn't the sole.  It arrived in a cast iron vessel, like a small paella pan, and came with an extra metal shiny bowl on the side (for my mussel shells), and a small pitcher of sauce.  Once the person who delivered our dishes was done setting things down, and once he'd taken away the incorrect side dish, he came back to pour it the sauce all over it tableside, and then took away the small pitcher.  

I personally wished he hadn't done this - I wanted a chance to try it first to ensure I wanted everything smothered in that sauce.  I'm usually all about sauces, but it turned out, I didn't really care for this sauce.  It was a thick rouille, lots of saffron flavor, which just isn't really my thing.  For me, the sauce being all over my dish really took away from the experience.  On the flipside, had I loved it, I would have liked him to leave the pitcher behind, so I could get every last bit.

The sauce, and saucing experience, for me, was a miss, *.

Maine Diver Scallop Provencal: After.

As for the rest of the dish, it turned out to be sorta like paella.  I found it interesting that this dish was listed on the menu as a scallop dish, when scallops weren't really the star element.  In fact, no element was really the star.  There were 3 each of the scallops and prawns, and four mussels, along with crispy rice at the base, and the saffron sauce.

I don't care for rice in general, and had expected the "crispy rice" to be more of a garnish, not a primary element.  It was pretty moist and mushy on top, and crispy on the bottom.  The crunch was nice, but I really wasn't into the texture of the mushy part, nor the flavor.  My guest took some of the rice to try, and said he liked it well enough.  Kudos for the crispy bits, but otherwise, not the right component for me.  *+.

And finally, the seafood.  The scallops were large and succulent, well seared, although cooked medium-well, and I do prefer medium-rare.  They didn't have much sweetness to them, and were fairly average in taste overall. They were lacking much seasoning, although, sadly, they were smothered in the sauce, so that added flavor ... that I didn't care for.  They did taste fresh, and truly were quite large.  Reasonable execution of average scallops.  ***.

The mussels were a letdown, very small size, not plump.  I definitely expected less meager mussels.  The taste was fine, no grit, but, just so tiny.  I was provided a tiny fork to help extract them, and the extra bowl on the side to place the shells.  **+.

And lastly, the prawns, large size, tail on. These really were fantastically large, fresh, succulent.  Properly cleaned.  Cooked well, not rubbery.  But again lacking a touch of seasoning.  The most remarkable of the pieces of seafood in this dish.  ***+.

Overall, the seafood quality was high, and the execution reasonable, but, the dish was a bit under-seasoned, and it really is a shame it was smothered in sauce I didn't care for, and had such a central mushy rice element.  *** overall, and quite pricey at $64, but the seafood size alone likely warrants that.

M&L Burger (Medium-Rare). $34.

"Dry-Aged Blend, Mt. Tam Triple Cream, Bacon Jam, Onion Rings, Watercress, Truffle Fries."

My guest got the burger.  The burger has quickly found its way to many "top burger in SF" lists, particularly for the price category.  It follows much of the same pedigree of the Wayfare Tavern burger, with some slight tweaks.

The presentation of this was certainly top notch, even for a high end burger.  The bun was glistening, and it was piled high with the toppings.  The bun was branded with the restaurant name, which my guest loved.  The Mt. Tam cheese inside was perfectly melted, and is what drew him in to getting the dish (if you are unfamiliar, Mt. Tam is local Cowgirl Creamery's signature triple cream).  And look at those onion rings!  Besides being slightly daunting, this is a burger you wanted to dive into.

I tried a hunk of the burger, and agreed it was pretty great.  Definite depth of flavor to the meat, and likely like at Wayfare Tavern, they go high on the fat percentage, 75 to 25% lean to fat.  It did seem cooked more medium, nearing medium-well though, not the requested medium-rare.  Still, this was a burger for those who appreciate the taste of the quality beef.  It was a very thick and juicy patty, weighing in at a hefty 1/2 pound (to put that in context, that's literally 5 McDonald's patties!).  Patty flavor itself, ****.  The rich beef flavor was complimented really well by the bacon jam on top, essentially, little bits of bacon.  Mmmm. ****.

Holding it together was the soft gleaming brioche bun, well toasted.  The bun was slathered inside with aioli, the outside seemed brushed with oil, so even the bun was fairly decadent.  The crispy onion rings inside were fabulous, they added onion flavor and great crunch.   My guest loved this component.  And then, the cheese.  So much decadence from the rich and pungent cheese.  It was so melty, and gave the burger a good gooey element.  The watercress on top was the only real vegetable component, but it did provide a nice touch of freshness.  So, toppings?   No qualms here, **** for those too.

I did somewhat still wish for some ketchup, as pedestrian as that sounds.  Yes, it had the aioli and the cheese making it plenty moist, and the bacon jam, cheese, and onion rings giving it plenty of additional flavor, but, I just sorta wanted ketchup or fresh tomato.

If you can't tell, this was no light burger, no question.  The GM told us that they use half an entire wheel of Mt. Tam per burger, so, yeah, gulp (that's close to 500 calories in the cheese alone).  Add in bacon jam (+100?) , aioli (+100?), giant onion rings (+80?), and the very thick rich burger patty (750?) and bun (+200?) too and ... you likely don't want to know the calorie and fat load of this.  My guest only managed to make it through about 1/3 of it.  I gleefully took the rest.

A $34 burger?  I'm not entirely sure, but it was good, and actually was something very easy to split.  ***+.

Dessert

Much of the experience at Miller & Lux, at least in the main dining room, is the table side flourishes, which extend to the dessert course. 

Dessert Cart.

Upstairs, a dessert cart is rolled out, loaded with the evening's choices.  This isn't a tacky show of display items, but rather, a real dessert cart, and items are served directly from it.  There is also an after-dinner drink cart, with several ports and other cordials.

Dessert Tray.

Down in the bar, they do not roll the dessert cart through, as it probably would be impractical to bring it up and down the elevator, and when crowded, get it through the bar area.  Instead, a platter is brought out, and the server tells you about each of the options, with quite a bit of detail.  So not only can you see the exteriors of the temptations, you can hear all about the layers within.  And I assure you, there is far more to these than meets the eye.  Each of these desserts is $20.

Visit # 1: January 2023

The night I visited, there were 5 items available from the tray: chocolate devil's food cake, raspberry cheesecake, gluten-free coconut passion fruit gateau, lime and yuzu tart, and a pear tart.  Note that the one that looks like a pear is not actually a pear ... it is a white chocolate shell that is spray painted to look like a pear, slight blemishes and all, and inside is a mousse and poached pear compote.  During the summer, this was a strawberry, in the fall, an orange.  This version of the cheesecake was a relatively new item on the menu, the previous month it had been an orange cheesecake, shaped like a triangle.  The others have existed in some form for a while.  The techniques employed across these desserts was obvious, from the mirror glaze, to the chocolate work, and all the intricate details (even if I rolled my eyes at the gold leaf on sevearl).

In addition, there is usually one more special dessert - for a while it was a flaming sundae for two, a table side prep of course.  Last month it was a souffle.  During my visit, it was a special pineapple upside down cake, served warm, with gelato (and many other goodies).  Those items always take some time to prepare, and I think generally involve hot and cold elements.  They also tend to cost more.

I may or may not have ordered 3 of the 5 desserts.  And yes, I was alone.  I did not regret this decision.  These were some of the best desserts I've had at a restaurant in many years.

Lime & Yuzu Tart.

If you know me, you know I don't tend to go for citrus desserts, but I've been slowly coming around to them, particularly since having a fantastic key lime cheesecake from Fillings & Emulsions in Salt Lake City.  Plus, I mean, look at that Italian meringue.  And the gold leaf.  Since I was doubling up on desserts anyway, I took a gamble on this.

It was a gamble that paid off.  This was certainly unlike any lemon, lime, or, yuzu tart I've had before.  A very sophisticated play on a classic concept.  The Italian meringue was light as air, had a great shine to it, and was quite sweet.  I was surprised by the sweetness, I think mostly because I grew up eating my grandmother's butterscotch pie with meringue topping, and that meringue was actually not very sweet, as the butterscotch pudding element was nearly cloyingly so.  In my head, that is the baseline for meringue, so I was surprised by the sweetness here.  Anyway, lovely, but sweet, meringue.

On top of the meringue were two lines each of two citrus components - one was thicker like a curd, and the other more gel-like.  Both were beautifully tart.  I think these were yuzu, but my receipt said lime, and I think the server said lemon, so I'm still not certain.  Tart and citrus forward they both were though, and I liked having them piped in lines like that, as it made the art of eating it more fun, crafting a perfect bite with whichever element I wanted to taste more of.  

Lime & Yuzu Tart: Inside.

The base of the tart was a square box shell.  It was sweet, buttery, and a bit hard to cut into without destroying the delicate fillings above.  I often lament how tart shells are "throwaway", and can be cardboard-like, but this was a very good tart shell.  Really, it was like a cookie, just in a different shape.  Much like the meringue, I was surprised by how sweet this element was too, but I enjoyed it.

And finally, above the tart shell was I think an almond frangipane.  Definitely unexpected.  I thought this would be filled with citrus curd or pudding.  The frangipane was soft and a nice textural difference, and far more interesting than a simple curd filling.  

This was a dessert that ate really well.  The harder tart shell, the soft frangipane, and the fluffy meringue made for textural contrast, the tartness of the citrus brightened up the otherwise fairly sweet dessert.  I think it would pair really nicely with a coffee to balance out the sweetness.  I quite enjoyed it, and would get it again, although I'd recommend splitting it with someone, as it was a fairly heavy dessert, at least for me, and the sweetness was a bit much given the fairy large size.  I brought half home, and paired it with fresh blackberries, and that was a lovely pairing.

****, and definitely one of the better citrus desserts I've ever had.

Raspberry Cheesecake.

OMG.

My experience with this raspberry cheesecake was much like that with the charred brassicas.  It stopped me in my tracks by how incredibly good it was, and cheesecake is a fairly common dessert, one that is usually good enough, but not exceptional. This was beyond exceptional.  Transformative.  It was a new addition to the menu too (although they generally have some form of cheesecake on the menu).

So what did we have here?  Obviously, there was the main layer, a cheesecake, and although at first glance it looked like just a cheesecake, actually, it was wrapped in white chocolate.  The top layer was a white chocolate dome, covered in raspberry mirror glaze, with a white chocolate mousse inside, and a raspberry puree center.  Surrounded by fresh raspberries, and garnished with a gold leaf, that may be tacky in some ways, but here actually just expressed elegance.

A beautiful dessert, really.  But it didn't just look good.  It tasted exceptional.

Raspberry Cheesecake: Inside.

Here you can see the layers within.

The cheesecake itself was perfectly smooth and creamy, great cream cheese flavor, rich but not overwhelming, only lightly sweet.  Textbook perfection.  I loved the white chocolate that surrounded around it, and much like the potato chips with the chowder, it encouraged me to have fun, to play a bit with my food as I cracked into it, and into the white chocolate dome on top. 

When it came to the dome, the fruity elements lightened up what can be a heavy dessert item.  The raspberry filling inside the dome was intensely fruity, tasted like a bright summer day, and when you made a bite with a little of that combined with the cheesecake ... oh so good.  White chocolate, raspberries, and cheesecake were just a killer combo.

The crumb base was sweet and the right kind of crumbly, thick but not too thick, and much like the tart shell, NOT a throwaway element, as frequently cheesecake crusts are ho-hum, but this certainly was not.

Overall, every element of this was actually quite fantastic on its own, and when you combined them, they were just glorious.  This was a case of many elements and techniques, but it wasn't just for show, it truly was for taste too.  This may have been the best cheesecake I've ever had.  ***** and nothing I'd change.

Devil's Food Cake.

"Chocolate mousse, guanaja, 70% chocolate."

I don't generally order chocolate desserts, as I avoid caffeine in the evening and that is when I'm usually out to nice restaurants, and also, I actually just tend to prefer other desserts more.  Don't get me wrong, I like chocolate, I start my every morning with a nice piece alongside my coffee before I even set about making breakfast, and a great chocolate mousse can be glorious, but, in general, I just prefer other items.  Still, a devil's food chocolate dessert has been on their menu in some form since opening, and the server describing it said it was pretty fantastic if you like chocolate.  I got it to go, so I could enjoy it after lunch the next day.

It looked beautiful (sorry for the slightly battered appearance here once I got it home!).  Inside was three layers of chocolate cake, with chocolate mousse between, and more chocolate mousse surrounding it.  It was covered in a chocolate mirror glaze, and had a tempered chocolate collar around it, and the Miller & Lux branded piece on top.  The base was a cake a bit denser than the rest, a darker cake, I think the "Devil's Food" element.  

Overall, it tasted ok, but not exceptional.  The cake was reasonably moist, reasonably chocolately.  The mousse was creamy and a good consistency.  I liked the chocolate garnish work.  But it didn't wow me, and I found myself wanting whipped cream or ice cream to balance out the chocolate elements, but simultaneously wishing the chocolate was more intense.  If you are in the mood for a chocolate dessert, it was certainly fine, but it isn't something I'd likely get again.  My least favorite of the desserts. ***+.

Visit #2: January 2024

On my next visit, I reached out to the pastry chef in advance to find out what would be on offer.  I wanted to go in with a plan!  I was thrilled to hear that another cheesecake variation would be available (now, blueberry!).  The chocolate devil's food dessert looked unchanged, and the other 3 items were a slight evolution of the previous ones: gluten-free coconut passion fruit gateau, lime and yuzu tart, and a pear tart.  The table side special preparation was profiteroles.

I went fully intending to get the cheesecake, that was a no brainer, and probably the pear tart this time (I had skipped it last time as I don't really love pear, but it just looks so stunning!), and maybe the citrus tart again, as it really had surprised me last time.  However, when the cart rolled over, it had only 4 items on it.  And the cheesecake, my #1 pick, was not among them.

I asked about it, and the server told me the sad news: the pastry kitchen had forgotten a rather essential ingredient - the sugar!  Doh.  No cheesecake was available.

I was a bit crushed, but it made my decision easier - we'd just get the 3 non-chocolate desserts (I hadn't found the devil's food that compelling before, and, I wasn't interested in the profiteroles for the same reason as the popovers - eggy bread!).  The desserts were served directly from the cart.  I really enjoyed one of them this time, but sadly not the others.

Lime & Yuzu Tart. $20.

While the citrus tart in 2024 sounded on paper exactly like the one from a year prior, with lime and yuzu, meringue, and a tart shell, it was an entirely different form.  The square tart shell was replaced with a round one, and it was considerably loftier.  The lines of citrus gels were gone, and the entire thing was covered in a beautifully torched meringue.  Perhaps now a bit more of a classic lemon meringue inspiration, more akin to what diners expect.

It looked stunning, and I lamented that I didn't have a knife to cut it open to reveal the insides cleanly (I waited, and got one from a passing waiter).

Lime & Yuzu Tart: Inside.

Inside was quite different from a year ago as well.  It still had some frangipane above the tart shell, but now it had citrus marmalade as well, and now featured a dominant citrus custard that I had expected before. 

While it looked fantastic, and was well executed, for me it was less of a compelling creation than the previous, sadly.  The tart shell was hard and sweet, not as good as I had remembered, more like a regular tart shell, less like a cookie.  The almond frangipane was thick and had a texture I wasn't quite into, and for me wasn't quite the right pairing.  

The main body of the dessert was the citrus custard pudding, essentially what you'd find in the body of a lemon meringue pie, just with a bit more sophistication from the use of lime and yuzu instead of simple lemon.  It was still a tangy custard/curd though, which ... is exactly what I don't care for generally with lemon meringue pie.  It was creamy, and tangy, but, just not really for me.

The fluffy sweet meringue was delightful, and the citrus marmalade in the center base I did like, it was quite complex, a balance between sweet and tart that worked very well.  

Overall, this was not nearly as delightful for me as the previous version, due to my own preferences mostly, but likely more successful with diners who like a traditional lemon meringue.  I can't fault the execution in any way.  **.

Pear. $20.

Our next dessert was even more stunning, the pear.  It really truly did look like a fresh pear.  The shape, the level of detail on the airbrushing and creation of little blemishes, the adorable little stem ... wow.  The care that goes into making this was apparent.

Even though I tend to shy away from pear desserts, I couldn't resist trying this beauty.  It looked to be a simplified version compared to last year's model, which was the pear, perched on a bed of crumble, inside a tart shell.

The white chocolate shell snapped easily and was remarkably thin, another show of the craftsmanship behind it by the pastry team.  It was smooth white chocolate, and I really enjoyed it.  **** shell.

Pear: Inside.

Inside was white chocolate mouse, and a diced pear filling.

The white chocolate mousse was sweet but not cloying, very cream forward.  I liked it.  ***+.

The center was cubes of well poached pear, not too mushy, lightly spiced, just the right amount of "goo".  Neither my guest nor I love pears, and wished this was the upcoming apple dessert instead, but, we really appreciated this one for the skill behind it. *** filling.

Another great show of skill from the pastry kitchen, and I can't fault anything in the execution, but, it didn't really match my taste preferences.  I still really enjoyed the aesthetics, and the mousse/shell.  *** overall.

Passion Fruit Coconut Gateau (GF). $20.

The last selection is one I skipped over during my previous visit (although it was a log shape then), and was pretty much planning to skip on this visit, but, given the lack of cheesecake, I threw it on to our order at last minute.  Yes, 2 people, 3 desserts.  Needed to hedge our bets, given that none were particularly calling out.  This one also happens to be gluten-free.

So why I was not very interested in it?  Well, I do like passion fruit, but I like the real fresh fruit, and don't generally care for generally fake passion fruit flavored things.  I do like coconut, but it often can be too strong.  And ... gluten free cake?  Not usually the best option on a menu.

But this dessert proved all those thoughts wrong.  It was the best of the three we tried, no question, and I'd get it again a heartbeat.

Passion Fruit Coconut Gateau: Inside.

So what did we have here?  I cut this one awkwardly with a spoon while impatiently awaiting a knife, which, as you can see, didn't work so well.

The base was a moist, light, coconut cake.  I detected nothing oddly gluten-free about it.  The coconut flavor was dominant, and it had plenty of shards of coconut, but it was not over bearing.  Shockingly good coconut cake.  ****.

Above that was passion fruit cream/pudding.  It was sweet, it was lightly tart, it was creamy, it was well set ... yup, it ticked all the boxes too.  ****.

Surrounding it was a lighter mousse, I think coconut.  It added more balance.  The flavors and textures of these three layers all combined really well.

The outer component was a passion fruit gel coating, that was a touch too gelatinous, but was still sweet, fruity, and tasty.  ***.

Overall, a sweet dessert, the sweetest of the three, but one that ate so well, with all the components combining together beautifully, but also shining on their own.  I'd get this again any day, and was really shocked by every bite by how much I liked it.  ****.

Read More...

Panera: The Cookies

Update Review, July 2025

Chocolate Coconut Macaroon. $1.99.

"A deliciously crafted chocolate coconut macaroon cookie finished with a chocolatey dip."

One day when I was at Panera picking up items for my Mom, I saw a different cookie I hadn't tried yet: the chocolate macaroon.  I haven't liked any of Panera's cookies before, but the regular coconut macaroon I thought was the best of any I had tried, so I was curious to try the chocolate version.  It looked much the same, as both are dipped in chocolate the same way, this one just actually had chocolate integrated in with the coconut too.

It was a decent macaroon.  Super moist inside, good texture from the shredded coconut, strong coconut flavor.  I didn't really taste that much chocolate.  It was fairly sweet, perhaps a bit too sweet.  It only had the very base dunked in chocolate dip, I would have liked more of that for a stronger chocolate flavor.

But overall, it was fine, and I didn't mind it, just not something I'd be all that excited to have again.  ***.

Lemon Drop Cookie (back). $3.09.
Whole Wheat Bagel (front). $1.39.

"Freshly baked lemon sugar cookie topped with lemon flavored powdered sugar."

It is true that I don't like cookies.  It is also true that I don't generally like lemon desserts.  Yet I ordered a lemon drop cookie?

Yeah.  I had a birthday freebie to use, and I've tried basically everything else at this point, so, for research purposes, I opted to try it.  Plus, compared to the other items, it actually looked decent.

It was, for a cookie.  It was thin but shockingly not crispy, really soft and gooey, the only way I like cookies.  The cookie seemed to be a classic sugar cookie, but with lemon added.  The lemon flavor was certainly there, but it wasn't overwhelming.  More lemon than I like, but, if you like lemon desserts, I think this could be a winner.  There was also white chocolate chips, which I liked for the extra texture and bursts of sweetness, but, this was a very sweet cookie anyway, sugar was the first ingredient.

It was also somehow 440 calories.  Sure, it was large diameter, but it was really thin.  I honestly don't understand how it racked up that calorie load.  I guess whatever made it soft and gooey was, uh, butter?

I'm glad I tried it, and I'd recommend to the lemon likers out there, but I won't get another.

Update Review, August 2023

I no longer live near a Panera (pandemic casualty in SF), so I don't frequently encounter their goods.  However, I recently attended an event in New York with Panera catering, and got the opportunity to re-try a few cookies, even though I had never loved them before.  The verdict?  Yup, still don't love these.

Candy Cookie. $2.99.

"Freshly baked sugar cookie topped with semi-sweet chocolate candies."

Big meh to this cookie.  Not as soft as I'd like, not a great chew, pretty boring base (not really buttery as I'd like), and even the off brand M&Ms weren't particularly good.  Not my style of cookie at all. *+.

Oatmeal Raisin with Berries. $2.99.

"A chewy oatmeal raisin cookie with sweetened, dried cranberries and infused, dried strawberries and blueberries."

I've had this cookie before, and didn't find it all that compelling, but, my appreciation of cookies has grown in the past few years, so I gave it another try.  I again appreciated that it was nicely soft, and that it used more interesting dried fruit than just raisins (cranberries, strawberries, blueberries), but, it wasn't actually a particularly good cookie.  Sure, it had a nice chew to it, and was well baked, but, it wasn't as buttery nor sugary as I'd like, and although it had oats, it certainly isn't actually a healthy cookie.  Eh.  ***.  

Petite Chocolate Chipper. $6.69/12.

"12 mini versions of our Chocolate Chipper cookie, freshly baked and made with semi-sweet chocolate chunks & milk chocolate flakes."

Well, this is not a good cookie.  Yes, fairly soft, and yes, nice chunks in it, but, the base flavor wasn't particularly buttery or sweet, or notable in any way.  It tasted highly processed, and not particularly fresh.  Meh. **.

Update Review, January 2018

I've reviewed nearly all the Panera cookies before, but there was one more left to try.

Coconut Macaroon. $1.09.

"A coconut, chocolatey craving satisfied in two bites. A traditional small coconut macaroon with the bottom dipped in chocolate."

One day, I used Panera's Rapid Pickup option to make an order from my phone earlier in the day, with a pickup time set to when I'd be nearby and could just swing in to grab my bagel thin, intended to be used to make melts for dinner.  But when I arrived ... no bagel thins.  In fact, they were entirely sold out of bagels.  Doh.  It turns out that when you pre-order, it doesn't actually pull it from inventory.

To make up for this, Panera offered me any pastry item I wanted.  No pastry item was going to be a substitute for my dinner melts, so I used it as an opportunity to just try something new.  The one type of cookie we had never tried before: coconut macaroons.

The macaron was ... pretty much a standard macaroon.  Soft, shredded sweet coconut.  Nothing particularly notable about it.  The dark chocolate it was dipped in however was quite good, really dark, smooth, flavorful chocolate.  I was impressed with the chocolate.

The macaroons turn out to be one of the cheapest items sold at Panera ($1.09 at my store), and, one of the lowest calorie.  By a shocking amount.  A single macaroon is only 140 calories, compared to Panera standard fare of the 440 calorie lemon drop cookie (or even worse, the 800 calorie Kitchen Sink cookie!), the 720 calorie pecan rolls, 550 calorie cinnamon crunch scones, 580 calorie pumpkin muffins, 540 calorie bear claws, etc.

So, if you like coconut, and want a little sweet treat, this one is not a bad idea.

Original Review, March 2017

As I've said many times, I don't really like cookies.  But, Panera often adds freebies to my account in the form of pastries, and I've never liked most of the baked goods there (aka, the muffins, the coffee cake and danishes, and most of the scones), so, I finally ventured out to try most of their cookies over the past year or so.

The cookie lineup changes every so often, but always features their signature Chocolate Chipper (available in a petite size as well), a classic shortbread, and some seasonal version of an iced and decorated shortbread.  Other than those, they seem to introduce new cookies a few times a year, trying to find some crowd pleasers.  I'd like to note, they don't ever have peanut butter cookies, which would be my top choices!

Anyway, for the most part, I expected to try the cookies, take some notes, and hand over to a cookie-loving friend.  I was pleasantly surprised that I genuinely liked a couple of them.

Oatmeal Raisin with Berries Cookie. $2.39.

"A chewy oatmeal raisin cookie with sweetened, dried cranberries and infused, dried strawberries and blueberries."

Every once in a while, I actually like oatmeal cookies, particularly soft ones, and particularly when they miraculously aren't oatmeal raisin.  I hate raisins, and I'm so grumpy they have taken over the oatmeal cookie market!  Why!

Anyway, this looked like a big, soft, butter cookie, with oatmeal, and NOT raisins!  Score.

The verdict?  It was ... fine.  It was actually quite soft, which I appreciated.  And it did have a decent distribution of bits of dried cranberries, strawberries, and blueberries, decidedly NOT raisins.  But it wasn't particularly buttery or interesting in any way.  I gladly handed it off, and wouldn't want another.

Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookie. $2.19.

"Almonds and a fruity hint of raspberry jam and powdered sugar. A perfect little treat. An almond butter cookie with a thumbprint of raspberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar."

I really liked this.  It was buttery and crumbly, with little bits of almond inside.  The powdered sugar added a nice touch of sweetness, and the raspberry jam in the center tasted fresh and wasn't too gooey or sweet.

A shockingly good cookie, and I'd gladly eat another.

Giant Cookie Box.

On one visit, there was a huge, I mean, huge, cookie on the shelf, unlabelled.  I asked what it was, and the worker told me it is the "kitchen sink" cookie.  It seemed to have everything in it, and sounded interesting, but it wasn't eligible for my freebie.  I didn't get it then, but I couldn't help but notice it every time I visited.  I had to finally get it, as ridiculous as it was.

It was too big for any of the normal pastry bags, so, he put it into a giant box.

Kitchen Sink Cookie. $4.39.

"A salty, chocolatey, caramel confection big enough to share. A large cookie with semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate, caramel pieces, pretzels & finished with flake salt."

They aren't kidding when they say this is "big enough to share".

I looked it up later online, and, I kid you not, it has 800 calories (and 43 grams of fat!).  In a cookie.  Yes, compare that to their "petite chocolate chippers" with 100 calories, or even the regular chocolate chipper with 380 calories, and you'll realize the scale I'm talking about here.  This is a monster.

And he wasn't kidding when he said it had everything in it.  While chocolate (both semi-sweet and milk) flakes were certainly the dominant visual item, the caramel actually dominated the flavor, super sweet, and plentiful, infused into nearly every bite.  The chocolate helped balance the sweet though, and the large flakes of salt on top complimented it nicely.

It was a crispy cookie, but mostly in a caramelized way from the toffee bits, rather than a cooked too long way.  I don't normally like crispy cookies, but it worked here, since it was so caramelized.

I didn't find any bits of pretzel in mine, which was a bit disappointing.  Perhaps they were chopped finely and I just didn't notice?  Another ingredient would be nice, but, I don't think was actually necessary given everything else in it, so I didn't mind too much.

The cost of $4.39 sounds a bit insane, for a cookie, at a place like Panera.  This isn't a fancy bakery, this is Panera, selling a nearly $5 cookie.  It is twice the price of any other cookie they sell, because, well, it is more than twice the size.  There is a reason it isn't eligible for the free pastry award!

I'm glad I tried it, but I probably wouldn't get another, just because, well, still a cookie.

Jack-O-Lantern Cookie.  $2.49.

"Freshly baked, pumpkin-shaped shortbread cookie decorated with icing to look like a jack-o-lantern."

I have a memory of really liking Panera shortbreads years ago.  And what is better than a shortbread?  A decorated shortbread!  Panera seems to always have a seasonal shortbread, I recall seeing Easter Eggs around Easter, tulips and daises in the Spring, flip flops in the summer, mittens in the winter, etc.

The astute reader will realize that this is called a Jack-O-Lantern cookie, and the website shows a cookie with a face on it.  Mine had no such face.  I guess the decorators were lazy that day?  All cookies in the store were faceless.  Pumpkin, yes, Jack-O-Lantern, no.

I wasn't very good.  The icing layer was too thick and just sweet, the cookie itself was crumbly, too soft, sugary, and didn't really seem that buttery, the defining characteristic of a shortbread.  And ... this was the shocking part, it was 450 calories!  In a SINGLE COOKIE!  Besides their plain shortbread (only 380), all the other cookies are also over 400 calories.  I know Panera certainly isn't a healthy place, but it is a bit hard to believe that a cookie can rack up those stats.  Definitely not worth it.

$2.49 price for a large cookie I guess was fine, and they are only 99 cents if you get a meal.

Chocolate Chipper Cookie. $2.19.

"A traditional favorite, freshly baked and made with semisweet chocolate chips."

I got this for Ojan, who does actually like cookies.  It looked like exactly the sort of cookie I wouldn't like.  On the rare cases where I like a cookie, it is soft and gooey.  This looked hard and crispy.  Not my style.

Of course though, I tried a bite.  It was actually loaded up with tiny chocolate chips, far more than it looked like.  The bottom view would have revealed just how loaded it was.  The chips were tiny though, so, you didn't really get a deep chocolate flavor.

And it was indeed crispy, and quite thin.  Highly unremarkable.  It also tasted very unhealthy, but not in a good buttery way.  Believe me, I'm all for a decadent dessert, the more butter and cream the better, but this just tasted ... unhealthy.  Highly processed.  I don't know how else to better describe it.

I was curious, so I looked it up when I got home, and saw that this cookie, the single, thin, not actually large cookie, was 440 calories.  I don't really understand.  I wouldn't get this again, obviously.

Candy Cookie. $2.49.

"Freshly baked sugar cookie topped with colorful milk chocolate candies."

Another giant, hard, crispy cookie, another Ojan request.  And ... yup, a hard, crisp cookie, not particularly good, just a plain cookie.  He described it as "halfway between a shortbread and a sugar cookie".  The little tiny milk chocolate candies were basically just small M&Ms in spring colors, very milky milk chocolate.  Ojan liked the candy bits, but wasn't really into the cookie itself.  I didn't like anything about it.

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Gluten-Conscious Triple Chocolate Cookie with Walnuts. $2.69.

"A freshly baked flourless chocolate cookie with a soft, brownie-like texture, made with chocolate chunks, white chocolate chunks and walnuts."

This seems like a crazy choice for me.  I don't like cookies.  I'm not a chocolate lover.  And gluten-free baked goods are rarely impressive.  But, literally every time I visited Panera, I couldn't look past these.  They looked so good.

So finally, I got one.  And failed to photo.  Sigh.

It was a deep, dark chocolate cookie, with generous size chunks of both white and milk chocolate and walnuts.  The texture was soft, as they described, kinda brownie-like, except it was a cookie, and still had a crisp exterior.  A bit hard to explain really.  I liked that.

The flavor was also good, chocolately, fudgy.  I loved the sweetness from the big white chocolate chunks (I know, I know, but I like white chocolate!) and the crunch from the walnuts.

It is described as "gluten-conscious" which I think is because it is not baked in a gluten-free environment.  It does not contain wheat flour, nor, any flour.  I'm still a bit confused by that part honestly.  The first ingredient is ... powdered sugar?  I'm still not entirely sure how it holds together, but, it works out just fine.

For a cookie, this was really quite enjoyable and I'd get it again.

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Pop Mix by Marilyn

Oh snacks, I love my snacks.  I'm an avid snacker, mid-morning, mid-afternoon, all evening ... I have a particular weakness for popcorn (although strangely not for microwave popcorn).  I try any and all brands of popcorn I see.

Which brings us to Pop Mix by Marilyn, a artisanal small batch caramel popcorn line.

"Each non-GMO corn kernel is lovingly air popped to perfection by our gourmet artisanal chefs. Cascading rivers of caramel decadence coat the popcorn, ensuring a delicious balanced flavor profile to excite the palate. The caramel corn is then cooled & bagged at exactly the right temperature to capture that perfect crunch. Our mouthwatering experience will leave you craving for more! Handcrafted in small batches, our artisans only use the finest premium ingredients to create this addictive masterpiece."

Although this is caramel corn, it is vegan (and gluten-free, and kosher, if that matters for you), using plant based butter.  All varieties have the same base of brown sugar and corn syrup (along with the aforementioned vegan butter of course).  They currently make three flavors; I tried two of them.

Peanut Butter.

"Decadently doused with real, creamy peanut butter, this caramel-coated popcorn treat will bring back all the nostalgia you love from a certain childhood favorite. "

I started with the peanut butter flavor.  I was sooo excited for this popcorn.  I was on a serious peanut butter kick at the time, and couldn’t wait to try peanut butter popcorn, it sounded perfect to me.  

Like all the Pop Mix flavors, it uses a caramel corn base.  The pieces were all evenly coated, and decent size pieces.

But … alas, I didn’t really taste any peanut butter.  There were many bites where I didn't taste it at all, and mostly I struggled to detect any peanut butter vibes.  The caramel was definitely there, and these were a very candied type of caramel corn, but … peanut butter they were not.  Sadness. 2/5.

Classic Caramel.

"Lightly salted with flakes of real natural sea salt, this caramel-coated popcorn treat will give you that salty-sweet crunch you've been craving." 

Next I tried the classic caramel corn. It is a fairly sweet caramel corn, but relatively well balanced, not just cloying.  All pieces evenly coated.  Definitely something I need to be in the mood for though.  I don't find myself often just reaching for any bag of caramel corn - at least mixed with a salty kettle corn or cheese corn is more my style, or if opting for just a caramel corn, I use it as a topping on an ice cream sundae or something (which is what I ended up doing with this).  

So, good for what it was, but not something I'd naturally go purchase again.  3/5 as it was good for the style.

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Red Door Bakery

One great thing about traveling is getting to try out local bakeries.  Or at least, that's one great thing for me, as I love all baked goods.  Sure, there are other benefits (weather, culture, etc), but come on, I write a food blog, I'm often drawn to the food.  

My family lives in New Hampshire, so when I visit them, I'm always happy to try offerings from the local merchants, including a new one for me: Red Door Bakery.

Red Door Bakery began life in Vermont in 1993 as the Marshfield Cafe, which then expanded into the Marshfield Bakery and Cafe (to reflect the focus and addition of more baked goods), and eventually dropped the cafe altogether and became a wholesale bakery.  They supply grocery stores and markets around Vermont and New Hampshire.

"We are a family owned and operated bakery in Marshfield, Vermont! Our mission is to bake great, old-fashioned goods the way Grandma used to make them. We use wholesome, basic ingredients and make everything from scratch. Enjoy!"

The bakery makes a big lineup of cookies and bars, granola and breads, along with pies, which is where I focused. 

Pies

"We pride ourselves on our handmade, from scratch pies here at the Red Door Bakery. We use NO canned fillings, NO artificial flavors, and NO artificial preservatives. Our pies are GMO free. When you get a Red Door Bakery fruit pie, that's what you get: a real fruit pie! 

Our pies start with a light, flaky crust made with only three ingredients: King Arthur Flour, Cabot Butter, and water. Into this crust we put a filling in which the main ingredient is always real fruit followed by other basic ingredients such as sugar, flour, and spices which complement the fruit. Finally, each pie is finished with Gram's traditional, hand-crafted rope edge."

The pie lineup has all the expected fruit pies: apple, blueberry, strawberry rhubarb, plus some more interesting combos like tripleberry, blueberry peach, or even just raspberry, not a variety I see by itself often.  The fruit pies are all double crust.  They also make a seasonal pumpkin and pecan, and a few years ago I saw some of their cream pies in markets around town (peanut butter, chocolate, mint chip, berries'n cream), although their website doesn't list them now.   They make mini 6" pies and regular 9" pies.

Triple Berry Pie. 6".

"Our Tripleberry Pie includes three fruits: Strawberries, Blueberries, and Raspberries for three times the pleasure!"

I honestly would have been happy with any of the fruit pies, so I let my indecision be guided by the "why not all 3?" thoughts of the tripleberry.  It looked like a charming, indeed homemade, pie.

It was a good pie.  Not mind blowing, but a good pie.  The filling had a few distinct tiny blueberries, but was mostly a thick berry paste, not as goo-like as generic canned pie filling.  I did not really detect any raspberry seeds.  Nice flavor that was just vaguely berry, no clear berries stood out.  Sweet but not cloying (still a bit sweeter than I'd really prefer, but just barely).  3/5, maybe 3.5/5 for the filling.

The crust was well formed and sealed.  It was lightly golden on top.  Excellent buttery flavor, fairly flaky, not tough.  Even better warmed up.  I was pleased to have the double crust for even more of it, although there was substantially more crust than filling, so the ratios felt off.  It was a crust I was more than happy to eat, but didn't necessarily steal all the extra crust as I'm sometimes known to do.  3.5/5, maybe 4/5 crust.  

One slight negative mark is that the pie was actually pretty hollow under the top crust, so there wasn't much filling to enjoy with the crust.

Overall, as I said, a good pie.  Best warm, a la mode.  I was happy to eat it, I'd be happy to try more of their pies, but I won't go out of my way for it.  3.5/5.

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