Restaurant Food Review: Panera Smokehouse Turkey Panini

Health: The Panera Smokehouse Turkey Panini is one of the worse sandwiches to buy if you want to be healthy. I was disgusted when learning how bad this Panera Bread cafe menu selection was for consumers. According to the Panera Website, the Panera Smokehouse Turkey Panini has 860 calories, 36 grams of fat (55%), 12 grams of Saturated fat (60%) and 0.5 grams of Trans fat. The Panera Bread sandwich also contains 105 milligrams of cholesterol (35%), 82 grams of Carbohydrates (27%) and 7 grams of sugar. If you believe that this sandwich is still a good possibility, consider the 2,620 milligrams of sodium that is in each serving. That is 109% of your daily value, which is too much for one adult. This Panera Bread sandwich also has 52 grams of protein and some fiber, but these facts are pretty worthless compared to all of the sodium, fat and calories.

Quality: Each Panera Smokehouse Turkey Panini is served on grilled Focaccia bread. It includes Smoked turkey breast, smoked bacon, smoked cheddar and sun-dried tomato ale mustard. The Panera Smokehouse Turkey Panini is available in a whole size of half portion. Many people order a half sandwich if they will be getting soup. I did not combine the two and ordered a whole sandwich during each visit. The Panera Smokehouse Turkey Panini was small enough to eat in one sitting and large enough to satisfy my appetite. However, the bread on this Panera Bread sandwich is hard around the edges.

The bread softens a little near the center but still has some level of firmness. Each bite of the Panera Smokehouse Turkey Panini took some effort to chew. This Panera Bread caf� menu item had a lot of firm seeds in it as well. They appeared to be in the sun-dried tomato ale mustard and can be annoying when eating this Panera sandwich. The smoked bacon made up for that by being cooked well. I noticed a lot of smoked cheddar cheese on this Panera sandwich and it almost overshadows the turkey.

Price: The Panera Smokehouse Turkey Panini costs around $7, making it very expensive for many consumers. Panera sandwiches are a favorite among some college students but they are less likely to afford it on a regular basis. Working professionals who make a modest salary would not have a problem with ordering this Panera Bread sandwich frequently. After ordering a drink, my bill increased to almost $10. That is a very expensive lunch for a restaurant that does not serve large or complete meals.

Taste Test: The Panera Smokehouse Turkey Panini tastes good. It has a lot of strong flavors from the bacon, cheese and sun-dried tomato ale mustard. The Panera Smokehouse Turkey Panini is a little bitter from the mustard, giving it a very distinct flavor. It is one of those sandwiches that you will either love or dislike. I did not plan on ordering the Panera Smokehouse Turkey Panini when trying it for the first time. However, I decided to give it another chance and learned to enjoy it.

Verdict: A Panera Smokehouse Turkey Panini is costly when it comes to finances and health. I ordered the Panera Smokehouse Turkey Panini a few times and now wish that I checked the nutrition facts beforehand. One glance at the nutrition facts for the Smokehouse Turkey Panini may make you wish that you never bought this menu item. This Panera Bread sandwich tastes good but is not the best choice for lunch or dinner. If you still plan on ordering the Panera Smokehouse Turkey Panini, bring your own drink to keep costs down.