Sunday, April 15, 2012

PBJ's Grilled (Part 3)

(Original Review -- June 2011)
(Second Review -- February 2012)

On April 6, 2012, Zappos shared their "random act of kindness" at PBJ's. From about noon to 2 p.m., Zappos footed the bill for all customers to enjoy a free PBJ's sandwich of their choice. Major shout out to Zappos for their generosity!


Free food? You know I'd be there. Turned out, I arrived a bit too early, since I was told Zappos was apparently running a bit late. I decided to get some food elsewhere, then return. Panda stomachs cannot wait forever.



Keena, Shane, and Eric worked the cart on a bustling Good Friday. Heck, it would have been a madhouse without the Zappos free sammie promotion. They were even filming at times -- and conspicuously put up a sign saying so.



A lot of people showed up that day!
In fact, many of them didn't even know about the Zappos promotion!
When I got back a few minutes after noon, a line had predictably formed. Naturally, I wanted to get another sandwich I hadn't tried yet, so I decided on the "Oregonian": marionberry jam, homemade Oregon hazelnut butter, and Rogue Creamery blue cheese between two slices of buttered, grilled Gabriel's challah bread.

On the other side of the cart, Keena, Shane, and Eric furiously worked as fast as possible. The positive vibe remained strong throughout. Everyone had their game face and their humble/gracious face. I admire such a balance of hard work and customer service. It's something that, unfortunately, doesn't exist at every food establishment.

Keena and Eric working hard!
Shane's somewhere, probably fielding orders or taking inventory
(Ha, sorry Keena, guess you blinked!)
Meanwhile, time seemed to slowly pass by for me as each previous order hit the flattop. Ten minutes, then twenty...thirty.

Please note, I am a very impatient panda. Most of the day, I might be shielded away from the world in a room brightened only by sunlight and/or a desk lamp. Thus, being able to roam free in the wild is a treat. Impatience is not a great trait to have, but I'm not afraid to admit it.

Normally, I would never wait this long for any meal when going out to eat. But it's PBJ's Grilled. And it's free food. How the bloody heck can I leave now?

Woohoo, my sandwich hit the flattop! A short time later, it was in my hands. Panda hungry!

Beautiful golden brown
"Oregonian"
(PBJ's Grilled)
The challah, beautifully golden brown, virtually fell apart in my mouth with just the slightest tug. Such a kickass experience of Oregon. Marionberries and hazelnuts. Even the blue cheese is locally made!

The sammie took about 5-7 minutes to grill up. I nuked all that beautiful handiwork in about two minutes. I know the Cookie Monster has been around for years, but I want to claim the title of PBJ Monster. I don't use liquids to help the food down. No cheating. More room for PBJs!

NOTE: On April 14, PBJ's finally unveiled the "Hair of the Dog" sandwich to the public. I heard they sold out on the first day. You'll be yearning for the Maker's Mark Bourbon French toast here. 21+ only on this one, folks.

So was it worth the near 40-minute wait for my PBJ's sammie? Hell yeah, it was worth it. Maybe I'll just order two again next time. Or three. Or seven.

No comments:

Post a Comment