Posted on September 15, 2012 by keithstieneke
Cheddar’s is a popular restautant chain across much of the United States. Cheddar’s came to Lincoln, NE several months ago. I didn’t try it for quite some time due to the death of my best friend Ray Sollenberger who often accompanied me on culinary journeys. When I finally went for the first time about four months ago with my friends K & L (real names not given) I must admit we were underwhelmed. My broccoli and cheese casserole as was K’s was cold. The rice pilaf that accompanied my steak and shrimp combination was sickenly sweet and K said that her loaded baked potato was lukewarm and the cheese was not melted and was hard. L felt that his meal was just average. All of us at that time had an experience less enjoyable than we had expected.

It was with some hesitation that I decided on Sunday September 9, 2012 to give Cheddars a second chance at tantalizing my taste buds. This time giving it another try was on the spur of the moment and I went by myself. I went in at approximately 2:15 PM and was seated immediately.

Within less than 5 minutes after being seated I was greeted by a very polite and charming young waitress named Ashley who first asked me what I wanted to drink. I already had a chance to glance at the menu and decide what I wanted. I ordered lemonade and water and Ashley asked me if instead I would like to try straweberry lemonade or raspberry lemonade. Flavored lemonade sounded intriguing so I ordered the raspberry lemonade. I told Ashley that I was ready to order, so she sat down on the other side of the booth ready to take my order. I ordered the lunch portion of the grilled salmon and two accompanying sides, those being the loaded baked potato and the broccoli and cheese casserole. I also ordered a Caesar salad for an additional $1.99.

To my surprise the Caesar salad came with a sweet yet tasty croissant. The Caesar salad was quite delicious, with the freshly grated parmesan flakes being quite large, a bit salty and very tasty. This was by far one of the best Caesar salads that I have eaten.

My main course came in record time; in fact I was not even done eating my salad, which I did finish before eating my main course. With my main course I first tried the broccoli and cheese casserole which consisted of cheese, broccoli and rice. The experience with this dish was much different than my first experience with this side dish at Cheddars as it was actually a “hot” dish this time and you could pleasantly taste all of the ingredients. I next tried the loaded baked potato which was also quite delicious and just the right temperature. With the grated cheddar cheese being melted and with just the right amount of sour cream to not be overpowering, the potato was as the saying goes “just what the doctor ordered.” Next came the grilled salmon which rested upon a small helping of buttered rice containing a few peas and carrots. The salmon was cooked just right and flaked apart as it should and the rice and vegetables that came with it and that were seasoned perfectly were an added delight.

I must also say that Ashley made the meal even more enjoyable with her smile and positive attitude. On my first visit to Cheddars I would have only given them a four on a one to ten scale with ten being the best. On this visit I would truthfully admit that they earned a ten on a one to ten scale.

You can see the Cheddar’s menu for Lincoln, NE by going here.

Panera Bread has three convenient locations in Lincoln, NE at 211 North 12th Street #100; 201 North 66th Street; and 2940 Pine Lake Road. On Wednesday August 29, 2012 I decided to visit the location at 201 North 66th Street to both enjoy the atmosphere, get some much needed writing done, and enjoy a very delicious meal.

Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad
Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad

My meal consisted of Strawberry Poppyseed & Chicken salad which was delightfully comprised of Romaine lettuce, fresh strawberries, fresh blueberries, fresh pineapple,mandarin oranges, pecans & fat free poppyseed dressing. Alongside this I had the Lemon Orzo Chicken soup which was also a great combination of flavors. The lemon flavor was not to strong but it was noticeable. I must not forget to mention my beverage a Frozen Mango which consisted of sweet mango puree, topped with whipped cream & raspberry sauce swirl. This was an enjoyable drink.

The entire meal came to $13.46. A little expensive but for the quality it was worth it. I am a big fan of Panera and after this meal I will be back for more.

According to http://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/panera-bread/strawberry-poppyseed-chicken-salad there are 340 calories in a 1 salad serving of Panera Bread Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad. Calorie breakdown: 32% fat, 37% carbs, 31% protein.

A healthy and delicious lunch!