Friday, July 12, 2013

Postcards from Bunny: Pret A Manger


Being that dear Bunny is only in Chicago for such a limited time, Our Ladies have been doing lots of running about this past week, trying to hit all of Bunny's favorite spots (The Lincoln Park Zoo, Millenium Park, Wrigley Field, etc.) and some that she has missed since moving away from the city (like Glazed and Infused and 2 Sparrows, both of which she had been wanting to try ever since Brandy raved about them).  Finally, on one particular day, this constant running left Our Ladies with an afternoon in the Loop and the realization that they hadn't planned anywhere for brunch!  "How could this have happened?" Bunny asked, half laughing and half crying.  "Don't worry, I've got a little ace up my sleeve," Brandy assured her.

Brandy lead Bunny to the nearest Pret A Manger, the perfect sort of spot to grab something fresh, delicious, and on the go, and as they had seven locations in the Loop (and one in Evanston), this proved to be a very convenient option for Our Ladies.  Bunny, who has never been a fan of "fast food" but was very familiar with Pret, as they have locations spread all throughout the UK, was happy enough to grab a few things and then set on their way once more.
Pret A Manger (French for "ready to eat") prides themselves on making all of their sandwiches, salads, wraps, and other goodies fresh in house every day.  You'll not seen an expiration date on most of the food because everything is made and sold on the same day, and the goods that do not sell are donated every night to charities that help the hungry and homeless.

Brandy went for the Avocado and Pine Nut Wrap, which boasted a refreshing mix of creamy avocado, crunchy pine nuts, tomato, spinach, basil, cucumber, and Mediterranean Dressing all wrapped up in a tortilla, as well as some freshly squeezed Honey Tangerine Juice (the ingredients list says "100% Tangerine Juice.  Nothing Else.").  The wrap was so crisp and fresh on such a such a hot day that Brandy ended up tucking the second half of it back into its resealable packaging to save as a burst of refreshment for later in the day.  

Bunny picked the Beets and Berries Salad as well as the Chilled Pea and Mint Soup.  The soup was a real revelation, having a creamy, yet light base, succulent butter poached peas, and a hint of freshness from the mint (Bunny found it so delicious, she considered dispensing with the spoon all together and just drinking the concoction).  The salad also proved to be light and refreshing, yet filling, with sliced strawberries, shredded beets, walnuts, and goat cheese over a bed of mixed greens and spinach.  Bunny found the mix so well balanced that she forgot to even add any dressing to it!

And so with their bellies comfortably full for the time being (and their wallets also comfortably full, as both Our Ladies meals only totaled about $25 combined), Bunny and Brandy once more set off into Chicago.  Stayed tuned for more adventures with Bunny while she's still in town!

*The writers of this blog were given the all the food mentioned compliments of Pret A Manger in exchange for an honest review

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