Cheap Eats: Inhale sugary goodness - and lunch or dinner - at Paullet's Bakery
Ordering lunch in a bakery can be lethal.
I stood in front of a dessert case inhaling thick aromas of warm vanilla cake and gooey danish. Cinnamon rolls and chocolate chip cookies called to me as I tried to avoid eye contact.
Prepare to muster some willpower if you go to Paullet's Bakery for lunch or dinner. Dessert usually isn't my weakness, but I was hungry while waiting for a mesquite chicken wrap that I ordered to go.
Owner Alan Paullet, 49, started offering lunch in 2008 and dinner this year at his Jacobus bakery, which he opened six years ago.
There are two small tables for customers, but most people get takeout. White shelves stacked with cakes and other sweet treats block the view of Paullet's kitchen as he works.
To enforce some self-discipline, I thought, "You'll spoil your lunch," and said no. Though I would've loved to devour a cookie the size of my face, I'm glad I didn't ruin my appetite because the wrap satiated my hunger perfectly.
The chicken had a mild tang to it and came wrapped in a white tortilla topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato and lime mayo. The mayo made an otherwise traditional wrap burst with citrus, a nice complement to the other ingredients.
I'm always impressed with a niche business that expands its offerings to better serve its clientele.
As a baker, Paullet starts work early - sometimes 4 a.m. By increasing his offerings, Paullet also has tacked hours onto his workday.
He said few places offer fresh and tasty lunches and dinners in Jacobus, and he felt he could fill that void.
Paullet's lunch menu boasts homemade shrimp, chicken and tuna salads served on croissants.
His menu offers dishes such as roast turkey breast with dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy and cranberry sauce, and breaded flounder with tarragon mayonnaise. Lunches cost no more than $6, and dinners, no more than $9.
"I thought I might be able to do something a little bit nicer, but keep the cost reasonable," Paullet said.
He said it's tough for bakeries to survive solely selling baked goods, and there's a need to diversify offerings to compete with grocery stores.
"It's the same kind of thing that happened to butchers," Paullet said.
Although supermarkets reign most convenient, there's something almost mesmerizing about the smell of a bakery, which can't hurt sales for Paullet.
- Leigh Zaleski, FlipSide staff
If you go
LOCATION: Paullet's Bakery, 35 N. Main St. in Jacobus
CUISINE: Baked goods, lunch and dinner
LEIGH'S PICK: Mesquite chicken chipotle wrap, Harvest Cheddar SunChips, Coke Zero ($7.10)
PARKING: Yes
HOURS: 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday
PRICE RANGE: 85 cents to $8.95 for lunch, dinner and pas tries
ALCOHOL: No
SMOKING: No
ACCEPTS: Cash
TAKEOUT: Yes
KID'S MENU: No
DETAILS: Call 793-6435