NoonEats: Sandwiches at the Barnes and Noble Cafe

Would you pay $6 for a hot pocket? As I finished my Mediterranean chicken sandwich at the Barnes and Noble Cafe last week, I wondered. The sandwich wasn't exactly a hot pocket, but close. And as I ate it, I tried to recall if the woman behind the counter asked me if I wanted this for here or to go. The only reason to buy this food, in my opinion, was for the convenience of eating lunch while browsing the latest issue of Cook's Illustrated.

The draw here at the Barnes and Noble Cafe is clearly the in-a-bookstore location, the Starbucks drinks and possibly the desserts—but not the food. Looking around, it appears everyone takes advantage of the space. Three men in suits with laptops and cups of coffee in front of them sit at one table. Nearby is a woman with two little kids, who no doubt spent some time in the children's book section before making their way to the cafe. And scattered about are young adults, either reading books or working on their laptops.

With a few chips scattered around them, the sandwiches in the display don't look appetizing. Order one, and the friendly person behind the counter pops something into a stainless-steel contraption that said "Speed Cook" on the outside.

The process reminded me of the time I asked a waiter on Amtrak's Silver Meteor train about the eggs on the breakfast menu, and he assured me that no eggs were cracked aboard the train. Here at Barnes and Noble, I could be assured that no bread was sliced, no chicken was roasted. But this is a bookstore cafe, not a restaurant. I was here for convenience, not fine dining.

Convenience I received. My sandwich was served piping hot on a tray with a bag of Nettle Brand lightly salted potato chips. Between the slices of bread, I couldn't tell you what was what. Like a chicken and vegetable hot pocket (which I have not eaten in 15 years) everything was chopped and blended together. The food was OK—not the worst I've had in Springfield, just a letdown.

Hesitant to be so negative after just one visit, I returned later in the week for more. This time I opted for the caprese sandwich. Served on a chewy ciabatta-like roll tasting like Italian herbs and asiago cheese, the star of this sandwich is the aromatic pesto inside. Also on the sandwich was melted mozzarella, I think, and tomatoes that weren't quite fresh nor sun-dried but perhaps somewhere in between. This was more enjoyable, but again, if you want an Italian sandwich, go to Marino's or Antonio. If you want to read a book while eating, Barnes and Noble is the place.

Pesto may have been the star of the sandwich, but the star of the whole meal was the chocolate peanut butter cookie I ate afterward. Soft and peanut-buttery, I've been craving something like this for a long time. At $2, it's steep for a cookie, but for sure a better buy than the $2 rice krispy treat next to it under the glass.

To drink, I ordered Starbucks' version of an Arnold Palmer—black Tazo iced tea mixed with lemonade. The lemonade sweetens the tea perfectly for an ideal summer drink.

Another bright spot here: those who buy into Barnes and Noble receive 10 percent off their purchase.

I won't be trying another sandwich there, but I'm sure one of these days you'll find me the cafe indulging in that peanut butter cookie over an issue of Cooks Illustrated.