by Emma Willibey
Hole-in-the-wall Chinatown joints and four-star seafood experiences fill travel guide “Fodor’s New York City 2013.” I explore menus, note vegetarian options and debate ditching the Upper West Side for Brooklyn frozen yogurt. Under Greenwich Village, I find a restaurant specializing in peanut-butter sandwiches. I decide to visit Peanut Butter & Co., but its grade-school gimmick worries me.
One week later, I select Peanut Butter & Co.’s cinnamon raisin peanut butter, vanilla cream cheese and apple sandwich as my standout meal. Served with carrots and chips, the fast-food delight left me awed at its obscurity. If millions purchase quick-fix cheeseburgers, how many would crave a “Peanut Butter BLT”? Pasta extravaganza Noodles & Company dominates the USA, so Peanut Butter & Co. at least merits Kansas City success.
To readers rolling their eyes, kids’ meals are promising. Fort Worth, Tex. and Richmond, Va. café Cereality features the Golden-Graham, Cocoa-Puff, mini-marshmallow and chocolate-chip concoction “S’More Than You Know.” Denver, Colo. original Chedd’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese boasts melts like the mac’n’cheese, bacon and mozzarella “Mac Attack.”
Cereality and Chedd’s maintain a cult following that enables two locations in separate states. Peanut Butter & Co.’s quirkiness would resonate with a city whose skyline is crooked from the Kauffman Center and Bartle Hall Convention Center towers. As the restaurant’s original location attracts New York University students, a Kansas City spot could draw UMKC’s Pizza 51 fans. Meanwhile, the residential setting invites families.
However, serving a household staple can raise questions. Why order PB&J one can create in the kitchen? Why enjoy Cinnamon Toast Crunch in public, not pajamas?
Cereality doubles as a coffeehouse, and Peanut Butter & Co. carries salads and fish sandwiches for those desiring legitimate dishes. The latter welcomes kids and critics alike by applying its sack-lunch aesthetic to various snacks. However, a Bagel Nosh pleases this customer any day.
