Out & About with Linda

This month took me out of my comfort zone. I visited three new places, two of which are among the most current and chic of national franchises. The third stop is locally owned and well worth a visit.

Jones’n Bagels is an airy breakfast and lunch spot on York Road in Hatboro. Open 6am through 2:30pm, its hours alone tell you this is a breakfast “joint” providing all the fixins’. I stopped in with my assistant, Judy, one early morning to the aroma of hot bagels and simmering coffee.

Approach the display case and you’ll see a variety of freshly baked bagels. Sesame seed, poppy seed, blueberry, plain, pum- pernickel, everything and more, your eyes will dance at the sight of these bagels and then dance some more when you see the “shmears” available.

Sure, the traditional cream cheese, lox spread and chive, but did you ever taste raspberry and chocolate spread? An original spread for the season, our attendant, Amber, suggested we give it a try. It was delicious. On my plain bagel, it was not too sweet, but just sweet enough to perk up my tastebuds. She shared that they introduce new flavors as the menu demands. I also checked out the lox spread and found it mild, with just enough lox…not salty. Judy got one of their many breakfast sandwiches: egg, ham and cheese. Our meal was accompanied by a toasty hash brown. Yum!
Coffee is a treat there. Courtesy self-serve refills make Jones’n Bagels a real breakfast spot. As do the terrific baked goods straight out of their ovens. I had read that their Jewish Apple Cake and Original Crumb Cake was something special. They are! And shouldn’t be missed.

I decided to take out something for lunch and ordered a tuna sandwich on an “everything” bagel. Piled high with tuna, lettuce and tomato, a bag of chips and pickle, it was a wonderful treat for my usually dull lunch!! I really appreciated the white tuna fish.

Jones’n Bagels is a quiet little hub of breakfast and lunch activity. Plenty of seating, helpful attendants, an easy menu and good food. You can pick-up and take-out, or sit down over your hot cup of coffee or two. Take home their “shmears,” or bagels, or baked goods… you won’t break the bank. And they have some vegan options for those who prefer.

Check it out. Parking is easy and if you’re an early bird, Jones’n Bagels could be your new breakfast stop. Just tell them you heard about them here, between the pages of the Uptight Suburbanite.

If you’re like me, you’ve probably been bombarded with promotional postcards from Wonder, the hub of notable chefs and their menus. Restaurants represented are national, some regional. If you’re a fan of the Food Channel and maybe Bon Appetit you will most likely have heard of some of these places….

I wanted to see what all the commotion was so I visited the location in Jenkintown at the Fairway. All locations are laid out the same. Convenience is what you’re looking for and there are many locations conveniently located in our reading area. You can check out the Wonder in Yardley and you’ll find the same food options, layout and service.

First off, the pricing seems pretty fair. Remembering you’re taking this food home, I think prices in general were not unex- pected. Chef extraordinaire, Bobby Flay, has his steaks available and I thought the prices were not, again, unexpected. In his restaurant, prices for the same meal might be more. By the way, you can eat onsite. There are tables and chairs. It’s a VERY simple arrangement. There were a few people eating onsite in Jenkintown, but, primarily, people were arriving to take home their meals.

Everything is ordered on computer or phone. If you’re not a techie person, like me, you can ask for help. I did, and someone assisted me. I know there are a few other franchises that have turned to “screens” for ordering, but I’m still of the old school, or should I say the “older” school and don’t find this a friendly dining option.

Anyway, after scrolling through the myriad of restaurant offerings you key in your selection, place your order and wait to get a “ping” on your phone indicating you can pick up your order at the front desk. My waiting time was about 15 or twenty minutes. Some people order ahead, some on-the-spot. But there’s definitely a waiting period.

The back end of Wonder is a huge kitchen-like setup. Filled with microwaves and whatever kind of appliances are needed to heat the food. When you take a peek (as I did!) of the cooking-end of this operation, you can see almost cubicle-like layouts. I imagine these reflect the different restaurants. (i.e. There’s an area specifically for Bobby Flay meals.) It’s pretty neat.

I’m familiar with Chef Marcus Samuelsson so I ordered from his restaurant, Street Bird. His French Fries were among the most popular things ordered at Wonder as were his chicken fingers. I’m a lover of fries, and I will say his fries made the grade, mildly spicy. The chicken fingers were hefty, and when dipped in his proprietary sauce, yum. Another restaurant, SriPraPhai, was selling Pad Thai with tofu. As that’s one of my favorites, I thought I would order this dish for comparison. And yes, it was good and compared well to the pad thai that I usually get. P.S. The portions of everything I ordered were very respectable… all could be shared.

My experience at Wonder sort of reminded me of a modernized Horn & Hardart…except you couldn’t see what you were order- ing until your order was delivered to you. And I didn’t feel the “fun” one felt with Horn & Hardart.

Wonder has a specific audience. I spoke with a woman who had been to the Wonder on Cottman Avenue who requires help with her ordering. She doesn’t like to use the computer screen. (LOL!!) She’s happy with the food and the service, and finds Wonder to be affordable and her go-to place for food. I found her interesting!

So, yes, I’m a bit ambivalent. The food was good. But the experience is not one that I prefer. I’m thinking I like entering a restaurant, sitting at a table, speaking to a server and then thanking that same server for their service. I said I’m from the “older” school… but maybe you’re not. If you’re in the neighborhood, check out Wonder. You might be able to “visit” a favorite chef on your home turf. It’s a possibility worth considering with Wonder.

Outside Wonder, next door, I saw a promotional sign for Crumbl Cookies: Dubai Chocolate Brownie. If you’re paying attention to what I would say is “pop culture,” you would know Dubai Chocolate is the hottest thing around. I saw this as the perfect opportunity for me to check out the chocolate AND Crumbl Cookies. YUM!!

Again, another interesting concept where they’re selling cookies but only a select few at a time. The display case was meager, indicating the finite selection of cookies available. I get the feeling people call in advance to place their order. Didn’t seem like cookies are baked en masse.

The Dubai Chocolate Brownie was large, as are most of the cookies sold. It’s my opinion, Crumbl can be compared or de- scribed as an elite baker; the cookies are baked almost on demand, as requested or ordered. They are delivered in a pretty pink box…even a single cookie. No bags! That’s called MARKETING. The cookie/brownie was disappointing at first bite. However, the next day after I put it in the refrigerator it was much better. And even better it was after I froze it, defrosted it a bit and tasted it. Very dense, the chocolate was crunchy and the peanut butter filling creamy and the brownie, well, it was a brownie.

I remember they had some kind of chocolate chip cookie that I should have tried. But I was caught up in the “Dubai Choc- olate” conversation… If you’re looking to impress company or loved ones with a different kind of cookie, you might turn to Crumbl. Their menu is pretty unique everyday. Just plan ahead by placing your order before you get there. You want to make sure your cookie of choice is ready and available.

So, that’s it for this month. This “older consumer” is turning her attention to two established restaurants in our reading area next month. I’m looking forward to checking out something that’s “in my box.” LOL!! See you then.

Jones’N Bagels
315 N. York Road • Hatboro 215-282-8511

Wonder
1591 The Fairway • Jenkintown

Crumbl Cookies
1595 The Fairway • Jenkintown