PrintNew Starbucks Breakfast 'Pairings' for $3.95: Better Than Airplane Food?
"'Artisan' is rapidly replacing 'all-natural' as the meaningless claim of choice among food manufacturers."
Starbucks
Service: Starbucks-friendly
Compare It To: Dunkin Donuts, McDonald's, your local deli
Must-Haves: Artisan bacon sandwich, artisan ham sandwich
Cost: $3.95 for a 12-ounce drip coffee or latte with a sandwich, oatmeal, or coffee cake
Grade: Business class for "Artisan" sandwiches
Coach standby for oatmeal and reduced fat coffee cake
I don't know why, but the Serious Eaters, especially Erin, seem to be obsessed with Starbucks' breakfast offerings. All right, all right, I'll admit I'm kind of obsessed as well, and not just with breakfast.
I think it's the combination of the Shakespearean, almost Wagnerian drama that has enveloped the company. Here's the story arc: First everybody loved Starbucks, then Starbucks became the evil caffeine empire, and now it's fighting for its collective life and identity. Hey, now I understand why we're all fascinated by the goings-on at Starbucks. It's interesting stuff.
Especially their attempts at breakfast, which have been marred by the fact that no cooking ever takes place at a Starbucks. These paragraphs from a recent New York Times article tell all:
The food development team spent a year creating two breakfast sandwiches for the pairings. Although the eggs and cheese are mixed in huge vats, poured into tins, baked, frozen and shipped to distribution centers to be assembled, they wanted them to look freshly made to appeal to people who do not like fast-food outlets.
At first, the manufacturer that supplies Starbucks with egg patties came up with perfectly round eggs from a mold. Starbucks rejected them, asking for a more free-form mold to look more like the shape of a freshly cracked egg, said Lani Lindsey Sordello, Starbucks’s director for food and bakery. Starbucks’s food scientists mixed parmesan cheese with the egg to prevent the smell from seeping into the stores and overwhelming the smell of coffee.
The basic problem is that Starbucks breakfast food is essentially airline food formulated by food scientists. So the Serious Eaters ventured to our local Starbucks to see if the new sandwiches were first, business, or coach class.
First up is the Artisan Bacon Sandwich, described in a Starbucks press release as "a flavorful, bakery-style sandwich made with a Parmesan egg frittata, four smoked bacon slices, and Gouda cheese on a perfectly baked, hand-shaped artisan roll."
Artisan is rapidly replacing all-natural as the meaningless claim of choice among food manufacturers. I emailed the Starbucks press department asking which artisan makes their artisan bacon and ham. No word as of yet from what I call the Coffee Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Anyway, no matter what Starbucks' definition of artisan is, this is a surprising, almost shockingly tasty breakfast sandwich ($3.95, including a tall drip coffee), worthy of being served on a first-class flight. The food scientists have figured how to make the eggs look and taste like eggs instead of the stiff yellow ridge of protein matter that goes into the other still-available egg sandwiches at Starbucks. The bacon is crisp without being incinerated, the cheese is appropriately cheesy, and the artisan roll is an acceptable, most assuredly not artisanally made roll that is crunchy without being rock hard. And, according to the Starbucks food scientists, this baby has less than 400 calories.
The Artisan Ham Sandwich (also $3.95, including the coffee), described in the aforementioned press release as "a delightful combination made with a Parmesan egg frittata, three slices of Black Forest ham, and mild cheddar on an artisan roll," may be even better. The Black Forest ham has plenty of smoky flavor and, let's face it, ham and melted cheddar go mighty good together.
Reduced fat coffee cake and "Perfect Oatmeal."
Other new money-saving Starbucks combos include a wretched reduced fat coffeecake and the disastrously named Perfect Oatmeal (for $3.95 each of these comes with a tall latte), which is way less than perfect. If you have a hankering for quickly served oatmeal, go to your local Jamba Juice (it was our favorite in a recent fast-food oatmeal taste test). And if it's coffee cake you're looking for, opt for the classic coffee cake from Starbucks and just eat half.
You have to hand it to Starbucks. In their effort to serve the breakfast-sandwich-loving public (that includes me, to be sure) they have kept on keeping on. The "artisan" bacon and ham sandwiches are two small steps for breakfast sandwich kind.
Read more of Ed's reviews.
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20 Comments:
Good reporting Ed. I've been very dubious of these sandwiches, but you have assuaged my fear.
DanielJ at 11:23PM on 03/03/09
Thanks for the tip! In Midtown Manhattan, at least, delis charge you the same amount for a sandwich and a drink so this is a good move on Starbucks' part. I definitely want to try that sandwich. Would you know if there's an option to order the pairing with a tea-based latte? I managed to kick my coffee habit last year (I'm still amazed) and stick to tea these days.
thechiconomist at 11:40PM on 03/03/09
Sounds ok... until I realize for the same price I could go to Lee's Sandwiches, get a Vietnamese iced coffee and a fresh spicy sandwich made on bread they actually bake for the same or less money.
Do you want an industrial "artisan" thing, or a fresh sandwich with better coffee?
I just wish there were more Lee's with drive thrus.
peekpoke at 12:49AM on 03/04/09
Sadly, I have no access to Lee's. =) What I'm wondering about with the new sandwiches is whether they'll end up like the old ones. When they first came out, they were reasonably tasty. After about 3 weeks, they were terrible.
leilah at 3:09AM on 03/04/09
Nice article - the real comparison though should be more along the lines of a McD's egg McMuff along with a latte and the cold kid oriented atmosphere vs. the upscale intellectual - atmosphere of an SBUX. With a quality latte - an artisan breakfast sandwich, nice chairs, business people, pleasant music and a great aroma.
In my mind SBUX wins out during the work week. McD's wins out on the weekends when I take the kids out for breakfast. Although, a McD latte isn't really that bad. Okay maybe a step above average.
I applaud your description of the manufacturing process...very 'Sinclair' like verbal graphic. The problem though that we as 'the public' have to deal with are the hidden truths behind the process and the intention of the marketing message.
Given the opportunity to relish in the enjoyment of a non chain / standalone coffee house, with someone in the back baking fresh coffee cake, biscuits and gravies, in my book - places like that will always get my business first.
Hmmmm, so I'm heading downstairs now for my own home brewed cup of coffee...thx.
Ribster at 3:54AM on 03/04/09
It's funny that Starbucks was created in America but it's the American market that's being stiffed. These breakfasts have nothing on the breakfasts that they serve in the Hong Kong Starbucks, which do not have weird egg substitute and come to you on actual, glass plates.
While Starbucks feeds the US market vile monster cupcakes and so on...it's giving the Asian consumers freshly glazed eclairs and other French pastries:
http://flickr.com/photos/kanetomodai/81480534/
http://flickr.com/photos/jellybeanjill13/2494026260/
I basically refuse to go to a Starbucks unless I'm absolutely desperate for caffeine or am in Asia.
Michele Humes at 7:58AM on 03/04/09
I'm glad to see a positive Starbucks review for once. As a New Yorker and honest Starbucks client, it gets more than a little tiring to see one person after another rant about their elitist/over-priced/snobby/terrible coffee and clientele. Personally, I stay away from their foods because they're a little high in calories, but as the NYT article appropriately states, their coffee is just not that overpriced. I've been hard pressed to find an equally strong and tasty coffee of the same size at any old corner deli - and if you've ever wandered around NYC, you know it's much easier to find a Starbucks than an "old-fashioned" or "authentic" coffee shop. Maybe it's just time to accept that Starbucks is a good - even superior - option when you want a buzz of caffeine and a clean atmosphere (and bathroom!).
teenagefoodie at 8:18AM on 03/04/09
@Michele Starbucks has to compete with amazing and cheap food in Hong Kong.
@Ribster non chain/standalone are not an option in alot of locales. We had the 2 closest to us close in the past 6 months. To be honest 1 of them was more interested in having about 15 flavors of cold coffee concoctions than the real deal.
Incidentally I had the chance to try the new Starbucks instant coffee last week. Not bad. It was strong (not burnt) drinking it black and that works for me, but for anyone who drinks it with cream and/or sugar the flavor held up well.
finsbigfan at 8:26AM on 03/04/09
I happened across a Starbucks that was part of the egg sandwich pilot program and the sandwich was ATROCIOUS. The English muffin was dry and chewy from the microwave, the egg was too hot in some places and cold in others and I'm not even sure the bacon came from an actual pork belly. I actually threw half of it away, it was so inedible.
They need to take a page from Panera's book -- the eggs are freshly cooked in small batches and the sandwiches are absolutely delicious. And not obscenely large, either.
popcornfordinner at 9:31AM on 03/04/09
I disagree on the coffee cake front. Maybe it is because I live in Pittsburgh and not New York, but our Starbucks' classic coffee cake is dry. I swear some days the cake is crunchy. I like the reduced-fat cinnamon coffee cake far better, although the other flavors of reduced-fat coffee cake were even better than the cinnamon. I miss the strawberry cream cake.
PrettyNicola at 9:53AM on 03/04/09
Nicola, I agree. I'm also from Pittsburgh, and I've always found the reduced-fat coffeecakes to be the better ones (and I'm really not a fan of reduced-fat stuff generally). The cinnamon one is very cinnamon-y. I miss the old blueberry one that they got rid of back in 2004-2005 sometime, with actual blueberries throughout as opposed to a weird blueberry jam swirl. The orange one was pretty good too.
gwenkern at 10:48AM on 03/04/09
to sweeten things even more at Jamba Juice, they are running a campaign to sell oatmeal for $1 for the rest of the month! you need a coupon though...
http://www.oatmealforabuck.com/
spartana07 at 11:25AM on 03/04/09
@Michele
I completely agree with you about the quality of Starbucks overseas. I used to love to go to Starbucks when I lived in Tokyo, but would never dream of setting foot in one here.
bearsonawire at 11:37AM on 03/04/09
You know I almost went out for breakfast this morning to try out one of the combos. Looks like I may actually have to do that sometime this week after this some what "glowing" review.
FrostyGhost at 1:29PM on 03/04/09
I know most people don't take road trips anymore but Starbucks is a great boon when you're driving and want a good cup of coffee away from urban centers. While I almost never stop in Starbucks in my home town (I prefer my local coffee/bakery even though the coffee isn't great) I'm always happy to spot one as I travel across the western US. I'm planning a road trip to Seattle and Portland and looking forward to some Starbucks (and those new sandwiches) to get me across Idaho and western Washington.
mamiejane at 6:21PM on 03/04/09
I've loved Starbucks since the first day my ex came back from a biz trip to Seattle, before it was nationwide, with two bags of beans and a bunch of other goodies from Pike Place. I don't get the vitriol aimed at it, I mean, you want to hate some evil corporation, I can think of a lot more deserving than a coffee chain.
chanterelle at 10:05PM on 03/04/09
I have nothing against Starbucks -- I like that they provide the proverbial "third space" that isn't work or home. And it's good to know that people who don't have access to great, mom-and-pop breakfast places will be able to get decent egg sandwiches.
I just wish their coffee was better.
piccola at 10:32PM on 03/04/09
@chanterelle, i'm a big, big hater, and i will tell you why: they go to towns that have established independent coffee sellers and cafes, and do everything that they can to drive them out of business. due to their deep pockets, they are frequently successful. i saw what they did to the independent cafes in the city where i lived in california, and it just heartbreaking.
also, i think their coffee is generally pretty undrinkable, and i am deeply suspicious of a place that sells coffee but never smells anything like it inside. and one final thing: their stupid, overly sweetened, chemical tasting coffee drinks are just another reason for sophisticated europeans to laugh at us.
cybercita at 11:50PM on 03/04/09
Sorry if I am repeating anything above, but if you are looking for a reduced fat option at SB, the reduced fat blueberry is delicious cold or if you have a minute to sit down ask them to warm it up, it's really yummy warm. I am a big fan of everything starbucks, unfortunately I have had to cut back my intake because of the uncertain economy. All the sandwiches are good :)
shayna99 at 10:42AM on 03/05/09
I am sad since THE BUCKS has run the great mom & pop coffee and bagel type stores that would serve a good breakfast sandwich and coffee for a decent price. Granted it was not $3.95 but under $5.00 and I am willing to pay a bit more to support local businesses.
ddvierra68 at 4:08PM on 03/09/09