Calistoga

I ate there for lunch today. It was very busy, but they were efficient. I had the "choose 2" with an egg salad sandwich and the tomato and buffalo mozzerella salad. The salad was decently sized and the balsamic dressing was very good. The egg salad was a bit bland, but a huge portion. Again, it is fairly expensive for a lunch option, but it's nice to have another option in the neighborhood. I paid $10.38 for my lunch and a drink. (Of course, next time I'll bring my own water, as I'm stingy and hate paying $2 for a soda. ) I just wonder if they will always have that many people working there, or if it was just for the opening.

I had to take my mom to her doctor today over at Suburban and we swung in for lunch. It's Panera Bread. If I had to choose one word to describe it I'd say "meh". I had the pulled pork pressata sandwich, stupidly thinking from the description it might sort of be a cuban sandie. Not even close. Pulled pork, supposedly marinated, but I couldn't taste any seasoning to identify, no smoke flavor, no flavor at all really. Some white cheese that also didn't seem to be possessive of taste, and although the menu promised a spicy mayo, there was none I could find. The french onion soup was, as most commercial soups, salty as a sailors mouth. Again topped with the tasteless white cheese. My mom had the Club. It looked clubby enough, a lot of really big bread. The service was quick, they were packed and moving people in and out very efficiently. As a lunch option it's pricey. Lunch for the two of us with drinks was $22! I kept thinking why didn't we just drive an extra ten miles and go to DakShin? They will do well with all the hospitals and doctors offices around there I'm sure.

It seems like this is a pricey place that wants to kill you with quantity rather than quality. Yuck... there already are too many of those places. I agree with you 100% about rather driving an extra 10 miles to Dakshin. The only problem is that its 20 miles round trip and a lot of people have a limited time for lunch. Although I live pretty close to there, I dont work around there so I dont see myself going there ever. At least it's another lunch option for those who want a close place to eat but just from these two experiences, I would just drive the extra 300 meters and go to Bazos.

My hubby just had lunch here, and here is basically what he told me....As far as quality goes, Panera is much, much better, and it's less expensive. He was not impressed with Calistoga at ALL.

My wife just ate lunch there and gave exactly the same report as Michelle's husband gave her. Plus, very noisy and very difficult to carry on a normal conversation. She will never return.

We went there this morning to get a drink. Apparently, they had Sunergos coffee...woweee! It was strong but good, I'm still buzzing. I have to say, their sun dried tomato bagel is to die for.

Deeply underwhelmed! I went there last week and had to go to three different areas to place and pick up my order. I had a breakfast 'pressata' that had eggs that clearly had been made hours ago, underdone poor-quality swine, and a side of 'fresh fruit'(handful of sad grapes and 1 strawberry). If I'm not mistaken, this is Papa John's Wife's venture. She was there with bells on on my trip. This would explain the costly interior and mucho advertising. I will not be returning.

Oh ferschizzle...I just found out they are putting in a Calistoga at the new U of L Outpatient Center at Preston and Chestnut. Like there aren't enough overpriced mediocre sandwich shops down here in Thoracic Park. Why can't one of our ethnic vendors set up down here? What I wouldn't give for a Gordita Trailer close by at lunch...or a Chaat Corner!

Given the reports I have heard, both here and from a couple of people at work who have stopped by, I going to to give Calistoga a miss.

...Like there aren't enough overpriced mediocre sandwich shops down here in Thoracic Park...

Thanks, Mary Anne .... I must now clean up my computer area after spewing coffee all over the place!

Yeah, I'm totally stealing that "Thoracic Park" comment!

Went last week and had a decent egg salad sandwich and coffee. Sandwich, OK, but the coffee is great! Overall: somewhat overpriced, so-so food, nice decor. Will stop by for coffee.

Isn't Wild Egg just down the street? It is very good. Sunergos coffee is good though. I was just at their shop this afternoon.

I had a very nice visit this weekend in Louisville Kentucky. I was in town visiting some business friends for the pre-holiday get togther we always have before our hectic holiday flight schedules take place.
We decided to try this Calistoga concept based upon a recomendation of a friend who works in the area. I was pleasantly surprised when I walked in. Based upon the pictures on their walls, colorful menu and electronic order boards I knew I was in for a filling sandwich. While I was there I noticed the person sitting next to me had the "Louisville Hot Bytes" website up on their computer. I saw the picture and review of food so I asked him what was the function of the website. He told me it was a place where you could write about and give your reports on restaurants, either good or bad. So I decided to share my story with you.
The second thing I noticed was that there was no waitstaff! I live in a very progressive food city and have noticed that more and more of the local restaurants have done away with waitstaff and have begun focusing on the back of the house and the product that they put out. Is this new to Louisville?
I believe the term is expiditer (spelling?)
I decided to try the Egg Salad sandwich and a coke. Egg Salad in the South is as common as a "Hot Brown" is to Louisville. We are very particular about our egg salad sandwiches so much so deviled eggs get judged as well!
I can tell you that the egg salad sandwich at Calistoga was perfect. Perfectly portioned, cut in half and topped with a fresh tasting and looking piece of leaf lettuce and a fresh slice of tomato. There was no dark tips on the lettuce and there was no tomato core in the tomato. Did someone in the back have my best interest in their hands. I dont thinsk so, I think somone cared about the product they were producing. THE BEST PART OF THE MEAL WAS THE FRESH TASTING EGG SALAD.
Put it all together the bread, lettuce, tomato, egg salad, bag of chips, 2 napkins and a tray liner....... I walked away happy!
For what I paid and what I recieved I will surely visist Calistoga again. I encourage each of you that read this website to try it to and think about what you just ate instead of accepting hearsay!
Remember hearsay is not admisable in a court of law nor should it be on "LOUISVILLE HOT BYTES".

I walked away happy!
For what I paid and what I recieved I will surely visist Calistoga again. I encourage each of you that read this website to try it to and think about what you just ate instead of accepting hearsay! Remember hearsay is not admisable in a court of law nor should it be on "LOUISVILLE HOT BYTES".

Phyllis,
Those of us that participate regularly in this forum depend on other posters opinions of restaurants in making our dining choices. We have a camaraderie amongst us and generally trust each other's opinions. It's interesting that you gave the best review of Calistoga by far for your first post and also made the remark about hearsay. Not that we don't believe your post but it would be nice if you would confirm that you have no connection to the restaurant. Also it would be nice to hear your comparison of it to some other local venues since we have no basis for comparisons to where you're from (or even know it since you didn't include it in your profile).

Not that we're untrusting but we are suspicious when the first post from a new member is highly positive for a restaurant that in general the reviews are not glowing for.