TrendyMinds recently hosted a TasteCasting at Au Bon Pain (translated as, “The place of good bread” for those of you who have long since forgotten high school French!). While some of us were already familiar with their fresh and yummy offerings, we were all excited to share our favorite dishes with other and try out some newer menu options.

Matthew Jensen, manager of the Indiana Avenue location, treated the TasteCasters to an assortment of their classic sandwiches, pastries, salads and more. Our favorites: the grilled chicken pesto sandwich (just the right amount of kick without being too overpowering), the Caprese Sandwich (creamy mozzarella with that same delicious pesto had us going back for seconds) and of course the indulgent pastries.

Even though our TasteCasting was early, we made sure to make room for a chocolate cherry tulip (an amazing combination of gooey chocolate brownie and tart cherry filling), crumb cakes and the classic chocolate chip cookies — moist and chewy perfection!

Even though we may not have looked like we were dining with our waistlines in mind, we appreciate Au Bon Pain’s commitment to healthy eating. Nutritional information for all of their items is readily available in-store and on the Web site, including an easy-to-reference key for people with allergies. They have 11 different food allergy symbols, from soy to shellfish, making sure that everyone can find something on the menu for their dietary needs. All of this makes Au Bon Pain the perfect place to eat smart if you’re so inclined — or to indulge your sweet tooth in their more “sinful” offerings.

The Indiana Avenue location was big, bright and cheery and even had a conference room toward the back that can be reserved for meetings, get-togethers and large parties. I think we all came away knowing where we wanted out next company meeting held!