Craveable Holiday Treats Adorn Au Bon Pain's Holiday Menu

BOSTON, Nov. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Jingle bells, jingle bells … the Au Bon Pain holiday menu is here! The international cafe bakery and a leader in the fast-casual restaurant category has decorated its kitchens with festive ingredients sure to satisfy guests as they celebrate the season. The distinctive 2014 holiday menu will be served across U.S. cafes from Nov. 3, 2014, through Jan. 4, 2015, and features a fresh holiday-infused Pain au Chocolat, Double Chocolate CroisBun™, an innovative Black Angus Roast Beef & Goat Cheese on Rosemary Focaccia and a special Lobster & Corn Bisque to provide a taste of something delightfully different for guests amid the bustle of the season.

To amplify this delight, Au Bon Pain cafes will treat guests with old favorites while introducing new treats. The holiday seasonal menu features new specialty beverages like the hot (or iced) Peppermint Latte and Peppermint Hot Chocolate. Cookies galore fill the cafes with mouthwatering aromas—guests have their pick of gingerbread cookies or Chocolate Peppermint Krinkle Cookies. Historically known for its authentic croissants, Au Bon Pain has developed a new and improved Pain au Chocolat item with rich chocolate oozing through flakey layers, fresh-baked and has "chocolified" its exclusive CroisBun™ (an innovative croissant hybrid pastry item available only at Au Bon Pain) by creating a chocolate CroisBun filled with chocolate cream to put a decadent spin on the favorite cafe item.

"The holiday menu will truly tantalize taste buds—Au Bon Pain always strives to be the best in delivering the craveworthy fresh baked goods, and this new Pain au Chocolat is a truly improved recipe sure to enchant guests as they start their day or take a break for a snack," said Maria Feicht, Au Bon Pain's chief brand officer. "For those who crave chocolate, it doesn't stop there; our Double Chocolate CroisBun is a flakey, rich, all-in-one delicious treat that breaks into three to share. Or maybe not!"

Au Bon Pain rotates its menu seasonally to provide guests with variety and timely tastes year-round. The 2014 holiday menu provides a variety of value offers to appeal to all budgets. Au Bon Pain guests can enjoy two for $3 holiday cookies, the new Pain au Chocolat or Double Chocolate CroisBun with medium coffee for $4, Peppermint Latte or Hot Chocolate for $1.99, and a gift card offer for a $5 coupon with every purchase of $25 or more.

New seasonal items include:

• Black Angus Roast Beef & Goat Cheese on Rosemary Focaccia—Savory Black Angus roast beef, creamy goat cheese crumbles, mesclun and fresh tomatoes with horseradish aioli on freshly baked rosemary focaccia
• Pain au Chocolat— Our new and improved flakey croissant filled with chocolate and topped with confectioner's sugar and a chocolate drizzle
• Double Chocolate CroisBun— Flakey, buttery Chocolate CroisBun filled with a rich chocolate cream for a holiday twist.
• Cranberry Orange Scone—Made with tangy cranberries and bright orange zest topped with a sweet orange glaze
• Gingerbread Cookie—Traditional, hand-decorated gingerbread with rich molasses flavor
• Chocolate Peppermint Krinkle Cookie—Chocolate peppermint cookie topped with confectioner's sugar
• Lobster & Corn Bisque—Sweet lobster and roasted corn simmered in a rich and creamy bisque
• Salted Caramel Banana Cupcake—A decadent banana cupcake topped with salted caramel, velvety cream cheese icing and decorative milk chocolate curls
• Peppermint Latte—Full-bodied espresso, steamed milk, peppermint flavor shot garnished with crushed peppermint candy, and always just $1.99
• Peppermint Hot Chocolate—Rich hot chocolate and peppermint syrup garnished with whipped cream and crushed peppermint candy

Current menu items being featured:

• Smoked Salmon Wasabi—Norwegian salmon smoked with beechwood chips, cucumbers, wasabi spread and herbed cream cheese on an onion dill bagel
• Chicken Cobb with Avocado Salad—All-natural chicken, crisp Applewood smoked bacon, Gorgonzola, hardboiled egg, ripe tomatoes, crisp cucumbers and fresh avocado with a sesame ginger dressing

Au Bon Pain's special holiday menu and ingredients are sure to add a jolt of holiday cheer to those looking for a special holiday-themed treat this winter season. Items have been carefully chosen to share the distinctive flavors of the holiday, and guests will be delighted by freshly baked quality items as they immerse themselves in holiday cheer.

For more information on the new menu or to find an Au Bon Pain location near you, visit www.aubonpain.com.

About Au Bon Pain

Founded in 1978, Au Bon Pain ("the place of good bread") has grown into an internationally recognized leader in the fast-casual restaurant category. The chain's signature
items—sandwiches, breads, pastries, salads, soups and coffee—are served in welcoming cafe environments emphasizing quick service and hospitality. Au Bon Pain offers consumers a wide array of delicious, nutritional foods, and over the past three years has earned Health magazine's designation as one of America's Top 5 Healthiest Restaurant Chains.

Au Bon Pain operates in six key trade channels including urban office buildings, hospitals, universities, transportation centers, malls and museums, with locations ranging from 300-square-foot satellites to 6,500-square-foot cafes with 100-plus seats. Au Bon Pain currently operates in more than 310 locations in the U.S. and internationally. Additional information about Au Bon Pain, which is headquartered in Boston, may be found at www.aubonpain.com.

Contact:
Melissa Dorman
[email protected]
(917) 251-2415

SOURCE Au Bon Pain

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