Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

Eat & Run

PBJ goes gourmet, without fancy prices

PORTLAND — So the question is, do you mess with a good ol' PBJ by adding a bunch of other ingredients, like bananas or grape nuts?

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Steve Miner, owner of Peanut Butter Jelly Time, a sandwich shop he opened in December in Portland’s Market House on Monument Square.

John Ewing/Staff Photographer...

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PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME

WHERE: Second floor of the Public Market House, 28 Monument Square, Portland, 712-2408; pbjtime.net

HOURS: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. During First Friday Art Walk, the restaurant is open until 8 p.m.

CHEAPEST GRUB: Toast or English muffin, $1.50.

WAIT: Very short; two to three minutes, tops, once you place an order.

PARKING: Yeah, right.

RATING: ****

Based on a 5-star scale

At Peanut Butter Jelly Time, newly opened on the second floor of the Public Market House at Monument Square in Portland, you have the freedom to choose. You can get it basic or you can get it deluxe.

But no matter what you put between the bread, it's still a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and that means all is still right with the world.

As a child, I devoured peanut butter sandwiches. As an adult, I still do. They remain one of my all-time favorite lunch treats, in part because of their efficiency and simplicity. And so it was with great delight and a fair amount of anticipation -- I am easily amused -- that I ventured into Peanut Butter Jelly Time last Friday afternoon.

I ordered two basic sandwiches, both on wheat bread. One came with smooth peanut butter, the other crunchy. One came with grape jelly, the other with blueberry.

Both were exquisite.

I realize "exquisite" is a big word in the context of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which is basically a step up from toast and perhaps the first substantial exercise in food preparation for any 5-year-old. But it's appropriate nonetheless.

Peanut Butter Jelly Time turns a peanut butter and jelly sandwich into high art.

Here's what I liked: The creamy peanut butter was thick and gooey, and rich in both taste and texture. The chunky peanut butter, of course, had a lot more crunch to it but was still quite creamy and smooth. The peanut butter and jelly both were thickly applied to the bread, turning these sandwiches from something simple into something spectacular.

I requested wheat bread for both, and also ordered an apple and glass of milk. My total bill, including taxes, was $6.25.

Aside from the prices, what I appreciated most about Peanut Butter Jelly Time was the creativity associated with the menu. If you are so inclined, you can gussy up your PBJ any which way you please. There are many choices of butters beyond peanuts. How about cashew or almond butter, or even cinnamon peanut butter, all of which are specialties of the store? I chose grape and blueberry preserves, but could have opted for blackberry, apricot, pomegranate, apple.

Did I mention Fluff? If you really want to dial up your days of youth, you may order a PB and Fluff sandwich, and Fluff comes in both regular flavor or raspberry.

You also can order a variety of breads, ingredients for additional layers and other items.

Peanut Butter Jelly Time is open for breakfast, with a cold cereal and yogurt bar, French toast, oatmeal and silver-dollar pancakes (six for $2 or a dozen for $3.25). There's fruit for healthy snacking, and a nice selection of fresh nuts for packing and taking home.

Peanut Butter Jelly Time shares a common dining area with a pizza place and a coffee shop, and the cumulative effect creates a buzz of activity and excitement.

Yes, excitement. For a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Oh, to be 10 again. 

The Features staff of the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram anonymously samples meals for about $7.