SAN ANTONIO — The very idea of opening a shop serving peanut butter and jelly as the featured item was a stroke of comfort food genius for Jeremiah Burns. But for those closest to him---not so much.
He recalled his significant other, Taylor, saying “That’s an idiotic idea.”
Then, she started to see where the jelly stuck to the bread as PB & J shops started to pop up across the country.
Burns opened San Antonio’s first peanut butter and jelly shop in November.
PB & J with Tay is nostalgia cuisine for most. For others it will still fill the spot as an adult or as a tasty edible for our children.
“We’ve all eaten them---at soccer games---at halftime or just as a kid growing up,” he said.
Upstairs in a business at 5335 McCullough Ave in Olmos Park is where customers can find a growing number of pb&j creations.
“We have nine signature sandwiches,” Burns said. “We just added a tenth one called Make My Tay.”
The space has the feel of a coffee house except there are creamy and crunchy peanut butter sandwiches on the menu. Burns admits he didn’t really start making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with any regularity until he opened for business.
PB & J with Tay comes with menu options but is really a build a sandwich concept. The creations come paired with plain potato chips and customers can even get a glass of cold milk.
“The main thing we have---the classic and the double decker,” he said. “You can make that pb&j your way and add the toppings you like.”
Burns fought off the urge to add extreme sandwich and toppings to the menu. So, there’s no cheese, gummy bears or anything like that.
There is creamy or crunchy peanut butter that comes with a bevy of jellies from Lone Star Pure. The shop also offers Marshmallow Fluff. There’s a Pooh Bear sandwich, the Elvis and the peanut butter and pickle.
Neighborhood Eats was provided with a two-sandwich taste test.
The first is called ‘The Texan.’ Our robust double-decker offering on toasted bread comes with crunchy peanut butter, choices of jellies (strawberry, peach, blueberry and more) and crispy bacon. Burns added banana and cream cheese for another level of flavor. Delicious!
The second offering is a customer favorite called ‘The Kitchen Sink.’ It’s a double-decker sandwich on toasted bread with nearly every topping available: Creamy and crunchy peanut butter, walnut, coconut, Nutella, cream cheese, bacon and jalapeno strawberry jelly. Fantastic!
The real chew: From the grape jelly like paint on the walls to the mix match furniture, the foundation of PB & J with Tay is being different. It is a wonderful break from pizza, burgers, Tex-Mex, salads or that sodium ridden microwave meals you have for lunch. Sometimes you need simplicity with an option to upgrade the experience. PB & J with Tay might be that place for you.
Give Marvin your review of PB & J with Tay. If you have a restaurant or food truck suggestion for him send an email (Mhurst@kens5.com), tweet (@Mhurstkens5), IG : @MHguy or post it on his Facebook page. #KENS5EATS