A friend and I planned to catch up and have lunch after a professional meeting in Granite Bay. I had done a little searching on Yelp the day before and this had a great central location and wouldn't require a down payment . The reviews scared me a little bit, though! Lowdown: You order at the front counter or drive-through. They have a to-go case also with salads and premade sandwiches if you are really in a rush (ps they all looked good). There's a bakery case adjacent to the cashier station showcasing delicious treats (more about that later!). There's a wide array of choices of sandwiches, salads, and soups. There were two very helpful and patient cashiers taking our orders and handling payments. Also making hot drinks. These ladies were very busy but super nice and efficient. You'll get a receipt and a number on it which will identify your order. There's a drinks station where you get your own flatware and napkins and a nice chilled water dispenser. Then you take a seat and wait for a server to call your number. I ordered a Chinese chicken salad and my friend ordered a Caesar salad. They didn't sell the Caesar as a half with chicken on the menu but made a nice accommodation for my friend as a plain Caesar half and add chicken. They give you bread on the side and I noticed later that there are bread options listed but default is the baguette. I wasn't wild about the bread, it was pretty basic, but it was improved with butter, which I requested. You have to pay extra but it's worth it. Next time I would order a different variety of bread to compare. Our orders came out quickly while we were enjoying our coffee which was delicious- I got a small latte. I forgot to ask what my friend ordered, but she liked hers. We both were members of the clean plate club! We really enjoyed our salads and it was the perfect amount without the hassle of leftovers. Dressing is served on the side in individual containers. My friend's Caesar had a generous amount of grilled chicken strips and Parmesan cheese on a bed of leafy greens. She loved it. My Chinese chicken salad experience is colored by Judi's Deli in LA which IMO is the gold standard. However, I liked this chicken salad even though the shredded chicken was kind of lacking in flavor, there was no cilantro or crunchy noodles, and there were peanuts instead of cashews. The dressing was fantastic, though and might even be better than Judi's. Overall it was a 6 if Judi's is a 10, and I'm not complaining as it was really delicious. As we kept on chatting, I needed reinforcements so I returned to the counter and ordered a pumpkin raisin walnut muffin and apricot scone. Full stop, both were 5 star baked goods and I wanted to know why I had never been here before! Scones are so hard to get in stores (Starbucks are inedible, for example) and this was the perfect blend of buttery/crumbly with a lovely apricot flavor. The pumpkin muffin was perfectly cooked (not gummy which I hate), moist, and richly flavored with pumpkin and spices and chock full of plump raisins and crowned with walnuts. No pictures...because they were so good! The dining room was very pleasant with lots of light and plenty of tables. Both solo and group diners enjoyed the ambience with some low volume classical music in the background. A great place to have a nice conversation along with your meal, which my friend and I definitely had. I was so pleased with the value, convenience, service, and atmosphere here. If I lived nearby I'd be a regular. As it is, I will be checking out the La Bou locations closer to me. And if I'm ever in Granite Bay, I know where to get a great lunch.

A fast casual dining spot. The food comes out fairly quickly. Service was alright. Very minimal staff interaction. They're just focused on their tasks. The food is very good. Some of the faves are the baguette and dill dip, tomato bisque, Chinese chicken salad, and the Asian noodle salad.

If I could give this place 3.5 stars I would based off their drive thru. However, I will give them 4 stars because I do like La Bou and will continue giving them my service. The drive thru can be a hit or miss during lunch hours or when it is busy. It is a small drive thru and can take some time to wait for your food. I also wasn't given my complete order one time and had to drive back through the drive thru and wait. However, I've been coming to La Bou for years since I was a teenager. It's a refreshing spot to come and enjoy an easy meal. The best thing La Bou can sell is their dill sauce. It's crack. Tastes soooo good with the fresh baguette. My favorite item in the menu is the spicy Thai chicken soup. I order is as a comfort meal almost every time I go. The sandwiches and salads are super fresh as well. If you love a good sandwich, soup, and salad this is the place you want to try. In the mornings they also sell baked goods that they are known for tasting very yummy.

Best lunch entree ever!! What a hidden gem. LaBou definitely deserves more credit than it gets. The drive thru is the best!! Was in and out within 5 minutes. There's online ordering as well. Spicy Chicken Thai Soup - a little spicy but not too bad. The coconut really tones the flavors. Tastes like Tom Kha soup, Yum! Asian Noodle Salad - interesting cold noodles. I can't decide if I like this or not. It's really saucy. The soba noodles are deliciously made. There's an interesting ending taste to it but the meal is still good. 1/2 sliced bread with dill sauce - MUST HAVE!! So freaking good. That dill sauce is absolutely yummy. Iced Americano - 10/10!! I love my coffee a little toasted and they do a great job here. Trying a sandwich and salad next time!