Sticky Business: Peanut Butter & Co.

Here is a quagmire. When does a cute concept become a rip-off? Take Peanut Butter & Co, for example:This cutesy SoHo spot sells peanut butter sandwiches in many variations. Peanut butter and jelly, for example. Or the Elvis, which I bought today (peanut butter, honey and banana on white bread):When I told someone tonight (whose name is Burny, you'll meet him later) that I ate there today, however, he gave me a look like "are you nuts?" "I can never bring myself to go in there," he said. "How can you justify paying $6 for a peanut butter sandwich?"Usually such an argument would irritate the spendthrift gourmet inside me. "Fine food is worth extroardinary prices!" I might say. "How can you put a price tag on perfection?"But with Peanut Butter & Co. I think Burny's camp wins the color war. The place is very cute. It's probably fun to go to with friends. They have fun and interesting sandwiches. But, between you and me, it's a scam. No one should pay $6 for peanut butter, banana and honey on white bread. Even Elvis.