Something Different

Restaurant Name: Panino Rustico

Location: 8222 17th Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 11214

Website: http://www.paninorustico.com/

Price Range: $13

JCL Rating: 7/10

JCL's Choice: Smoked salmon panini; three cheese panini; iced coffee selection

This is a new neighborhood cafe that is newly opened. It is a small but delicate cafe. The layout is very simple and contemporary. The tables were divided in a spacious manner. As my friend and I walk in, we were greeted warmly. This place have a very mellow atmosphere. There were seating inside and outdoor. This fall weather is the perfect time to just relax and have a cup of espresso with panini on the side in an outdoor setting. 

 After we ordered, we changed our minds and decided to sit outside. The waitress was professional even though she just started working not long ago. She brought the dining settings to our tables neatly. The service was a bit slow, but it was understandable considering it is still a very new establishment. We ordered two beverages and two paninis to stay. 

(Left: iced americano. Right: iced cappuccino)

I am not a coffee person, but had to try their caffeinated beverages since they have an espresso bar. I ordered the "iced americano." It is a very aromatic iced coffee and the finishing taste was very pleasant. My friend had the "iced cappuccino." It is similar to the iced americano, but not as strong in terms of flavor. It had refreshing aroma and a smooth creamy finish. This will definitely do students good when they are pulling an all nighter!

As for the paninis, I had the smoked salmon panini and my friend ordered the three cheese panini. Each dish accompanies a basic iceberg lettuce salad. My salad was dry with no dressing but my friend's had a balsamic vinaigrette. A bit inconsistent. The smoked salmon was with red onion, avocado, and goat cheese panini. The smoked salmon was mild in terms of smokiness which is good since it did not overpower the goat cheese. They balanced each other out. The flavor profiles are definitely there. I did not taste the presence of any red onion though. 

The three cheeses consisted of reggiano, crotonese and fontina cheese. Bits of each of the cheeses half melted in the panini bun gives it a semi solid texture to the tongue. After every bite, it leaves a lingering cheese taste. The panini bun was toasted to perfection with drizzles of truffle oil. It was crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside. There was a scent of butter on the three cheese panini which completes the picture. 

One disappointment was that they ran out of crepe batter. We were looking forward in trying their crepes. Maybe next time I will go earlier so it won't be sold out. Overall, this experience was very satisfactory. Although the speed of the service was a bit slow, but the waitress was great. She was extremely friendly. The food was worth it and the drinks were on point. For a cafe that is local, it gave us a feeling of dining in a Manhattan cafe. That was rather surprising. But I think there should be an actual dine in menu instead of the black and white take out menus. The price is very reasonable for the portion size and taste of the food. I would definitely come back in the future to try some of their homemade gelato and crepes!