With all the buzz around the pizzeria, another Bianco can't be bad.
Enter Pane Bianco across the way, a one-stop shop serving slices and sandwiches for those who have to go.
I'll admit I was put-off at first. Usually the fine-dining comes after the casual cafe passes the test. But one slice of the daily special and I am fully sold. Beautiful greens of bitter broccoli spigarello stand up to sweet fennel sausage, crisped up with shallots and punctuated by olives and fresh sliced garlic bits.
Beautifully balanced sandwiches are sizeable, even the simple Burrata will make you a memory. The focaccia bread has an audible crunch, and the burrata is chewy-gooey with roast red pepper.
Soft sheets of Mortadella are sliced so thin. The savors are subtle, but they go beautifully with a semi-sweet spread (I think it was apricot?) and sharp arugula on top.
Eat your pickles - the shallots have a bite, the banana peppers make a sandwich pop, and the green beans are just so great.
What I love about both Biancos is that they just serve good food. Not trying too hard to be weird or new, not trying to reinvent the wheel. Their wheel is still round when they're done; it's just the most polished wheel you've ever seen, and you can't help but sit in awe. Anyone can make a sandwich, but Bianco has this innate ability to pick the perfect ingredients, make them more perfect, and balance them so brilliantly that you'll never see them the same way again.
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