Dining Review: Panini Cafe: a little too perfect

It’s 3 o’clock on a Monday afternoon. I’m between errands, by myself and hungry. Many of my favorite restaurants are closed on Monday or awkwardly empty in the late afternoon. Can’t handle fast food. But wait, there it is, orange string lights glowing like beacons, beckoning me in to a place of comfort, warmth and the right amount of bustle. It’s the Panini Cafe.

New to the corner of Brand Boulevard and Lexington Drive, the Glendale Panini Cafe is ninth in a small chain of cafes in and around Orange and Los Angeles counties. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, Panini Cafe focuses on eggs, sandwiches and grilled meals with a Mediterranean bent. The place has the feel of a large European cafe with an eye on customer comfort including heaters and tropical fans on the porch, strategically placed plants, comfortable faux wicker chairs and American standards on the not-too-loud sound system. The brains behind this brand have a good thing going.

While the prices would suggest fast casual counter service, the seating hostess and server assistants let you know it’s a cut above. They appear to go through strict training. Employees are clear on their roles and perform them well. I’m used to a bit more neighborliness in the little eateries I frequent, but what the service here lacks in personality it makes up for in efficiency.

I guess the same could be said about the food. They produce technically good food here such as fresh, organic ingredients in the salads and sandwiches, juicy chicken, but these items lack personality or edge. My basil pesto chicken panini, a house favorite, was tasty and nourishing, but it was too perfect. I like my panini really pressed, hot through and through, and with melty cheese and burn marks. This one had grill marks that looked drawn on and room temperature innards, stacked neatly — not melded together. I admit it’s a nice perk to get your choice of salad alongside for $9.95. I chose the Mediterranean over the Romaine-avocado or Caesar. But here too, it was technically correct with its chopped tomato, cucumber and feta on greens but lacking the quirky point-of-view you might find from a cook at a mom-and-pop joint.

As I ate, I noticed a sign reading “Healthy Take-Out for the Entire Family, $29.95.” Kind of pricey, I thought, but let’s try it out. An enormous bag was presented to me 20 minutes later with three 10-inch by 13-inch serving trays full of chicken and koobideh kabobs, salad, and wheat pilaf and rice (they kindly granted my request for half and half). This could easily feed more than four people so it’s a real bargain. The large chicken kabobs come with grilled onions, tomatoes and peppers. The beef koobideh tastes like freshly ground sirloin and just a few spices. As we enjoyed our dinner we mused that this meal would be great on a soap opera set because it’s nutritious, good for weight watchers because there’s little sauce or butter on the rice, and it has less garlic than your average Mediterranean food. It would be liked by all, offensive to none, but perhaps forgotten the next day.

Back at the comfortable restaurant, I did enjoy a nice cappuccino made with Lavazza Caffe, “Italy’s favorite coffee.” It was pleasant to sip and look out at the beautiful old Glendale Federal building with its curious new Buddha statue. Beer and wine, including champagne, are also available as are Mediterranean appetizers. For me, though, Panini Cafe is more about the atmosphere than the food.

What: Panini Cafe

Where: 400 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale

When: daily, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Prices: breakfast and lunch, $7.95 to $12.95; entrees, $9.95 to $18.95

More info: (818) 291-4000; www.mypaninicafe.com
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LISA DUPUY welcomes comments at LDupuy@aol.com.