2418 Fairmount St. Dallas, TX 75201 Phone:   214-969-6911

Restaurant Review

By TERESA GUBBINS / The Dallas Morning News

There's no just having a sandwich anymore. These days, it has to be a panini.

Paninis are Italian-style sandwiches, pressed flat in a grill so that the outside of the bread wears hatch marks and the fillings ooze together.

They've become a thing not just here in Dallas but all over the place, especially in New York, where places like Press 195 and Panino'teca 275 devote themselves almost entirely to panini sandwiches.

Those single-minded places would be the model for Urbano Paninoteca, a chic new sandwich shop off McKinney Avenue opened by Mitch and Kristen Kauffman in the space formerly occupied by Celebrity Bakery. He's a Dallas restaurant vet who managed Popolos and before that worked at Lombardi Mare, Sam's Cafe and Sfuzzi. She's a free-lance writer who sometimes writes for The Dallas Morning News.

The name of the restaurant serves, probably unintentionally so, as somewhat of a filter. Those who can make their way through the pronunciation of "Urbano" and "Paninoteca" clearly know what they're in for. The Kauffmans could have named it "Mitch's Sandwiches" and attracted a bigger crowd. But they're going for a higher-end slice of life, one that embraces ingredients such as arugula and goat cheese and won't object to spending $5.50 to $8 for a sandwich (served with tiny matchstick fries). There are also salads, pastas and bruschettas.

Ingredients are very good, and the combinations appealing. Perhaps the biggest complaint – and this will seem absurd – is that the sandwiches tended to have too much filling.

Overstuffing was surely a problem in the prosciutto ($7.25). The prosciutto itself was delicious, with the telltale tang that indicates good breeding. Gorgonzola and mascarpone cheeses were excellent partners, as was the arugula.

But there was too much prosciutto. There's a reason the sandwich was originally conceived with a single slice, maybe two, where the ham acts as a tiny spike of flavor. Prosciutto is better consumed delicately – by the slice. Its chewy texture makes a large quantity almost inedible, and there was no easy way to plow through this heap. A pile of meat in a sandwich may be more appealing to the typical American appetite, but it lacks finesse.

The turkey sandwich ($5.95) was easier to tackle, and its sun-dried-tomato pesto had zing. The grilled chicken panini ($6.50) centered on a slightly charred chicken breast and not much else. It works best for diners seeking the uncomplicated, the familiar.

Those who remain enchanted by big, fleshy mushrooms may enjoy the portobello panini ($6.50); it could please a vegetarian, as well. Accompaniments such as spinach, roasted pepper and Parmesan cheese added good nutritional components such as vitamin C and calcium.

On the opposite end of the scale was "The Imported" ($7.50), filled with every kind of sausage and meat: mortadella, cappicola, soppressata, salami and provolone cheese. They're a salty bunch, those meats; you'll need a tall glass of water when you're done.

Pastas are a strength. There's always a daily special ($8.50) such as linguine with vegetables and a superb Bolognese sauce with ground sausage. There are daily salad specials ($8.25), too. One day, the special had spinach and chopped cucumber with slabs of chicken, but, in true Popolos style, the greens were an oil slick. Next time, the dressing will be requested on the side.

Desserts consist of cookies ($1.50), chocolate chip or oatmeal, made daily; their lead-weight richness makes them oddly appealing. Beverages include imported bottled sodas and beer.

The room is very modern, with pale, warm yellow walls and single flowers in sconces mounted high. It's a two-story space that has been organized masterfully, with a long ramp leading to the ordering counter. An additional dining room in the back overlooks a surprise sunny courtyard that you'd otherwise never know was there. There is good taste here, unquestionably – sometimes almost too much so, which is not really such an awful problem to have.

Food –
Atmosphere –

Published in The Dallas Morning News: 08.30.02