Coming highly recommended by owner Robbie, the Chicken Cotoletta Panini was absolutely spectacular. The thin yet well-seasoned schnitzel was fried to a nice crisp. Within, we found the protein incredibly tender and juicy. This was further complemented by a creamy mayo and very fresh leafs of cos lettuce and tomatoes. All sandwiched between a lightly toasted panino that exhibited a satisfying crunch with each bite, this was undoubtedly the highlight of our meal.
We also enjoyed the Melanzane Panino. The eggplant within was grilled to perfection, exceedingly soft and juicy which almost melted in your mouth. Mixed within was a generous heap of flavoursome goats cheese that was well complemented by the fragrant basil and rich Napoli sauce. Juxtaposing the soft textures within, was of course that beautifully toasted panino, providing great texture and crunch.
We weren’t disappointed by the Hand Cut Chips either. Each piece at a sizeable chunk, these chips were almost wedges-like, fried with skin on and lightly battered. Well seasoned and topped with a generous amount of cheese made from sheep milk, the cheese was aptly pungent and provided an unapologetically bold flavour. The chips themselves were fried to the perfect golden brown, incredibly crunchy outside with a soft and airy inner. Simply perfect.
The Alla Siciliana Arancini was another highlight of our meal. At a generous size, the arancini was fried to a nice golden brown and quite literally bursting at the seams. Cracking open the crispy outer shell reveals a cheesy mix of beef ragu, eggs, peas and of course, Aborio rice. The beef was exceptionally tender and flavoursome, and was well complemented by a ragu sauce that provided a beautiful richness throughout.
The Mediocre
The Polpete in Sugo Panini was less impressive on this occasion. We thoroughly enjoyed the meatball itself, which was tender and juicy, with a nice coarse ground that provided texture. However, the tomato sugo wasn’t nearly flavourful nor plentiful enough, and the cheesey goodness that was in abundance on all other items was tragically lacking on this occasion. We really felt that the panino could’ve done with much, much bolder flavours.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
An unassuming little cafe in Coburg, Paninoteca SpA dishes out some deliciously authentic Italian sandwiches.
With all the ingredients home made from scratch, including that delectable family recipe chicken cotoletta, as well as the perfectly cheesy ragu arancini, the food here definitely holds true to owner Robbie’s Italian heritage and undoubtedly made us reminisce of Southern Italy.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Most definitely. For an affordable, authentic and tasty lunch with an Italian flare, I’d honestly look no further!
Penguineats would like to thank owner Robbie for inviting us to Paninoteca SpA.
