Mediterranean Diet Pyramid

Restaurant Review: Panini Cafe

Whoever thought of making a panini was brilliant, to say the least. A hot sandwich with meat, grilled vegetables and some sort of fattening sauce all pressed together so that the cheese inside gets gooey is worth breaking a summer bikini diet for.

Needless to say, there were high expectations for the Panini Cafe, the new restaurant on Lindbrook Drive.

The restaurant has plenty of seating inside, with booths and tables, which gives it a diner feel. The cafe also has a makeshift patio located at the front of the restaurant.

At times, it seems that waiters treat customers sitting outside as afterthoughts. But, the waiters at Panini Cafe were attentive and also accommodating. While there were only two-person tables on the patio, a family of four requested to sit outside and the staff hurriedly put two tables together.

And the service was done with a smile.

When I sat down, I quickly browsed the menu and decided to order the Chicken Panini, which said in parentheses “Highly recommended!” It was served on Filone bread and stuffed with grilled chicken breast, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, fontina cheese and pesto. The panini also came with the option of different pastas, soups, salads or fruit. So for around $10, a customer can get a meal that includes all the basic elements of the food pyramid.

The sandwich, however, was not what was expected. Thanks to George Foreman Grills, there is a prevalent thought that a panini should be pressed so the sandwich is piping hot, crispy and has cheese oozing out. But this panini was served as a moderately hot sandwich and wasn’t pressed at all.

Upon looking at the menu again, it did give a disclaimer at the bottom: “All paninis are available deli style (bread is not grilled).” This was much like asterisks attached to limited-time items – the product is good but it is a bit annoying that there is some sort of restriction. The toasted bread also ended up getting soggy and wet (wet, not moist) within 10 minutes of receiving the food.

In spite of its flaws, the food was in fact really good. While the flavor of the artichoke hearts was only slightly noticeable since the roasted tomatoes demanded so much attention, the advantage of not having the panini pressed was that it was a huge sandwich – not the same size and feel of a grilled cheese sandwich. It was extremely flavorful and fresh.

During my meal, a waiter delivered a plate of breakfast food to another table on the patio. It was a huge plate of eggs, French toast, hash browns and bacon.

Tastes of the Mediterranean - mediterranean diet

In the Mediterranean the food is legendary. The Mediterranean diet is known for being one of the healthiest diets in the world. Comprising a wide variety of fresh fruit and vegetable, pulses, fish, dairy products and a little meat, it is boosted by that ancient magical ingredient, olive oil. Rich in monounsaturated fats, olive oil helps reduce LDL cholesterol (bad) and increase HDL cholesterol (good), which works to remove the build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries. But, it is still oil and therefore fattening, so it should be used with some restraint.

Olives too, appear with regular frequency. Black or green, they are eaten as an accompaniment at any meal including breakfast when they are served with toast or plain bread (no butter) a slice of cheese and a tomato. In the past, shepherds and those who worked the fields would take a handful of olives, a piece of bread and sometimes a slice of cheese to work with them. It was enough to sustain them through a long hard day.

Salad also appears with every main meal… and we’re not talking about a couple of curly lettuce leaves and half a designer tomato. This is a big bowl containing enough vegetation to feed a large dairy farm! Everything that’s in season gets thrown in. Crispy Romaine lettuce, fresh coriander, spicy rocket, mild cabbage, tomatoes that really taste like tomatoes (locally grown beef tomatoes are unbelievably good), crunchy cucumbers and spring onions and the dressing? Red wine vinegar and…you guessed it, olive oil!

Cheese and dairy products are a primary source of protein. Yoghurt in particular is served with many dishes both sweet and savoury. Greek-style yoghurt is thick and slightly acidic. As a dessert, it goes particularly well with honey and chopped nuts. As an accompaniment to savoury dishes it is almost always served with stuffed vegetables, moussaka, vegetables cooked in tomato sauce, and with rice or bourgouri (bulgur wheat) pilaf.

Mediterranean cheeses are almost as famous as the olive oil. In Greece, perhaps the most well known cheese is Feta, which is also produced in Cyprus and known as fetta, with two t’s. It goes very well with spinach and green peppers and is great diced and sprinkled over a salad. But Cyprus’ most famous cheese by far is Halloumi . This is a semi-soft, almost waxy cheese that is adored by adults and children alike. The kids call it ‘squeaky cheese’ because it squeaks as you bite into it. Halloumi is extremely versatile and, because it keeps its shape when cooked, can be served in many ways. Fresh, it is enjoyed with olives, or sliced in sandwiches with tomato and cucumbers; it can be grilled or fried; grated and added to sauces; or used as a topping for gratin dishes; it can also be diced and added to hot soups. Needless to say, it’s a firm family favourite. There are many other delightful, white and yellow cheeses to try, including Anari, a soft ricotta-type white cheese, which is used in both sweet and savoury pastries, and Kefalotyri, which is a hard Graviera that is an excellent after-dinner cheese.

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