Sunshine or Rain, Il Bambino is Always Welcome

There's never a time when Il Bambino isn't a good idea - nice weather, bad weather, I love coming here and grabbing a quick, comforting panino, a glass of wine, beer, or what have you.  And that's exactly what Meg and I did the other night, after making an appearance at the Perici Art House launch party.

It was a lovely, warm night, so like moths to a flame, we charged for the outdoor garden and found a comfortable table for two.  The atmosphere was great, as everyone was in a fabulous mood (no doubt due to the finally cooperating weather) and it absolutely rubbed off on us.  Here's what we enjoyed:

Tomato Fresca - Since I haven't been here in months, I was really craving one of Bambino's legendary paninis.  At first, I was intrigued by the chicken, cream of spinach panini special but quickly changed my mind when I saw the tomato fresca with small bits of smoked bacon, aioli and asiago cheese.  I have to admit that the bacon swayed me right away and in the end, I was handsomely rewarded.  Each bite was delightful with a sweet, acidic goodness of the tomato and the smoky bite of bacon.  The binder was the melted asiago of course, and for all you grilled cheese lovers, this is a pretty snazzed up version.

Spicy Avocado Goat Cheese Crostini - Although I didn't taste this beauty, as you can see from the above picture, the colors were vibrant and gorgeous.  Meg devoured it and confirmed that it's among her favorites. They're generous with all ingredients, and at $6.50 for a sizeable portion, I'd say this is a legit steal.

Prohibition Ale - I indulged in a cold one to wash all that salty, gooey sandwich goodness down and the Prohibition Ale caught my eye.  It had a hearty, in-your-face taste with nice bitterness and a slightly caramely finish. This liquid bread is definitely a nice complement to any panini, but especially something that's more salty rather than sweet.

Take advantage of Il Bambino's relaxing outdoor digs or feel free to sit inside, which is equally as enjoyable.

Il Bambino - 34-08 31st Avenue, Astoria, NY 11106
718.626.0087
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.ilbambinonyc.com

Il Bambino - A Great Place to Turn When the Weather Gets Cold

I never tire of Il Bambino, because quite frankly, warm, comforting pressed sandwiches never go out of style.  It's often my go-to place when I'm craving something fast and delicious.  And I always look forward to their seasonal soups.

Dan and I stopped in impromptu last week for a middle-of-the-day snack and it was so worth it.  We split a soup and a panini, which was just enough to satisfy our hunger.  Both of us liked the sharing route since their portions are generous and the soups are always filling.

Pumpkin Soup - I couldn't wait to try this soup because I go pretty crazy for just about anything with pumpkin.  In their customary fashion, the soup was rich, thick and had an intense pumpkin flavor that can only be achieved from using real pumpkin.  The side of crusty pesto bread was a delicious addition, as always, and we broke off pieces and dipped them into the pumpkin soup for extra richness.

Soppressata Panino - Even though this sandwich was on the salty side, packed with thin-sliced soppressata, provolone cheese, black olive tapenade and sweet red onions, it was really good.  My favorite aspect of Il Bambino's paninis is always the bread that's easy to bite into but still provides some toothsomeness.  The flavor in this sandwich was a good way to balance out the sweetness left on our tastebuds from the pumpkin soup.

Service and Cost:
We received good service, as our waitress was the right amount of hands-on/hands-off.  Since we came at an off-time, the place was quiet and we got to enjoy our soup and sandwich in a relaxing atmosphere - we felt that we can take as much time as we needed.

With a grand total of $15 for both the soup and the panino, it was a good deal that left us satiated and definitely up for another visit soon.

3 Mmmms

Il Bambino Cafe - 34-08 31st Avenue, Astoria, NY 11106
718.626.0087
N/W Train to Broadway
www.ilbambinonyc.com