I never met a panini I didn’t like. Any food that combines crispy toasted bread and melted cheese is automatically leagues ahead of dishes that are lacking in the crispy/melty department. Taco Bell, ever the innovators, has also discovered this phenomenon, and have been using it to smuggle grade-D meat into our stomachs for years. It is almost impossible to resist the dynamic duo of textural tantalization in any context, but only when true artisans take on the old standard and add their own flavors does a panini become transcendentally delicious.

I don’t think I can place all of Andiamo’s creations in this most elite of echelons, but it has at least one offering that certainly makes the grade, the Venice. The Venice is beautiful in its simplicity. A few slices of prosciutto di Parma, some fresh mozzarella, a smattering of caramelized onions, and a healthy layer of basil are all that can be found lining the baked-to-perfection baguette. This uncomplicated combination actually left me skeptical at first. It all sounded good, but I felt like some sort of sauce would be necessary to tie everything together. I was wrong. The Venice is an ingeniously crafted sandwich, and I was a fool to have doubted its greatness. None of the ingredients is layered on thickly enough to distract from the textural godliness that is crispy bread and melted cheese, but they are all potent enough in flavor to still contribute a great deal to the overall experience. In truth, the prosciutto, caramelized onions, and basil combine forces to become the sauce that I thought would be lacking. Saltiness, sweetness, and basilness are the cornerstones of many a delectable sauce, and those flavors are precisely what the Venice’s non-cheese trio has to offer.

Moving down the quality ladder, though I assure you the rungs are not that far apart, we find the Havana. Despite it being a much busier sandwich than the Venice, the Havana’s multitude of ingredients still manage to harmonize. Ham, spiced pork, mustard, pickles, caramelized onions, and Muenster cheese each make an important contribution to the aesthetic of this intricate dish. What impresses me most about this sandwich is the use of Muenster. The other ingredients, especially the pickles and mustard, are so powerful in flavor that any cheese other than Muenster would leave diners in complete flavor overload. Muenster has not only the perfect strength, but also the ideal taste to complement the other players in this power-packed panini. Texturally, this sandwich is very different from the Venice. The meat slices are much thicker, and the pickles add some crunch to the interior portion. Though I prefer the elegant simplicity of the Venice, the Havana will certainly satisfy those with more daedal desires.

The only other offering of Andiamo’s that I have sampled is the Levante. A combination of grilled chicken, fresh mozzarella, pesto, and sun-dried tomato aoli, the Levante leaves something to be desired. The concept seems perfect on paper, but this sandwich lost a lot in its execution. First off, the chicken is soggy. Perhaps this is only an issue when dining via delivery, but by the time I got to it the moisture from the fresh mozzarella had completely saturated the chicken. As a result, the meaty portion of this sandwich was nearly identical to the chicken breasts available at the lighter side in Val (not exactly a flattering comparison). The problem with soggy grilled chicken is twofold. Not only does it compromise the chicken’s ability to complement the other textures, but the deluge also completely washes away the flavor of the grill. Mildly burnt meat is one of my favorite flavors, and I was disappointed that the allegedly grilled chicken had nothing to offer in this department. The other aspect of the execution in which Andiamo erred was the dearth of aoli. One bite of my Levante contained an unprecedented amount of the scrumptious sauce, and it was by far the best bite of the meal. The aoli is truly wondrous, and it is a damn shame that they don’t simply drown this panini in it.

If I had to use only one word to describe Andiamo, in lieu of the hundreds that I have just used, it would be “tasty.” Even the lackluster Levante has an undeniably enjoyable flavor to it. But while your taste buds will definitely go home happy, the same cannot be said of your stomach, or your wallet. At $7 a pop, I would expect something at least slightly more filling. Andiamo’s panini’s won’t leave you hungry, but I’d be lying if I said I felt “full.” In terms putting love in their food, Andiamo is firmly in the elite group. Ingredients are spread perfectly throughout each sandwich, ensuring uniformly delicious bites. They even make you feel loved at the ancillary level, taking the time to label the packaging when you order more than one panini. This token gesture only makes dining one iota easier, but one has to appreciate that they took the time, a rarity in this era.

In the end, I would recommend Andiamo for those whose gustatory lives have taken a turn for the bland. The inventive and powerful flavor combinations perfectly meld with the unbeatable texture of a perfectly grilled panini, resulting in a dining experience that is nothing but enjoyable, despite its price.