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PrintTastings: Panini Pete's (Mobile location)
Sallye Irvine samples local restaurants
photos by Elise Poché
Pete Blohme has brought his popular, people-pleasing, pressed sandwiches to downtown Mobile. Panini Pete’s, a favorite with foodies in Fairhope since 2006, now has a new, second location in LoDa on the coveted corner that used to house Loretta’s. The eatery opened in November and has been doing bustling breakfast and lunch business ever since. It is a casual and friendly spot that offers splendidly speedy service.
The interior feels homey yet hip with sunny yellow walls paired with glossy black and corrugated metal accents. The tables are a festive hodgepodge, decoupaged with a plethora of photos and memorabilia from Blohme’s family. And, there is a fabulous, big circular booth in the back corner. Blohme says the behemoth of a booth had to be loaded into a truck with a forklift and cut in half to get it into the restaurant.
The menu features a half dozen of Blohme’s specialty panini sandwiches. He says the house-roasted turkey panino is always a top seller. Other popular picks: seared tuna and the house-roasted roast beef. For vegetarians, the tomato and fresh mozzarella is a classic combo. Burgers are also big business for Blohme. “I gotta say Mobile loves its burgers!” So far, he sells significantly more of the hand-pattied staple in the LoDa location than in Fairhope. For those who dither over their decision, Blohme offers a peacemaker — the panini burger.
Hot dog fans are truly in for a treat as the weiners dished up here are exceptional. They are flavorful, Chicago-style, natural-casing dogs served on poppy seed buns. For something slightly lighter, there is a garden salad that can be topped with grilled chicken or seared tuna. The soup of the day is always made from scratch, as are the dressings, spreads, desserts, house-made chips and shoestring fries.
Panini Pete’s specials are created with what is in season. “We support local shops and vendors by purchasing ingredients to add to our specials, such as the recent Thai Burger topped with fresh roasted peanuts from the A&M Peanut Shop,” says Cheryl Blohme, Pete’s sister and general manager of the Mobile location.
To satisfy your sweet tooth, Panini Pete’s offers its signature, hot, melt-in-your mouth beignets. Due to popular demand, they are kept on hand all day, along with bread pudding fashioned from said beignets and crème brulee served in petite pie tins. They also have homemade cookies. Breakfast is served in the morning featuring the famous beignets, the breakfast panino and green eggs and ham (scrambled eggs are flavored with pesto — hence the hue.) There is also a children’s menu for the “tini-wini-panini” including a grilled cheese, hot dog, burger or peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
On the Menu
French Revolution Dog
A warm, fluffy, poppy seed bun with an exceptionally good dog is capped with tangy Dijon mustard, onion confit and a hail of good sauerkraut. Sneakily addictive.
Panini Burger
Gooey, oozing, fresh mozzarella cheese tops a hot, juicy burger, all pressed between slices of ciabatta bread. The best of both worlds — a burger and a panino — perfect for the indecisive.
House-Roasted and Medium Rare Roast Beef Panini
Thinly shaved, incredibly tasty, tender, rare roast beef gets some snap from creamy gorgonzola sauce, baby greens, tomato and a smattering of Dijon mustard, all on pressed ciabatta.
Beignets
A signature specialty. Three warm, round doughnuts, deliciously doughy on the inside and delightfully crisp on the outside, are dusted heavily with powdered sugar and served with a squeeze of lemon. Messy and marvelous, a must-have.
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