Midtown Lunch

Last summer Manayunk saw the opening of Agiato Bread Company, and last month the paninoteca- wine bar opened a few doors down. Besides an extensive wine list, the menu features things that go well with wine; meat and cheese selections, soup, salads, and paninis. Sitting inside the small space, with its tiled accents and imported South American wooden tables, you might forget the debauchery that goes down on that very street any given weekend night. There has been some recent chef quitting drama, but it not appear to effect the food on my visit.

The waitress told me that if I was a lover of eggplant, which I am, I should try the pressed eggplant panini ($8) with crescenza (a soft cheese) and romesco (a pepper and tomato spread). Cheesy eggplant is definitely better than plain eggplant, here,  the oozy cheese sourounded the eggplant slices as of they were one being. I also enjoyed the little side/garnish of roasted tomato and basil, it was kind of like gazpacho in solid form.

For a fancy ham and cheese sandwich, the prosciutto cotto with gruyere and a fried egg on top ($10). The egg was really aesthetically pleasing, I don’t know how they got it shaped so perfectly with such lovely burnt edges. The pickled onions on the mini side salad were a memorable touch.

But the most impressive dish of all was the assertive frisee salad with duck confit, cherries, goat cheese, and fat crispy croutons. Everyone component of the salad was lightly coated in dressing and goat cheese. The duck pieces were amazingly good as was the unexpected addition of the cherries. This was one of the best salads I have had in a while. At $8, the smallish salad would unfortunately not be something I could puchase every day, but if money were no object, I could regularly eat a Jessica Simpson sized portion of it.

THE + (What somebody who likes this place would say)

• Superior ingredients and clean, bright flavors in all the dishes we tried
• Small, but balanced menu that suits the wine bar theme
• Rustic, welcoming decor

THE – (What somebody who doesn’t like this place would say)

• With paninis at $7-10, you might want a little more food
• Don’t put me at the communal table, I hate strangers

Agiato, 14359 Main Street, Manayunk 215-482-9700