Patti Panini

Dishes mentioned

• Fantasia 2000

  This is their Fantasia 2000, a double patty smash burger with pecorino, lettuce, roasted tomatoes, puffed rice chips, and rosemary mayo. The bun is made with French butter, it's not a potato bun — they have it made at a bakery with their own recipe. The beef is American Angus, smashed super thin. The first thing I notice is that this is finally a smash burger that doesn't taste like all the others. The bun is incredible, the freshness of the lettuce and tomato comes through, and the crunch of the rice chip gives a totally different texture in your mouth — not the usual super creamy, melt-in-your-mouth smash experience. It's light, well-balanced, not heavy at all. For me it's a 9 out of 10, not a 10, because it's a bit light compared to something like Mocho, but that lightness is actually a plus for me — I hate feeling heavy after a burger.

• Patti

  This is the Patti — the same base as the Noob but with their Patti sauce instead of cheddar, young Parmigiano from Malandrone dairy, pancetta from Podere Cada di Parma, lettuce, and their house-made pickles. The pickles are made with vinegar aged in balsamic barrels. The bacon is cooked in the oven with isomalt, a less caramelizing sugar. Holy shit, this is totally different — it's another burger entirely. The Patti sauce is incredible, I can't figure out the ingredients. It's fresh but with all the fat of the meat amalgamated, creamy, much creamier than the first one. The bun is perfect for this type of burger. You get the hard part of the bacon on top, the pickles are a little sidekick — it's a roller coaster where you're never still, never a pause, but every now and then there's a final breath of fresh air. This is maybe the best smash burger of my life. It's absurd. I'd give it an 11 out of 10.

• Noob

  The Noob is their classic cheeseburger version — same base as the Patti but with English cheddar (not American cheese, so it's less melted to let the quality come through), house-made pickles, and bacon cooked in the oven with isomalt. The bacon is extremely crunchy, like a leaf inside. I'm not a huge fan of bacon that crispy, but here there's a slight sugary contrast that balances the smoky flavor. The pickles are abundant, you get them in every bite. The sauce is very strong, very powerful — it's the first time I don't want to leave anything for Gabri. It's greasy in a sweet way. This plays in the same league as the smash burgers we tried in Milan, but much better than those. It reminds me a lot of Mocho — it has that umami that makes you want another bite. I'd say it's a 10 out of 10.

• Vegetarian Burger

  This is the vegetarian version — it has a vegetable patty made with tomato, rosemary mayo (egg-free, made with milk and rosemary-infused oil), lettuce, a puffed rice chip with clove, and oven-dried tomato. It looks identical to the meat version. I try it and it's good, very good actually. It's hard to believe it's vegetarian — the texture and flavor are really well done.

• Cookie Torta Barozzi

  This is their cookie inspired by the Torta Barozzi from Pasticceria Gollini in Vignola — a Modena specialty. It's a chocolate cookie with a piece of the original Barozzi dough inside, topped with a peanut, coffee, and chocolate cream. The original recipe supposedly has pig's blood, but I doubt it. It's very strong, very intense — I eat a small cube and it's powerful. I like it because I like coffee. It's a perfect finish.

Dishes mentioned

• Smash Burger
• Patatine Miste con Polveri

  These mixed fries are incredible. The ones with the Aglione powder and the Mediterranean powder are devastating. They look like they're breaded on the outside, super crunchy, almost like they have an extra crispy coating. The ones with the Ciccioli powder are also great. The sweet potato fries didn't blow me away, but the regular ones are world-class. They're not smooth, they're jagged on the outside, like they're breaded. I think these are the best fries I've ever had.

• Gelato allo Yogurt con Pistacchio

  The yogurt gelato with pistachio is very indulgent. It has a lot of milk, it's creamy. It exploded a bit because they gave it to me early, but it's very tasty. I would have preferred it hot outside and cold inside, which is a combination I love. The chocolate one with cremino is also good, but the yogurt one is really goloso.

• Gelato al Cioccolato con Cremino

  The chocolate gelato with cremino is good. It didn't explode like the yogurt one. The texture is nice, lacquered. I would have liked some toasted hazelnuts inside, it would have been like eating a Ferrero Rocher. But it's still very good.