Panino from Santa Ynez finally in Woodland Hills!!!

[brandygirl]

I was driving along Topanga Canyon when I noticed a storefront sign for Panino's. It's on the east side of the street, south of Ventura. I couldn't tell if it was yet opened, so I looked on their website. It has, indeed, opened.

For those of you who are not familiar with this place, they have a few sandwich shops up north--Santa Barbara, Los Olivos, Solvang, etc. I've been to their Los Olivos and Solvang shops. Both visits were great--one of the best sandwiches I've ever eaten. I only hope that the one out here has the same quality.

Has anyone been to the Woodland Hills location yet?

http://paninorestaurants.com/

[MirandazFood]

The Woodland Hills location has recently closed. There is no info on the Panino website as to the reason. I heard there was a legal dispute because the owner of the Topanga Willows complex rented to two tenants with Italian themed eateries. If this is the case, I don't see what the problem was. They were very different businesses. The place next door to Panino is an Italian market that sells a few panino sandwiches--not very good ones, in my humble opinion. Oddly, Panino didn't sell panino sandwiches!! What a shame. It was a great sandwich place--very fresh and interesting ingredients. I hope it moves somewhere else in the area.

[CEfromLA]

Shoot! That IS bad news, especially with picnic season coming up! I actually thought the location was SO off the beaten path that it was doomed, but every time I was in, they were busy.
Hopefully, they'll get a new and better location SOON!

[ozhead]

Pending Panino's re-opening, Cricca's (Topanga Cyn. just south of Dumetz, on the east side of the street) has very good hero/sub/grinder sandwiches for your picnic pleasure.

[TomSwift]

They are quite good, especially the Godfather (think Bay Cities' Godmother) but not, IMO, as good as the sandwiches at Cavaretti's on Sherman Way just west of Topanga.

[ozhead]

Yes, Cavaretti's is excellent too. I don't think you can go wrong either way.

[ReelMike84]

I was sad to hear they closed after only discovering this particular location. I normally try to pay a visit to their Solvang outpost whenever I'm visiting for an Aebleskiver.

I had done a review way back then:
http://famishedla.blogspot.com/2008/04/swedish-alternative.html

I thought I could finally get my "Panino" fix without going all that way! Hopefully they'll reopen, but until then I'd recommend giving "Blue Table" in Calabasas near "The Commons" a whirl. It's another gourmet sandwich shop with wonderful deli case salads and a nice walk in cheese closet/meat locker.

http://www.bluetablecalabasas.com/

-----
Blue Table
4774 Park Granada, Calabasas, CA 91302

[brandygirl]

Well, I finally made it down there for lunch today. I am happy to report it seems to have the same menu and uses the same fresh ingredients as the Santa Ynez locations. It's a perfect place to stock up for a picnic on the way to the beach.

They offer 30 different sandwiches, including 9 or 10 vegetarian options, and about 10 different salads. Ingredients used in their sandwiches include prosciutto, roast chicken, tuna salad, curried chicken, fresh mozzarella, feta, goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, roasted red peppers, tapenade, artichoke hearts, and on and on.

I had the #9 (roast turkey w/brie) but asked for genoa salami instead of turkey. It included thinly-sliced cucumber, green bell pepper, lettuce, tomato, and a nice honey mustard. Everything was fresh and the proportions of the ingredients were perfect. I had it on a baguette, and next time I'll try the foccacia. I also had their freshly-baked chocolate chip with walnut cookie, which was delicious; not overly sweet.

As others have said, it's not easy to find. It's in the Topanga Willows shopping center on the north-east corner of Topanga Canyon and Dumetz, south of Ventura. There's parking in the back. You can call ahead to place your order.

[CEfromLA]

After reading this, we headed over to get a couple sandwiches. First of all, the location and signage (tiny!!) are HORRIBLE. If someone hadn't mentioned the Starbucks, we would have had a really hard time finding it. Secondly, the hours are awful. They close at 5:00 most nights (Sunday at 3:00). Between the location and the hours, they have an uphill battle to fight. We were the only people there at 4:30 in the afternoon. I wonder how any of the stores in that shopping center are surviving. I hope there is enough lunch business in that (residential?) area to keep them afloat.
Having said that, the sandwiches were great. I had a salami with goat cheese and sundried tomato and my DH had roast beef with horseradish cheddar. They were both delicious.
I think once people find them, they'll go back (we will), but getting them in the door that very first time is going to be a real challange.

[ReelMike84]

I went a while back and did a writeup with some pictures. It's actually the place I prefer to go to in Solvang for an easy lunch. The sandwiches are great!

http://famishedla.blogspot.com/2008/0...

[Jack Flash]

We got a couple of great sandwiches from the Solvang shop back in April...perfect for picnicking at a winery. If they're serving up the same stuff down here, then folks are in for a treat. Is the WH location in the same shopping plaza as Cricca's deli? I hope there's enough business for both.

[selfportrait93]

Have not been there but the exact location is corner of Topanga Cyn and Dumetz where a Starbucks is also being completed.