[Photo: Kathy YL Chan]

At 'inoteca on the Lower East Side, there's a Speck Panino ($11) that boasts a fine balance between oozy layers of fontina cheese with smears of roasted garlic, and buttery layers of speck, a dry-cured, then smoked ham. It's meatier than prosciutto, distinctively flavored, and holds well to the warm melting fontina. It's coupled with fresh basil leaves and sprinkle of chili flakes before a press in the panini machine. It's a well-organized sandwich that ensures you capture a bit of everything in each crisp, hot bite without worry that ingredients will spill over the edges. Don't pass on the little ramekin filled with sweet tomato sauce. A dip in the chunky sauce elevates the sandwich with the bright, fresh flavors of summer; you'll be asking for seconds.

'inoteca

98 Rivington Street, New York, NY 10002 (map)
212-614-0473
inotecanyc.com

About the author: Originally from Honolulu, Kathy YL Chan writes A Passion For Food, where she chronicles her eats and travels adventures between Hawai'i, New York and beyond. She firmly believes that there is always room for dessert.