With a few hours past and a few tasks accomplished the next stop of my day would be at Pane Bianco - the sandwich shop from the Valley's most celebrated Chef, Chris Bianco. Having made my pilgrimage to the eponymous pizzeria during my first trip to Phoenix, Pane had been on my radar since the day I moved to town but given the lunch-only hours and my office location in North Scottsdale I knew a weekend would be best and as luck would have it a new website ( <url> and seven day 11a-3p schedule had been rolled out just the week prior.\n\nArriving at the surprisingly large space (especially when compared to Matt's and JoBot from earlier that day - and compared to Pizzeria Bianco as well) shortly after 11:30 and allocating parking in the free lot juxtaposing the Light Rail I debated for a moment whether dine-in or to-go was best and opting for the former made my way into the restaurant where two couples already sat. Greeted by one of two servers it was suggested I could take \"any seat I wanted\" and opting for a bench in the center of the room where a menu awaited I sat down to browse the menu as well as the daily specials listed on the chalkboard - almost all sounding appealing, but a bit different than the Saturday special listed on the website. With a small list of beverages available I was asked soon if I was ready to order or if I needed a few minutes I deferred and requested a glass of water that would never reach even half-empty despite me drinking from it consistently and the restaurant soon filling to capacity.\n\nHaving debated the specials but eventually undeterred from the reason I'd come in the first place I soon placed my order for a sandwich and an 'appetizer' which I was told would be 'just a few minutes' and as while I waited I checked out the small market at the Take Away section featuring the famous focaccia, cans of tomatoes, dried pasta, and apparel before returning to my seat where my items would arrive shortly - the first a Manchego and Tomato Sauce Focaccia del Giorno featuring Bianco's delectable wood fired focaccia in all of its spongy glory topped with sweet, ripe tomatoes and an ample layer of briny Manchego; at $4.50 probably the most expensive \"Grandma Slice\" I've ever had yet at the same time also probably the best...or at least on par with that at DiFara in Brooklyn for best of its genre.\n\nMoving next to the original target of my desire, a sandwich of Bianco's House Made Mozzarella, Tomatoes, and Basil on Wood Fired Focaccia my first thought was \"wow - that is a lot of cheese\" while my second, after a bite, was \"wow - that is a lot of flavor.\" Perhaps as pure of a sandwich as you can find and the result of exquisite ingredients on top quality bread there is really nothing 'special' about the composition of this sandwich aside from the fact that it simply works - a largely unmanipulated masterpiece only improved by a touch of sea salt and cracked black pepper.\n\nLargely unaware on entering that Pane serves dessert it was with much delight that I realized soon after sitting down that three options were available that day and while the flourless chocolate cake I saw emerge from the kitchen to the table next to me looked quite nice there was simply no way I was passing up the Organic Vanilla Bean Rice Pudding with Candied Pecans - another simplistic stunner with creamy Arborio rice imbued with a rich vanilla custard flicked with whole vanilla beans and a few pecans for crunch. Delicate and smooth, flavorful without being overly sweet, and *almost* thick enough to stand a spoon up straight it was not quite the best rice pudding I've ever had - but a top five contender without a shadow of a doubt - a reason in and of itself to return to Pane Bianco...though to be fair, if I returned it would take pretty spectacular daily specials to prevent me from ordering the exact same trio of items once again. With Chris and his team now two for two it is only a matter of time before I make my way to Italian Restaurant... and honestly, that time is likely measured in hours and days as opposed to weeks and months.
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