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Pane Rustica loves to loave you, baby By Carole Tarrant
PANE RUSTICA BAKERY CAFE
WHAT: A comfortable new cafe and bakery in south TampaWHERE: 2821 S. MacDill Ave., Tampa (near Bay to Bay Boulevard)
HOURS: Tuesday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; closed Monday
CREDIT CARDS: V, MC
CALL: (813) 902-8828
R E V I E W
TAMPA - It looked like the battle of the breads was set to begin in south Tampa.In one corner, Breadsmith, the popular 3-year-old franchise on Bay to Bay Boulevard. In the other, upstart Pane Rustica, new since mid-July in a MacDill Avenue storefront.
Breadsmith's raisin cinnamon would take on Pane Rustica's sesame-crusted scali. Bread lovers could be heard uttering this phrase: Let the crumbs fall where they may.
Ah, it would have been glorious.
But south Tampa's loave affair was short-lived. Breadsmith closed earlier this month after a dispute with its landlord. Pane Rustica now goes it alone, amply filling our desires for crisp crusts with flavorful fillings.
Cafe owners Kevin and Karyn Kruszewski, newly transplanted from Boston, have built their menu around the eight-plus breads they bake from scratch. Cooling racks show off their daily work: the French baguette ($1.30), the sourdough round ($3), the rosemary focaccia ($2.50), the rye batarde ($2.80) and the seeded seven grain loaf ($2.80). Venetian olive rolls, spiced with pepper and herbs, are available in dinner-roll size (40 cents) or sandwich (75 cents).
``Pane rustica'' is Italian for rustic bread, and the baker whips up a namesake rustic Italian with a flour-dusted crust and chewy interior ($3).
For lunch or a light-ish dinner, pick your favorite from among the breads, then consult the chalkboard for the day's panini offerings. These sandwiches ($5.50 and $6.50) are overstuffed with meats and veggies and come with potato salad and olives on the side.
The Kruszewskis must grow a forest of basil in a back room, judging by how liberally they layer it on the prosciutto and mozzarella panini. We ordered this on the tasty French baguette, but ask the staff if you'd like help finding the bread that best complements the fillings.
For the standout roasted summer vegetables panini, we chose the nutty-flavored scali spread with herbed goat cheese. The smoked turkey we paired with the dense seeded seven grain. Sweet onion jam, a tomato and aioli finished off this filling sandwich.
The cafe's tile-topped tables and earthy, faux-painted walls provide a comfortable atmosphere for leisurely munching and sipping coffee. The breakfast offerings are fresh from the bakery, too, and include scones ($1.50), danish ($1.50 and $2.25) and croissants ($1.50).
Save room, however, for the soft and unbelievably buttery sticky buns ($1.95). Sweet dreams are made of this.
Dining on a budget
Pane Rustica Bakery & Cafe
