Sweet Spot

I liked that the panini didn't have run-of-the-mill fillings. Sure, there were some standard offerings, like the Margarita (tomato, mozzarella and pesto), and roasted vegetable with goat cheese, but I was drawn to more interesting combinations. One had smoky shreds of duck confit topped with Rondin cheese and tangy-sweet roasted tomatoes. The Serrano ham sandwich was a bold flavor combination, with artichoke hearts, arugula, fontina, and roasted peppers, while the Lomo Embuchado Entero — moist slices of Spanish cured pork topped with tomatoes, arugula, manchego and onion — had a touch of sweetness.

Really, I enjoyed all the food I ate here. But I do have some complaints with Sweet O. Biggest quibble? The service. The gals who waited on me were truly friendly, but when I'm treating myself to high-priced nibbles, I expect my server to be confident and knowledgeable about the menu. If I'm considering a wine, tell me more than "That's a good one." I'd like to know something about the cheeses of the day — at the very least, what they are?! If Jeanette herself had been waiting on me, perhaps I would've gotten some assistance, but that wasn't the case.

The atmosphere here in the evening wasn't cozy, as I'd hoped — the industrial-style space was so brightly lit that candles on each table didn't matter, and the music wasn't loud enough to keep me from overhearing everyone else's conversations. As glad as I am to see a non-chain in the West Valley, this place felt more like Chipotle than Postino.

And finally, I was surprised that Sweet O was often out of things — this happened on more than one occasion. When you're looking forward to a couple of those addicting fleur de sel truffles, seriously, nothing else will do.

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