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In the location of the former Greek pizza place (Verona), this is a tight, popular, and tasty restaurant featuring the wine and cuisine of Sardegna. (The name is a polite term for a little belly fat, and the wine list is a serious Italian one influenced by co-owner Massimiliano Conti's stint as a former Acquerello sommelier. He's also a Juve fan!) One of the holdovers from the pizza place is the two-group La Pavoni, which they use to pull single and double espresso shots depending on the dedicated basket in the group head. They pull a modestly sized shot with a mottled, patterned layer of medium brown crema around the rim of the cup - an improvement over the faint ring they produced when they first used Illy beans. Flavorwise, with the switch from Illy, it's become more interesting - a richer, more robust flavor of spice and some clove pungency. Co-owner Lorella Degan (an AC Milan fan and native of the Veneto) loves her coffee; and while she likes Illy, she prefers Miscela d'Oro. It was a good choice, even if Massimo inspired the switch to Portioli in 2013. Either way, when Lorella makes the coffee, and not the other staffers (many of whom are longtimers), it's sublimely one of the 25 best espresso shots in the city: a short shot with a full crema, a rich brown color, and a robust, potent flavor mixed of spices, herbs, and mild tobacco. A classic case of where the barista exceeds whatever coffee you use.
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