Recipe Demonstrated by Richie Rudkin of Buli Café

There are certain restaurants where you feel at home the moment you step inside the door for the first time. You are immediately greeted with smiling faces from staff and satisfied customers with their mouths half full (always a good sign).

Buli Café off Cedar Springs is definitely on this list. City of Ate lasted visited the café back July when they concocted their mango-banana coolie for us. Surprisingly this was my very first trip to Buli, even after living in the neighborhood for over a year. I always passed it on my morning commute to work and on my nightly jogs, even made several mental notes to stop in one day. Sadly, it took me moving to North Dallas and missing my old hood to finally make the visit.

Buli immediately won my heart over when I discovered they had an espresso drink named Scream'n Queen. Awesome. Then I decided they could have the key to my chastity belt when I noticed they served their sandwiches in vintage lunchboxes. Score!

Ah, sandwiches. For this week's recipe I decided to have veteran Buli waiter, Richie Rudkin, prepare one of their daily panini specials the Muffler-etta.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup black olives
1/2 cup green olives
1/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2-3 slices of lean turkey
2-3 slices smoked ham
1/2 cup of artichoke hearts
Ciabatta bread
1-2 slices of provolone cheese
1-2 slices of muenster cheese

Step 1: While toasting the ciabatta on a panini press (an electric grill or cast iron skillet are both good substitutes), place the muenster and provolone cheeses on top of the turkey and ham and heat in microwave for two minutes.

Step 2: Whisk together balsamic vinaigrette and mayo then spread on the toasted ciabatta. Then spread the olives and artichokes evenly over the dressing.

Step 3: Place the heated cheese and meat on the bread, and put the sandwich together. Toast on panini press (if cooking on grill or skillet, use a lid or plate to press down on the sandwich) for one minute.

Step 4: Cut sandwich in half and serve with chips and/or a cup of fruit (personally, we would go for the salty sidekick)