Meat and Taters, Plum, and Alma added

Long time without updates, I know. I kept thinking I’d post the big burger review but then Meat and Potatoes opened and I didn’t feel like I could do it before I tried their burger. Long story short, they make a good burger but nothing to write home about.

I put up the review for Meat and Potatoes, anyway. The restaurant is surprisingly small, which explains why you can never get a reservation. But honestly, this is the kind of place you just want to grab a seat at the bar anyway. The food is good, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not amazing. I had the steak tacos the other day and they were very greasy. My fiancee had the truffle risotto, though, and that was really delicious. So it’s hit and miss. A friend of mine says that the flat iron steak is good, but I haven’t tried it yet. Anyway, I’ll keep going to this place because they make such a mean Old Fashioned… but if you expect it to rock your world, like I did, you’ll be disappointed.

Alma Pan Latin, however, was a real pleasant surprise. Just really fantastic food. Their scallops appetizer is delicious. I’ve had a few of their steak dishes and really liked all of them. And most of the entrees are below $20, making this a relative bargain. Try it, you won’t be disappointed.

I also put up a review for Plum in Shadyside, which is very solid pan-asian. Good sushi, too. I do find it to be inconsistent, though. Sometimes the food is undersalted. Luckily, it’s asian food so you can just add soy sauce.

 

 

Penn Ave Fish Company and Winghart’s Burgers

Added the review for Penn Ave Fish Company. I’m not sure how refined my sushi palate is, but this is some of the best I’ve had. We had dinner once at the downtown location, and the entrees are really fanstastic. It’s a nice atmosphere, too, and BYOB. Definitely a good spot for a nice dinner that you wouldn’t normally think about.

Finally got to Winghart’s for the burger. I have to admit, I was blown away. The owner is a butcher and supposedly came up with the blend for the meat. It’s really good. Rarely have I found a burger cooked on a griddle, diner-style, to have such a strong beefy flavor. Lots of salt in the blend, which helps. It’s also one of the best buns you’ll ever have on a burger. These guys are doing it right. My big issue with the place, which I mentioned in the review, is that the space is just really not conducive to a restaurant. I’d love to be able to sit at a table and enjoy that burger, but you don’t have the option. It’s either a crowded bar or a few high-boy tables in the back. Anyway, that brought the place down to 3 stars. I debated this, but since I’ve bumped up other places for having great atmosphere, it’s only fair. If anyone tries the pizzas let me know what they think. Also, rumor has it they’re opening a location in the South Side.

I’m working on a long burger post, since I think I’ve hit the majority of the Pittsburgh burger spots. You’ll probably be surprised with my favorite. Oh, if you’re wondering, I haven’t tried Burgh’ers. Harmony  just a little too far to be considered Pittsburgh, in my opinion.

Oh, if you want to try something delicious, check out the basic bacon breafkast taco at Smoke. Unreal. This place just continues to amaze.

Smoke if you got ’em…

I’ve added the review for the outstanding new Smoke Barbecue Taqueria in Homestead. In short, this is some of the best food I’ve ever tasted. It’s incredibly fresh with bright, bold flavors. It’s really perfect. Luckily, I live over in South Side so Homestead is just a short drive. If Smoke was in Oakland, the line would be out the door. Last time I was there it was surprisingly crowded, which I was glad to see. They need to add some more tables in the place. The rumor is that they’re building a bar in the basement. Oh, their “website” is a Facebook page so I refuse to link to it out of principle.

I also added a review for Lin’s Asian Fusion in South Side. Decent food, but I’m not too impressed. I’m about ready to do a huge burger post. I’ve now eaten at almost all of the places I wanted to try and I have some pretty strong opinions. Should be up shortly.

Pi and Alchemy N’ Ale Added

Reviews are up for Alchemy N’ Ale in Lawrenceville and Pi Coal Fired Pizza in the South Side.

Alchemy N’ Ale is pretty solid pub fare, but I doubt it will blow you away. Still, if you’re in Lawrenceville and feel like a hearty meal, it’s a good bet. I’ve been really impressed by their waitresses – great personalities. On a totally meaningless note, I’m wondering why they went with “N'” instead of “and” or “&” in the name. Their schtick is supposed to be upscale gastropub. The “N'” is too informal.

On the other hand, my new love is Pi. This is some of the best pizza I’ve ever tasted. It’s neopolitan style (read about it) and the ingredients are top notch. The inevitable comparison is to Il Pizzaiolo and Piccolo Forno. The big difference, I think, is the coal fired oven of Pi versus the wood-fired oven of the other two. Every experience I’ve had with coal-fired pizza tells me it’s just superior. The other thing about Pi is its sauce. It’s perfect. It’s a smooth San Marzano tomato sauce with not much going on except an incredible sweetness that somehow remains tangy. Now, Pi is not without its shortcomings. The crust under the middle is so thin that after a few minutes, it inevitably can’t support the weight of its contents. You end up having to use a knife and fork. The other issue is the price. The pizza is so thin that any male with a reasonable appetite will be able to easily down a pie by themselves. At $14+ per pie, that ends up being a lot of money for pizza. I know that buffalo mozzarella is not cheap, but still. Last time we were there, we each had a glass of wine , split a caesar salad (delicious, by the way), and each ordered a pizza. That was a $60 dinner…

Lately Pi has been a little more crowded, which I’m glad about. Still, I don’t think neopolitan style pizza is at the top of every Pittsburgher’s list, and at these prices, it’s going to be hard to convert people.

Brgr Should Be Bttr

The review is now up for Brgr. Ultimately, I’m disappointed in the place. The atmosphere is great and it’s a perfect concept – gourmet burgers, alcoholic milkshakes, and good beer. But, again, it fails in its execution of the basic burger. Sure, you can get a burger with pastrami or short ribs or guacamole, but (and listen up Burgatory, because this applies to you, too) a restaurant that specializes in burgers should be able to make a burger that can impress me on its own. Neither Brgr or Burgatory does that.

I’d actually say that Brgr’s standard burger is more disappointing than Burgatory’s. At 6oz, it’s not big.  That’s not necessarily an issue, however when you put it onto an enormous brioche bun, it gets swallowed up. Either they need to make the burgers bigger or the buns smaller. Also, it’s a pretty bland burger. I hardly got any of the beefy taste I look for.  Like Burgatory’s, it’s undersalted. On my second trip I chose the “Button Buster,” which puts short ribs on top of the burger. This was actually delicious. The short ribs gave the burger the beefy taste that the plain burger lacks. (On a side note, why would a trendy restaurant put something on their menu called the “Button Buster?” It’s no less healthy than most of the other options, and yet you feel ashamed to order it. Not smart.)

The atmosphere at Brgr is great. I loved it when it the space was 2Red, and they really haven’t changed it much. The upstairs seating area is great, too. It’s definitely a good place to go and I’m sure I’ll be there often.  Just don’t go expecting a great burger if you don’t jazz it up a little with one of their less traditional options.

Hey tamaripgh.com, Get It Together

I’ve made no secret about how much I really love Tamari. But that website… oy! Tamari, let’s have a conversation. Meet me in the next paragraph.

Flash? Really? Sure, that might’ve been acceptable for a trendy restaurant website in 2007, but in 2011 it’s just lame. You do realize that roughly 70% of your patrons are carrying iPhones which will never run Flash, right? So when you load the page you get a beautiful black screen that does nothing. Solid. And on my computer, I just really love waiting for that animation to load. Did I mention I love background music for websites? So classy. Way to hide the “stop music” button, too. You don’t want to make that too easy to find. And why does the menu have to be a separate PDF? Just make it a regular page. Did I mention the whole thing is ugly, too? ‘Cause it is.

So you’ve got an ugly, poorly functional, annoying website that doesn’t even work for a sizeable subset of your patrons. Time for a redesign. I’d be remiss if I didn’t give you an example: saltpgh.com. Simple, functional, attractive, and works great on a smartphone.

So anyway, sorry to have to be so harsh about this. The truth hurts. But I’ll be seeing you tomorrow night so it’s all good.

 

The Hofbrauhaus Experience

Despite having eaten and drunk (drunken?) there a dozen or so times, I still don’t have a review up for the Hofbrauhaus. Quite frankly, I just don’t know how to review it. I could make good arguments for giving it anywhere between 2 and 4 stars. First, the atmosphere is pretty unique. In the winter, it’s a huge drinking hall. In the spring/summer/fall, it’s a huge drinking hall, a huge porch, and an enormous outdoor seating area. All told, the maximum capacity feels fairly comparable to PNC Park. On weekend nights, the main hall features a German band, drunk patrons standing on their tables, and everyone singing along to the drinking songs. Definitely a good time, especially if you’re with a big group.

The beer is all brewed in-house. There’s a good variety, as well as a rotating “beer of the month.” It’s served in half-liter and one-liter steins, which are very reasonably priced. The food, on the other hand, is harder to describe. I like a few of their appetizers, especially the soft pretzels with beer cheese. The fried pickles aren’t anything special. They do make good french fries, but that’s not all that difficult.

In terms of the traditional German food, I honestly have no interest in it whatsoever. I’ve tried the wursts and a few of the chicken dishes, and they taste fine… but nothing I ever have a desire for. So I guess I’ll defer to people who have more experience and/or desire for German food. Maybe it’s good? Judge for yourself. As far as the American food, Hofbrauhaus takes uninspired to a whole new level. Say what you will about the Cheesecake Factory across the street, but they do have some pretty interesting and tasty burgers and sandwiches. Now imagine TGI Fridays or Ruby Tuesday, only way more boring. That’s the American menu at Hofbrauhaus. Again, nothing tastes bad, but it’s just so bland and… well, yeah.

So there’s my dilemma. It’s a great atmosphere that’s a lot of fun. The beer is decent and not too expensive. The sandwiches and burgers pretty much suck. And the German food may or may not be good – I have no idea. That’s my take. Oh, and I’ll be there tonight.

Burgatory Revisited

So after some thought, I’ve changed my rating for Burgatory from 4 to 3 stars. I really do like the place and the food is excellent. That said, if you’re a bar that specializes in burgers, you better have a damn fine burger. And while it’s good, it really isn’t as good as it should be. Also, the atmosphere is pretty mediocre… especially compared to a place like Brgr.

Paris 66

I first tried Paris 66 when it opened about two years ago. At the time, they were basically just doing crepes. It was good, but I wasn’t enthralled. I didn’t end up going back until last night. The menu has expanded into a full bistro menu and there’s a lot to choose from. On the recommendation of the waitress, I went for the roast chicken and the pommes frites. Delicious. And the creme brulee was among the best I’ve ever had. I’ll be back there soon so I can put up a review.

A Crispy Wing

I was at The Library the other night, and for the first time in a while I didn’t order the wings. This is significant because The Library has some of the best Buffalo wing sauce around and they serve it on big, meaty wings. But I honestly can’t remember the last time they came out nice and crispy. I’ve tried ordering them “extra crispy” and “well done,” but nothing does the trick. No matter how good your sauce is, undercooked wings with soggy skin are not appetizing. I cannot stress enough the importance of a crispy wing. That is all.