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.

Added Salt of the Earth and Burgatory

Alright, from now on I’ll be doing frequent updates on here. I’ve added Salt of the Earth and Burgatory, two great choices. It seems like a few months ago, everyone was talking about SotE – and with good reason. Amazing ingredients and flavors. I’m probably not as daring as I need to be to fully enjoy it, but I was very impressed. But what’s the deal with the picnic table seating? Doesn’t work for me at a place like this.

I really didn’t want to give Burgatory four stars. Its burgers don’t warrantee it. I mean, yeah, they’re very good. But I can make a better burger at home. I don’t buy all the garbage about organic-unprocessed-hormone free -never frozen, etc. beef. They pack their burgers a little too tight and don’t have enough salt in them, so it’s all for naught. Still, the brioche buns are delicious. And those freakin’ milkshakes…

I’m actually working on a “Best Burgers” post. I need to check out 2 more places first.

Ruth’s Chris at Lunch / Mallorca Added

The best deal going right now is Ruth’s Chris at lunch. Their “Triple Play” is hard to beat. For $15 you get a cheeseburger (which, with all due respect to my beloved Tessaro’s, is simply the best burger that exists), a salad, and dessert. For $30, you get an 8oz filet (which seems more like a 10oz) with the salad and dessert. If you want to experience a Ruth’s filet without paying the ridiculous dinner prices, this is the way to do it.

Added the review for Mallorca. As I said before, some people love it and some people hate it. Now I know why. It’s just not consistent. My last meal their was the paella, which should be their signature dish. The chicken was bland, the lobster was mushy, and the whole dish seemed watery. I was not impressed. Had a special appetizer, though, with shrimp and avocado that was really great.

Picked up the Groupon yesterday for Braddock’s American Brasserie at the Renaissance downtown. I’m getting tired of the usual restaurants so I’m trying to find some new stuff. I’ll let you know what I think. (P.S. Groupon is fabulous and if you haven’t signed up, use this link so I get the referral benefit.)

More New Mexican in Pittsburgh

Mexican is probably the weakest ethnic fare represented here.  I happen to think Cuzamil in Squirrel Hill is pretty decent for simple fare (and I see the family who runs it just opened a new place at the Waterfront), but overall… not a whole lot to be proud of.

I’ve now had two meals at Emiliano’s next to SouthSide Works. It’s not too bad, but I can’t say I’m wowed by it. I also added reviews for Yo Rita and Round Corner Cantina. These are both restaurants that do a fancydrink with funky tacos-type thing. I love Round Corner. Really fun atmosphere. Food is fine, and the drinks are fabulous. Just a very cool place to go. Yo Rita, on the other hand, makes no sense to me. It has this dark and serious feel to it… candles on the tables and all that. Plus, it’s pretty expensive and I don’t think the drinks are nearly as good as at Round Corner. And it’s certainly missing the fun factor. The tacos are far more interesting, though. Still… I don’t see the point.

Had a great meal last week at Franco’s in Dormont. Anyone who says there’s no good Italian in Pgh needs to go there. Had the shrimp scampi… so good.

I also removed the reviews of Franco’s in Fox Chapel and Cafe Allegro, since they’ve both closed.

Two Additions and a Pleasant Surprise

Sorry for the layoff. Two new reviews are up… Dinette and Tamari. I like Dinette and it’s pretty close to home, though I’d have a hard time justifying it over Il Pizzaiolo or Piccolo Forno. Piccolo Forno is definitely a lot more economical being BYOB. But Dinette has some really interesting pizzas and I really love the atmosphere.

Tamari is just spectacular. If you’re not eating here, you’re really missing out. This is really one of the few restaurants in Pittsburgh that could easily hang in NYC or San Francisco. Seriously, both times I’ve been there it’s been that good.

As a side note, had a light dinner at Union Grill the other night… french onion soup and a chicken caesar salad. Both were outstanding. The romaine in the caeasar was absurdly crisp and fresh. Also, they’re running a special with a $10/bottle wine list. Granted, you’re not getting Chateau Margaux, but you’re getting a bottle of wine at a restaurant for 10 bucks. Not bad.

I’ve also been to the new Round Corner Cantina in Lawrenceville. It was pretty solid with great drinks. I’ll go again before I post the review.

Back Again

So I’ve been pretty busy lately starting a residency and have neglected the site. I’ll try to fix that now. Ok, so here’s where we are…

I’ve added the review for Double Wide Grill. I’ve been there enough now that I probably should review it. I’ve also added the review for Michael’s Pizza in the South Side. Good stuff.

I tried the new restaurant Paris 66 for dinner. I really wanted to like this place, but alas, our meals weren’t that good. Dessert was amazing, though. My friend and I both had the crepes, which they claim is their specialty, but we both found them dry and bland. Nevertheless, the atmosphere is great and the owners are very inviting. Perhaps I had a bad experience, so I’ll give it another shot before putting up the actual review.

I’ve also finally eaten at Mallorca. Although I heard a lot of mixed reviews from a lot of people, we actually had a great meal there and I was fairly impressed. I’ll write the review after another visit or two.

Franco’s in Fox Chapel closed, unfortunately. While the food is basically the same as the one in Dormont, I really liked the old-school atmosphere and decor of the Fox Chapel location.

Finally, a note about 17th Street Cafe below. A friend of mine and his girlfriend tried the place after my review, and weren’t that impressed. Nevertheless, I’ve been there 3 or 4 times over the last few months and have been really happy with the place. They also have a great “rewards” program. Every $200 you spend gets you a $10 gift certificate, and you get double points on Wednesdays. Also, if you eat there a lot, make sure you join their email list because they send out coupons pretty frequently. I really like this idea… it definitely keeps them at the top of my mind and a basically free appetizer or something is hard to resist (especially if it’s their amazing crab and artichoke dip).