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I guess that we arrived shortly after the first wave of bacon-lovers, because when we got there, most of the food was already gone. It was hot outside, so Ryan and I waited inside at the bar for them to replenish the food. This frozen cosmo was the perfect antidote to the heat and hunger.
The menu at Spoon is simple and elegant. The Chef offers a nice variety of options for almost every palate, including selections for vegetarians. We really wanted to experience food at Spoon, so we chose two appetizers, and a salad. We had to try the Chicken Wings- “braised and crispy” ($7.00) crispy boneless bites, gochujang vinagrette, sesame + garlic dressing, grilled wings, orange chili glaze,sesame + apple + cabbage slaw, the Poblano “Chili Rellenos”: ($8.00) Anson Mills creamy polenta, shrimp, pepper jack cheese, avocado, cilantro crème fraîche, charred and tomato vinaigrette, and the Classic Caesar: ($6.00) romaine hearts, shaved parmesan, garlic croutons.
We arrived at Pangea in Shadyside at 7pm on a Saturday night. There were a plethora of seats available; that made us nervous. Its peak hour, why weren’t there more patrons here? We were shown to a table, and our drink orders were taken. My dinner mate had the house Cabernet; it was sweet, and peachy with a fruit bouquet-perfect. Unfortunately, we didn’t ask what the house-brand was… sorry. As we looked over our menus, our server arrived with some warm bread and butter. The doughy concoction was sweet and extra crusty; exceptional.
Nestled off the beaten path in Moon Township, there’s an exceptional place to eat- The Hyeholde Restaurant. What makes this such an extraordinary place to dine (besides the food) is the atmosphere. Hyeholde has been around since 1938, and has a rich and colorful history (read all about it at hyeholde.com). On this particular spring evening we arrived at 6pm; there were 20 of us. I was immediately taken with the grandness of the structure. The building in which the restaurant is situated is truly majestic. The house/castle is old, and adorned with most of its original materials, inside and out. As I waited outside for the remaining guests to arrive, I was surprised that this restaurant was situated in such a rural area.
When I stepped into Shogun Japanese Steakhouse, it was if I was stepping back in time; not. Shogun in Monroeville is a nice restaurant, but it’s far from truly authentic Japanese cuisine, and that’s just fine. I imagine that the folks who choose to have dinner at Shogun aren’t concerned primarily with the food, but are more interested in the theatrics that accompany the food. As much as it is a restaurant, Shogun is a theatre of sorts, with experienced chefs who put on a skilled show at your table.
I’ve heard nothing but raves about the burgers at Eleven in the Strip, so a trip to a member of the Big Burrito restaurant group was in order. We decided to go informal and sit in the bar. As we entered, I noticed that the entire establishment was very dark. We were greeted by a very kind hostess who escorted us to the bar area. There were high top tables and some very comfortable looking plush chairs situated right by the windows. We pushed two high tops together to accommodate our group of six.
Willow describes itself as a restaurant that serves “contemporary American” cuisine. While I’m not sure exactly what that means, I do know one thing–It’s darned tasty.
With nine different dining rooms, you can have a different visual experience each time you visit. On my most recent lunch visit, I was seated with my family of four in a room surrounded by comfy looking couches and a fireplace. With only two other groups of diners in the same area, it felt like we were lounging in a swanky lodge, après skiing.
Have you ever been to dinner in a palatial restaurant that was once a church? Well, that’s what you will find if you choose to have dinner at Church Brew Works. Besides having good food, Church Brew Works brews, and serves its own beers.
It’s hard to believe that a building so vast could house a restaurant, but it does. One of the first times I had dinner at Church Brew Works, I remember entering the parking lot and seeing something peculiar. There were people standing in the parking lot, looking up. A large collection of bats were circling the top of the church, hundreds of bats, it was creepy. Maybe the bats knew something we didn’t.
French Fries in a salad? Yeah, you heard me…fries and greens. Shortly after I moved to Pittsburgh, I ordered a grilled chicken salad, and it came with gobs of cheese and French fries. It seemed odd to me, I mean, don’t the fries cancel out the health benefits of the mixed greens? Well, I’m not sure, but it sure tastes good- especially with extra ranch dressing. One such restaurant that specializes in the French fry-salad combo is Dunning’s in Regent Square. It’s a family-friendly restaurant that has been around for the past 20 years. Dunning’s food is straightforward; no complicated sauces, expensive cuts of veal, or white tablecloths. What they do have is good burgers, grilled chicken dishes and salads with French fries.
