Blog Archives

Piccolo Forno, Pittsburgh, PA

Piccolo Forno has become known for its wood-fired pizzas and homemade pasta. This was one of the most invigorating food experiences I’ve had in a long time!

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Yo Rita, Pittsburgh, PA

There’s only so much one can expect when venturing to a restaurant with a sexy, mud-flap pin-up on it’s windows. My first impressions were wrong about Yo Rita. Then again, they were right.

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Lidia’s, Pittsburgh, PA

On the last day of her visit, my sister (who lives in Boston) suggested that we go to Lidia’s for brunch. Wait, Lidia’s in the Strip has brunch? They do indeed.

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Monterey Bay, Mt Washington, PA

Finally, I made it a point to visit Monterey Bay on one of my last vacation days of the year. Ryan and I visited the renowned seafood restaurant for lunch on a Monday afternoon.

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Oakmont Bakery, Oakmont, PA

Travel to Oakmont however, and you can find some great pastries, cakes and other goodies to munch on. The cakes produced at this bakery are consistently good.

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Molly Brannigans, Mount Lebanon, PA

The closest pub to where I live is Molly Brannigans, a Traditional Irish Pub located in Uptown Mt. Lebanon. When you enter Molly’s, you immediately feel warmth (especially on cold December nights like when I went to visit).

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Notion, Oakmont, PA

Question: What do you do when Chef David Racicot opens a restaurant in Oakmont? You make a reservation. Friday night, we made it down to the opening of Notion, Chef Racicot’s new eating establishment in Oakmont, PA.

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Prantl’s Bakery, Pittsburgh, PA

I had never heard of a burnt almond torte before I moved back to Pittsburgh. The first time I saw one of these cakes was at a party one evening. I noticed the square cake with shaved almonds on it and asked, “What’s that?”
“That’s a Burnt Almond Torte from Prantl’s, you’ve never had one?”
Why was it called a burnt almond torte? The almonds were barely toasted, but they were coated with a thick layer of sugar.

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Salt of the Earth, Pittsburgh, PA

It wasn’t easy getting a reservation at Salt of the Earth, so when I finally secured a spot for last Thursday evening, I was excited. We arrived at 8pm sharp, and were greeted by a very friendly hostess. As she was checking on our table, I looked around, and was extremely impressed with the layout of the restaurant.

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Vanilla Pastry Studio, Pittsburgh, PA

I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like cupcakes – cake, frosting (buttercream), and a soft wrapper that hold all of that goodness together. Cupcakes have been around for decades, but recently there’s been a serious surge in their popularity.

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