Blog Archives
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.
It’s always fun to walk down Walnut Street in Shadyside on the weekends, there are always a lot of people to watch, and fun places to eat. Pamela’s is usually on our list, but it’s not always accessible on Saturday and Sunday. On this particular day, we found ourselves on Filbert Street, at Crepes Parisiennes.
It’s been a long and arduous winter. The snow was unrelenting, and the temperatures were well below freezing for several weeks. Three days ago it was 60 degrees; the sun was shining, and I had my windows open to let in the fresh spring air. I was driving through Squirrel Hill (on Forbes Avenue), and noticed Rita’s on my left.
Chain Restaurants…what’s to say? I’ve never been a huge fan, but there are exceptions. Friday’s, for example is a decent place; the food is good, the service is above average, and the drinks aren’t bad. Don Pablo’s is another example- the food is good, and you usually know what you’re going to get, no matter which location you choose.
My first visit to Mallorca was 10 years ago, and it was quite memorable. My cousins and I decided to try out the Spanish restaurant on a Friday night; without a reservation. We arrived at 7pm sharp, and the place was buzzing. The bar was full, and every seat in the joint was packed with hungry foodies. The two of us decided to wait (we had heard such good things) and didn’t want to chance going somewhere else.
