Pleasant Surprise in Aspinwall

Posted by Kathryn @ 11:29 AM

So I am a bit behind the curve. The other day my husband, sister, and I were on our way to see Kung Fu Panda at the Waterworks. We were hungry, but wanted something other than the fast food chinese or chain restaurants right next to the theater. So when we were driving through Aspinwall we decided to go down mainstreet to look for grub. We saw a sign for a place called Mio. There was a gentleman smoking outside, so we asked him if he liked their food and he said "Didn't you know that they were just in Pittsburgh Magazine for being Best new Restaurant." Clearly none of us had purchase the issue yet, but this meant we had chosen well and we decided to go in to eat.

We approached the host/hostess and they asked if we had a reservation. We were a little taken aback because the wine bars we have visited in the past were not really the reservation kind of place. Luckily there was space at the bar which suited the quick style of meal we planned to enjoy.

We sat down, enjoyed the bartender, enjoyed some wine/a mojito for my sister, and ordered of the menu. We all stuck to appetizers/ salads because we were not looking for a fancy night on the town (being that the occasion for our visit was an animated feature). My sister got the deconstructed hanger steak salad with cheddar and shoe string potatoes, I got the crab and avocado salad on warm brioche, and my husband got goat cheese and chive ravioli with roasted beets. My goodness the plates were gorgeous and the flavors divine. I liked the subtlety of the basil and chorizo oil with my crab salad. The sweetness of brioche melted next to the luscious jumbo crab. The steak salad was fun play on the traditional Pittsburgh salad with french fries. The ravioli were balanced and flavorful. We were so pleased with the meal that we can't wait to take the In-laws there for dinner when they visit in July!

So go eat at the bar and have a wonderful meal at Mio soon!... it really should be a regular spot for us.

Fresh Pretzels Anyone?

Posted by Kathryn @ 4:54 PM

It has come to my attention that Pretzels... particularly fresh soft salted pretzels are big around here. Pittsburghers seem particularly fond of a spot called the Pretzel Shop. Admittedly while I was living off Carson Street I frequently passed by the shop on the way to the bus. I regularly wondered why the shop was not open in the evenings when people might pick up a pretzel to eat before or after the beer they drank at other fine Carson St. establishments. So one day I don't have any cereal in the house and I decide to stop to try a Pretzel. In addition to the Pretzel, a Pepperoni Roll caught my eye. The pepperoni roll was perfect! The pretzel was a tad eggy for my taste, but I figured I would give the place another try. Just yesterday the opportunity arose to check out the Pretzel Shop again. I was early for an appointment on Carson St. It was cold and rainy... what a better time for a hot pretzel could there be? So I head over to the shop and there is a line inside. The people in line are pros.. they just say 10 or 2, they don't even specify what it is they want. Clearly these Pittsburghers are not easily distracted by pepperoni rolls or pretzel sandwiches. It was finally clear why this place has no need to be open in the evenings... they probably sell out by early afternoon at the rate people were hauling out large bags of Pretzels.

This time the pretzel was great. Then of course a coworker told me the secret is to go early in the morning around back where you can pick up a pretzel right out of the oven. Darn it! That means I have to go back to seek pretzel nirvana early in the morning. At 50 cents each I am sold!

To Repeat or Not Repeat

Posted by Kathryn @ 4:43 PM

Have you ever been accuse of not repeating things? I think this is the particular woe of the true foodie. There are so many recipes to try and restaurants to visit. Even though I love many of them dearly, I have a tendency to forget about these favorites and instead blaze a new trail. So this blog is to some respects to help me remember the tremendous successes, so I can make sure to revisit them.

This past Monday was my husband's birthday, so I made reservations at a lovely French bistro called Le Pommier on the Carson Street in the Southside. To be honest, visiting this place had been on my mind since the Primanti Bros trip when I passed Le P's window and saw they were serving Thanksgiving Dinner. As we had just moved to Pittsburgh and knew practically no one in town, we had decided to eat out on Thanksgiving day. So I called Le P and was completely crushed to find out they didn't have any seatings left. So Le P was destined for a birthday celebration.

We arrived at 7 PM and realized that the restaurant was kind of quiet, we shouldn't have worried because by 8 PM the restaurant was humming nicely for a Monday evening. We hung our coats in the coat room and sat down near the window. It was chilly, but we both wanted to be able to see the people and traffic pass by. We both chose the $35 four course prix fixe but with different options along the way. We chose a new wine, a Chanin, something I had never tried before. It had a wonderful color and with a few minutes of exposure to air a nice full bodied flavor. I had the squash soup with creme fraiche and chives, a salad verte, cumin crusted bass, and nice little raspberry pot de creme. The crusting on the fish was perfect and even though it was heavy on the spices it had a nice clean fresh taste. He chose the pate, salad verte, roasted chicken with truffle risotto, and macadamia nut ice cream. The risotto was truffley and the chicken had a nice melt in your mouth quality. At the end of the meal, my husband declared that was the best roast chicken he had ever had and that we must come back. While I thought the fish and the pot de creme were perfectly prepared, neither were the best I had ever had and I am afraid the best chicken I have ever had still remains a little restaurant I don't remember the name in Rome. The salad verte could have used a bit more inspiration, but for $35 and four courses at least they made their budgetary cuts on the salad course. I am eager to try some of their regular menu items. So the verdict is that we will definitely be repeating this restaurant! Although we didn't know this when we went, Monday is a fantastic budget night to go because they have a BYOB night where they reduce their corkage fees!

Il Valletto

Posted by Kathryn @ 10:37 AM

Today I had a networking lunch with someone who helped me find a job here in Pittsburgh. As she had been a student at CMU but had not been around campus much recently she recommended that we check out Il Valletto on Forbes. She couldn't quite remember the name, only that some of the guys at school called it "Romantic's." Which I suppose is a fitting name from a college student's perspective. Il Valletto is right about Panther Hollow next to a vintage clothing store. I had peered in the window several times and wondered about this curiousity that combines card tables and folding chairs with white table clothes.

My friend was held up looking for a place to park, so I had a chance to peruse the menu and note the special prix fixe options for Valentines Day. While I don't think is on my romantic list, it was a good lunch option in Oakland. I had the veal and pancetta tortellini in vodka sauce with a cup of spicy white bean soup. The soup was not spicy as advertised, but had good flavor and was perfect on such a chilly day. The tortellini was generously sized, with a nice flavor, but also did not knock my socks off. So for an average italian meal at a student size price, Il Valletto's is a place to consider.

Lunch at Palomino

Posted by Kathryn @ 8:55 PM

A recent business lunch brought me to Palomino at the Gateway Center. On arrival I was surprised at how appealing the chain restaurant appeared. Despite not having reservations at a popular noon time slot, the staff graciously found us a table. While Palomino has a downtown fine dining price point, they do offer several lunch combo options that won't break the bank from $11-13.  These options include half sandwich, cup of soup, salads, and pasta. I chose the penne gorgonzola with hazelnuts and the portabella mushroom soup. In a matter of minutes the servers were back with complementary bread and marinara. Before my lunch partner and I could finish the tasty bread, the food had arrived. The staff at Palomino don't waste time, which is appreciated by a busy business diner like myself. I hope the dinner service is a bit more relaxed.

The penne gorgonzola had good flavor that was nicely complemented by the toasted nuts, but I felt it needed a fresh herb or vegetable to brighten the dish and add complexity.  Similarly the cream of mushroom was acceptable but not outstanding, it would be greatly improved by the addition of wild mushrooms.  My first experience at Palomino, definitely made me want to come back for dinner to check out if their $20+ dollar entrees have more wow factor.  The ambience and service made for a perfect and quick business lunch.

Thanksgiving at Hyeholde

Posted by Kathryn @ 8:03 PM

For me, Thanksgiving is generally held at someone’s home, a time for family and friends. But this year, it was destined to be different. First I told my family that I would not be coming for the holidays, that this year we wanted to host our own holiday meals and that they would be welcome to come visit us. This announcement was made in March and little did my husband and I know we would be moving to Pittsburgh in November. So here were are in Pittsburgh, a great town that even had the cool holiday weather ( something Ian and I don’t generally experience when visiting our parents in Texas and South Carolina). I looked in the kitchen of our 1 bedroom temporary apartment and quickly realized that a Thanksgiving Feast was not going to spring forth from the flimsy plastic utensils and two baking pans provided. So the week before thanksgiving I sat down and contemplated my options. 1. buy a prepared thanksgiving for 2 from Whole Foods 2. Make just a regular meal with a couple of festive touches or 3. Go to a restaurant.

So I settle on a restaurant. I call my first choice, but they are all booked up. I saw a long list online of hotels with celebrations, but that seemed too impersonal. The name Hyeholde catches my eye. I go to the website and find out that it is an upscale family run establishment with a Thanksgiving Buffet. With a little persistence I was able to get a 3:15 reservation because someone cancelled last minute. So the day of we pile into the car and head toward Moon Township. With only a few mishaps we manage to arrive at the restaurant and a valet service meets me at the door. My husband notes that we may be the youngest couple there for dinner. We head inside hoping for a predinner drink, but we are dismayed to hear that they have no bar. Instead they seat us a few minutes early. We order wine and are surprised when they recommend a Kendall Jackson. The atmosphere and the price point of the restaurant suggested that they would have a more sophisticated wine list, but perhaps it was just for expediency on such a busy day that they did not offer one.

1st Course -

Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Apple Foam- Nice savory soup with a nice bright sweetness from the apple foam. It was a winner

Main Course-

Buffet with Chef Carved Turkey or Prime Rib, Cold Salmon, Green Beans with Onions, Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, Smashed Skin on Red Potatoes, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Breads, Ginger Cranberry Sauce, Bread Stuffing. Overall I was pleased. The Salmon was proclaimed sacrilegious by my husband, but I found it perfectly moist and a nice addition to my meal. The green beans were older and tougher than I cared for, but the brussel sprouts which are not generally a favorite were quite nice. The stuffing was just what I wanted light not too dry or too mushy with a few crispy pieces where it had browned in the oven. We each took two trips and left the buffet satisfied.

Dessert Course-

Options of Cinnamon Caramel Tart, Praline Toffee Bread Pudding, Pumpkin Pie, and Calvados Cheese Cake. I order the bread pudding, while my husband, a recent convert to pumpkin pie, ordered the pumpkin. The pumpkin pie was a tiny sliver overwhelmed by a spiced whipped cream decoration, the flavor was fine, but were were expecting a more substantial serving because of the holiday. The bread pudding, was atrocious, the toffee sauce lacked oomph, the custard was too wet, and the hazelnuts on top were practically burnt. I heard one woman ask her husband “what does the pudding taste like?” His response was “Not Much.” I desparately wanted Hyeholde to offer a dessert buffet so that I could remedy my poor choice!

Despite the less that fabulous ending to our meal, we left satisfied with the restaurant in terms of service and entrees.