Reyna’s Taco Shack
www.yelp.com/biz/reyna-foods-pittsburgh
(this guy really need a web site)

2023 Penn Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
412-261-2606

Operated 7 days a week by former Taco Loco owner, Edgar Alvarez, I’d like to think of the Taco Shack as a separate entity from Reyna’s. As I’ve heard the story, Alvarez shifted the Taco Loco location a few years ago into a space shared with a Carson Street bar. That was a far better location, but the union worked out poorly enough that Edgar left (though I’m unsure of the particulars). While he is in the process of locating the right space for his next restaurant, Alvarez is manning Pittsburgh’s one and only authentic taco stand.

Not quite affiliated? The Taco Shack sits right out front of Reyna Foods, which is actually a destination in it’s own rite. Given the name (and shared sidewalk), I’d imagine Alvarez has an arrangement of some sort with Reyna’s, but I like to think of the shack as it’s own establishment. Edgar is happy to serve up Reyna’s salsa and various signs point back into Reyna’s for additional prepared items (which are also well worth trying). You might even consider buying a drink from inside if you’re ever looking for variety (or something to go).

Steak, chicken, beef, pork, cow tongue, fish, shrimp…or veggie? The menu is pretty straightforward, but not entirely limited to tacos. Then again, tacos are the focus: a hand-written sign lists a wide range of taco fillings (including both fish and shrimp). For straight up vegetarians, the only option is a veggie burrito. Luckily, I have no problem with the shrimp or fish options, so both work for me. Of course, given the scale of the operation, it’s also nice to see at least the single all-veggie option (and probably a tasty one, at that).

The primary menu (desserts and drinks appear along side)

Walking up to the shack. If you’re walking past Reyna’s, the shack is really just that: a sparse wood frame covered by a corrugated aluminum canopy. The minimalist structure houses a combined counter/griddle with a countertop display case hanging out on the right side. A small table outside the canopy holds three different types of Agua Fresca, a traditional Mexican fruit drink that I’ll discuss later.

Behind the counter. Alvarez himself is the only person you’ll ever find behind the counter. He dutifully preps fresh tacos with graceful skill making the many stop process look easy. Actually, observing his technique has left me with a lasting desire to invite some friends to a taco party of my own.

When your taco is ready, you should definite eat it fresh—preferably right then and there. The shack itself has space for only two small patio tables, but I’d imagine the more talented among us could probably enjoy a taco without ever sitting down. As one who lacks mechanical talent, I was more than pleased to find an empty seat so I could take some photos.

Starting with some pre-cut shrimp and a little rice.

Right before they're swept into a tray

Two Shrimp Tacos. For my visit, I ordered up two shrimp tacos. Honestly, I didn’t expect to eat both—but they were good enough that I did. The first was sufficiently delicious (and well-portioned) that I ended up eating both.

Starting with a hand-crafted corn tortilla (from Reyna’s), Edgar drizzles on some oil before starting to griddle the tortilla. Right along side, he tossed on some shrimp and (sadly) rice to bring them up to heat. The final taco stacked up the shrimp/rice with chopped up lettuce and tomato, a dollop of sour cream, a light sprinkle of queso blanco, and a finishing squirt of fresh-squeezed lime. My photos show flakes of what looks like black pepper, but I can’t quite remember if that’s what it was.

Both tacos were skillfully swept off the grill with a few quick tong maneuvers and placed right in a little paper dish. It’s hard to say whether the spectacle of the experience tainted my taste buds, but the result was a delicious well-balanced meal that was probably even somewhat healthy. At least, the oil, sour cream, and cheese were applied with a sufficiently light touch to avoid much guilt.

Two shrimp tacos.

Drinks are at least worth a comment. I had to dig a little to figure out the background information on Edgar’s drink selection, but I think I figured it out. As far as I can tell, the three different lemonade-esque beverages fall into the category for Agua Fresca. Whether that’s an accurate name or not, they were more than an appropriate for a hot summer day—and the day I visited was definitely hot. I tried the lemon variant and was pleased. It wasn’t too sweet, but it was definitely a sweetened beverage. Think of it as a low sugar lemonade—very refreshing.

So what did I think? If you’re ever jealous of non-local foodies who rave about taco trucks in their own towns, then you really ought to stop by Reyna’s Taco Shack to see what you’ve been missing. Pittsburgh now has it’s own little taco “truck.” If you’re spending your Saturday stockpiling Strip District goods or just hitting up the Farmers’ Market, then I can’t imagine any better lunch than a quick stop by Reyna’s.

I don’t often have a good opportunity top stop by, but the Taco Shack at Reyna’s is definitely the kind of place you have to visit at least once. It’s very much a must-try destination for Pittsburgh foodies. Be sure to head out there sooner, rather than later. Something tells me it won’t take too long for Edgar to find an exciting space for his next project.

Smiling Banana Leaf (Highland Park)
www.smilingbananaleaf.com

5901 Bryant St
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
(412) 362-3200

Smiling Banana Leaf is a tiny little Thai restaurant in a location that’s easy to miss. It’s an unassuming little BYOB establishment with a clean look and excellent food. My date commented that it almost reminded her of the place you might find tucked into a residential area in Thailand (though, sadly, I can’t corroborate). I’m not certain about history or when it opened, but I’m guessing the place is well known to at least a few: the place was packed on the evening I went out. Then again, it’s small enough that filling the place doesn’t take all that much.

Tucked unassumingly into Highland Park near the The Union Project, it’s a little hard to find if you don’t know what to look for. I drove right past and walked right up to it before I was sure I had the right place. Even after I noticed the sign (hidden on the side of the building), I still wasn’t quite sure where to find the door. The only indication that the place was open was a single couple dining on a single outdoor table.

Clean, comfortable, small. Though the place is small, it still manages to present an extremely comfortable look. Bright colors and comfortable cushioned chairs make the space look quite inviting. It looks like the kind of hang out and talk with friends for quite a while. The single dining room is small and relatively narrow lined with just two rows of tables—most accomodating just 2-3 people. It’s definitely not a place where I could ever hope to schedule a meetup.

As much of the interior as I could fit in frame

A single outdoor table

Somewhat large, thoughtful menu. Like most Asian restaurants I’ve experienced, the menu is fairly large—filled with various combinations of different genres of food and and the possible contents of each. It’s also available online, if you want to take a look. For those looking for the Cliffs Notes, I found salads, stir-fries, curries, fried rice, noodles, noodle curries, noodle soups, “chef’s specials”—and that’s just the list of sections. In this case, there seems to be a little more thought than just enumerating permutations. Most items actually to have their own identity rather than just a description of what contents to expect. If there were multiple protein options, they were listed within a single item rather than 5. It was actually quite a refreshing format.

In general, I enjoyed the food. Every dish was highly distinctive and interesting. Both I and my date ordered a spice level of 6 and ended up with something that actually packed a pleasant level of spice—right around where I think a 6 should be. Everything that appeared on our table was colorful and well presented. Any sauces had a sufficiently light touch to let a number of flavors shine through. To round off the experience, those light sauces resulted in meals managed to come across as refreshingly healthy

First, some Fresh Spring Rolls. We started off with some spring rolls paired with the traditional spicy peanut sauce. We added Shrimp to ours and I found them to be quite refreshing. Spring rolls in general offer plenty of fresh flavors in a nice compact package. These were no exception, but I think I’m still partial to the ones I got at Sweet Basil (which I think is in the process of relocating by a few blocks).

Fresh Spring Roll

Spicy Panang Shrimp

Followed up with Garlic Shrimp. For my meal, I ordered the Garlic Shrimp. This was one of those generic options where I could have selected “any meat” (including tofu). I ordered a spice level of 6 and ended up with a pleasing degree of heat—that was almost surprising given that a 6 in some places doesn’t mean all that much. Really, I have nothing but praise for this particular dish. I ended up with plenty of steamed veggies, some shrimp for a little protein, and all sorts of flavor. Definitely a feel-good dish that I didn’t feel at all guilty about eating.

For my date: Spicy Noodles with tofu. Across the table, Emily ended up with the Spicy Noodle (a.k.a. Pad Kee Mow). Wide noodles, firm tofu, and stir fried cabage came together in a brown sauce to produce an even spicier dish than mine (even at an identical spice request of 6). Even given the spice level, the flavor wasn’t at all one-dimenional and the somewhat heavy noodles were well balanced by the cabbage. I’d easily get this item myself.

Pad Kee Mow (Spicy Noodles)

Another BYOB establishment. There’s never much to say about the drink menu when it’s BYOB, but used this as an opportunity to stop at 3 Sons on my way home from work and pick up an assortment of ESBs—a style I thought might go well with Thai. I’d like to think that it did.

Like I said, a great find. Like most Thai food, it was full of veggie (and crustacean) options, fairly healthy, and packed with flavor. I’d worry about getting a table on a busy night, but worked out exceptionally well for a week night date. I’d definitely go back and give it another try. Actually, I’m quite interested in heading back to try one of their salads or noodle soups. It feels like my ratings have been heading in an unnecessarily positive direction, but I really can’t imagine not marking this one down as must-try.

A few Friday’s ago, I made plans to meet up with a friend—actually an great new friend that I met through this very blog (Jen). That outing gave me a chance to hang out over a few beers and see two different items on their menu. Definitely a fun trip.

Correction: It seems my memory of the beer special was wrong. The special is actually $2 off, rather than 50%. Given that most of their beers are about $5, that’s not really a huge difference anyway.

The Park House
parkhousepgh.com

403 E Ohio St
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
(412) 231-0551

In case you’ve missed it all these years, the Park House is up on the North Side—a part of town I’ve only recently started to discover. It’s a bar, though one with an a great selection of craft beer. Except craft beer isn’t all they can offer. The Park House also offers up a full menu with a few twists and turns from what you might normally expect at what is largely a North Side bar. Most notably, the menu lists a decent number of veggie options. Sadly, though, the one item that I was most excited to try is no longer available: the “Eat your veggies or go in the corner” spinach-lentil sandwich. When I asked for one, there was some uncertainty over whether it was even available.

One more thing: after this visit, I already have a favorite Park House anecdote. While waiting for Jen, the bar tender described the happy hour special as half $2 off all beer except a few listed macrobrewed “lite” lagers. Nice.

Doesn’t it look like a fancy restaurant from the street? Judging from the black canopy and old wooden doors and just peering into the darkness beyond the windows, my brain almost categorized the place as one of those quaint little restaurants where everyone sits quietly at cloth-laden tables. Thankfully, I couldn’t have been more wrong. In discussing free peanuts, the web site calls the place a “throw your-shells-on-the-floor kind of place. That just about sums it up.

Once you do get in side, the bar runs down the left side of most of the length of the restaurant, and there’s only really one row of seating beside it. In the far back, there’s a little bit more space for some larger tables. Presumably, that’s where the live music gets to set up.

Table kitch. If you zoom in to the tables, the first thing to catch your eye is likely the little peg-board games. If you’ve ever been to a Cracker Barrel, you’ve seen it before. It’s basically the same game (and that might even be where they bought them). Another cool detail that didn’t show up until later: Jen and I both ordered water, and ended up with a re-purposed vodka bottle serving as pitcher on our table. Both the game and the bottle served as nice little touches.

Most of the place in a single frame.

Not a bad-lookin' watcher pitcher.

Veggie sightings all over the menu. Just walking through the menu was kind of exciting. Mixed in among all the standard bar food that you would expect were a significant number of veggie-friendly options. I noted Falafel (both entree and sandwich options), a “Peace in the Middle East” Platter, a hummus appetizer (with a choice of hummus flavors in what could only be made in house), and a Spinach Burrito. The menu boasts a house-made veggie burger (constructed with spinach and lentils), but I was told they were weaving in and out of having that one on the menu and didn’t have any available when I showed up.

That they list some veggie-friendly (and semi-healthy) options to go with gives me hope that the non-veg options are at least presented with some careful attention. In a pinch, I’d probably even order one of the non-veg items (and still might just to give it a try).

The posted menu from the main entrance.

Peanuts and popcorn. Help yourself in the back.

Free peanuts and popcorn. While you’re waiting for food, you can help yourself to free peanuts and/or popcorn. Jen picked up some of each. They’re no frills snacks, but I think it’s a nice touch. They kind of reminded me of Friday night outings with my family when I was a kid. Turns out, when you’re not old enough to drink, the peanuts and popcorn are the most exciting aspect of any bar.

Across the table: a falafel sandwich. First off, Jen’s falafel sandwich looked amazing (making me enormously jealous). She was quite pleased with it, so I’ll definitely give it a try next time.

The falafel sandwich that I need to try.

Pretty decent Almost heaven Spinach Burrito. After dealing with the blow of rejection from the “Eat your veggies…” veggie burger, I switched my order over to the Almost Heaven Spinach Burrito. I was a little nervous the thing would show up overstuffed with filling, but it came out just the opposite: the tortilla hung like a baggy pair of pants around the well-portioned veggie mixture. I’ll take it.

In terms of actual content, the contents were primarily spinach with some onions, tomatoes and mushrooms in there somewhere. The cheddar cheese made it’s appearance as a melted layer on the inside of the tortilla. I’m guessing it had ben melted into place pre-assembly.

I came out only semi-positive on this wrap, but I’m certainly not going to write the place off as a result. I think it made for a solid veggie choice with a pretty well-rounded flavor. Overall, it’s a fairly healthy option with a controlled level of cheese—though leaning closer to too much than not enough. Even so, it wasn’t much to write home about. According to the web site, they’d gladly have hit it up with salsa or a number of dressings—including a balsamic vinaigrette. It sounds like next time, I’d definitely request the salsa (or perhaps the balsamic) for some extra depth.

The "Almost Heaven" Spinach Burrito

It was the beer that finally lead me in. I’ll be honest: references to the Park House didn’t manage to pull me out there until after I heard that they had both good food and lots of craft beer options. My sources were right: I counted at least 16 taps with the vast majority going to craft beer. To pair with that quantity, the bar tender was able to drop some pretty decent ideas in discussing options for my second beer. Between his recommendations and that enthusastic expression of the happy hour special, I got the impression that they at least had a decent handle on the beer. Just remember, half $2 off all beer—except for miller light, PBR and any other macro-brews.

At least 16 taps. Many good options.

I’ll definitely be heading back. It’s not often that I find a bar flowing with veggie options, reasonably healthy options, and a downright enthusiasm toward good beer. In my book, the three elements combined pull the Park House into the category of must-try. That will likely remain true as long as you’re looking for a fun place to grab a beer that won’t frown on a healthy lifestyle. On the other hand, it’s harder to make the must-try case if you’re just in it for the food. After all, if you’re just looking for good food, then, by all means, go somewhere other than a bar!

Having just recently opened, there’s very little out in the way of reviews, so I’ll see what I can do about fully documenting the place. The most I’ve seen is a quick write-up from Bob Batz. If you want to try yourself, the Beer Meetup is making their way out at the end of the month (August 2010).

NOTE: I didn’t pay for this meal. I was invited by Tavern 245 to sample their menu, and stopped by to do just that and discuss the restaurant with their lead PR person and a few other employees. Of course, everything in this post is my own opinion. I just think it’s important to disclose that kind of detail.

Tavern 245 ($$)
www.tavern245.com

245 Fourth Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(412) 281-4345

You can find Tavern 245 on 4th Avenue—right near PPG Place and Market Square. I’m not familiar with that area, so I wandered a little bit, but once I turned onto 4th, it was hard to miss: they spared no expense in a massive 3-dimensional sign hanging over the front door. The restaurant just opened within the past few weeks (July 2010), and, true to the name, it’s a Pub/Tavern—though more of an upscale casual one. Despite the up-scale feel, the menu’s focus on pub fare (sandwiches, burgers, and various small plates) keeps the prices more than reasonable.

Oh, and the beer list: it’s definitely impressive. They certainly don’t qualify as a “beer destination” but they serve up enough craft beer options to draw me in any time.

Downstairs bar. Upstairs lounge. When you first walk in the door, you’re presented with two choices: head upstairs or open the door to the downstairs bar. Choose wisely: in almost all cases, you probably want to go up, which will take you to the main bar/dining room. The primary use case for the downstairs bar seems to be smoking. The space is separately ventilated, so they’re able to open it up to smokers. The beer list down there leans away from craft beer options—with the possible exception of Sam Adams, though the setup is still just as “loungy” as the space upstairs.

If you choose the upstairs destination (and you should), you’ll find a fairly large space with a mid-sized bar, a few different clusters of small tables, some booths, and multiple lounge areas—complete with couches and flat screens. Beyond the bar, a final cluster of tables gets a view out a large window opening up to 4th Avenue. Besides the light coming in off the street, the dining room is fairly dim with just a few small lamps scattered throughout. It actually feels kind of like a stylish living room with a few pockets of artifacts sitting out on end tables and hanging on the walls.

The downstairs bar. No craft beer on tap.

The Upstairs Dining Room

A Lounge near the 4th Avenue Window

The staff: laid back and talkative. Even before I stepped into the restaurant, I bumped into the manager and co-owner, Chip hanging outside with a few members of the staff. We exchanged introductions fairly quickly before he showed me in and let me glance over the downstairs bar. I don’t even think he was out there intending to show me in—my primary contact was still waiting for me upstairs. In any case, that same friendly/talkative vibe seemed to flow from just about every employee I bumped into. Significantly, every last person I talked to exposed how much they enjoyed working for Chip—from the wait staff to the executive chef. That kind of detail is important when I decide which restaurants I like to support and visit. A positive work environment makes me appreciate any place just a little bit more.

It’s a tavern, and the menu follows. The menu is brief. It’s also available in full online (also, in PDF). A skim through reveals some familiar pub fair—focussed on appetizers, sandwiches, and burgers. Thankfully, they throw a few salads in to top it off. They’ll also serve any sandwich as a wrap.

Veggie options (good ones) by request. I’ll be honest, it’s not the most veggie-friendly menu in the world. My contact person, Jenn even admitted a little concern when I warned her in an email message about my veggie/healthy leanings. If you consume fish, then it’s not to hard to find something. That task gets a little more challenging for straight vegetarians, but they didn’t have any trouble whipping out a veggie filling for their 4th Street Tacos. I’ve you’re a full-on vegan, well…you’re prettymuch lost (and they’ll admit it).

Because the whole point was to let me try the place, they let me try a bunch of different menu items. Basically, I sat down with Jenn and ordered some combination of items that caught my attention and her suggestions. I’ll walk through each item separately below.

First, my favorite: 4th Avenue Tacos. These were perhaps my favorite. Served on little corn tortillas from Reyna’s, the menu offers three different fillings (shrimp/chicken/beef) but Jenn was quick to point out an undocumented 4th: vegetarian. I tried shrimp and veggie and had a bite of chicken. The veggies were my definite favorite, so it’s definitely worth asking for.

Next, something different: Smoked Chipotle Hummus. Served with pita chips, this definitely wins the award for the most unique hummus flavor I’ve enjoyed. With mixed in tomatoes, the dip has a rather untraditional texture. The flavor lays down a unique tone as well: smokey up front with a chipotle heat that swoops in from behind. With a level of spice that jumped beyond my expectation for an unassuming appetizer, this was definitely worth sampling.

While I’m on dips, the Guacamole 245. Not much to say here, other than the dip being served at a soothing cool temperature and offering a pleasing contrast with the hummus’s heat. I prefer the hummus, but this was definitely a hand-made guac that I’m told used juice from both lemon and lime to give it a little depth of flavor. If you’re into the avacado standard, you’ll most likely enjoy.

Fourth Avenue Tacos

Chipotle Hummus

Guacamole

The main event: a Salmon Burger (in wrap form). After a beer and a few bites of various appetizers, I was already satiated but moved on to sample a bit of the day’s special: a salmon burger transformed to embrace 245′s wrap option. A house-prepared salmon patty lightly breaded and wrapped up with lettuce/tomato/onion and a dash of mayo. Yeah, I felt a little guilty about the mayo, but this one was packed with flavor. To me, that’s a big vote of confidence for the wrap option.

Because I had to try a salad: the House Salad. There’s a reason I tend to order salads. It’s one of my favorite dinner options. You might say I’m on a quest for all the good salads in Pittsburgh. In the side salad category, this was definitely a good one. Simple, yes; finely chopped, yes. It featured tiny pieces of leaf lettuce, cucumber, tomato and red onion—all topped with a somewhat overdone handful of grated parmesan. With the mound of grated cheese, the balsamic vinaigrette was hardly even necessary (though made in house, like all of 245′s dressings). It would have been a touch more exciting with a few thin peels of hard parmesan, but that’s likely cost prohibitive.

Wrap option for a Salmon Burger (the day's special)

House Salad (with a tad too much parmesan)

Not a beer destination, but worth visiting. With the downtown Sharp Edge not too far away, this is hardly a local beer destination. That said, the strong focus on craft brews and quality recommendations from the bar tender, I can’t imagine not being pleased with their selection. In a part of town where many destinations focus on wine and toss out just one or two craft beer options, Tavern 245 almost stands out. They could definitely fill up Downtown’s Market Street Ale House gap.

An enjoyable recommendation from the bar tender

Worth heading downtown for. Having been comped a meal, you won’t really trust my opinion; I know that. I will say that I liked the place. They serve up a casual atmosphere, friendly staff. and a menu that I could enjoy. You might have to work at trying to be a little healthy and put in special requests to stick to a vegetarian diet, but I’d definitely go back. With their late hours, I’d even make a trip downtown for them. I’d say this one is definitely worth a try (though leaning on must-try since it’s brand new).

Though you can find a veggie option or two, the pickings on that side of the menu are somewhat slim. That drove me to drop my veggie-leaning goal on both visits. The first trip was marred in failure—mostly because I avoided the sandwiches and went for a salad. For the second trip, I corrected myself and was quite pleased.

Stoke’s Grill (West View)
www.stokesgrill.net

4771 McKnight Rd
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
(412) 369-5380

Like most establishments on McKnight, Stoke’s is in a strip mall. They’re actually right next door to the North Hills instance of El Campesino—down in the southern section of McKnight. The City Paper review calls them a sandwich shop, but I don’t really think that does them justice. Between the BYOB option and deeply independent status, I think they fall into a slightly different category—though it’s hard to think of a good label. On the other hand, they do put considerable thought in their sandwiches and even avoid the sandwich shop tendency to go overboard on portioning. Basically, I’m a somewhat hesitant fan of the place.

The mixed bag of the strip mall. Despite the often negative perception, that strip mall location does give them the benefit of easy parking and an un-cramped space; they even do a good job of keeping the interior interesting. The walls all get a treatment of alternating dark and light greens behind a spattering of some visually interesting (though eclectic) artwork. That keeps the setting interesting and helps establish their own look. The look actually reminds me of a Juice Box Cafe with higher ceilings.

The dining area is constrained to a single room with booths along the walls, smaller tables on the interior, and a single large-ish round table squeezed somewhere in there near the register. The first time I went (a Friday after work), the round table was completely filled with a dinner group taking full advantage of the BYOB. Even on my second visit (a Wednesday), another group took the larger table (though not quite filling it). Despite the groups on each visit, it was still easy to find a place to sit—though I suspect lunch might be a different story.

Colorful, clean, and in severe need of mustard on the table.

Place your order, pay, and they bring it out to you.

Standard menu with some notable additions. The menu hits on everything you might expect: focussing on sandwiches and wraps but quickly expanding outward to include salads, soups, pretzel sandwiches, and even quesadillas. The soup list is always in motion but was notable in it’s length and diversity—especially given the claim that soups are made daily.

When fried food catches my attention. Though they didn’t catch my eye on either visit, the City Paper’s comments on fries caught my attention. They’re far from a healthy option, but I’d definitely share the green (pesto/artichoke/brie!) fries with a friend or two.

Again, not very healthy, but on my second visit they mistakenly tried to deliver an order of the Flaming Zúcs to my table. The Stoke’s preparation gave a renewed fresh look to an often tired and boring dish. I really wish I had a photo of the lightly breaded rounds from a small (and likely tasty) zucchini. If someone twisted my arm, I might share an order of that as well.

At first glance, not so veggie friendly. The biggest problem with Stokes is the apparent disregard for the veggie crowd. The only vegetarian salads: Caesar and a large dinner salad. The only vegetarian wrap: the Elmer. That said, they do have a build-your-own sandwich option and a vegetarian quesadilla. Plus, I only recently noticed an option to convert sandwiches into salads (for an extra $1.50). It seems the so-so stance on veggies is a little better than it first appears—though another vegetarian specialty sandwich could dramatically improve that appearance.

On my first visit, I was afraid the sandwiches and wraps might be huge and overwhelmed with cheese and meat, but I clearly didn’t give Stoke’s enough credit. On my second trip, I corrected my course by trying a wrap.

Testing the water: large side salad and a cup of chili. I have no one to blame on this visit but myself. I showed up, interested enough to give the place a shot but feeling like being healthy. The lack of interesting vegetarian salads drove me to the large side salad—which had some positive notes (crisp lettuce and a nice house dressing), but lacked much of anything on top: some carrot peals, red onion, and a sparse sprinkle of diced tomato—and some big homemade croutons. For a salad, I would have definitely liked to see more lettuce (and more stuff on top!), but I think this might have been an issue limited to the dinner salad. I saw a Chef Salad go by that looked pretty good.

Ironically, the chili was decidedly non-veg—though it felt necessary given the light salad. Stoke’s actually serves up a fairly large list of soups all prepared in-house and hitting on a variety of different styles. The chili was a pretty good rendition of a particular chili type: ground beef tempered with tomato and beans. You can’t tell from the photo, but the balance of beans to meat is actually fairly decent. With a thin sprinkle of cheese and a nice medium-spicy bite, it was actually pretty good. On that basis, I suspect their other soups are worth trying as well.

Large dinner salad and a cup of chili.

Extreme closeup of the chili

Going for it: the Lucas Wrap. For my second trip, I felt a little more exploratory. The vegetarian wrap option (The Elmer) didn’t spark any enthusiasm so I went non-veg again with a Lucas Wrap. This one includes chicken, lettuce, salsa, and roasted red pepper and was served in just the right portion size. Even with the lettuce in place, it appeared in tight little rolls with a nice balance of veggie to meat. The Lucas also packed a surprising amount of flavor with minimal sloppiness.

I only ate half that night but only because I wasn’t all that hungry. Really, the full potion size felt just right. It wasn’t huge, but felt in control. I might have even eaten the whole thing without feeling too guilty (okay, maybe a little bit). Overall, the wrap was a surprisingly good meal and I suspect far more indicative of Stoke’s Grill.

Lucas Wrap—actually smaller than the perspective suggestions.

I have mixed feelings about Stoke’s Grill. They fall into the category of being exactly the kind of place I’d love to support but just not serving the kind of food I normally eat. I enjoyed some of the food, and I love the BYOB option, and I could have ranted for a full paragraph how exciting it was to get a Diet A&W when I wasn’t planning on a beer. That places it squarely into the category of worth a shot, but not a must try from the FoodBurgh perspective.

It’s been a few (busy) weeks, but I’ll take a stab at writing down some of my thoughts. Consider this post a starting point. I tend to be biased against the food at any Sharp Edge just because they lack much in the way of healthy options or veggie-centric dishes. The new place has some new options, but I still had a somewhat negative food experience in this trip. My hope (and expectation) is that I can write that off to the new kitchen still finding it’s way. A trip back will likely be a better indicator.

The Sharp Edge Bistro on Penn
www.sharpedgebeer.com

922 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
412-338-2437

For anyone who doesn’t follow the local beer scene, The Sharp Edge now has 5 locations throughout the city. Long before interest in craft beer really started to explode, The Sharp Edge was serving up a huge variety of hard-to-come-by Belgian beers—starting from their original location in East Liberty, the “Beer Emporium.” The menu very much follows suit: plenty of Belgian-inspired dishes along side some individually prepared pizzas that I’m told are quite a hit (and half price during happy hour). Also half price during happy hour: Belgian Drafts. If you can show up before 6:30, you probably won’t be disappointed.

Two categories, one beer market. Now let me back up a bit: “rare imported Belgians” is very much distinct from “American Craft Beer,” but they capture a very similar spirit (and almost the same market). Starting not too long ago, the two scenes even started to merge as craft brewers grew an interest in playing with Belgian styles and even cooperating with Belgian brewers. The Sharp Edge own Over the Edge, contracted through a Belgian brewer is evidence of that cross pollination: a Belgian IPA.

Fits right in with Penn Ave. The most striking aspect of the new setting is the fact that it melds in quite well in a row of somewhat upscale establishments in the cultural district. I’ve read that the downtown location most closely resembles the Bistro in Sewickley, which is also supposed to be a higher end place. In this case, their Penn Avenue neighbors include the likes of Nine on Nine, Sonoma Grille, and Seviche—all on the up-scale side of the fence. I tend to think of any Sharp Edge as far more approachable than any of those; if you ignore the rather expensive beer, the new location lists prices in line with other Sharp Edge locations—probably less than their Penn Avenue neighbors.

Key to fitting in is clearly the enormous array of windows in front, which shows off an inviting sitting area beside the bar. On the Friday evening I stopped by, there was little chance of finding a spot on the couch or up at the bar, but I’ve been told (and would have to expect) that’s not always the case. I hear that a little earlier on Friday (4pm) and even on week nights, it’s not very hard to find a spot at either.

The Cozy Seating Area (with a friend waving me in)

One of Several 5-Tap Units

Impressive bar area. In comparison to other locations, the bar area was quite impressive—more so than the section of the dining area that I sat in. Several clusters of 5-tap fixture were spread out evenly across the whole bar area with a backdrop containing both a visual bottle list and (faux?) brick backdrop. With plenty of space behind for the bar tenders and wait staff and a dark marble countertop, the whole thing looked quite impressive.

Familiar dining area. The dining area had a completely different feel from the bar. In fact, it reminds me a lot of some of the other new-ish Sharp Edge locations—Brasserie being a good example. Separated by a partial wall, the dining is clean with orderly tables (and plenty of space between). With nearly half the width of the restaurant dedicated to the bar, the downtown dining area seemed a little bit “thin” but not really small. The separator between dining room and bar actually did that did a pretty good job of isolating noise.

Looks familiar, doesn't it?

Some (new?) veggie-friendly salads. In terms of the menu, I had heard about a new menu for the new location—one that will possibly be pushed out to the remaining locations. I’d say the format looked completely different, but the contents were somewhat familiar. In their defense, The salad section did seem to see more revisions and even included many veggie-friendly options. There’s even a portobello option on the “deluxe salad,” which I don’t recall from the previous menu. Other veggie-friendly salad options: House, Field Greens, Spinach, and The Edge Stack Salad. Of those, I seem to remember only the house and spinach option. The others may or may not be new.

A disappointing but optimistic look at the food. Despite the new salad options, I wanted to avoid actually try something more typical of the typical Sharp Edge fare: I went with a panini/soup combo. The panini: a grilled veggie option that has actually existed for a while; the soup: a crab chowder that happened to be in rotation that night. Unfortunately, I wasn’t very thrilled with either.

The Panini. The panini wasn’t really what I was looking for. The flavor was good, but the quantity of veggies within was relatively small. I would have liked to see more. The goat cheese could have been a nice touch with a lighter hand, but it was oozing and dripping like crazy while I tried to eat. Personally, I think goat cheese should have a texture, so heating to the point of melting (though easy), isn’t what I would want. Beyond that, it was far too much cheese to be considered a light option (which I always hope the veggie options can turn out to be).

The crab chowder. First, be warned that this particular chowder included bacon. I have no problem with that, but some probably might. Beyond the bacon, the crab chowder looked like a pretty good cup of soup: plenty of texture from a fairly dense treatment of crab and a decent mix of potato and corn to complement. The only problem I ran into is something that was fairly easy to correct (and I’m guessing they will): it was tremendously salty. It was really so salty that I ended up leaving most of it behind, which was a shame. I’m hoping I can write that experience off with the fact that they had only opened up that week.

Crab Chowder and a Grilled Veggie Panini

A Well-Received Buffalo Burger

Burger form across the table. My friend across the table ordered a buffalo burger, which has always been a favorite of several friends. It looked to me like a solid burger, and he confirmed that it was indeed quite good. He was even a little surprised by my own somewhat negative experience. From what I’ve heard, the burger option is always a good choice after the appetizer specials end and pizza is no longer a cheap option.

A typical Sharp Edge beer list. In terms of beer, there’s not much to say. The selection is very similar to any existing Sharp Edge: plenty of imported Belgian drafts along side a handful of american craft beers and an enormous bottle selection. It’s a great place for imports, but can sometimes be hard to find a more sessionable option: there are plenty of ABV’s floating around throughout the list.

Sad to see beer behind bars, but that's Downtown

Cautious optimism. Despite the fact that I didn’t have much success with the food, I have pretty high hopes for the downtown Sharp Edge. I’m a big supporter of re-vitalizing the downtown area, and it seems that a Sharp Edge entrant could entice an audience that otherwise might not spend time downtown. Downtown is really hurting for a good beer destination. With the Market Street Ale House long since gone (and replaced by a less beer-focused Las Velas), there’s really wasn’t a notable beer option anywhere downtown. The Sharp Edge is a good beer option and then some, and I’ll definitely be heading back to give the food another try.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t know what to expect when I first noticed ongoing work behind paper-covered windows. When a vinyl sign replaced the window’s paper, the sign and seemed a little to nice—like it had come out of an actual marketing department. It was just “too professional” to be an independent place. That, of course, triggered concern: what if all that filled the space was a boring chain? Then last week, I received a glowing report from a FoodBurgh reader. Not only was Sababa’s open but they reportedly served up some of the best Falafel in the ‘Burgh. That push renewed my interest and inspired a walk over that way. Thanks Melanie!

Sababa’s Middle Eastern Grill
www.sababapgh.com

2121 Murray Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
(412) 422-8000

Contrary to my fears, Sababa’s is an entirely family owned Middle Eastern restaurant—not some big chain. From a brief chat with the family-members behind the counter, it sounds like bringing their take on Middle Eastern cuisine to Pittsburgh has been a family dream for some time. When Mr. Willies closed and the space opened up, they went for it. As far as I know, they opened for business in early June.

In an after dinner conversation with the owner owner/founder/chef, I was told that the new restaurants style leans toward a more Turkish/Syrian take on cuisine. He explained that category as a contrast to the Lebanese stylings of Aladdins. I should have probed further to get a read on where that category falls relative to Taza 21 or Mediterranean Grill, but I didn’t. Regardless of the stylistic trend, I’m glad to see a new place pop up. It seems to have its own niche—similar to Aladins in terms of setting but serving up a different take on Middle Eastern cuisine.

Similar layout with herby accents. If you remember the layout in Mr. Willies, then you already know the general structure of the restaurant. A prep counter sits opposite the entrance with a big open space for tables everywhere else (some near the front window, and some in a pocket near the back). Maintaining similar layout doesn’t mean the new place resembles the old: the look has been polished up quite a bit. A nice sign near the entrance explains the meaning of “sababa,” and potted herb centerpieces sit on every single table. The tables themselves are covered first with white, cloth tablecloths and then with large sheets of white butcher paper (much like Avenue B). In general, I can’t say I’m a fan of the white tablecloth look, but the feel at Sababas is sufficiently laid back to feel be comfortable regardless. Besides, those well-trimmed, deeply green potted herbs—they make quite an impact agains the white.

The front, window-side dining area.

Ever wonder about the meaning of Sababa?

The big (and somewhat empty) display counter.

The display counter is huge but filled with only a single layer of pre-made dishes. I believe it’s the same counter from Mr. Willies, but actually fits in the redecorated Sababa fairly well. This time around, the food in the diplay counter looks far more exciting, but the sparse single layer of bowls makes the food seem tiny and limited. That’s quite unfortunate but true. Despite the better-looking food below the glass, the single layer makes it look somewhat empty (which was actually a problem at Mr. Willies as well). Plus, it’s almost too big a counter to fit the space, but it’s a nice piece an would have been a shame to get rid of. I just worry that it gives the impression of an ordering station. For dine-in guests, I’m not sure that’s what they want to present.

Highly focussed but veggie-friendly menu. The tri-fold paper menu is pretty simple: appetizers (mostly vegetarian), vegetarian dishes, and main courses (mostly grilled meat). The appetizers all sounded familiar—with the exception of an roasted eggplant salad dressed in tomato-sauce (which has since been recommended by friends). The vegetarian entrees are a little more interesting—most notably the Shakshuka, which I should probably order next time I go. In general, the menu is tiny—miniscule in comparison to, say, Alladins, but the reduced footprint is okay. It’s probably better to start small, nail down the basics, and then branch out. I’m just hoping we’ll see a few more options as they find their footing.

The complete menu ... BYOB-support and all (click for a closer shot)

Proudly encouraging BYOB. As is common for a family owned upstart, they don’t have a liquor license. They do, however, seem to fully embrace BYOB: it’s clearly promoted on their front door. It’s clear that you’re more than welcome to bring your own wine or beer. For a group outing, I’m a big fan of bringing along a growler from East End. Actually, a growler of Penn Gold might go even petter with the cuisine.

For lunch, a salad (of course). After some internal debate, I order a Sababa Salad. That’s was at least partially motivated by having walked over on a hot and humid day: I didn’t feel up to a hot lunch. Of course, the primary concern with ordering a salad is really that it might not be a good representative of the place. In this case, that didn’t prove to be a problem at all. The presentation was beautiful, and the flavors balanced one another quite well. It came pre-dressed, but very lightly so.

Topping the salad, I found avocado, thinly sliced tomato, navy beans, hard-boiled egg and hearts of palm—all over top a nice be of field greens. The salad came pre-dressed with a house-made lime dressing and sprinkled over with flaked sea salt. The salt balanced out any sweetness that might have otherwise come from the lime, but it managed to come across just a tad too strong. If it were my call, I’d opt for just a little bit less of the sea salt—though the potency was primarily concentrated on the first several bites.

The Sababa Salad

For take-out, some couscous. I couldn’t handle writing about the place after experiencing only a bit of an outlier from the menu, so I ordered something else on my way out: the Morocan Couscous. I carried that dish home in a Mad-Mex style tin tray and pulled part of it out for dinner. The format on this one was actually a little surprising: roasted root vegetables served over top flavorful couscous. Given that couscous is really just tiny pieces of pasta, that seems like a hugely starch-oriented dish.

For the sake of balance alone, I would have liked to see it paired with a salad or some greens, but it was quite flavorful for what it was. I detected loads of roasted garlic flavor, but there was some additional depth that I couldn’t quite place. Turmeric, perhaps? And, for the record: I did pair my take-home with some greens.

To close: Complementary turkish Coffee. As I paid my check, my server brought out a tiny cup of complementary Turkish coffee (I’ll call it espresso—or very nearly so—with subtle spicy notes). I’m a fan of coffee, so this was very much an enjoyable treat—though I was trying not to fumble too much with my camera and ended up with 3 or 4 different lousy shots. Sorry.

Turkish Coffee and a Fig (horrible because I didn't readjust camera settings)

Couscous with Roasted Veggies (small portion re-plated later at home)

For next time: Shaksuka or possibly Falafel. Melanie (the reader who pushed me to give Sababa a try) had great things to say about the Falafel. I’ve had far too much mediocre falafel in Pittsburgh (and even some that pulled out of a freezer and reheated), so I’m looking forward to trying the Sababa interpretation. And that Shaksuka, it just sounds interesting—and right up my ally.

Overall, a big win for the neighborhood. Sababa is definitely the kind of place that I like to support: something different and even unique brought to the ‘Burgh by an inspired family. The new place is also fairly vegetarian friendly—though I’d like to see a slightly larger menu over time (and not just the veggie section). They may still working out a few kinks but seem to have all the basics down cold and the enthusiasm to keep pushing. If you’re looking for Middle Eastern in Squirrel Hill, it’s definitely worth a try! If you like supporting Pittsburgh’s local businesses, well then you better just get yourself over that that way.

There’s a funny story in this one: I was so intent on showing it in the right light that I went twice. As I arrived for my first post, I noticed a smudge on my camera lens. Despite my best effort to clean it off there, the photos were horrible. With a trusty Cue-Tip™ and a dab of a laptop display cleaner, I cleaned off the lens. A week later, I went back. Turns out, one of the girls running the show was feeling a little self-conscious about my first trip anyway: it seems she left the tomato out of my greek salad. For at least three different reasons, I’d say it’s good I went back.

The Juice Box Cafe
www.juiceboxpitt.com

735 Copeland
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
(412) 802-7070

Located in Shadyside in the same little cove as Mercurio’s and Girasole, Juice Box Cafe is definitely a new Shadyside addition: they just opened in April 2010. You’ll find them in the hard-to-spot lowest level of the cove, but they certainly don’t seem to have any trouble getting the word out. They’ve already made the pages of the City Paper, Post Gazette, and Pop City—plus mention in at least one other local blog. Also worth noting, the person behind their marketing arm (Sarah) is rocking it on Twitter the right way by really participating in the conversation (though it’s clear she does most of her Twitter processing after Juice Box closes in the late afternoon).

I usually try to avoid writing up places that just about everyone else is already posting about, but really…I couldn’t skip this one.

The theme can only be summarized as healthy eating. They specialize in salads, panini and fresh-squeezed juice, with one of the most veggie-friendly and health-conscious menus in Pittsburgh. Half the menu being veggie-friendly and the other half promises to swap meat for tofu upon request. According to a rather inspiring pre-opening post on their blog, half the employees are vegetarians, and they’ve made it their goal to provide decent benefits for their employees. That post is definitely worth reading if it sounds like your kind of place.

Bright colors, changing artwork. Despite being buried underground, Juice Box seems to have a large space that they brighten up effectively with brightly colored walls. To lining the walls, they’ve chosen to follow the example of Square Cafe and 61C with artwork from local artists. The notable difference at Juice Box: they’re replacing every last piece about once a month. It’s unclear if they’ll keep the source within a small group of artists or try to move all over the place. This month, they’re hosting a series from James Schaffer.

The "Lower Cove" Area

The Right Side of the Restaurant

Seating on the Patio

Keeping it healthy: wraps, panini. salads, and…juice. When I pick up a menu, I start by looking for something that catches my eye as particular exciting. Depending on my mood, I might go wild and let go of Calorie counting, but I’m more likely to glance through again for all the somewhat healthy (and typically vegetarian) options. Depending on my mood, I’ll pick something from one of those sweeps. With Juice Box, my life is easy. Just about everything on the menu is at least reasonably healthy. Some items are better than others, but healthy eating is really their goal. There’s a great post on their blog with a bit of a mission statement. It’s worth a read.

You can look though the menu on your own, but I’ll call attention to a few items that catch my interest. First off, there’s a prominent photo of the Garden Salad on the web site. It’s beautiful and everything I would want in a salad—not your average garden salad. The Mediterranean Salad is a little bit lighter and catches my interest. It’s probably the most lightweight of their salads…for those who aren’t incredibly hungry (like me on my first visit). Another eye-catcher: the Smoked Tofu and Curry Salad. The Panini and remaining wraps are pretty self explanatory other than a brief comment on the tofu option: it exists. Any non-veg item on the menu can be magically made without meat by substituting tofu.

Behind the Counter (sort of)

First trip: Mediterranean Salad (sans Tomato…and dressing). The toppings on this one include artichokes, hearts of palm, olives, cucumber, feta cheese…and typically tomatoes…all over top green leaf lettuce. On this trip, I watched them hand-washing the fresh lettuce—which was all bright green and bright green all the way through. I would say the ingredients were all top notch, and the acidity of the toppings made it almost unnecessary to use any dressing. Almost, in this case, was the problem. I’m typically a big advocate of little to no dressing over a salad, especially one with some exciting and flavorful veggie toppings. In this case, it would have been nice to have a splash of olive oil coating the lettuce. Based on watching salad prep at Enrico’s, I’ve actually started to do exactly that in salads I make at home: spritz the lettuce with a bit of good olive oil, then toss with a pinch of salad and pepper before moving forward. I certainly don’t fault them for missing the tomatoes, but that might have added enough extra flavor to render any oil unnecessary.

Second trip: Amazing Garden Salad. It seems this was the salad I should have ordered from teh get-go: it’s basically my ideal salad preparation. With avocado, carrot, red ionion, tomato, broccoli, red pepper, sunflower seeds, chick peas and cilantro all riding atop green leaf lettuce. I tasted a faint hint of some type of dressing or extra topping that I suspect might be either soy sauce or a soy sauce based dressing. Whatever it was, it added an great (but still subtle) touch. It even took me a little while to figure out what it was.

From Visit #1: The Mediterranean Salad (with lens smudge)

From Visit #2: The Garden Salad

A complaint: smaller bites or a knife…please. My biggest (and probably only) complaint with Juice Box cafe is over the large pieces I found in both salads. On both visits, I thought the lettuce pieces were ever so slightly too big. Lacking a knife, there were a few bites for which I felt a little silly shoving into my mouth. The problem could easily be resolved with smaller pieces in the salad and/or a knife in addition to the fork that they stick in your salad bowl. I really hope they pick up one or the other. The knife option is probably more flexible (and therefore preferable).

On juice: don’t write it off. I try to avoid smoothies, shakes, and juice-based drinks at most establishments. I’d rather pick up my daily calories from food (and, well, beer). Except, that’s almost not necessary at Juice Box. They have a juicer behind the counter, and many of the juice options include just as much vegetable as fruit—I’m guessing they never add sugar, either. Plus, they offer a 12 ounce serving that’s probably pretty low-cal. On my second visit, I tried the slice of life with no ice (to maximize flavor) and really enjoyed it. Even if you’re a health nut, be sure to at least glance over the list. I recommend focusing on juice before smoothies.

Juice: Slice of Life (12 oz. with no ice)

A final take: I love Juice Box Cafe. This one is definitely a must try (for the health not). Though they are open for dinner, it has the feel of lunch stop, so there’s no beer too be found. That’s just what they are. With that caveats aside, it’s exactly my kind of place. If you’re looking for a healthy lunch or dinner in Shadyside, you owe it to yourself to give it a try. If you identify at all with the tastes I lean toward in this blog, then you’ll probably love the place just as much as I do.

Penn Brewery & Restaurant
www.pennbrew.com

800 Vinial St
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
(412) 237-9400

If you haven’t read my preview post from growler hours the week before they opened, go catch up. After that preview post, I went back—twice. Once with some friends during the soft opening, and again with the Pittsburgh Beer Meetup. Both visits were on week nights, so there was still quite a bit of open space at the tables around us. It will be interesting to see how crowded things get now that they’re back in full swing (or on the weekends).

In the beer hall. One thing to note about Penn Brewery is that it’s a big place: the main room is really a big German beer hall—very much like the main hall at Hofbräuhaus (without the frat party). Penn Brewery’s hall is smaller (less than half the size), but has quite a bit more character and plenty of history. I like to think of the place as the bier hall for those looking to avoid bouncers and skip the shots served off skis. I’ll opt for beer over bouncers any day. Plus, they offer plenty of parking in a somewhat dilapidated but still completely functional two story garage.

German food with a bit of ‘Burgh flare. Much of you see on the new menu will look familiar (both lunch and dinner). There’s no shortage of sausage, sauerkraut, and plenty of big hearty sandwiches (fear not, I have photos). What’s new is a little bit more interesting to me: a lighter side with even a few veggie options—though I still think those options could use some work.

Really, some healthy options? Yep. In addition to the very German and very Pittsburgh appetizers/entrees/sandwiches, they now have a salad section of the menu (though even it includes a <em>Pittsburgh Salad</em>). They even open up a salad bar at lunch, but I’ve never seen it in action to really comment on it. The brewery even seems to be opening up to veggie-friendly options outside the restaurant: the offered up vegetarian sloppy Joes that I completely missed at their annual Microbrew Festival. The reports I’ve heard so far are that they were actually pretty good.

Still not a health-nut-haven, but that’s okay. Though it’s refreshing to see a classic Pittsburgh establishment open up a little bit to a more health-conscious dining public, it is still a German restaurant—not a haven for healthy eating. I’m fine with that status, but I still don’t want to give the wrong impression in this post. Outside the salad section, the whole menu is both starch heavy and calorie dense. That’s what German food tends to be, and, for many people, that’s exactly the draw.

One annoyance to note: every freakin’ salad included bacon by default (short of the Gurkensalat, with cucumbers and dill). If the bacon offends you, don’t forget to ask them to hold it.

Seriously authentic sourdough rye. While you’re waiting for food, they bring out a very traditional Rye sourdough bread. I don’t normally comment on table bread, but this one has a great story. According to Mary Beth Pastorious (the brewer’s wife and who I would call the restaurant organizer), she and Tom brought a sample loaf back from a trip out to Deutschland. They bought a loaf at the airport and, immediately after arriving in Pittsburgh, made their way to Breadworks for their bakers to sample and create a recipe of their own. As I would expect from Breadworks, the results were quite notable: lots of sourdough and rye flavor, and definitely worth trying.

Some authentic Sourdough Rye

For my dinner, I ordered the Brewhouse Salad.I’m a bit of an advocate for skipping special requests when ordering, so I didn’t ask them to hold the bacon (showing once again, that I’m not really a vegetarian). I’m thinking I’d put in the request for future visits—I’ll eat it, but it’s more than worth avoiding. Other than bacon, I’d say the salad was quite good. I noted mixed greens, diced tomato, red onion, hard boiled egg, toasted sunflower seeds and a fairly light dusting of shredded cheddar cheese. That all makes for a pretty good mix, plus that was just a big version of the Grüner Salat. That’s the side salad, so there’s a convenient smaller option to pair with something else: a big win from my perspective.

Going around the table. I didn’t capture the complete spread of entrees at my table, but I did capture some of the highlights when I went out with friends. First off, both the Braumeister Steak and Über-big Schnitzel sandwiches were well-presented and huge, if that’s what you’re looking for. It’s been so long that I can’t quite remember comments from the ones ordering. The Braumeister is really just a cheese steak, with Gouda replacing a more traditional cheese topping. The schnitzel looks a little more interesting, but I still wouldn’t call it very German. Both sandwiches appeared on what looked like a high quality roll, which I’m guessing was a huge plus.

The Braumeister Steak Sandwich

The Über-big Schnitzel Sandwich (isn't that redundant?)

For the more traditional entrees, I have photos for the Wurst Platte, the Hungarian Goulash and the Käsespätzle. The wurst is self explanatory, but Goulash could really go anwhere. It looks like Penn served up an extremely thick variant—more like a gravy than a stew, served over homemade egg noodle.

Some Thick Hungarian Goulash

The Obligatory Wurst and Saurkraut Plate

While the Käsespätzel does come with a side salad, the menu decides to call it “a vegetarian favorite,” which I find a little irritating. Though the dish doesn’t include meat, I find that most vegetarians are exceptionally health-conscious. With the exception of religion-inspired vegetarianism, a healthy lifestyle is usually a big part of the rational for going veg. A big plate of cheese drenched dumplings is…anything but. My take, it’s vegetarian, but I suspect not one of that crowd’s favorites. It’d also be nice to have the salad in a separate dish from the hot portion of the entree.

Meat free but not so healthy Käsespätzel

The beer is what’s drawing me in. Obviously, beer is a major draw for Penn Brewery. That alone is really what keeps me interested (and posting more about them than I ought to). Much like Höfbrau, they focus on German styles and keep the list relatively small: I imagine that the number of lager’s on the list. Unlike Fat Heads, they serve up only their own beer.

To avoid repeating myself, I’ll just quote my beer discussion from my growler hours visit:

Because it’s really all about the beer. At least, that’s where I stand. If you’ve ever followed Penn in the past, the beer options will look familiar—with the exception of the newly established Allegheny Pale Ale (their first American stylebeer). The traditional options all represent classic German styles: a Dunkel (Penn Dark), a Helles (Penn Gold), a Märzen (Pen Pilsner), and a German Pilsner (Kaiser Pils).

Also worth noting; Jeff Bearer, of Craft Beer Radio fame, is a continual advocate for their Penn Weizen Hefeweizen—though it hasn’t yet returned to the rotation. If you like the style, be sure to keep an eye out for it’s return.

Some pale ale improvement. The first time I tried the Allegheny Pale Ale, at their very first public event in the fall, I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. Penn’s first attempt at an Ale tasted…well, a little rough around the edges. The bitterness seemed very much out of balance relative to the malt body of the beer and I detected far too little hop flavor/aroma to really call it an American (or maybe even India?) Pale Ale I think they’re aiming for. This time, I had a chance to sample some more of pale ale from someone else’s pint and came away with a slight better impression. I’m guessing that’s at least partially due to aging, but I’m hopeful there’s also some recipe work taking place.

What’s my final take? Penn Brewery is clearly a Pittsburgh standard. The strong focus on quality beer and a vastly superior atmosphere to some other local beer halls keep me going back, but the menu is still quite a ways from my preferred culinary themes, but I’m probably an outlier and they can’t be all things to all people. Even so, they’re at least trying to serve up a lighter side with a new offering of some quality salads (if they ditch the bacon on at least one of them). Basically, they’re now the type place where you could go even if you have a vegetarian friend in your group. Honestly, that leaves my feelings for the place all over the map.

If someone asked me what I thought, I’d almost have different answers for different people—more so than another place I review. If you’re a beer enthusiast, I’d say they’re a must try. If you’re just a foodie or maybe a health nut, then Penn Brewery is still worth a shot but probably not the top of your list. If you’re into big plates of well-prepared German food, they probably shoot right back to the top. I tend to be the foodie/health nut, but the beer guy in me means I’ll always be a big supporter.

The short form. For those who like it short and sweet…

1. I will be handing out two free tickets for the Best Restaurants Party.
2. You post a comment below recommending a restaurant for FoodBurgh.
3. You make sure to include a valid email address with your comment
4. I randomly pick one of the valid entries on May 22 at 8:00am.
5. I broadcast the winner’s name on facebook and Twitter.
6. I email you details how how to get your tickets.

The long form. Now, for those who tolerate verbosity…

What is the best restaurants party? Pittsburgh Magazine collects a whole list of great Pittsburgh restaurants and gathers them all up in the convention center. You’ll find a booth for each restaurant along with samples, additional information, and some restaurant staff who can answer your questions. Who knows, you might even get a chance to talk to the chef.

I’ve actually never been out there before, but the photos from last year should give you some idea of what to expect. From what I can tell, it looks like a great time. Just think of it as the Steel City Big Pour of food…except it’s a little bit more expensive to get in with a correspondingly smaller crowd. In this case, that means you’ll have a little more space to spread out. I have two tickets of my own, and I’m definitely looking forward to giving it a try.

I suspect that if you read this blog, you’re probably hoping to get your hands on some tickets of your own. Consider this your chance.

Ground rules. The basic ask is that you post a comment below with a restaurant that I really need to visit (and write up in the blog). Tell me about that one place that you’ve been itching for me to write up. If you’re going to win, I need to have a way of contacting you, so it’s important to provide a valid email address when you fill in the comment. It won’t be made public, but I will be able to see it (and follow up if you win.) Once we hit the deadline, I’ll pick a winner at random.

The deadline is Saturday morning. Yes, I’m some sort of crazy morning person. I’ll be picking a name on Saturday morning and contacting the winner that day. I’ll also post the the winning entry to both my Twitter account and the FoodBurgh facebook page. I’ll also note it here on the blog in a post party wrap-up.

So what are you waiting for? Tell me where I need to go next!