Smiling Banana Leaf

It's 2016 and a new year and Lisa's Best Of is back!!!! This year, I plan to not only talk about food and wine but about all things new and up and coming. I will continue to talk about food and wine but also bars, fashion/beauty, diet/exercise and of course 2 Local Girls (my dessert catering business) events!

To start off the new year, we begin at the Smiling Banana Leaf. This is a quaint little BYOB Thai restaurant. There may be at most, ten tables, which provides a quiet, intimate setting. The service was good and the food was delicious. I ordered the Cashew Chicken with a side of vegetables while my sister ordered the Yellow Curry. Even though she ordered it at a level 3 (spice level), we had to switch meals, it was a bit too spicy for her!

Both meals had very good flavor; however, the Cashew Chicken was lacking in actual cashews yet overall had lots of flavor and was a pretty large portion. Then there was the Yellow Curry. It was delicious; it was the best I had by far. Yes, that's right, it was better than the curry I usually order from Nicky's Thai. Only at a level 3, it could've been a little spicier for me but regardless, the curry flavor was prominent and the vegetables were cooked perfectly.

Even thought this restaurant isn't located on a main street, it is definitely worth the trip. It's a hidden gem! Try it today and don't forget to take a nice bottle of wine or beer of choice!

2 Local Girls...Sweet and Savory Treats

Hey All,

Today I am writing about my new business venture: 2 Local Girls. My best friend, Steph Symosko and I recently started a sweet and savory dessert business that provides for birthday parties, charitable organizations or just to satisfy your sweet tooth. We recently catered to The Relay for Life in Waynesburg University to support Breast Cancer and Hodgkins Lymphoma. Our Facebook page is www.facebook.com/2LocalGirlsPgh....we have a lot of desserts posted such as: cake balls, Cream cake, Pumpkin Pie, and of course cupcakes, not to mention other delicious desserts. I have been told that our cupcakes 'melt in your mouth!' You can order through facebook or at 2LocalGirlsPgh@gmail.com. In the upcoming months, there is Cinco De Mayo, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Graduation Parties, Weddings, Father's Day, etc. Let us cater your next event, hope to see you soon!


Here is a photo of desserts we created for Relay for Life:




To check out other desserts please visit our Facebook page!

Brewstone Beer Company - Monroeville

Hi all,

Today I want to talk about Brewstone Beer Company located out near Monroeville. I went there for a 30th birthday party for my friend, Colleen. It was pretty awesome! The atmosphere was amazing. Really nice, large bar area and its great for watching sports games. Each individual booth in the bar section had its own television for whichever sport game you are looking. Sort of like Damon's in this regard. And also, there is a waitress for the tables so you don't have to worry about going up to and waiting for a drink at the busy bar. And the waitress, she was on point with the signature drinks. She flat out told me not get a certain drink because it was 'nasty.' She claimed that it had been returned on several other occasions and it just wasn't a drink that was popular. I respect when a waitress/waiter can be honest and actually know the menu.

For the party, they sectioned off the entire back of the bar. There was great space, even once the DJ arrived. It would also be a great place in the warmer months. There is an outdoor patio with great seating and if it is a bit chilly there are individual heaters. For her party, it was snowing so an outdoor celebration wasn't an option!

Now to the good stuff..the FOOD! Her husband ordered a variety of appetizers; pizza, wings, spinach/artichoke dip, bruschetta and a vegetable tray. His mother also provided a cake and cake pops! Up first, the pizza. It was to die for. I was so full after the first walk through of the appetizers, but the staff just kept refilling each item and I could not stop eating the pizza. It was sooo cheesy and garlicky. Even the dough had great flavor. Paired with their Ranch dressing = awesome! Definitely a must order any time you go!

Spinach/Artichoke Dip. Hot and gooey; when you used the spoon to put it on your plate, the cheese just oozed from the serving bowl to your plate.

Wings. Crisp and perfectly cooked. However, for the party, they left them plain but provided BBQ and hot sauce to spoon over yourself. I love that idea, then if people just want to eat them plain with ranch they can too. You don't really have to worry about pleasing everyone with a ton of different flavors.

Bruschetta. An appetizer favorite and was very delicious. Served with crispy crostini (toasted bread), it was the perfect light bite paired with the pizza.

Now, Monroeville is sort of far for me to travel to hang out and drink because then I would have to drive back to the city; however, I do have friends that live out that way and that is a definite must stop spot and then spend the night!

Please, check out Brewstone Beer company, not for just the great tasting beer selections, but also the great tasting appetizers, especially the pizza. Let me know what you think!!!!

Luke Wholey's - Strip District

Hi All,

So I went here for my friend, Jason's 30th birthday. In theory, it was a completely great idea; however, in reality - EPIC FAIL. I really wanted this place to be good but it just wasn't. Don't get me wrong the atmosphere is fabulous and I will definitely return for drinks, especially in the warmer months as they have garage doors that open to the outside but I don't think that I will return for the food.

First, service. The staff was incredibly slow. Knowing that a party of 10-12 has been reserved, you would think that they assigned the right number of staff members. For example, we were supposed to have our own bartender - did not happen and we had one guy, who seemed like it was his first night. I felt bad for him but all those little kinks should have been worked out. It took 30-35 minutes for one drink so, like if we were at a crowded bar, ordered multiple at a time. And, the dining room wasn't bust at all. Moreover, the waiter not only spilled a glass of red wine on the birthday boy's jacket but then tartar sauce on his fiance's jacket and scarf all while having stains of his own on his white shirt.

Second, food. My friend, Katie, ordered oysters to be brought out once everyone arrived and they did. There were two different kinds, regular and Japanese. I am not an oyster fan; however, I did attempt both flavors. The regular I couldn't get down and the Japanese were a little firmer, like a mussel, and tasted like the beach. Not bad! My friend, Katharine ordered Cajun grilled peel and eat shrimp. These had great flavor but I am biased to peel and eat shrimp because it takes work to get to the food, ha! Now the entrees....the fish and chips and the shrimp po' boy were really good along with the blackened Ahi Tuna sandwich. If I were ever to go back for lunch or dinner, these would be the dishes that I would consider getting. The lobster roll was sub-par. If you're craving that, head to Roland's. I got the shrimp and scallops over rice with a side of zucchini. The shrimp and the scallops were pretty good but the rice was drowned in soy sauce and the zucchini shavings, although sprinkled with parmesean cheese out of a canister, had no flavor at all. Overall, not good.

If you like oysters, this is a cool spot! Also, like I mentioned above, in the warmer months the atmosphere will be awesome for casual or formal drinks! Let me know what you think!

Monterey Pub - Northside

Hi all, hope you are having a great start to your week! Place to try - Monterey Pub in the Northside for great pub-style food.

I went to Monterey Pub with two of my good friends, Katie Berger and Katharine Rummel. It had a great atmosphere and was surprisingly large for a side street on the North side. Very quaint and cozy and the staff was very friendly. None of us were interested in anything heavy so we decided to get three different flavors of wings. We got: Buffalo, Blue Cheese and Garlic Parmesean. For starters, I am always skeptical of wings because they usually arent crispy enough. So when we ordered, I forgot to ask for them extra-crispy. However, each and every one was prepared with just enough cripsiness and the flavors in general were very good.

Bleu Cheese. Now, although I am a fan of bleu cheese itself, I use ranch when eating wings. Crazy, I know! Anyway, the wings had great bleu cheese flavor without being overpowerful. Even the chunks of bleu cheese that topped the wings didnt create an abundantly cheesey flavor. And again, wings cooked just right!

Buffalo. When ordering a large amount of wings with different flavors, you have to get the traditional buffalo wings. The sauce wasnt too mild nor too hot and the flavor itself was more than the average Frank's Red Hot and butter.

Garlic Parmesean. Typically, I do not order this flavor of wings because it is usually a ton of garlic chunks and fake parmesean cheese. Needless to say, I figured that I would just eat the buffalo or the bleu cheese and stay away from the garlic parm. When they came out, it wasn't the usual sight. They had been cooked in a falvorful garlic oil with real shreds of parmesean cheese...soooo good!

Next time you are in the North side and looking for some great pub food at a quaint, little place, you must go to Monterey Pub. Let me know what you think!

The Atrium - Prospect, Pa

Here is a little side blog, off of the topic of food, but about the wedding of my good friend, Kathy Maire. I have been given the opportunity to share in her special day, not only as a bridesmaid, but also, wedding planner/consultant. we also work together so it is non-stop wedding shop and it is so much fun. Not having to do it for yourself and helping to create that perfect day for someone else is such a great feeling. Poor little thing, she is a bit clueless but it is funny and cute, my blank canvas!!!!

Wedding date: 4/25/14 so there is still time, but there is a lot to do and time will go by quick. This for me is so much fun, because like me, she is not traditional and it is refreshing to share ideas and thoughts together without each other getting mad or offended. You know how it is, there is at least one person/bridesmaid that feels differently and tries to make that day about them. For Kathy and I, we just don't understand. How girl's can be that competitive and catty and just not want happiness for someone else because of jealousy. Crazy to me, but in this case, the bride and I are on the same page!

On January 19 - The Atrium had its own little bridal showcase, which marketed a few different vendors but mostly was to market the venue itself. It had all the tables set up in different tablecloths with all the different options for centerpieces, buffet table to taste test all of the food, the outside set up for an indoor/outdoor ceremony and then also had an indoor ceremony set up.

There is a huge parking lot for all of the guests. And, when you walk in, you walk into an Atrium, which allows all the outside light to shine in. This would be the place for the cocktail hour and place settings and bar. Although it was pretty cold outside, the feel inside with the sun shining in created just a great feel. On the right was the indoor ceremony location with white folding chairs and very clean, crisp decor and on the left was the ballroom for eating and dancing.

The Carlton and Braddocks - Downtown

Final two stops during Pittsburgh Restaurant Week. I actually ordered both of these places to go because I wasn't feeling to good but I wanted to fit them into my week of tasting, not only for me to try but to advise all of you about the menu's and quality of food.

First, The Carlton, located in the Mellon building. 3 courses - $35. There were a lot of options; my three choices: WILD MUSHROOM CROSTINI, BEEF TENDERLOIN & CAPPUCCINO TORTE.

For the wild mushroom crostini - the mushrooms were sauteed in a Sherry-Garlic Butter and piled over grilled Crostini with Feta Cheese and Basil Oil. I will only say this once...anything good cold is equally good, if not better, warm. This crostini was very, very good. The feta and the basil oil were a great pairing to the wild mushrooms.

Next up, Beef Tenderloin. Broiled to a perfect medium-rare and served with an Herbed Risotto Cake, Wild Mushroom Ragout, Vegetable Medley, Cabernet Glaze and crumbled Blue Cheese. Perfectly cooked, well-rested as to not lose the juices and the side pairing was delicious.

Finally, the cappuccino torte. This dessert was divine. Only thing missing, a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Final stop on my culinary journey through Pittsburgh Restaurant Week - Braddock's, located in the Renaissance Hotel.

Three courses - $30. Starter - Mushroom/Applewood Smoked Bacon Pierogies. For a to-go order, they were a little over cooked, but I am sure if they were fresh, they would be good. Have you noticed a pattern and my love for mushrooms!

SECOND COURSE - Petite Filet, Gouda Smoked Scalloped Potatoes, and Roasted Root Vegetables. Filet, of course, medium rare and for Braddock's not typically a steakhouse, the steak was tender, well-seasoned and cooked perfectly. I love Gouda cheese and the potatoes were soft and creamy and gone very quickly!

THIRD COURSE - Apple Crisp with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. Great crisp and soft apples, but the only flaw would be that were wasn't enough ice cream! I'm not really a fan of hot/baked fruit. But there is something about apple crisp and vanilla ice cream that is sooo delicious and comforting. Braddock's was probably my favorite of them all. I can't wait to try it when the food is not in to-go containers! Definite worth the trip back - to both places!

Six Penn Kitchen

Six Penn Kitchen is located downtown. This is the second time that I've eaten there. I have to say, both times haven't really been all that great. The first time was for my birthday, 4 years ago. I remember getting the roast chicken with plantains but not really the taste of the dish. Now, for Pittsburgh Restaurant Week, it just reminded me why my birthday dinner was not so memorable. The food really wasn't good at all.

The 3-course, fixed-price menu started with Shrimp Bisque, Surf & Turf and peanut butter mousse cheesecake. The shrimp bisque was good; however, the corn-bread croutons tasted more like rye bread that was not nearly crispy enough to stand up against a cream-broth soup. Other than the croutons, the flavor of the soup wasn't too bad.

The Surf & Turf was not good at all. It consisted of a 4 oz crabcake: malt aioli, brussel, bacon, shallot hash cream and a 4 oz filet: topped maytag bleu cheese and portobellas, and onion mashed potatoes.

The crabcake had entirely too much parsley in the batter and the malt aioli just was not good. There was way too much aioli and it completely over-powered the crabcake itself. The brussel, bacon and shallot hash was probably the best thing on the dish. The brussel sprouts were cooked perfectly and the bacon was a great accompaniment. The filet, which the only way to eat a filet is medium-rare, was medium at best. It wasn't too bad in flavor but if I would have preferred my beef any more cooked, it would have been very tough. And, the onion mashed potatoes, were absolutely just not good. There was a huge mound of them, which was double the ratio as anything else on the plate and the onions that were mixed in were just cooked, not caramelized, and the piece were huge. Overall, disappointing.

Finally, the peanut butter mousse cheesecake. It had an oreo crust and topped with whipped cream. Didn't appear to be homemade, but was, by far, the best thing I ate.

The staff and service were good and the drinks were good. However, my return to Six Penn will only be during the warmer months when the rooftop bar is open! Six Penn has a great atmosphere and is very close to Heinz Field and PNC Park, but the food just wasn't up to par. Let me know what you think!

Marty's Market - Strip District

Lunchtime in the strip district with my fellow blogger friend, BeezusKiddo! We both got the $20.13 lunch special; the beet salad, beef bourguignon, and the chocolate pudding. The salad was overtaken with beets and the salad dressing was very good. The pasta (beef bourguignon) was homemade and the beef was tender and well-seasoned. The setting was inside the marketplace and all the ingredients were fresh. Pricing wasn't too bad and the staff was very friendly. There was also a separate coffee bar. The one flaw for me was that there was no real pop/soda. Well, that could have also been a good thing!

Also, you can watch the chef's carve the meats and cheeses and if you need to grab something from the store, it's right there are your disposal. Fresh, organic food - a nice, little change from the surrounding fast food eateries.

Here are pictures of the pasta and the dessert. Marty's market is definitely worth checking out for a healthy, fresh lunch without breaking the budget.

The Common Plea - Downtown Pittsburgh

Next up, The Common Plea Restaurant in Downtown Pittsburgh.

Now, I went for lunch so I was unable to get the fixed-price menu. However, I did get the Common Plea burger with carmelized onions and basil mayonnaise and french fries.

Service was good, I sat in the bar section and it was a little past lunchtime so noone was in the bar, which freed the bartender to be able to be attentive to my table as well as the bar; Food, not bad. The burger came without cheese and actually to add cheese and bacon, it would have been an extra $3. Obnoxious! But the carmelized onions were good and so was the mayo; doesnt compare to the basin mayo from Point Brugge, but it was still good. The french fries were good - nice and crisp.

Then, for dessert, the Sabayon (French) with fresh berries - Delicious!! For many of you that may not be familiar with a Sabayon, it actually, (in Italian), which from the menu, it seemed that was the path that The Common Plea was headed, is called Zabaione or Zabaglione. It is made from egg yolks, sugar, and a sweet wine usually Marsala wine. Typically, the egg yolks are not necessarily cooked, they are whisked until frothy over a double boiler with all the other ingredients until it firms up - like a hollandaise sauce; however, more recently, it starts as a custard. Either way, soooo good! If not for lunch or dinner, head down for a night out for drinks and dessert and let me know what you think!

End of Restaurant Week - Bar Marco

As Pittsburgh Restaurant Week comes to a close, I was able to get to a few more places. Five more in total: Bar Marco, The Common Plea, Marty's Market, Six Penn Kitchen, The Carlton, and Braddocks. First up: Bar Marco!

Bar Marco - 20-Yolk Pasta with Oxtail Ragu; Roast Quail, Field Peas, Dried Cherry Demi; & Apple-Raisin Strudel w/ Goat Cheese-Balsamic Ice Cream. Wines included. Also, braised short ribs with kale chips.

Let me just say, Amazing! The atmosphere was very artsy and very strip district/Lawrenceville. Bar Marco is located in the building where Firehouse Lounge used to be. The staff is very friendly and very attentive and not in an annoying way. Also, the menu changes at most weekly and even some of the items on the menu change daily! They are a farm-table restaurant and everything is fresh and homemade. Definite return trip and may just become one of my staples!!!

Arpino Trattoria - Scott Twp

     Second Place for Pittsburgh Restaurant Week, Arpino Trattoria. Located in Scott Township in the plaza at the intersection of Green Tree Road and Cochran Road, this restaurant sits in the back of the plaza. If you are not from the area, it's quite hard to locate; however, if you go tothe end of the parking lot, park your vehicle and Arpino's is located in the middle of the shopping area.

     This little place has limited seating, making for a nice, quiet romantic feel, along with a sense that you are dining with your family. It is also BYOB, helping to keep you on your budget. Although they had a full menu, I decided to go with the $30 three course fixed price menu: Proscuitto Wrapped Mozzarella with a spicy marinara, Roasted Chicken Thigh and Leg Quarter with Root Vegetables atop a bed of Pecorino Romano Risotto and for dessert, Cranberry Walnut Torta. Along with these choices, were a cup of wedding soup and the chicken saltimbocca with Marsala sauce (proscuitto wrapped chicken).

     Proscuitto wrapped mozzerella, in my opinion, a little salty for my taste. I am not a salt lover. However, it did aid in my consumption of multiple glasses of wine!  But, I do like spicy and the sauce, although great flavor, it was not spicy enough for me. The wedding soup: I have never had chicken in my wedding soup, so I didnt care for that as much, plus there were not enough noodles. The noodles are my favorite part and I usually eat the meatballs sparingly. But, the broth had good flavor.

     Chicken Thigh and Leg Quarter with Risotto: I love the dark meat of the chicken so this was definitely up my alley. It was moist and because of the bone, had very good flavor. The risotto was made perfectly and the flavor was delicious; however, it was entirely too much. I took home leftovers and it didn't even look like I ate anything. Root Vegetables: Celery and carrots. there wasnt much flavor to them but they did add to the coloring of the dish.

     Chicken Saltimbocca: Presentation was on point. It came with broccoli with the entire stem, which, the stems in my opinion are very, very bitter. The chicken itself had good flavor, but it was a breast of chicken, so it was a little dry. The mushrooms and the marsala sauce. To me, it was very syrupy and thick and much too sweet for my palate. A starch, rather then a vegetable, would have paired well with this dish to help the flavor of the marsala sauce.

     Cranberry Walnut Torta: The torta itself was delicious and I loved the texture and flavoring of the walnuts; however, I am not a huge cranberry lover so there were a little too many cranberries for me. But all together, the dessert was delicious. I just picked off or ate around the abundance of the cranberries.


     Again, like Pino's, the chef emerged from the kitchen to see how the meal tasted and he was very nice and friendly. At the end of the meal, he included a shot of Sambuca. Overall, this is definitely a place for a nice, romantic dinner or a quick, hearty meal. Check out it, they have a large menu and something for everyone! Let me know what you ordered and the experience of your culinary journey at Arpino's!!!!!

New Year, New Food to Discover!!!!

Hello all - HAPPY NEW YEAR,

     Now that we are in 2013, there are gonna be alot of things happening on LisasBestof that I am excited to share with all of you!!!

     In the upcoming year, not only will I still be blogging about the amazing food around the city but also, I am going to expand my blog to include: details and planning for the wedding of my good friend, Kathy Maire, tons and tons of recipes - food, desserts and more and introducing the new, tasty (if I may so myself) home-'made' 2 Local Girls - Treat shop, which specializes in all different treats and desserts; cupcakes, cakes, cookies, etc along with Dog Treats. 2 Local Girls - Treat shop can also offer catering declicious foods for different event needs. Yes, although currently amateur, this is the wonderful beginning to share my culinary and pastry skills to the world.  Contact info for ordering to come soon!

     Like it says in the post title; 'New Year, New Food to Discover' and I hope to continue to find all things amazing when it comes to foods and desserts and share it with all of you. Also, please comment and share with me any wonderful recipes or restaurants that need to be discovered or recognized. Til the next post, Happy Eating!!!!