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!
Showing posts with label Pittsburgh Restaurant Week. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pittsburgh Restaurant Week. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Monday, January 28, 2013
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!
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!
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
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!
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!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
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!!!!!
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!!!!!
Pino's - Point Breeze
My first stop, Pino's Italian restaurant - www.chefpino.com. They are one of the very few restaurants that have participated in Pittsburgh Restaurant Week for all three seasons. Yes, Pittsburgh Restaurant Week isn't just once a year!
In Participating with Pittsburgh Restaurant Week, they had both a 3-course fixed priced menu and a special flatbread & glass of wine menu. I opted for the special flabread & glass of wine menu. There are 3 flatbreads to choose from: Tomato Basil & Fresh Mozzarella, Sausage with Sweet & Hot Peppers, Tomato & Provolone, & Wild Mushroom & Fontina. I chose the wild mushroom and fontina flabread, which was paired with Sparkling Rose.
First off, while I was waiting for the flatbread, I was brought warm breadsticks that were soft and had the right amount of seasoning with a sun-dried tomato and caper dipping sauce. Delicious, and I don't even really like sun-dried tomatoes. It was salty and spicy and paired very well with the warm bread. I took the remaining breadsticks and the rest of the dipping sauce to go for later snacking!
Now to the flatbread. Let me tell you, this flatbread was sooo good! If you are a mushroom lover, this is the pizza for you. It comes as 6 large slices and can easily be shared. Definitely get parmesean cheese sprinkled on top; the saltiness from the parmesean cheese really develops more of the flavors. For me, it was tasty, but I also have a pretty sofisticated palate and like food to go one step further. This flatbread could easily be taken to a whole new level if a bed of arugula was added to the top with a slight amount of truffle oil. The peppery bite of the arugula with the distinct taste of the truffle oil would send it over the top! For those of you who do not like or has never tried arugula or truffle oil, that is perfectly ok, this flatbread is still very delicious and worth every bite! I only ate 3 slices and then was talked into getting dessert; homemade Tiramisu. Just saying, AMAZING!!! It is probably the best I have had around the city. I even tried to save some but I just couldnt. It was creamy and chocolately from the sprinkled cocoa and just the right amount of coffee flavoring. Incredible!!
I was also able to meet the chef and owner of Pino's, who both were very friendly and delightful and want the diner to have an amazing experience. There prices are right and the food is delicious. Aside from their delicious menu, there are half-priced wine bottle selections everyday. Pino's is defintiely a hidden gem in Point Breeze. Please, go out and discover the delicious food and desserts along with their amazing wine selection. Let me know what you think!!!! Good eatings!!
In Participating with Pittsburgh Restaurant Week, they had both a 3-course fixed priced menu and a special flatbread & glass of wine menu. I opted for the special flabread & glass of wine menu. There are 3 flatbreads to choose from: Tomato Basil & Fresh Mozzarella, Sausage with Sweet & Hot Peppers, Tomato & Provolone, & Wild Mushroom & Fontina. I chose the wild mushroom and fontina flabread, which was paired with Sparkling Rose.
First off, while I was waiting for the flatbread, I was brought warm breadsticks that were soft and had the right amount of seasoning with a sun-dried tomato and caper dipping sauce. Delicious, and I don't even really like sun-dried tomatoes. It was salty and spicy and paired very well with the warm bread. I took the remaining breadsticks and the rest of the dipping sauce to go for later snacking!
Now to the flatbread. Let me tell you, this flatbread was sooo good! If you are a mushroom lover, this is the pizza for you. It comes as 6 large slices and can easily be shared. Definitely get parmesean cheese sprinkled on top; the saltiness from the parmesean cheese really develops more of the flavors. For me, it was tasty, but I also have a pretty sofisticated palate and like food to go one step further. This flatbread could easily be taken to a whole new level if a bed of arugula was added to the top with a slight amount of truffle oil. The peppery bite of the arugula with the distinct taste of the truffle oil would send it over the top! For those of you who do not like or has never tried arugula or truffle oil, that is perfectly ok, this flatbread is still very delicious and worth every bite! I only ate 3 slices and then was talked into getting dessert; homemade Tiramisu. Just saying, AMAZING!!! It is probably the best I have had around the city. I even tried to save some but I just couldnt. It was creamy and chocolately from the sprinkled cocoa and just the right amount of coffee flavoring. Incredible!!
I was also able to meet the chef and owner of Pino's, who both were very friendly and delightful and want the diner to have an amazing experience. There prices are right and the food is delicious. Aside from their delicious menu, there are half-priced wine bottle selections everyday. Pino's is defintiely a hidden gem in Point Breeze. Please, go out and discover the delicious food and desserts along with their amazing wine selection. Let me know what you think!!!! Good eatings!!
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Pittsburgh Restaurant Week
January 14 - January 28 is Pittsburgh Restaurant Week!!!! 50 Restaurants are participating and have amazing fixed menu specials. I will be in and out of a few myself to try as much delicious food as possible and I will report back to all of you with my findings. Each day, whether lunch or dinner, I will blog my experience, so stay tuned to hear about one of your favorite restaurants. If there is a specific restaurant that you want me to try, then please comment on here or on my Facebook and let me know!
Also, if anyone has tried a restaurant participating in Pittsburgh Restaurant Week, please share your thoughts about the restaurant and especially the food. Here is to your culinary journey, happy eating!!!!!
Website: http://pittsburghrestaurantweek.com/
Also, if anyone has tried a restaurant participating in Pittsburgh Restaurant Week, please share your thoughts about the restaurant and especially the food. Here is to your culinary journey, happy eating!!!!!
Website: http://pittsburghrestaurantweek.com/
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