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!!
Showing posts with label Point Breeze. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Point Breeze. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Monday, January 14, 2013
Point Brugge Cafe
Point Brugge Cafe is one of my favorite places in the city to eat. It has a great atmosphere and most of all great food. I have had may of the items that are featured on the menu, including: Hop Devil Shrimp, Macaroni Gratin, Moules Frites with basil mayonnaise (all flavors), Chaud Chevre salad, Cafe Chicken sandwich and the Point Burger. There are alot of other amazing things on the menu but when I go to Point Brugge its for an appetizer and then the Mussles! I have had mussels at other restaurants but they have not compared to the mussles at Point Brugge. My friends, who have actually been to Brussels said that these mussels rival the ones they had in Belgium!
Now to discuss the food! Let's start at the beginning, shall we:
Mussels - the star of the show - there are two sizes, a pound and a half or a little smaller. There are also three different flavors: white wine, shallots, garlic and cream (My absolute favorite), curry, coconut milk, basil and cilantro, or tomato, fried brussel sprouts and parmesean. If you get the large portion, french fries with their wonderful basil mayonnaise is included. As I said the white wine sauce is my favorite but I did have them all and they are all very good. The mussels are cooked perfectly; however, there will be grit/sand in a couple of them - that is normal. Also, you get unlimited pieces of warm baguette bread to dip in the overflowing sauce of your choice!
Hop Devil Shrimp - 6 Large, succulent shrimp, cooked perfectly and beer battered in Hop Devil beer. The hop devil beer is very tangy and provides a nice flavor to the shrimp especially when dipping them into the slightly spicy, Asian dipping sauce. Perfect start to anyone's culinary experience at Point Brugge.
Macaroni Gratin - Macaroni baked in three cheeses; gruyere (one of my favorites), parmesean and cheddar. One of the best baked macaroni and cheese dishes that I have ever ate. Its not too heavy to start off your meal.
Chaud Chevre Salad - Crisp greens with asparagus and roasted red peppers with the acompaniement of soft, warm, creamy goat cheese. And the house dressing - very tasty! This is my favorite of all the salad options. But, I love goat cheese especially on a salad. There is an option to add salmon, chicken or portabella mushrooms. To me, there is nothing like warm, creamy goat cheese paired with perfectly cooked salmon.
Cafe Chicken sandwich - Grilled Chicken on a warm baguette with fresh mozzerella, roasted red peppers, romaine lettuce and basil mayonnaise. I love mayonnaise, its my favorite condiment. And their basil mayo is to die for. it lightens up the richness of the mayo and provides great flavor to this and any sandwich and french fries.
Point Burger - Fresh ground chuck topped with bacon, carmelized shallots, fontina cheese, arugula, and whole grain mustard aioli. Now, with this burger, I change mine up a bit. Really, I mean with the aioli and the basil mayonnaise. I dont like whole grain mustard so I switch the mustard out for the mayo. For those of you who may not know - shallots are in the onion family but there flavor is not as bold as the onion. And caremlized, they are perfect. Arugula, is a lettuce that usually goes on top of different sandwiches wtih a smoky, peppery flavor.
Please check out Point Brugge either for lunch, dinner or brunch and let me know what you think! I havent been there for brunch, but I heard it was amazing! Also, I would get there a little early because its not just one of my favorites, it does get crowded quickly and the wait can be quite long, especially with a large party. In the warmer months, they do provide outside seating but that is also limited. Stay and have a cocktail, beer or wine, they have quite the selection and not too pricey.
Now to discuss the food! Let's start at the beginning, shall we:
Mussels - the star of the show - there are two sizes, a pound and a half or a little smaller. There are also three different flavors: white wine, shallots, garlic and cream (My absolute favorite), curry, coconut milk, basil and cilantro, or tomato, fried brussel sprouts and parmesean. If you get the large portion, french fries with their wonderful basil mayonnaise is included. As I said the white wine sauce is my favorite but I did have them all and they are all very good. The mussels are cooked perfectly; however, there will be grit/sand in a couple of them - that is normal. Also, you get unlimited pieces of warm baguette bread to dip in the overflowing sauce of your choice!
Hop Devil Shrimp - 6 Large, succulent shrimp, cooked perfectly and beer battered in Hop Devil beer. The hop devil beer is very tangy and provides a nice flavor to the shrimp especially when dipping them into the slightly spicy, Asian dipping sauce. Perfect start to anyone's culinary experience at Point Brugge.
Macaroni Gratin - Macaroni baked in three cheeses; gruyere (one of my favorites), parmesean and cheddar. One of the best baked macaroni and cheese dishes that I have ever ate. Its not too heavy to start off your meal.
Chaud Chevre Salad - Crisp greens with asparagus and roasted red peppers with the acompaniement of soft, warm, creamy goat cheese. And the house dressing - very tasty! This is my favorite of all the salad options. But, I love goat cheese especially on a salad. There is an option to add salmon, chicken or portabella mushrooms. To me, there is nothing like warm, creamy goat cheese paired with perfectly cooked salmon.
Cafe Chicken sandwich - Grilled Chicken on a warm baguette with fresh mozzerella, roasted red peppers, romaine lettuce and basil mayonnaise. I love mayonnaise, its my favorite condiment. And their basil mayo is to die for. it lightens up the richness of the mayo and provides great flavor to this and any sandwich and french fries.
Point Burger - Fresh ground chuck topped with bacon, carmelized shallots, fontina cheese, arugula, and whole grain mustard aioli. Now, with this burger, I change mine up a bit. Really, I mean with the aioli and the basil mayonnaise. I dont like whole grain mustard so I switch the mustard out for the mayo. For those of you who may not know - shallots are in the onion family but there flavor is not as bold as the onion. And caremlized, they are perfect. Arugula, is a lettuce that usually goes on top of different sandwiches wtih a smoky, peppery flavor.
Please check out Point Brugge either for lunch, dinner or brunch and let me know what you think! I havent been there for brunch, but I heard it was amazing! Also, I would get there a little early because its not just one of my favorites, it does get crowded quickly and the wait can be quite long, especially with a large party. In the warmer months, they do provide outside seating but that is also limited. Stay and have a cocktail, beer or wine, they have quite the selection and not too pricey.
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