Soba

This month, mama and papa TOP surprised PID and I with a visit to the 'burgh for my birthday! A welcomed treat with added stress -- their gift to me was dinner on them at a restaurant of my choice.

I'm used to choosing restaurants on a whim!  So I was under a bit of pressure to find a place that would be worthy of the folks who so graciously blessed me with a passionate love of all things food. Part of me wanted to badly to take them to Spoon -- one of my favorite places in the city.  They'd already enjoyed another of my favorites, Willow.  So I went with a restaurant choice that was new to all of us and we all ventured to Shadyside to eat at Soba!

Papa TOP and PID are tellin' me they're too hungry to wait for pictures!

Shockingly, given the amount of time PID and I spend in Shadyside, neither of us had ever dined at Soba.  I have always been a fan of the Big Burrito Restaurant Group so I was very excited to give this place a go!

Soba is located amongst the eclectic shops and pubs of Ellsworth Avenue in Shadyside. Perfect for a pre or post-dinner stroll and even better for a post dinner night cap. The restaurant offers two floors of seating with indoor and outdoor options and an attractive lounge surrounding the bar for a very versatile dining experience. The decor is modern yet comfortable and really sets the mood for a delicious dinner out.

The four of us agreed to start with the calamari:

Soba's Calamari

  

The aioli was perfect: not too tasteless, but not too heavy.  It married nicely with the fresh flavor of the cilantro and the crisp of the calamari.

From there, we were torn between the amazing looking options on their menu. In my opinion, the size of a menu can make or break a restaurant.  Too many options and guests feel anxiety trying to choose, then often spend the evening dealing with food envy as they watch their companions swoon over the option they almost went with!  Too small of a menu and guests might feel as though the kitchen is limited and they are being forced to make a decision.  At Soba, the menu was just right. A variety of small plates, entrees, desserts and even wine, but not so much that we could not figure out what to do.

PID went with the Korean Flank Steak. Seared to perfection and served on an outstandingly surprising shrimp pancake bed, this dish was one that will keep us coming back (I can't wait to order it for myself next time!).  The fresh peach kim chi was a welcomed addition and provided for a cool surprise between bites.

Korean Flank Steak

 Papa TOP ordered the pork tenderloin.  One thing that I love about Soba is that the dishes and menu are constantly changing to complement the seasonal fruits and vegetables. His pork came with fresh broccolini and zucchini -- perfect for summer.  Checking their menu today it looks like this dish comes with corn and potatoes which I'm sure would be delicious. My favorite part of papa TOP's dish was the pork belly which literally melted in your mouth.  Definitely worth ordering!

Pork tenderloin with pork belly

Mama TOP ordered the Pad Thai.  It was a great mash-up of chicken, shrimp and tofu and the flavor of the sauce was wonderful. The helping was quite large and the heaping pile of cilantro on top didn't really add much to the dish and mama TOP couldn't quite finish her meal. We took it home and ate it for lunch the next day and it just didn't have the same flavor. Though we didn't hate it, I think - given the opportunity - we wouldn't order the Pad Thai here again.

Pad Thai

I was in the mood for fresh sushi, so I went with two small plates to make up my meal!  I was inspired by the chopsticks and stone holder set on the table before we arrived.  The Spicy Tuna Maki and Yellowtail Sashimi were absolutely delicious.  Though the maki didn't stand out to me as anything too different from the other sushi restauarnts in town, the sashimi went above and beyond my expectations. The watermelon carpaccio and jalepeno rings were a surprising pair that added huge flavor to this tiny dish. I definitely recommend it!

Spicy Tuna Maki

Yellowtail Sashimi

Three out of four of us were beyond pleased with our main dishes, and though our bellies were nearly full - we couldn't help but give a few desserts a try.  Every dessert is $8 which makes it much easier to decide on your favorite without worrying about the price.

The Chocolate Pretzel Stack was by far my favorite.  The salty-sweet flavors were a perfect combination and the crunch of the pretzel chips with the smooth texture of the cream was an amazing contrast.

Chocolate Pretzel Stack

We also ordered the Lemongrass Pot-du-Creme to give ourselves a variety between fruit and chocolate tastes. The strawberry-tamarind sorbet shined in this dish -- the cool bite added a kick of flavor which hit you right in the back corners of your mouth.

Lemongrass Pot-du-Creme

Finally, I received a welcome birthday surprise with a candle smack in the middle of a trio of ice creams made in-house. The chocolate, strawberry and lime ice creams were by far some of the best I've ever had. I found it pretty difficult to share the strawberry with anyone, but I found a way.

Strawberry, Lime and Chocolate Ice Cream Trio

Restaurant Information:
Soba
Address: 5847 Ellsworth Ave
Phone: 412-362-5656
Hours:    Sunday -Thursday, 5p-10p
              Friday/Saturday, 5p-11p
Reservations: Recommended.  We used Open Table!

Cliffs Notes:
The parents TOP generously took care of this meal in honor of my CENSORED birthday, but I can give you a run down without the drinks, tip and tax!
Appetizer:     Calamari @ $9
Entrees:         Korean Flank Steak @ $28
                     Pork Tenderloin @ $25
                     Pad Thai @ $19
                     Spicy Tuna Maki @ $9
                     Yellowtail Sashimi @ $14
Dessert:        Chocolate Pretzel Stack @ $8
                    Lemongrass Pot-du-Creme @ $8
                    Ice Cream Trio @$8

Overall Opinion: 
Soba was definitely my type of place.  A fusion of Asian and American flavors combined with a very beautiful atmosphere made it the perfect choice for a birthday dinner. Though the Pad Thai was a little lackluster, the desserts were impeccable and the service was fantastic. After dinner we took a walk down Ellsworth and grabbed a few cocktails at a nearby pub which made for a perfect evening with PID and the Parents. Thank you to Mama and Papa TOP for a wonderful birthday and thank you to Soba for a delicious meal. 

 

Cioppino and GoodTaste! Pittsburgh

It's been a while. An awfully long time, in fact.  I've been here and there and New York and Philadelphia and home to see the TOP fam and sleep off the Tryptophan, but I'm back!  You may have missed me, you may have....not. But I have a few tidbits of tasty tidings to report if you’re up for hearing them!

First, I have to tell you about a little event called GoodTaste! Pittsburgh

PID and I were lucky enough to know someone who knows someone who happens to be the brains behind this FANTASTIC foodie event.  Dee, you are a wonderful woman! What an event! I can sum it up in a few words although it deserves SO much more than that:

Celebrity chefs, dessert sushi, free samples, wine tasting, local vendors, bacon. 

C’mon. Just TRY to tell me those words alone don’t make you want to buy next year’s ticket right now. 

We spent a good four hours roaming the floor of the Monroeville Expo Center and still felt it wasn’t enough time to take it all in. This TOP is a HUGE Top Chef fan and I was extremely excited to get to see Spike Mendelsohn in action!  Did I get to meet him or get a picture? By my own fault, no. I was invited to head out on the town with him and a few of the PR folks behind the show, but sadly I was quite under the weather that weekend and with a heavy heart, I turned down the invitation. But I hear from a first person evening recap that he is EXTREMELY friendly and outgoing!

Here are a few pictures to whet your appetite for next year’s expo: 

It all began with the celebratory Cracking of the Parm at 9:15 a.m.

There were....a FEW completely awesome celebrity chefs in the house. Who's watching Top Chef All Stars premiering this Wednesday? SPIKE WILL PREVAIL!

A "Sweet Treat" cake decorating challenge caught my eye as soon as we walked in. I swear I'll be a cake decorator one day!

Thanks, goodtastepittsburgh.com

Thanks, goodtastepittsburgh.com

Thanks, goodtastepittsburgh.com

Thanks, goodtastepittsburgh.com

Thanks, goodtastepittsburgh.com

 Dozen's James Gray and Claire Robinson carefully judge each entry...

Thanks, goodtastepittsburgh.com

Then there was the Dessert Sushi competition with a few local celebrity entrants! I heard a few women expressed interest in having this event at their bridal showers! What a cool idea!

 Sushi connoisseur Trevor Corson has the know-how to judge even a dessert sushi competition!

Thanks, goodtastepittsburgh.com

Thanks, goodtastepittsburgh.com

Wine pairings and tastings? You know this was MY favorite part:

And of course PID and I loved perusing the local products.

PID and I certainly had a bacon-and-egg-cellent time!

So what samples did we love enough to purchase?  The winners are...

Mackenzie Creamery's SweetFire Blackberry Jalapeno Goat Cheese was TO DIE FOR and we've already bought our second jar of Miller's hot Mustard.

Remember those PR folks behind GoodTaste?

Well they happen to be close friends of TOP. And we wanted to head out to celebrate a successful event a few days later (once the sniffles subsided) at Cioppino Chophouse in the Strip District just inches away from their world headquarters.

It was a beautiful fall evening and we were pretty excited to check out the view

….and the happy hour.  Cab Sav on special? Yes, please.  We checked out the infamous Cigar Bar before committing to a seat.

Thanks, Cioppinopittsburgh.com

Now don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the smell of cigars at tailgates or outdoor parties or around a card table. But I don't light scented candles on my dinner table, so why would I want to chow down with the smell of (albeit sweet) tobacco invading my nostrils?

Thanks, Cioppinopittsburgh.com

If you're just headed for a drink or a smoke, it's the place to be.  But it proved far too smokey for us to fathom enjoying good conversation - or anything that requires a taste bud for that matter. So we pulled a U-ey and headed back to the cocktail room to each order a glass and an app.

But first came the bread...

Which was OK.  Though typically I feel that sweet butters are a welcome teaser for a meal.  It sweetens the palate in preparation for a delicious savory entree.  However this butter just didn't work for me. And the bread teetered on the edge of stale, or at least it tasted that way to me.

When the appetizers came my PR pals were nice enough to let me snap a few photos before we dug in. D ordered the calamari which came with a nice, crisp crust, but the lemon, parsley garlic aioli stole the show. I even stole some for my Tuna Tartara!

It's not a great shot, but it wasn't a great Tartar. I usually have some detailed explanation involving adjectives and adorable puns...but I just don't have it this time.  I'm not really sure why I didn't like it. I was super psyched for the white truffle oil! It might be the combination of thyme, tarragon and parsley.  Sometimes I think you've just got to K.I.S.S. and be done with it. But remember, I've no culinary training, so maybe it just wasn't my taste!  I smothered it in D's parsley garlic aioli so I could enjoy it a bit more and it worked!

BK chose the White Bean puree Dip (only available on the bar menu) and all three of us picked at hers all evening. It was the clear winner of our not so official app competition.

But this place, by name, is a chophouse so I don't feel that I can rightfully review it without trying a fat, juicy piece of steak. So until I have the opportunity to review that (slightly important) element, I will give the food a tentative

But the conversation among friends?