Can I have Sonoma?

Light up night is becoming something of a tradition for PID and I. This is our third straight year of venturing into the chaotic city of steel to get a taste of the holidays and, more recently, a taste of what our local food scene has to offer.

This year, a few F.O.R.T.s decided to join us and we couldn't have been more excited. E1 suggested we dine at her all-time favorite spot in the downtown area and - since PID and I shockingly still hadn't been - we were more than happy to oblige. So, as Jingle Bell Rock bounced acoustically through the air from building to building and roller-blading Santas graciously asked us to clear their path, we made our way to Sonoma Grille.

Capstoned

PID and I had no intentions of dining out this week. You see, we've recently reviewed our bank statements (specifically, our restaurant expenditures) over the past 30 days and...let's just say the figure was less than flattering.

But when an empty fridge prohibited us from cooking a suitable meal at home we decided to dig into our coupon vault and pick a dinner option.  Originally we chose the Olive Garden (we had a gift card), thinking it would be an in-and-out destination. CHA! Yeah right! we squeezed our way past what felt like a thousand people waiting and quickly turned down the hour and a half wait.

After a brief huddle, we decided on Capstone Grill on Rt. 19 in McMurray.  We called ahead to check on their wait situation. We were told it would be 40 minutes, but with their call-ahead seating service we would have priority over any walk-ins who come in after our call and we should be able to slide in relatively soon after arriving. So we made the 27 minute trek.

When I walked in the door, the smell of seared scallops engulfed me.  PID had eaten here only once before and raved about it for weeks, and this powerfully delectable scent was everything he described and more.  But alas, our table was "not quite ready," and so we had to wait. And wait. And wait. All in all, we waited for 78 minutes. Not quite what we were expecting (or told).  At 8:05 I looked at PID and said "if we're not the next name called, we're getting Taco Shop and calling it a night.  Lucky for us, we WERE up next.

With hints of both desperation and exasperation in our voices, PID and I ordered the appetizers we'd known we'd wanted for the past 54 minutes, Bruschetta and Crab Stuffed Mushrooms.

After one bite, I immediately regretted my angst-filled post to Foursquare complaining about the wait and decided...it was worth it.

Tomato Bruschetta with Basil Aioli, $5.25

The bruschetta was bursting with flavor.  The basil aioli was extremely refreshing and PID and I were shocked at the perfection of the toasted ciabatta.  It was not too overdone and not to underdone, so it didn't fall apart/mutilate the roofs of our mouths (folks, it's happened), but still had a slight crunch to it.  Belisimo!

Crab stuffed mushrooms, $8.50

The crab-stuffed mushrooms were excellent. The first thing I've noticed was that this was real, honest-to-God crab meat.  Sadly, I've experienced many a stuffed-mushroom which didn't use the real stuff and it just doesn't measure up.  Served hot and steamy, this appetizer really hit the spot. Which was dying to be hit...so, well played.

As we were waiting for these delicious appetizers, I began perusing the drink menu and -- although I had no real intentions of imbibing -- a certain martini caught my eye.  I've always been a sucker for an good apple-tini, but this one touted a caramel apple twist. Sold! The drink, which was composed of apple schnapps, butterscotch schnapps, three olives vodka and a hint of cinnamon, was delivered in a stemless martini glass, set in a bowl of ice water. How classy!

Caramel Apple Martini, $9.50

Unfortunately I think mine had a touch too much butterscotch schnapps. But it had the makings of an excellent cocktail!

After a moment or two, freshly baked bread and red pepper oil, a salad with raspberry balsamic vinaigrette and Capstone's famous (and rightfully so, I've discovered) Clam Chowder arrived at the table. And away we nommed.

New England Clam Chowder

We moved on quickly to our entrees (it was LATE, after all) and boy were we pleased.  I'd heard nothing but excellent things about the seafood, so I knew I wanted to try some fish.  What's great about Capstone is that you can pick from a list of many fish options and then from another extensive list of preparations.  This was beyond exciting to me...but overwhelming.  Our adorable and knowledgeable server Robin did an outstanding job of steering me in the right direction once I let her in on my fish of choice.  And so, I was served an order of Swordfish -- Thai Chilli BBQ style with a puff of wasabi.

Teriyaki Swordfish, $16

The dish was served with a side corn concoction with cilantro and tomatoes and was by far one of the best side dishes I've had in a while -- as I'm sure you can tell, since I don't normally talk about sides at all.  Cuz they're sides. And stuff.

Tomato cilantro roast corn 

But, as expected, the Swordfish was the star of the show here.  Seared to perfection, this fish was less of a flaky white fish and took on a texture more reminiscent of an excellent cut of steak. It was more meaty and substantial.  I definitely suggest it for folks who want to ease their way into eating fish.  The spiciness of the Thai chillies and saltiness of the soy married excellently with the bite of the wasabi when I mixed them all together on the plate like a 5-year old coloring project gone horribly wrong. This dish? Delish.

14 oz. Sirloin with Horseradish & Bleu Cheese, $21.95

PID had eaten the famed seafood at Capstone before, so the lingering growl in his tummy swayed him to order a giant hunk of cow to switch things up a bit.  He originally wanted the NY Strip, but sadly -- being that it was nearly 9 p.m. when we ordered -- they were fresh out.  Reluctantly he went for the Sirloin instead (14 oz. portion at that -- my darling growing boy...) but was pleasantly surprised.  Sure it was a bit fatty -- what sirloin isn't?  But it was just the right amount of fat to seal in that delicious juicy flavor. Even though the dish was served with a horseradish cream sauce, he forked over the $1.75 and topped his steak with crumbled bleu cheese -- what an incredible decision.  One of my favorite flavor combinations...ON THE PLANET.  He definitely enjoyed.


Restaurant Info:
The Capstone Grill
Address: 4050 Washington Rd, McMurray PA
Phone: (724) 941-1009
Reservations: Not taken, but you can call ahead for expedited seating (if you're lucky).  On weekends, get here at LEAST an hour before you plan on eating anything at all.
Price: $$$

Cliffs Notes:
2 Diet Pepsi's @ $2.49
Tomato Bruschetta @ $5.25
Crab-stuffed Mushrooms @ $8.50
Caramel Apple Martini @ 9.50
6 oz. Swordfish (which came with salad and roast corn) @ $16.00
14 oz. Sirloin (which came with Clam Chowder) @ $21.95
Add bleu cheese @ $1.75
Tax (6% in Washington County): $3.51
Living Social coupon @ -$40.00
Tip @  $15.00 (a good TOPper always tips on the full amount)
Total for 2: $46.44

Overall Opinion:
Despite the fact that we waited...and waited.......and WAITED after being told it would be 30-40 minutes, we really enjoyed our overall experience here.  The food definitely wound up being worth the wait. They really live up to the hype when it comes to serving some of the most outstanding seafood in Pittsburgh.  If you like seafood but haven't yet made the trek to Capstone, what are you waiting for? This place will knock you right off your sea legs.  A sign at the entrance of the restaurant defines Capstone as a "high point or culmination of a series of smaller achievements." This evening's meal was definitely a high point for us when it comes to being served outstanding food. Touche, CG -- and we must agree.

The Table is Set

I've got to admit that for the past year two things have been highly influential in my choosing of restaurants to review.  #1 being convenience.  Whether that means it's near our home, on our way to something or a planned evening with FORTs, our busy schedules don't always allow for us to travel too far -- even for the good of the blog.  We're hoping to expand our taste radius this coming year to include a bit more flavor from the North Hills and we'll certainly do our best to do so.  But for now, I've got another pending review from the deep south that's still got to be shared!  And the reason we chose this place is thanks to influencer #2: Groupon.  I'd actually bought this specific Groupon almost exactly 1 year ago and it took me receiving an expiration notice to remember to use it. 

But a few weeks back, PID and I braved the 6 p.m. route 19 traffic and headed to Table Lakeside.

Though we went what felt like mere days before the deck opened for business and nothing was quite yet in bloom, I could tell it would be a fabulous place for outdoor dining.  With an excellent view of the water and a charming patio ambiance, I was sad we couldn't experience it first hand in peak season.

Nonetheless, we were seated in a dimly lit, scarcely populated dining room and greeted by an incredibly charming waitress. We asked her opinion on appetizers and after she gave us a recommendation, we ordered the Gorg' & Crab Polenta as it sounded so unique. 

What a wonderful recommendation she gave.  It was truly something I had never tasted and was anxious to tell ya'll about!  The crab and Gorgonzola cream sauce married incredibly beautifully on the polenta triangles which soaked up just enough sauce to keep the flavor going with every mouthful. Our only wish was that there was a touch more chunks of jumbo lump crab meat.  Very delicious!


Our spirits were high as we awaited our entrees.  Being his second to last day on the current job, PID had a few moments of free time in the office that afternoon and spent it studying the menu -- so he was more than prepared to order the Strip Steak.

The steak came served with a house potato salad and seasoned snow peas. I took a bite or two as per usual and absolutely loved the potato salad. It was very light and flavorful.  Peas were....peas.  But PID very much enjoyed his steak which was perfectly cooked and pleasantly juicy!

I ignored my instincts that originally steered me in the direction of what was referred to as the "Famous Pork Shank" (I tend to gravitate toward dishes prefaced by the word "famous") and decided I was in the mood for seafood (what's new, huh?) instead. So I ordered the special: lobster and halibut steak served with house linguini.

It was this day that I finally learned my lesson.  I always order specials and am rarely pleased.  I will say this time I was at least half pleased! The lobster was buttery and delicious and I wanted nothing but more.  The halibut was extremely bland and the linguini even more so.  I was slightly disappointed as well when I asked for a cracker for my lobster claw to be told that they had none.  But my fork, albeit messy, wound up working just fine.


Restaurant Info:
Table Lakeside (not to be confused with it's counterpart, Table 22)
Address: 200 N. Lakeside Dr, Canonsburg
Phone: (724) 746-1126
Reservations: Likely needed on weekends, especially during the summer. Weekdays, I'd make them on nights they have events, but not really necessary otherwise
Price: $$$

Cliffs Notes:
Guess who lost the receipt? Here are the general prices I know:
Gorg & Crab Polenta @ $10
Strip Steak @ $28
Yep. That's it.

Overall Opinion:
Despite my bland fish and pasta, I'm actually excited to go back.  I genuinely enjoyed the waitstaff, atmosphere and appetizer and PID was quite pleased with this meal.  The menu was vast enough that I could have made far better decisions and have since heard AMAZING things about the Pork Shank that I apparently should have ordered in the first place.  Maybe I'll swing in for Kareoke on the deck some 2nd or 4th Wednesday this summer?! I certainly hope you'll give it a try! Right now, you can get $10 off your meal just for liking them on Facebook!

 

Georgetowne Inn: Fine Dining on a Low Budget

I've done some thinking.  My original New Year's Resolution was to eat "better."  And while that's still a goal of mine, it's something I shouldn't simply "resolve" to do on January 1.  It should be something that I simply aspire to infinitely. That being said... I simply love to eat the best, most delicious food I can when I'm out to review a restaurant.  So that technically qualifies as "better," right?

That being said, I've made a NEW resolution.  To keep better control of my finances!  So with PID's and my anniversary on the horizon we knew we had a challenge in front of us: find a nice place to celebrate that wouldn't make the sun set on my checking account, especially after a particularly expensive holiday.

So, obviously, we went to Mount Washington. (cue the record scratch...)

If you take a look to your right, you'll likely see a small icon that reads "Restaurant.com."  Your first step to dining fine on a dime is clicking that link and snagging yourself a $25-50 coupon for just a few bucks.  That's what we did with the Georgetowne Inn.  Surprisingly, neither of us had ever been there before (and PID, if you didn't already know, has lived his entire life in the 412).

I'll start with the story.  The night PID and I began dating, we ate dinner with a group of f.o.r.ts at The Fajita Grill on Ellsworth Avenue.  Our plan was to head there for our anniversary but, alas, it was closed.  So we dug through our repertoire of Restaurant.com coupons and decided it was finally time to check out the Georgetowne.

I was a bit nervous because I knew we both wanted to make a serious attempt to spend less money, but we thought hey, $25 is a good start. So off we went.

And it all started with the crackers and cheese...(yes. that's right. crackers and cheese.)

Alright.  You've already won my heart.  Sesame and poppyseed crackers and cheese (forgive me, I don't know my cheeses) were the perfect start to the meal.  But wait folks, we're not done.  We still got bread...

Freshly baked, brought to the table nice and warm with a surprisingly light, but fully flavored butter.  I was in amuse-bouche heaven.

We decided against wine since wine always tends to rack up the bill.  So we immediately moved on to the appetizer and salads...

Though it may not look like much, all I have to say is "wow."  This appetizer caught me by complete surprise.  The Crabmeat Hoezel was something I'd heard of, but never had before.  I wasn't expecting it to be served cold, but it was, and though it shocked me, it was a pleasant shock.  The lemon and vinegar blended so well together and provided a completely light and fresh perspective to the way I've too typically looked at appetizers.

Normally I don't talk about salads since they're generally so standard.  But when I was asked if I wanted "mixed greens or the bacon vinaigrette," it was an obvious choice.  You had me at "bacon."  It was AGAIN such a pleasantly surprising blend of flavors! The spinach and this deliciously subtle bacon flavor was (dare I say it) divine!  Yes people... I know I'm still on the salad here.

PID and I both opted for the French Onion soup.  PID thought it was some of the best he'd ever had, but I found myself missing the ridiculously unnecessary glob of melted cheese on top of the bowl.  Call me old fashioned. Lots of great flavors, though!

Next we moved right on to the main event...

PID and I have similar tastes.  I was leaning toward the Blue NY (New York Strip topped with crumbled blue cheese) but PID beat me to it, so I went with my second instinct, the Veal Oscar.  We both totally and completely enjoyed our meals.  Everything was cooked to perfection, we couldn't think of a single bad thing to say about the meal or the service.

And because of this, though we knew it would add a few bucks, we couldn't pass up dessert.  When that tray came by we found ourselves hungry all over again.  On the count of three, we both said "Raspberry Cheesecake," and so that was what we got!

It was a sweet ending to a beautiful meal and anniversary.

BUT... I will leave you with a warning.  It is January, and though we were absolutely delighted to be seated at a beautiful, secluded corner seat by the window...

I. Was. Freezing.  I'm talkin' teeth-a-chatterin' cold. If you happen to go and have any desire to sit near the window, bring a SWEATER (or two or three).  We could over hear the table next to us saying the same thing.  Let this be a warning!


Restaurant Info:
Georgetown Inn
Address: 1230 Grandview Ave (Mount Washington)
Phone: (412) 481-4424
Hours:  Lunch - 11a-3p
            Dinner - 5p-midnight
Reservations:  Highly recommended
Price: $$$ (unless you've got a Restaurant.com coupon which you can get right over there ----->)


Cliffs Notes:
Restaurant.com Coupon: $3.00
Drinks: 2 Diet Pepsis @ $2.75
Appetizer: Crab Hoezel @ $11.95
Entrees: Veal Oscar @ $31.95
             Blue NY @ $33.95
Dessert: Raspberry Cheesecake @ $6.00
Tax @ 7% (Allegheny County only): $4.50
Restaurant.com Coupon: -$25.00

Total for two: ONLY $68.85!!!

Overall Opinion:
We were very impressed.  We were under the (wrong) impression that this was one of the less expensive restaurants on the Mountain and thus the quality would falter. It definitely did not.  We adored our server, she was right on top of refilling our drinks, the meals were cooked perfectly, the cheesecake was smooth and delicious.  If it weren't for the bitter cold, this would have been damn near a five-star experience (turn up the darn thermostat, GI).  I really enjoyed the rustic atmosphere that reminded me of a cabin getaway. The two of us felt very comfortable and happy.  If I haven't said it enough, I will say it again: we were very pleasantly surprised over and over again, especially at the end when we saw our totally reasonable bill. It was a very happy anniversary indeed.

Bistro 19

I love Washington Rd. in Mt. Lebanon.

I've come to that conclusion before during Saturday afternoon window shopping jaunts and former lunchtime trips to Mineo's Pizzeria but was happily reminded this past Friday evening as PID and I ventured to Bistro 19 on the corner of Washington and Central.

We waited just a bit too long to make reservations so our only available time slot was 8:30 p.m. but I've been dying to try this place for a while. So we headed down a bit early to grab a drink at the bar and hope for early seating.

Thanks, Bistro19.com

It was a bustling Friday evening during Halloween weekend and with Molly Brannigans and The Saloon just a stones-throw away, those late reservations came in handy as we got to catch an entertaining glimpse of countless vampires, fairies, Ninja Turtles and Super Mario characters walk by. We were also highly entertained with Kevin, the Bistro "regular" who seemed to have gotten a head start on the weekend.

The space was quaint, but the atmosphere was well thought out. It made me hungry just sitting there. For the smallish size of the restaurant I didn't feel crowded in the least which -- as you know -- is one of my biggest pet peeves. I really liked the feel here.

Thanks, Bistro19.com

No go on the early seating, but I was OK with that because I spent the time at the bar looking over the menu in an attempt to make a VERY difficult decision on what to order. Everything looked so good!  Both the hostess and server were quick, efficient and quite pleasant.  I made my decision. We started with the bread...

 

None of the bread options were particularly appealing so I was relying on the butter to nail it home.  It was a sweet butter with chives. To me, an extremely odd combination of flavors which left an odd aftertaste. But PID liked it quite a bit, so don't necessarily take my word for it.

Then, on to the appetizers...

Though it looked absolutely delicious, we were strongly against ordering the calamari because we wanted to shake things up a bit (and we always order calamari) so went for what was called "Crab Grilled Cheese."  It certainly sounded interesting!  But once our server read the specials we knew we couldn't pass up the Mushroom Bisque, either. So we ordered one of each.

We were torn here. The crab grilled cheese was served atop a balsamic glaze and baby greens and while I'm typically a balsamic junkie, I actually thought it really took away from the flavor of the crab.  However, I tried a bite without any glaze and it was rather bland. It was either too much or too little. PID and I were both pretty disappointed. (I have to say the Parmesan encrusted tomatoes were VERY good, though!)

But -- though it could have used a better presentation method -- the Mushroom Bisque blew us both away.  I actually sent my compliments to the chef (which I don't often do) and filled out a comment card requesting that it be put on the permanent menu. Typically bisque's are composed of pureed seafood of some sort, so the mushroom really intrigued me. It was perfectly creamy and had that hint of buttery aftertaste which I love. Technically this was PID's order, but I made sure to sneak as many spoonfuls as I could when he wasn't looking. Hey Bistro -- add this to your permanent menu PLEASE... but dress it up a bit, would ya? It deserves a prettier presentation!

 

Since it was a Friday, PID ordered another Captain and Coke as we waited for our entree...

At PID's suggestion, I ordered the first listed item on the entree menu, the horseradish encrusted Chilean Seabass served on a bed of Napa slaw. PID went for the Jamison Farm Lamb Shank with whipped potatoes and a truffle ragout. The lamb fell of the bone and was deliciously tender. PID said that his first few bites we absolutely delicious, but it became a bit redundant as he continued through his meal.  I only had one bite, so I have to give it two blazing thumbs up. But I'm wondering if a few greens would have helped the cause at all? (And the inedible sprig of rosemary just doesn't count.)

But now we get to the fun part. My completely delicious, pleasantly surprising Chilean Seabass. Seabass is tricky (for me, anyway).  If you don't cook it perfectly, I find it far too fishy which is why I rarely order it. But I was feeling adventurous so I gave it a shot. And I'm so happy I did! The fish sliced like butter with my fork and every bite melted in my mouth. The oriental horseradish crust fit the fish to a T and the crunch of the slaw gave it a great texture. 

I wanted to save some room for dessert so I boxed up what I didn't finish (knowing full well that I rarely EVER eat leftovers) but I have to tell you that I woke up thinking about it the next morning and wound up eating it -- cold -- for lunch.  Yes -- I liked the meal THAT much that I ate a left over, a FISH leftover, a COLD FISH leftover!! That certainly says a lot.

The dessert I saved room for wasn't half bad either.  Once again, PID and I had differing opinions (three in one night is quite odd for us...) but I loved the Wildberry Sorbet. I had seen a neighbor order it when we were first seated and new I wanted to be a copy cat. Sadly, however, I made a point to ask if the sorbets were made in-house and the server responded "I wish." What a bummer, because it was GOOD.  But served on a doily? C'mon Bistro....you're better than that.

Restaurant Information:

Bistro 19 

Address: 711 Washington Rd. Mt. Lebanon

Phone:  412.306.1919

Reservations: Taken, strongly suggested especially for Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.

Hours: Monday – Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

           Friday – Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.

           Sunday 11:00 – 2:30 (brunch) and 4:00 – 9:00 

     

Cliffs Notes:

Beverages:              1 Cab Sav @ $8

                                 2 Captain & Cokes @ $5.50

                                 1 Diet Coke @ $2.00

Appetizer:               Mushroom Bisque @ $5.00

                                Crab Grilled Cheese @ $10.00

Entree:                    Jamison Farm Lamb Shank @ $28.00

                                Chilean Seabass @ $29.00

Dessert:                  Wildberry Sorbet  @ $4.50
Tax:                        @ 7% (Allegheny County only) @ $6.83

Tip:                           $21.00
Total for two:                  $125.33

Overall Opinion:

It was a roller coaster evening.  There were a lot of ups and downs but I'd have to say the downs weren't as low as the ups were high.  Combined with the pleasant atmosphere, fast and friendly service and great (in my mind) location, I'd have to highly suggest Bistro 19 as a place to add to your list.  Let's hope it's not as long as mine!

Pittsburgh Restaurants