Right on Point

PID and I have been meaning to check out Point Brugge for years. So I feel it's only appropriate that we waited until the first major snow storm of 2012 to make the dangerous decision to drive there and do it.

All I have to say, is that the reward was worth the risk.

The Capital of Pittsburgh

As you know, we typically try to review restaurants owned and operated out of Western PA, but when Capital Grille reached out to us to let us know that they were launching their new spring menu, we couldn't resist the urge to check it out.

Located a convenient 1.5 blocks from my "day-job" on the corner of Fifth and Wood Streets downtown, Capital Grille is an account person's dream. The ideal location for client meetings or new business dinners, Capital Grille boasts a menu fit for any hungry diner looking for a tasty, upscale experience.

The dim, rustic interior emanates a boy's club mentality while the friendly wait staff and refreshing spring menu lightened the mood and aroused the feminine foodie within.

This lunch marked a very special occasion indeed, for in our many years of togetherness, PID and I have never been blessed with the opportunity of lunching together amidst the work-week. We both recently accepted new positions with new companies, allowing us to be closer together, but our lunch at Capital Grille was the first time we were able to take advantage of this proximity! And happily, it was a positive experience all around.

Capital Grille launched a seasonal tasting menu in January and saw great success, especially during the lunch hours. As manager Rick McMaster put it, "It's ideal if you only have an hour or so of time but still want to experience fine dining."

And experience we did.

Given a choice of three starters, three entrees and three sides (all for $18), we in no way felt limited in our options.

PID went with the server-recommended Shrimp & Pequillo Peppers with a Clam Chowder starter and Truffle Fries.

His soup was average. PID devoured it in moments, but PID loves Clam Chowder.  I wouldn't necessarily call it exceptional in comparison to other clam chowders, but it certainly was tasty.

Clam Chowder

The truffle fries were, quite possibly, greater than you can expect. Doused with just the right amount of truffle oil and garnished with a dusting of Parmesan, these fries were the very definition of addictive. 

Truffle Fries

The shrimp, on the other hand, was nothing short of exceptional. A generous portion for lunch, the shrimp was served with deliciously roasted red peppers and Spanish Bomba rice, a firmer grain often served with Paella.   The flavors were excellent and I caught PID scraping the bottom of his pan on more than one occasion in an attempt to enjoy every last bite.

Shrimp and Pequillo Peppers

I decided on the Lobster Roll with an Asparagus Soup starter and French Green Beans. 

This was my first Asparagus Soup and I have to say I may have found my new favorite.  PID thought it tasted a bit too salty, but you know me and salt. I have a salt-tooth for sure. I gobbled it down in only a few spoonfuls.

Asparagus Soup

Sadly, my green beans were much too al dente, borderline undercooked. But well seasoned, I must say that.

French Green Beans, pictured with Assorted Mixed Vegetables

My Lobster Roll was out of this world.  I tend to gravitate towards Lobster Rolls when I see them on menus, but this one stood out from the crowd with a strong hint of tarragon to give it a unique kick and real, enormous chunks of lobster to greatly improve the overall taste.

LobsterRoll

Restaurant Information:

Capital Grille, Pittsburgh

Address: 301 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15222

Phone:  412-802-9120

Reservations: Recommended for larger lunch parties and strongly suggested for dinner. Make reservations on their website or on OpenTable.com

Hours:

 

Monday – Friday
11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Sunday
5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Monday – Thursday
5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Friday – Saturday
5:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Cliffs Notes:

Clam Chowder, Truffle Fries and Shrimp & Pequillo Peppers @ $18
Asparagus Soup, Lobster Roll and French Green Beans @18

Tax:                        Food tax  @ 7% (Allegheny County only) @ $2.52

Tip:                           $10
Total for two:          $47.52

Overall Opinion:
I'm an account person and I have to say, I'll absolutely be taking my clients here at some point. The waitstaff was incredibly friendly, our food came in an extremely timely manner, and we were beyond pleased with everything aside from the green beans. I absolutely deem this place worthy of your downtown dinner options. And give their affordable, convenient spring menu a try.  It's so much more than a pre-fixe. It's thoughtful and delicious menu planning.

*Capital Grille supplied PID and I with a Spring Menu lunch free of charge in order to facilitate this post, however all opinions expressed within this review are honest and my own.



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Six Reasons to Love D's Six Pax

My friends, it appears PID and I have been missing out.  For months, our Edgewood rooted F.O.R.T.s - along with what feels like every single other Pittsburgher - have been raving about D's Six Pax-n-Dogs. Getting there for us requires crossing one bridge and venturing through one tunnel (the horror...), so it took longer than we might have liked to give it a shot.

But since we were in the area trying out Alma last weekend, we figured we'd pop in. Right away I smelled the delicious pub food emanating from the kitchen. I was completely full from dinner, but was already starting to drool.

So instead of a typical post, I'm going to sum up our experience by giving you six (out of the possible thousands...) reasons to love D's Six Pax-n-Dogs:

1.) A bottle-shop draft menu that'll make a tap-room jealous. A rotating white-board hangs over the bar telling you exactly what you need to know about their unique selection of lagers, lambics, ales and stouts -- the alcohol percentage. (No, that's not the price by the draft name. Let's get real).

2.) A chalice of Framboise. Not a flute, not a glass, a chalice. All too often, I wind up paying too much money for too little Framboise (my weakness).  At D's, you get what you pay for and a few gulps more. I'm sorry to report that I was so enamored by the chalice that I forgot to snap a photo, you'll just have to trust me on this.

3.) Freedom to invent your own hotdog (with the comfort of knowing they've got a few gems of their own to suggest). Even though PID and I had already had an official dinner that evening, we couldn't help but to give the Chicago and Chihuahua dogs a try. Holy guacamole these hotdogs hit it out of the park. Served on a soft and delicious poppy-seed bun, these dogs were busy and big, but man did they taste amazing.

Chicago dog, $3.99

PID's Chicago dog delivered what was promised: a meal fit for a Bull, a Bear and all of her Cubs with competing flavors of pepper and pickles and tomatoes all atop a deliciously juicy Vienna all beef dog.

Chihuahua dog, $3.99

My Chihuahua was certainly a dog with a bite, but with much more massive flavor than its namesake indicates. Had I not just eaten a full meal, I could have eaten five of these suckers.

And the beauty of D's Dogs is that if (for some ridiculous reason) you don't find their menu dogs particularly appealing, you can build you own from scratch - choosing from a list of more than 26 fixin's - and even choose your own meat (or non-meat for our veggie friends).

5.) Not a hotdog person? They've got wings for kings and an impressive list of appetizers.  Our Edgewood F.O.R.T.s ordered the pub fries which I couldn't stop stealing. My arteries may hate me, but my tummy kept thanking me over and over again.

Pub fries, $6.95

5.) The folks are friendly. I'm no spring chicken and sometimes I get a hint of anxiety when I step into a hip, dive bar -- like I'm just not going to fit in.  Not only did I feel completely welcome and get served right away with a smile, but the patrons were warm and welcoming as well.  There is a downstairs dining room, a bar and an upstairs lounge and each room was filled with happy, friendly faces. I was very comfortable and liking the place more and more by the minute.

 

6.) The cave. I've saved the best for last. I spent a good 30-45 minutes at D's before Mrs. F.O.R.T. arrived and I asked what she was having.  "I typically just head to the cave and pick when I get there," she answered.  The what?  I was clearly out of my element.  She took me by the hand and led me through the bar, across the dining room and down a hallway to the most amazing place in the world.

As soon as we reached the light at the end of the tunnel, thousands (no, seriously...thousands) of beer varieties awaited us: craft beers, imports, domestics galore, all organized by country of origin.

 

Note: a server saw me take this picture and said "Aw, this is an awful time to take a picture, we have, like, NOTHING in stock!" -- ummm.....what!? My eyes are already bulging out of my head. Don't mess with me, lady.

We chose our beers (after a good 15 minutes of circling the cave) and she led me to the second best part of the evening, the cooling station.

I was wondering why the beer wasn't cold, but apparently all you need to do is drop them in the super-amazing cooling station for 3, 5 or 7 minutes and voila! Beer-God works his magic and an ice-cold beer is born.  Don't want to wait for the cooling station to do it's trick?  There IS a chill-room with a great selection as well, just not nearly as impressive as the cave.


So there you have it.  Six amazing reasons why you'll LOVE D's Six Pax-n-Dogs.  I'm sure if you stop by you'll find your own reasons to love it, but hopefully mine will give you enough reason to try it out if you haven't already. If you're a bridge or two away like PID and I fear not, it's worth your journey. Whether it's to watch a game, eat a fun meal with the kids, or throw back a few with F.O.R.T.s of your own, D's is the place to do it.  So come on in.

Restaurant Information

D's Six Pax-n-Dogs
Address:1118 S. Braddock Ave. (they have another location at 4320 Northern Pike if you're a Monroeville-ite)
Phone: 412-241-4666
Reservations: Not taken or really needed, but get there early to beat the bar crowd
Hours: Open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week and open late-night on Thursday, Friday and Saturday

Say Uncle!

Looks like I'm beginning to make this whole blog thing a monthly affair.  But that's okay, right? Right? Right...

So this month's post is review is one I've been wanting to share for a very long time! There's something special about Uncle Sam's Gourmet Subs.  We had one on campus at Pitt and it was a once weekly -- if not far more frequently -- affair all four years of my college career without fail. It was one of those places that when friends, parents, future students or really anyone came to visit, you just had to take them to try the best sub they surely will have ever eaten.

It wasn't until a few years ago that I even knew there were THREE other Uncle Sam's out there! I've officially eaten at three of the four locations (on numerous occasions...) and it's finally time to share my thoughts.

This week, PID and I finished an eight week diet plan.  (Update on that: I lost about 9 pounds and PID lost 14. Way to go, us!) To celebrate, we made the trip to Robinson to review (and revel in) the deliciousness that is Uncle Sam's Classic Sandwich Bar.

The Robinson location is by far my favorite of the three and I'll tell you why: they serve beer. While I'll say everything I've ever eaten at Uncle Sam's easily stands on it's own as a delicious meal, it often goes down so smooth with an ice cold brew. There's just something about a good sub and a good swig that's worth writing home about.  So good, it's not for the weak of heart.  Like the sign says: Ice Cold Beer, No Cry Babies.

The other thing I like about this location is the old school-diner feel.  Everything from the bar-stools to the nostalgic photograph collections on the wall, to the handwritten chalkboard specials make the experience about more than just eating.

But the eating here is nothing to scoff at, either! We ordered our usuals: for PID the Ultra Philly Cheesesteak

and for me, the Chicken Cheesesteak

For starters, everything is made fresh, right in front of your face.  The meat was cooked beyond perfectly. And, lucky us, the rolls were the freshest we've ever tasted at Uncle Sam's -- like they'd just come from the oven. Though I personally request my sandwich to consist of nothing but chicken, cheese and hot sauce, I still have big expectations of the taste of this sub, and it was delivered!

The final thing I can't get enough of at Uncle Sam's is the fries.  There's something about a skinny fry, crisped to perfection, that make my mouth water.  Sometimes I'll mix up some ketchup and hot sauce to dip them in, but they are perfectly fine all by themselves.



Restaurant Info:
Uncle Sam's

Oakland
‪210 Oakland Avenue
‪Pittsburgh, PA 15213-4064
‪(412) 621-1885
10:30am - 8:30pm Mon - Fri
11:00am - 8:00pm Sat
11:00am -6:00pm Sun
Waterworks Mall
‪936 Freeport Road
‪Blawnox, PA 15238-6172‬
‪(412) 781-3460
10:30am - 9:00pm Sun - Thurs
10:30am - 10:00pm Fri- Sat
Squirrel Hill
‪5808 Forbes Avenue
‪Pittsburgh, PA 15217-1602
‪(412) 521-7827
11:00am - 8:30pm Mon - Sat
11:00am - 6:00pm Sun
Robinson
225 Summit Park Dr
Pittsburgh, PA 15275
(412) 788-4782
10:30am - 9:00pm Mon - Thurs
10:30am - 9:30pm Fri - Sat
10:30am - 8:00pm Sun
Reservations: Don't take 'em and typically don't need 'em, but expect to wait a bit for a table if you go during a weekend lunch rush!
Price: $
Note: Waterworks, Squirrel Hill and Oakland locations are CASH ONLY.  Squirrel Hill and Oakland do not serve beer.

Cliffs Notes:
Ultra Philly Cheesesteak @ $7.35
Chicken Cheesesteak @ $6.95 (you can chicken-ize any sub option for $0.65 extra)
2 diet cokes @ $1.35
Tax (7 % in Allegheny County) @ $1.19
Tip @ $2.00
Total for two: $20.19

Overall Opinion:
I've been thinking it for years and now I've put it in print: best. subs. in. Pittsburgh. With a staff that you can't help but want to make friends with and a product that you can't help but want to order seconds of, this place certainly has it all.  If you haven't tried Uncle Sam's yet, please, PLEASE do. If you have, go relive the magic as soon as possible. 

The Skinny on Fatheads

On Saturday, PID and I were -- plainly and simply said -- in the mood for a burger. And though we live down the street from a BK Lounge, we knew we were in the mood for a good burger.  So after dropping off the TOP-dawg at his beloved groomers, we meandered down 18th street until we were staring a very round head square in the face.

It wasn't a split decision or a planned out affair.  It was more of a calling. And we answered.

Fat Heads Saloon and Brewery on Carson Street in the South Side is famous for its specially crafted brews and bar grub. Their tap list is epic, it's one of the few remaining places in the 'burgh (aside from Smokin' Joes, The Sharp Edge and Roland's so far as I know) that you can find the deliciously sweet Lindeman's lambic beer and their home brewed beer will quench even the pickiest guzzler's thirst.

But we weren't here for the brews.  We were here for the burgers.

After staring for what felt like hours, mouths agape, at a burger and sandwich menu that seemed to never end, we made a decision. And as the waitress approached to take our orders, we changed our minds for the 12th time.

PID chose the Beasty Burger adorned with an especially spicy beast of a jalapeno barbecue sauce and a thick pile of onions.  Though one bite from me resulted in a quick grab for an ice cold pop...

...PID seemed rather pleased.  Both the patty and special sauce were extra juicy.  Could have used a few less onions and PID left a few on the plate, but other than that it was just right!

I suppose I have a wonderful girl named Kelsey to thank for my lunch as (after a lot of back and forthing between the Wanzco Chicken Sandwich, the plain old Mushroom & Swiss burger) I finally decided that if I'm presented with a burger with a pierogi on top of it, I must indulge.

Lord help me this burger was magnificent.  Accompanied by a special horsey sour cream sauce, this thing looked clunky, but certainly went down smooth.

I have only eaten at Fatheads once before and was lucky enough to get the homemade chips with my order. I'll admit I was sad when I found out you can't substitute for fries with the burgers.  But the horseradish sour cream proved not only a great patty spread, but also a perfect dipping sauce for the fries.

Restaurant info:
Fat Heads' Saloon
Address: 1805 E. Carson Street (South Side)
Phone: 412-431-7433
Hours: 11 a.m. - 1:30 a.m. (except Monday -- only open until midnight, so hurry in)
Reservations:  Please. Just stop by. If you can't get a table just crowd around the bar.
Price: $$

Cliffs Notes:
Drinks:     2 diet pepsis @ $1.50
Meals:      Kelsey Burger @ $8.95
                Beasty Burger @ $7.55
Tax:            @ 7% (Allegheny County only)   $1.40
Tip:          $4.00
Total:      $25.30

Overall Opinion:
Our lunch date certainly hit the spot.  It was just what we were hoping for and more. With so many other delicious looking options on the menu, we're confident this place screams of Pittsburgh culinary pride and have no hesitations recommending it with four very enthusiastic thumbs up. As we walked away filled to the brim, PID let out a belly busting belch that affirmed the satisfaction we'd just experienced.  (OK, ok...so it was me. I confess). Any place that offers me pretty much any beer I can possibly ever want, "headwiches" the size of...well...use your imagination, wings with enough punch to power a small boat and burgers as good as we had here today gets my vote.

Wordless Wednesday: enjoying a New Moon cocktail at the Eclipse premier!

Last night we spent 8 straight hours at the movies watching the first two Twilight flicks followed by Eclipse at midnight! Between showings, we went the Loews Club above the theater where one f.o.r.t. ordered yummy looking Southwest Chicken Egg rolls, and another opted for a delicious looking burger and the best seasoned french fries I've tasted in a while.  I ordered a cocktail appropriately named the "New Moon:" Pear vodka, blue curacao, sours and sprite.

Almost as delicious as Jacob!

Drink: (@ $6.50)

Movie: (@ $30 for all three movies and a $10 AMC gift card in return)

GO SEE ECLIPSE!! (Even if you're a man.)