jshufelt

Great story, Diane. We lived in Pittsburgh for 18 years before moving to NY/NJ a year ago, and your story really captured Squirrel Hill. With that said, I have to go with Mineo's. For me, the perfect ratio of crust to toppings to cheese. Thinking about it now, we must have easily consumed hundreds of these during our time there. Thinking about it now, I want one. Now. It's interesting that you mentioned both Mineo's and Aiello's. While everyone had a definite opinion on which was better, I don't ever remember the conversation degenerating into "no, they suck" call-and-response. It was always pretty clear which places occupied the one and two slots, and advocates of one were still OK with the other.

Based on the positive comments and photos here, and a pretty strong need to get behind a large plate of smoked meat, we drove over for a mid-afternoon lunch. My wife got a rack of baby backs, while I went for a combo of baby backs, brisket, and sausage. In my experience, it's pretty unusual for all of the meats in a combo BBQ platter to be at the same level of quality; usually there's one standout meat and perfunctory attempts at the others. However, all three were outstanding here, with good, smoky flavor that didn't need BBQ sauce at all. I like BBQ sauce as much as the next guy, but when the meats don't need it, that's when I know I'm in good shape. The sweet potato fries were crispy and delicious, and the cole slaw was the less creamy and more crunchy style, which I personally prefer. While the atmosphere is more bar-like than restaurant-like, service was good, and we didn't feel out of place with our twin three-year-olds in tow. The weather also cooperated, allowing us to stretch our legs in the park across the street. It's too bad there aren't picnic tables over there; gnawing on those ribs outdoors would have been just about perfect. We'll be back.

We ate there last Saturday for dinner. All of the menus were 9-course tastings; a chef's tasting menu, a vegetable tasting menu, and a "holiday" menu. I didn't ask, but my presumption is that the holiday menu preempted the 7-course offering. The holiday menu was similar in structure to the chef's tasting menu, except that it involved more truffles, white and black both being in season right now. So, it may be that your choice will involve which of the 9-course menus to sample, but if the 7-course is an option, I'd personally still go with the 9, just for the additional variety. We mixed menus at our table, and we paired different glasses of wine with certain courses across these menus, so I don't think that will be a concern. Enjoy the experience!

There is outdoor seating on the balconies, and downstairs on the sidewalk, if I remember correctly. The entrance was left wide open, with couches and a coffeetable across from the bar. I get the sense that Eleven is trying to have it both ways; funky bar open to the street and high-end dining destination. Valhalla tried the same concept when it initially opened, but fairly rapidly abandoned the dining part in favor of turning into a more conventional brewpub, which was unfortunate, given that they started with a very interesting wild game menu. Hopefully Eleven will stick to its guns.

Trying to dine out has become more of a challenge than it once used to be; that's what having twins and trying to find babysitters will do to your schedule. Nonetheless, even the most reluctant stars must eventually align, and so, nearly a month after we originally planned to visit, we made it to Eleven, the new restaurant occupying Valhalla's former space. Eleven is (surprise) the 11th restaurant from the Big Burrito group, which has already brought Pittsburgh Soba, Casbah, Kaya, Umi, and numerous Mad Mex restaurants. We're expecting big things, as Eleven hired away three of the best chefs in the city to work here. The decor of the restaurant is modern, with a mix of the metallic, sleek accents and funky fabrics that exemplify many of Big Burrito's other restaurants. We all noticed two things in particular; the glassed-in temperature controlled wine cellar on the balcony, overlooking the dining area, and the elaborate inlaid table woodwork, which looks like it stands no chance against the inevitable errant encounter with silverware. Time will tell. Amuse bouche - heirloom tomato puree with creme fraiche The amuse, perhaps three tablespoons worth served in small china bowls, is what you would imagine it to be; a burst of fresh tomato, with the creme fraiche moderating the acidity of the puree. Simple, with just a touch of salt to amplify the flavor. Shortly thereafter, a selection of breads arrives, including a Guinness-raisin, a French bread, and a Parmesan-walnut. I stick with the Guinness-raisin, a pleasantly moist and sweet bread with malty undertones. Rustic Country Terrine - pistachio, cornichons, dijon mustard 2002 Jaboulet Cotes-du-Rhone-Villages The appetizer is arranged on a square plate. In the lower right corner, a cold, firm block of pork terrine, in the lower left, a smear of mustard. Slices of toasted baguette and a syrupy fig compote fill the remaining corners, with a few small slices of cornichon in the center of the plate. This is a classically French dish, with bold, strong flavors. I would have preferred a slightly softer and less salami-like terrine, in order to smear it on the baguette. The wine, available by the glass, is exactly the right complement, with slightly funky overtones reminiscent of a Chateauneuf du Pape. I should note that the by-the-glass menu had roughly a dozen whites and a dozen reds, with several interesting selections that should pair well with the cuisine. Veal and Lobster - veal medallions, butter-poached lobster, creamed leek and spinach, two sauces 2002 The Crossings Pinot Noir, New Zealand Two oblong filets of lightly browned veal are each topped with a slash of lobster meat, resting on thin beds of leek and spinach, separated with two splashes of dark, deep brown reductions. The leeks provided a necessary herbal counterpoint to the rich sauces, and together with the tender mild veal meat, would have comprised a perfectly fine dish without the lobster. But the presence of the lobster elevates the dish to another category entirely. Seasoned with hints of vanilla, the lobster meat is tender, milky sweet, and succulent, and for me, is the highlight of the meal, and quite possibly a sufficient reason, by itself, for a trip to Eleven. The wine is a reasonable complement, with a bit more tannin than I might like for a Pinot Noir, but still aromatic and flavorful. Wild berries in a strawberry glaze This palate cleanser is simple, as was the amuse; here, a few mixed berries rest in a glaze of fresh strawberry syrup. Just enough to prepare for dessert, along with a shot of espresso to get my bitter fix for the evening. Lemon tart with strawberry sauce 1996 Royal Tokaji Wine Co. Tokaji Aszu 5-Puttonyos, Hungary A dome of lemon custard, slightly lighter in consistency than a creme brulee, rests on a shortbread cookie, next to a small pile of wild berries, with a drizzle of the strawberry glaze and a sugared tuile resting on the dome. It is satisfying, if not inspired, and a pleasant way to end the meal, along with the Tokaji, which in this case tasted like a hypothetical hybrid of a Muscat and a Port, with the sweetness of the former and complexity and depth of the latter. Of course, I managed to get my forks into other people's plates, and a few highlights must be noted. A tuna carpaccio is sliced very thinly, and strikes a balance between the cold flesh and texture of the tuna with the acidity and tang of the vinaigrette drizzled over it. A massive hunk of seared bison meat is paired with a bone filled with salty marrow, pure buttery fatty goodness in a tube. It would be a crime to relinquish this to a dog, and a dream for the dog that gets it. A chanterelle and heirloom tomato plate shows what chanterelles can be, meaty yet soft texture with deeply satisfying flavor. One dessert merits special mention. A Maytag Blue Cheese tart, paired with vanilla-poached heirloom tomatoes and glazed almonds, is perhaps the oddest and most inventive flavor combination for dessert I've had in a while, although I still can't decide if I like it or not. Were it not for the strong vanilla flavor, this could easily migrate to the savory side of the menu. As it stands, it's a beguiling taste combination to be found nowhere else in the city, and would be worthy of some of the experimental dessert menus appearing in NYC restaurants. Service was reasonable by Pittsburgh standards, which in absolute terms means it was friendly but slow at times. Our server seemed unaware about the specifics of some menu items, which could be problematic given the sparse descriptions in the menu itself, and there was a fair delay between the appetizers and the main course. On the other hand, the kitchen is open to the dining room, and it was clear the cooks were getting slammed. So, I'm unwilling to be too harsh on this score, for a restaurant that has been open for only one month and is still finding its footing. Overall, my first impression is that it ranks alongside Baum Vivant, La Foret, and Bona Terra in terms of food quality and overall experience. Having another restaurant of this caliber in Pittsburgh should thrill local foodies. One last discordant note: foie gras is no longer on the menu at any of the Big Burrito restaurants, apparently due to complaints from other patrons. I'll save my rant on this subject for another time, and instead dream of lobster.

We stayed there a couple of years ago, during a week-long vacation eating and drinking our way through the valley. We found that it was reasonably convenient for getting around Napa/Sonoma, although convenient is relative. I didn't mind the 40-minute drive over the mountains to get to Napa (Yountville/St. Helena/Rutherford/Oakville), since it's a gorgeous drive, but that's your call. The inn itself was wonderful, and we'd happily return. In particular, the breakfasts were excellent. Two or three refined courses, comprised of whatever the chef felt like making that morning. The website (www.gaige.com) will give you a reasonable idea of what to expect. We stayed for a week, and I don't remember any duplication in the breakfast dishes over that time. They were sufficiently filling that we ended up skipping lunch on most days, and they were sufficiently tasty that it was worth getting up a bit early in the morning to go eat them. Which, given that it was a vacation and I'm not a morning person, is probably the strongest recommendation I can offer. Biggest downsides: it's expensive, and you will have to book your room well in advance. If you don't plan to have much downtime from exploring the wine country, there are more cost-effective options (and probably more convenient ones in terms of location).

On the last evening of a six-day business trip to Denver, I had time to hook up with an old friend and foodie who lives in the area. I was already thinking of visiting Adega based on some glowing reviews on the web, but since he's the native, I thought I'd let him make the call. It turns out he already had plans to take me to Adega, so clearly we're on the same wavelength. The restaurant has a modern decor, with a central focal point, a glass-enclosed wine cellar which itself contains thick glass shelving subdivided into rectangular bins, full of wine bottles. It radiates the low-level blue light of thick clear glass, and to a wine aficionado, it's a beautiful sight. We're seated, and the wine list and menus arrive. The wine list is wonderful, covering nearly every wine-growing region and subregion of interest, with just enough depth in each. The menus come in two forms: a six-course tasting menu, and a second menu divided into vegetable, fish, and meat sections, from which the diner can cobble together a custom tasting menu. I opted for the six-course menu, and my friend rolled his own. We shared just about every dish, but I only have the menu from the six-course, so I'll only report on that. I chose the wine-pairing option for the six-course menu. Split Pea Ravioli Porcini Mushrooms, Tendril Salad 2002 Frattori & Graney, Pinot Grigio, Delle Venezie, Italy A pair of ravioli were flanked by meaty mushrooms in a sauce redolent of truffles. The ravioli had a nice toothy bite, with a tender sweet pea filling that blended well with the mushroom and truffle aromas. The pinot grigio was a crisp complement to the dish. This was really nice, but I was a little worried at this stage that six courses might not be enough, as the portion was quite small. Rock Shrimp-Lobster Cake Whole Grain Mustard Soup, Fava Mash 2002 Kunin, "Stolpman Vineyards", Viognier, Santa Ynez Valley, California A cylindrical cake of shrimp and lobster meat was presented in a bowl with a puree of fava beans. At tableside, our server then poured a steaming yellow-orange soup around the cake. I found the shrimp and lobster cake to be relatively subtle in terms of flavor, but surprisingly, so was the mustard soup. It was very mild, flavored with the slightest hint of citrus fruit, and in conjunction with the floral scents of the viognier, I think this dish was as light as the preceding vegetable dish. Again, the portion here seemed small. Seared Pacific Black Cod Crispy Sweet Breads, Soft Potatoes, Lemon-Thyme Jus 2001 Thornbury, Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand Wonderful dish. The cod was prepared perfectly, with a crisp exterior and juicy, tender flesh. The sweetbreads provided a chewier, meatier bite, and the diced potatoes, while a little less than crispy, had a wonderful potato flavor that sometimes gets lost in the quest to provide the perfect potato texture. The lemon-thyme sauce tied the whole thing together without dominating the dish. A really nice blend of ingredients and preparations. Roast Poussin Breast Duck Liver Sausage Stuffed Leg, Lentil, Frisee, Orange Salad 2001 Domaine la Soumade, "Cuvee Prestige", Cotes du Rhone Villages, France Another wonderful dish. The poussin was also done perfectly, with flavorful tender meat; the stuffing provided additional savory flavor, and the lentils and frisee provided texture. We noticed at this point that every dish so far, including the choices my friend made for his menu, seemed to incorporate fruit in some way to bring up the flavors of the dish, without becoming a showcase for the fruit. I don't know if this is representative of the chef's work, but we were both impressed with the way the fruits were worked into the dishes seamlessly to provide extra flavor and balance. Camembert Cheese Course Brioche Toast, Dried Fruit Chutney Alvear, "Carlos VII", Amontillado, Montilla Moriles, Spain I'm not a huge fan of cheese courses, but this was reasonable, and the fruit chutney was sweet and spicy without being overwhelming. The sherry was surprisingly strong, and cut through the camembert perhaps a bit too much. This was the only wine pairing of the evening that didn't hit the mark; other that this, I found the sommelier's choices to be quite nice, and he did an excellent job of describing each pairing as it was presented during service. In particular, the shrimp-lobster cake with the mineral viognier and the cod with the pinot noir were excellent pairings. I also noted that my earlier concerns about portion size were unfounded; at this point in the meal, I was becoming comfortably full. Adriatic Fig Mascarpone Whip, Lady Fingers, Port Jus Graham's, "Six Grapes", Reserve, Oporto, Portugal Without the port, this could have passed for a savory course. The fig was tart, the mascarpone was not sweetened, and the lady fingers were buttery without being sugary; the port wine sauce surrounding this was syrupy, but not particularly sweet. With the port, however, the whole dessert came together. A nice dessert which I really enjoyed, but which might not appeal to people who really want that strong sugar fix at the end of the meal. I should note at this point that we splurged and added a passion-fruit custard as another dessert, because it looked too tempting to pass it up, and I can verify that this would satisfy a sweet tooth quite nicely. The six-course tasting menu was $69, with an additional $45 for the wine pairings. At those prices, given the quality of the food and wine, the level of service, and the total dining experience we enjoyed, Adega represents a remarkable value. I'd happily return.

It was $150 for the nine-course menu. The foie gras courses I described each required a $20 supplement. A gratuity of 18% is charged. And, of course, none of that includes wine...

No canapes or extra desserts that I recall. Previously, we've been there twice for dinner and once for lunch, and on those visits, extra desserts were supplied each time. No clue what may or may not trigger the extras, or whether there has been a policy change since the closing. The menu format is the same at lunch as it is for dinner, although it does change between lunch and dinner each day.

As soon as we found out that a friend was getting married in Santa Rosa over Memorial Day weekend, my wife and I kept our eyes on the French Laundry website, awaiting an opening date (and the opening of the reservation lines). The timing worked out, and after close to two hours of dialing on three phones, we secured reservations for lunch on May 29. Having dined here before, we were curious to see what might have changed since our previous visits. Neither the ground floor dining room nor the upstairs dining room appear to have changed perceptibly; however, the kitchen has been broken up into multiple rooms, and the hallway leading to the pass now also leads to a small above-ground temperature-controlled wine cellar. The herb garden in the patio area is now a lawn, having moved across the street to a larger empty lot, and it appears Keller is taking advantage of the extra space to expand the garden. The kitchen is now connected by a walkway and a trellis to a new smaller building, which (if I remember correctly) houses office space and administrative functions. All of this renovation was done in the French Laundry style, so while you may notice a change in the external layout, the decor and style remains the same. Reassuring, but the main concern is this: what's happened to the food? Has the layoff affected the kitchen? Has the opening of Per Se stretched Keller too thin? We needn't have worried. Cornets: black sesame seed tuile with salmon tartare, red onion creme fraiche, chive Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs 1999 The traditional French Laundry starter, although the presentation was slightly different. Instead of being asked to remove the cornets from a Lucite triangle, a silver conical base was placed on the table, and a rounded silver rectangular plate with three holes was centered on the cone, with a cornet in the holes at either end. We later noticed that there are custom variations of the cornet holder; if you're a party of five, for example, the plate will be circular, with five holes. The cornets themselves haven't changed, and if anything, the fish seemed fresher than I remembered, and the tuile slightly more buttery and crunchy. There is something about the combination of fresh fish, creme fraiche, and a buttery crunch, a textural interplay that really makes this work. French Laundry Cured Shad Roe "Porridge" with Persian Lime Salt and Shaved "Bonito" The first course is presented in a bowl with a porcelain dome. The domes are removed to reveal what at first glance looks like a deep orange-red soup; on closer glance, it's microscopically small eggs. A second server approaches with a wooden box, and opens it to reveal a block of dried tuna, allowing us to inspect it and get a good whiff. Shavings of this are then sprinkled on our shad roe, no more than a quarter teaspoon, just enough to provide the aroma. The roe itself defines salt, then ocean, instead of the other way around, with the occasional bonito smell to accentuate the dish. This was perhaps the most challenging dish of the tasting, in that liking the texture of roe and its fishy saltiness would be a prerequisite for full enjoyment of the dish. We both found it excellent. Moulard Duck "Foie Gras au Torchon" Served with Pickled Middleton Farms Strawberries Selbach-Oster Riesling Auslese 2002 Sauteed Moulard Duck "Foie Gras", Red Haven Peaches, Pickled Ramps and Peach "Coulis" Lustau Manzanilla Pasada Sherry When we ordered the nine-course tasting menu, which included the foie gras au torchon (with a supplement), our server asked if we both liked foie gras; if so, he offered to replace one of our torchons with the sauteed foie gras being offered on the five-course menu, so that we could experience both kinds. The sauteed foie was quite nice, with a crisp and almost smoky exterior, with a molten and creamy interior. The peaches provided complementary sweetness, but I was surprised at how well the ramps went with the foie; I wouldn't have guessed that a salty oniony flavor would necessarily be a good match. Nor would I have guessed that a sherry would work well, either; this pairing was suggested by our server, who was responsible for all of the other pairings throughout the meal with the exception of the red wine for the meat courses. The sherry had a sweet port-like aroma in the glass, but on the tongue, it was very dry, with a mineral and wood taste that cut through the richness of the foie and the sweetness of the peaches. The whole dish consisted of a remarkable set of contrasting flavors. The torchon, on the other hand, is pure richness and texture. I still haven't tasted a smoother foie than Keller's torchon, and on the warm slices of brioche (which appeared every few minutes at our table, like clockwork), it's heaven. The pickled strawberries were the essence of strawberry, and the riesling was sweet and syrupy. The Brittany sea salt and the balsamic vinegar dots on the opposite side of the plate are of course a nice touch, but really, a smear of torchon on the brioche is all that is needed. Somewhere around this point in the meal, bread service happened. Two kinds of butter, along with a few kinds of bread; slices of ciabatta, sourdough, and walnut/olive bread, along with crusty french sweet rolls. Crispy Skin Filet of Japanese "Suzuki", Roasted Big Island Hearts of Palm, "Edamame" Beans, Radish Salad and a "Wasabi-Yuzu" Emulsion Domaine Yves Cuilleron Condrieu "Les Chaillets" 2001 If you're like me, when you read this item on the menu, you see "radish" and "wasabi" and think your sinuses may be in for a workout. In fact, this is a mild, mild dish. The fish is prepared perfectly, with a just-crispy skin and tender flesh, topped with a microscopically thin julienne of radish (which I didn't identify at first until I glanced at the menu again and put two and two together). I'd be willing to bet that the soybeans were blanched in a large pot of salty water, based on the green color, and the tender salty bite. The emulsion was so mild as to provide almost no flavor, just some creamy texture to offset the fish. I would have actually liked a bit more savory flavor, a bit more spice in the seasoning. This was probably the least interesting dish of the meal. The Condrieu had a pleasing floral and ever-so-slightly sweet aroma, and as with the sherry, the aroma in no way prepares you for the taste, which was mineral, crisp, and clean, and a perfect complement for fish. "Caesar Salad": Sweet Butter Poached Maine Lobster Tail with Roasted Hearts of Romaine Lettuce, "Confit" of Sweet Garlic, Parmesan "Croutons" and "Bottarga" Emulsion Of course, it's all about the lobster tail, a near-spherical chunk of meat topped with a paper-thin crisp of Parmigiano Reggiano. I find myself conflicted with this dish. The tail has the sweet taste of lobster that you want every lobster to have, the flavor is so, so good. But the texture is chewy, which is a disappointment when I recall the first lobster dish I had here a few years ago, which combined that perfect lobster flavor with meltingly tender flesh and a saffron vanilla sauce you never want to be without again. That was probably one of the best two or three dishes of my life, so by contrast, this otherwise excellent lobster seems somewhat average. The bottarga was grated over the plate at tableside, and the roasted romaine tasted surprisingly like fresh baby spinach. Breast of Wolfe Ranch White Quail "Farcie a la Mousse de Truffe" with Braised Heirloom Beets and Perigord Truffles Marcassin Estate Pinot Noir 1999 The first of two standout meat courses, the quail skin is perfectly and evenly browned, and just crispy enough. Cutting through the skin, you reach tender quail meat, and a white stuffing flecked with truffles. Savory, delicious, and with the wine, very satisfying. The beets provide a little bit of fruity sweetness, but it's all about the bird and the stuffing. My credit card and I succumbed to the siren song of the cult wine. But it's a beauty, with berries, cinnamon, and clove in the nose, and a lingering finish to match. It was served in monstrous Riedel Burgundy glasses, nearly large enough to insert my head. Someday I need to splurge and get a couple of these, it's nice just to watch wine swirl around in one of these glasses, let alone drink it. Herb Roasted Saddle of Elysian Fields Farm Lamb, Wild Asparagus, Cepe Mushrooms and Sauce "Fines Herbes" As good as the quail was, the lamb is better. By French Laundry standards, the portion for this dish was quite large, with three nice slices of pink lamb draped over tiny asparagus stalks, flanked by meaty mushrooms in a pool of sauce that you can tell will be wonderful before ever swiping a bite through it. And it is. We linger over this dish a while, taking our time with the lamb and the sauce and the wine. In some ways, this dish is less composed than others in the sequence; no delicate assemblies of ingredients, no meticulous arrangements of garnishes. But perhaps that's simply because more composition is unnecessary here. "Pecorino Con Foglie De Noci" Green Asparagus Salad, Toasted Pine Nuts and Thirty-Year-Old Balsamic Vinegar Three triangular slices of pecorino romano rest on a bed of asparagus tips, pine nuts, and a few tiny dices of tomato. A server presents a bottle of 30-year old balsamic for our inspection, fills half of a tablespoon with it, and then gently tilts the spoon to dot the plate with the vinegar. I'm personally not a wild fan of cheese courses, but I thought this one was more balanced and thought out than previous ones we've had here. I'm thinking in particular of a goat cheese and heirloom beet course, where I thought I could have produced a similar course at home in short order that would have tasted essentially the same. Decidedly not what I want to be thinking during this kind of meal. Passion Fruit Sorbet, Coconut "Gelee" and Roasted Maui Pineapple I shudder when I recall this dish, it was that good. The sorbet was creamy and rich, and the passion fruit flavor was taken down just enough so that it didn't dominate the dish, and blended with the sugary pineapple bits and the pool of almost-foamy coconut cream at the bottom of the bowl. The flavors of the three components were integrated perfectly here; I can't see how the dessert could be improved. Tart of Valrhona Manjari Chocolate with Burnt Sugar Ice Cream and "Fleur de Sel" Chambers Rosewood Muscat NV Chateau de Jau Banyuls Rimage 2001 I suppose I'm not a true chocoholic; as much as I like it, I'm ultimately happier and more interested when the dessert menu has non-chocolate non-vanilla items on it. But this was a really nice dessert. The burnt sugar ice cream was dulce de leche, caramelized just a little further to bring out a hint of smokiness, and the salt/chocolate combination was an eye-opener. It makes sense in retrospect; you use salt to bring out flavors, so why not use it in a dessert to achieve the same effect? Still, it was a surprise. Our server recommended two different wine pairings for this dish, so we each tried one of the recommendations and shared the glasses. The Banyuls was tart and grapey, and the tartness paired well with what was not a wildly sweet dessert, but we both strongly preferred the muscat, which was syrupy, golden goodness, even though intellectually it may not have been as good a match. "Mignardises" From memory: two pates de fruit, one mango, one raspberry; a lemon tartlet; a caramel macaroon the size of a nickel; a chocolate "tiramisu" with a sprinkle of 24k gold leaf; two paper thin discs of Valrhona chocolate sprinkled with toasted almonds; and two apple/ginger shortbread wafers. From start to finish, the meal lasted almost five hours. My wife and I both thought that while we've had individual dishes here in the past that reached higher peaks (the aforementioned lobster with saffron-vanilla sauce, and a dessert study in pineapple), this was the most consistent meal in terms of quality from dish to dish, with no major letdowns, and solid wine pairings throughout. According to our server, the restaurant reopened on May 18. Even allowing for the obvious technical competence of the kitchen staff, I find it remarkable that it could resume producing meals at this level less than two weeks after opening. Time to start saving up for the next visit...

My wife and I dined there Saturday for lunch. I'll post a complete review when I get more time later this week, but suffice it to say that we felt it was at least as good as it was on our previous visits, and if Keller and his crew are being stretched thin in any way, it isn't showing up in the food, the service, or the overall experience.

We're out here, lurking. I've been meaning to post about a few recent dining adventures in detail, but time is short and the babies are rousing... Recent winners: Cafe Zao - next to the O'Reilly theater downtown, just opened last week. My wife and I ducked out for lunch there yesterday. The kinks in service still need to be worked out, but the food was already well above typical Pittsburgh fare. I had a clam bisque with saffron cream that was exactly what you want on a cold rainy day, and a seafood empanada with a tomato, onion, and fennel salad. The empanada was puff pastry filled with shrimp and salmon, and my only complaint is that there wasn't enough of it. Bona Terra - located on Main St. in Sharpsburg, this may have been one of the top three meals I've had in Pittsburgh, and I've been here for 18 years. It is competing with restaurants like Baum Vivant in terms of quality, but it seems more affordable. I'd call the fare "Napa-style American", for lack of a better description. The preparations are delicate, refined, and altogether unexpected in Pittsburgh, and particularly in that location. BYOB. Finally, I'm not a vegetarian, but it seemed to me that Kaya (strip) always had an interesting selection of vegetarian options. We haven't been there since the menu was revamped, so who knows. Casbah (Shadyside) seems to do multi-course vegetarian dinners semi-frequently. I share your complaint about food reviewers (not just for the City Paper, but for all of the Pittsburgh papers). There isn't any real sense of perspective, unless the topic is cheese fries or wings.

Based on admittedly limited and possibly dated experience, if you're choosing between the CIA and Tra Vigne, the latter is a safer bet. Our most recent visit to each occurred last September, and the food at CIA was unmemorable, which was a disappointment since our visit in 2000 was quite pleasant. Tra Vigne, on the other hand, was very good both times (although I note with interest that one of the dishes I raved about was the aforementioned short ribs). If you're really interested, my reviews of our visits to Tra Vigne (and La Toque, also mentioned in this thread) can be found here: Tra Vigne La Toque

Thanks for the pointers. My wife and I regularly go to the O'Reilly to "get cultured", so Cafe Zao could be a big win. We never made it to Isabela when Frangiadis was there, although I had heard good things. I notice that one of the partners for Bikki is the same person responsible for Cozumel; I hope that's not reason for concern. I also hope that they don't try to cram people into that space like they did when it was Pasta Piatta. I'm not a big fan of dodging elbows from the next table when I'm trying to eat.

Any particular kind of food you're after? Here are a few places I'd recommend, in the moderate to expensive price range: Soba - pan-Asian Casbah - Mediterranean Fajita Grill - Mexican Koto Buki - Japanese Baum Vivant - Portuguese/French You would probably want to get reservations at all of these, although Baum Vivant is probably the only one that would require more than a two-day notice. Koto Buki is way up in the North Hills, so that could be a haul depending on where you'll be staying. On the other end of the price spectrum, if you're looking for grease, FatHeads has the best wings in the city (sorry, Quaker Steak and Lube), and if you're looking for a coronary, give the Reuben Kielbasa a try. If you're looking for a good beer selection, FatHeads is good, but SharpEdge has the best selection in the city. Enjoy your visit!

We've been fond of Casbah (mediterranean) and Soba (Pan-Asian) for a while. I think Soba actually got better after the fire that burned down its first incarnation; the menus are a bit more experimental than before, and they were already experimental by Pittsburgh standards. Fajita Grill is a winner when you're craving mole sauce. The service has always been questionable, but on most nights, your patience will be rewarded. Bring a few bottles of beer to pass the time, and you'll be fine.

Congratulations on the impending marriage... I was the only one of us drinking wine. With that said, the total was $180 before the tip. Looking forward to reviews of your mini-honeymoon dining tour.

It's a well known restaurant; always ranked in the top echelon in "Pittsburgh" magazine's yearly restaurant issue. The address is 5102 Baum Blvd. I'd recommend getting reservations in advance if you know you'll be in the Pittsburgh area.

I've been lurking on egullet for several weeks now, and have enjoyed the quantity and quality of the conversations on several forums. Since I've been in the habit of writing up impressions of "big" meals for friends for years now, it seems only fair to throw my hat in the ring and start making some contributions. Hope you enjoy this. ----- Baum Vivant (Pittsburgh, July 25, 2003) When time is precious, it's time to splurge. Shortly after last year's September vacation in the Napa Valley, we conceived twin boys. Since then, epic gluttony has taken a back seat to doctor visits, planned (and unplanned) hospital visits, the birth in May, and a complete and utter lack of sleep. The boys are delightful, but as any parent of newborn multiples knows, the mother and father are frazzled. Enter the mother-in-law, who volunteers to relieve the parents from Friday afternoon to Saturday afternoon. We have one day to catch up on months of missed dining opportunities, so we decide to make the most of it, and obtain reservations at Baum Vivant. Given the aspirations of Baum Vivant's cuisine, its location is an oddity; it sits in a run-down neighborhood populated by auto shops, industrial buildings, fast food joints, and the odd strip club. It's easy enough to forget this once you're inside, as the environment is much calmer and elegant. We're escorted to our table and started off with crostini and a lemon-cilantro hummus, which is surprisingly mild. The menu is a mix of Portuguese and French dishes, broken into appetizers and main courses. One section is devoted to caviar service, which I don't remember from previous visits; Beluga, Osetra, and Sevruga are available in one-ounce portions, at prices ranging from $40-$90. The fine print at the bottom of the second page indicates the option of a five-course tasting menu. We inquire, and it turns out it's a seven-course tasting, paired with glasses of wine for each dish. Since we're having a hard time deciding between several menu options, we let them do the hard work, and both opt for the seven-course tasting. Our waitress asked about any dietary requirements; I don't have any (other than I should be on a diet), but Stacey is staying away from nuts while breastfeeding, on the advice of her physician. This is noted, and away we go. Tomato bisque with garlic and shallots The first course is served in a demitasse cup, a creamy soup whose pastel pink belies its flavor. The flavors of tomato, garlic, shallots, and dill are blended perfectly, giving the soup an assertive but not overpowering flavor. One of the highlights of the meal; I would have liked a bowl of this with more crostini to mop up. It was served with a glass of very dry Portuguese white wine. Tiger shrimp satay in peanut sauce Crab cake with lemon-vanilla sauce For the second course, our waitress took the liberty of giving us each a different dish, which we appreciated; however, the shrimp plate was given to Stacey and the crab cake to me. You'll note the peanut sauce and the aforementioned nut issue. We just switched plates, but had to remind the waitress when she stopped back by. She was apologetic and offered to replace the dish, so no harm, no foul. The dish was served with a slightly sweeter and fruitier Portuguese white (sorry, I didn't get the names of most of the wines, so generic descriptions will have to do). I got a couple of bites of the crab cake before we swapped plates, and the cake itself was good, but the sauce is what pushes this dish up a level. The sauce was creamy, with just a hint of tang from the lemon, and the sweetness of the vanilla, and it worked beautifully with the crab meat. The tiger shrimp satay was good, with large shrimp on skewers and a peanut sauce. Nothing remarkably different than what you would get at a Thai place, except in presentation. Scallops wrapped in smoked salmon with Portuguese molho verde What a dish. The scallop is lightly seared with a dash of black pepper on its surface, and wrapped around its side with one very thin layer of salmon, sitting in a pool of emerald sauce. Molho verde, as the server explained to us, is a blend of parsley, garlic, and shallots. The scallop was done perfectly; the slightest pressure of the fork was enough to cut the scallop and the salmon. The salmon did not have the darker brownish-red color I expected from smoking, but the smoke flavor was there all the same, and it blended beautifully with the scallop. The molho verde was much milder than its color implied, giving just a hint of parsley and garlic to round out the dish. Along with the bisque, definitely a highlight of the tasting. Wild boar with quail egg in hazelnut sauce I think this may have been the first time I've ever eaten wild boar. The small filet was served with a sunnyside-up quail egg on top, sitting in a pale brown translucent sauce. The boar was probably the only real disappointment of the evening; while it wasn't bad, texturally it tasted like a ground beef patty, which was jarring. On the other hand, the hazelnut sauce was interesting, very reminiscent of maple syrup. I wonder if seeing the egg made us think it tasted like syrup, and in retrospect, the entire dish visually looked more like a breakfast plate, with the egg, the "syrup", and the "sausage" appearance of the wild boar. This was served with a Portuguese red which was described as being "like a merlot", but to me tasted more like a pinot noir. Microgreens with sprouts and lentils in orange vinaigrette Flavorful greens and a nice dressing. Still, for a devout carnivore like me, it's a salad. What else can you say. Shot of Campari, rum, orange juice, and strawberry juice Before the last meat dish, we were offered this palate cleanser. Very tropical, with only the mildest hint of alcohol (I'm not a mixed drink fan, as I find even the impression of alcohol off-putting). It was a nice change of pace, and prepared the palate for the next course. Poussin in Grand Marnier sauce with yellow pepper, candied lemon peel, green and white asparagus, and polenta Every time I have Grand Marnier in any form, it always reminds me of Thanksgiving 1988. One of my undergraduate TAs invited me to his apartment for the traditional dinner with his family and a mutual friend. Unbeknownst to me, he was an excellent home cook, and prepared the whole nine yards himself, which even now still seems like a slightly Herculean feat. Towards the end of the meal, we noticed that we were all getting a bit tipsy, and the wine consumption wasn't enough to account for it. He admitted his secret weapon: Grand Marnier in every dish. Aha! I've never gotten drunk from gravy before. In any case, this was a nice trip back to that memory. Perfectly roasted bird, with surprisingly sweet candied lemon as a counterpoint to the pepper. This was served with a cabernet sauvignon. Creme brulee The traditional preparation. Even though I've learned how to make this in the past year, it doesn't make me appreciate it any less when someone else makes it for me. Served with a few blueberries, raspberries, and a strawberry, along with a glass of Fonseca port. I'm not sure the port really went with the creme brulee. I have mixed feelings about port; at times, there is nothing like that syrupy sweet taste at the end of a meal, and at others, it's just cloying. I haven't really figured port out yet. An espresso, and a couple of biscotti later, and we're done with a three-hour meal. When the waitress asks how everything was, I tell her that my only regret is that the tasting was only seven courses long. How about 10? I'm a growing boy, I need my strength. A few minutes later, she returns and tells me to call ahead on my next visit, the chef's up for it. I believe we are too. Any good babysitters out there?