Eleven

[jshufelt]

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.

[JPW]

Sounds great!

Thanks for the thorough review.

Since it's been a while since I had been back to the 'burgh, I was unaware even that Valhalla had closed (for non-burghers, it was a brew-pub). I used to love Saturday afternoons on their upstairs outdoors balconies.

Could you see what they were using those for. Putting any seating up there?

[Andrew Fenton]

That sounds awfully good; plus, it's always interesting to hear what's going on at the other end of the state. A shame about the no foie gras policy, too.

[jshufelt]

Since it's been a while since I had been back to the 'burgh, I was unaware even that Valhalla had closed (for non-burghers, it was a brew-pub). I used to love Saturday afternoons on their upstairs outdoors balconies.

Could you see what they were using those for. Putting any seating up there?

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.

[JPW]

Since it's been a while since I had been back to the 'burgh, I was unaware even that Valhalla had closed (for non-burghers, it was a brew-pub). I used to love Saturday afternoons on their upstairs outdoors balconies.

Could you see what they were using those for. Putting any seating up there?

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.

Your post dredged up some memories, I had forgotten the original game component of Valhalla.

The Strip District is a tough, tough neighborhood for fine dining.

[mjg]

Thanks for the review. I've been waiting to hear something about Eleven. I really admire what the big burrito group is doing to elevate dining in Pittsburgh, and Eleven appears to be their crowning jewel thus far. I do take issue with their decision to not serve foie gras.

Here is some info about said decision:

Caving to pressure

And some more from these vandals...errrr...."liberators":

Quack

Personally, I don't "get" foie gras based on my limited experience with it; however, I wholly support any restaurant that braves the scorns and arrows of irrational activists.

[phlox]

I went here for the first time last night with my parents for my birthday. The real standouts were the buttermilk polenta that came with my lamb and the dessert that my father had, which was a pumpkin creme brulee with some kind of cranberry compote thing on top. Normally I don't like it when people dick around with creme brulee, but that was incredible - he had to guard his plate from me! The squash soup with nutmeg cream was also great - I could have just had that and the pepper-walnut bread and been perfectly happy.

I am putting a moratorium on record-buying so I can take my girlfriend there for her birthday. She'll go apeshit.

[MarketStEl]

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.

Your post dredged up some memories, I had forgotten the original game component of Valhalla.

The Strip District is a tough, tough neighborhood for fine dining.

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Re: bar in front, haute cuisine in back: This can work if the location and layout are right. On this end of the state, we have Brasserie Perrier as an example, though I think the bar here is more sophisticated than funky.

Re: Strip District: I recall seeing a 'QED-produced program on this area (I think it was called "The Great Pittsburgh Strip Show") on WHYY some time back and got the impression that this area combined grit and nightlife. Is it the grit that makes it tough?

Re: Big Burrito: It looks to me like they are the Starr Restaurant Group of Pittsburgh, but more interested in the food than the concept (not that the food at Starr's restaurants is bad; on the contrary--after all, he just reopened Striped Bass). I've had nothing but fun and good food at the Mad Mex on the University of Pennsylvania campus (aside: when it opened, a Penn administrator who had some influence over retail in University-owned properties was upset over the name; she thought that it was a slur on Mexicans. So Big Burrito stuck a "4" in the logo and called the Penn location "Mad 4 Mex". The administrator having long since left Penn, Big Burrito has quietly dropped the "4" from the restaurant name). I hope all eleven of their restaurants in the 'Burgh are doing well.

[JPW]

Re: Strip District:  I recall seeing a 'QED-produced program on this area (I think it was called "The Great Pittsburgh Strip Show") on WHYY some time back and got the impression that this area combined grit and nightlife.  Is it the grit that makes it tough?

←

The grit is part of it. The Strip was (and to a large degree still is) Pittsburgh's warehouse district. Best place in the 'burgh to find good products for cooking, but until the last decade or so not a place where anyone would be found after dark. It all started changing when the first nightclub, Metropol, opened in 84(?) but for a long time Metropol was the only place down there.

The bigger problem is that there is noone in the high income demographic that lives in the area. The people that would normally support a high end joint like Eleven live a decent drive away (Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, Fox Chapel, Sewickley). And while twenty-somethings may think nothing of being in what is still a somewhat seedy area, older folks with the money to afford Eleven may be wary of being down there. Many of them would have to drive through some even worse neighborhoods to get there. In addition, how many people want to share a fine dining experience with the several thousand drunk college students that flood the area on the weekends?

But that's just my 2 cents. I wish them the best as Pittsburgh has very few really good top end restaurants.

[MarketStEl]

Re: bar in front, haute cuisine in back: This can work if the location and layout are right.  On this end of the state, we have Brasserie Perrier as an example, though I think the bar here is more sophisticated than funky.

←

I have to follow myself up here to note that Rembrandt's in Philadelphia's Fairmount section also manages to pull this off. Though I think the cuisine is just a little less haute than that offered at Eleven or Brasserie Perrier.

[mjg]

I don't think that the Strip suffers from the stigma of being "seedy" at all. In fact, before the completion of the new complex at Station Square, there was no hotter place for a bar/restaurant to be than in the Strip. While the area is far from upscale, the success of Kaya (another big burrito restaurant) and, more recently, Lidia's shows that big names in Pittsburgh dining aren't afraid of investing in the Strip. Granted, both Lidia's and eleven are far from the hustle and bustle of the clubs in the Strip so they don't suffer that crowd.

Much of the "grit" of the Strip is gone. Many of the little markets have remodeled and expanded to serve a more discerning and diverse clientele.