Avenue B

          Last weekend my wife and I went down to East Liberty and went to Avenue B for some modern American food.  The parking situation down there was horrible but the Market District is right across the street so we parked there.  Our reservations were for 5:30 and we got there right on time and were seated immediately.  The first thing you notice about the restaurant is how small it is, there were only 15 tables in the place so it gave it a nice personal feel.  The next thing you notice is the changing chalkboard menu.
          Our waitress came over and told us the daily specials and we already knew what appetizers we wanted so we placed our app order.  The blackboard menu changes daily and the also have a seasonal menu that has all of their specialties on it.  I started with the chocolate chipotle BBQ pork tostada and my wife got the Gorgonzola raviolis.
          My wives ravioli were great, they were sauteed and topped with candied walnuts.  The sweetness of the walnuts with the strong flavor of the cheese just worked a lot better than I thought it would.  The tostada was very good, it was a spicy sweet BBQ sauced pulled pork topped with re fried beans and a banana guacamole and sour cream.  It worked, it was weird but it worked so good.  The fried tortilla strips gave it a nice crunch and the banana guacamole I can't even describe you just have to try it. 
          We got our entrees about 20 minutes later and we were not disappointed.  I got the grilled butterfish and my wife got the bacon wrapped pork tenderloin.  We both wanted the pork but I was being nice and let her get it.  The pork was cooked medium well wrapped in bacon and covered in a honey BBQ sauce, all of this was on top of grits and collard greens.  The pork was cooked perfect and the BBQ sauce was some of the best I have tasted.  I wasn't a big fan of the grits or greens although I have to say the grits were creamy and rich but the greens were far too biter for my taste.  My butterfish was sushi grade fish and was seared on the outside and almost raw on the inside.  It was so tender and sweet and came with a side of squid ink linguine.  The pasta was thick and a dark black color, cooked al dente and had big chunks of tender lobster meat mixed in and topped with a saffron aioli.  The only problem I had with this dish was that the fish was topped with way too many shaved raw red onion and it over powered you palate, I pushed most of them off and and it was so much better, the onion almost killed the dish.

          My wife decided that she wanted dessert so we got the chocolate dessert they offered.  It was good it came with two chocolate fudge rectangles on top of chocolate cookies along witha mascarpone ice cream and a pomegranate juice reduction.  The fudge was velvety smooth, the cookies were crispy and the ice cream stole the show.  The tart pomegranate with the sweetness of the ice cream just married so well, I could have had a big bowl of just that ice cream.
          Overall I would say that Avenue B isn't on the same level as some of the top restaurants in the city but it is very close to it.  They have to make a few tweaks to the garnishes that accompany the main dishes and it would be right up there.  I loved almost everything about this place from the small size of the restaurant to the quality of the food.  I would go back here for sure it was well worth the money.



Overall 8 of 10

Food 8 of 10

Price 7.5 of 10

Service 8 of 10

Avenue B

5501 Center Ave

Pittsburgh, PA 15232

Evolution Grille

          About two weeks ago my wife and I went to Evolution with a group of friends on my dads recommendation.  I first have to tell you this place is in Sarver PA about 30 minutes north of Pittsburgh but I thought I would review it anyways.  I am not saying that my dad doesn't know good food but I was skeptical that being that this place is in a strip mall it wouldn't have food that I liked.
          We got there around 6 and the place was pretty quiet which got me scared.  We were seated and the server told us the daily specials and we ordered our appetizers.  For our appetizers we got the crabmeat bruschetta and the potato peiroghi for the table.
          The appetizers came out and the bruschetta was big enough to eat for an entree.  The lump crabmeat is sauteed in a garlic butter and put on top of a sliced ciabatta bread along with ripe chopped tomatoes.  So simple but so good, after I tasted this I knew my original opinion of the restaurant was wrong.  The app was light and refreshing with the sweetness of the crab along with the bite of the garlic and tomatoes, its just classic Italian flavors.  The peiroghi were good but nothing out of this world, they were cooked in butter and topped with caramelized onions and sour cream.  I am Polish so I think I know my peirogies, but I could be wrong.  They were fresh made and the filling was cheesy and tender.  The bread basket also came out at that time and my wife told me I had to try it, the butter was a carmel amaretto butter and it was out of this world.  The waiter told us that they change the flavors of the butter all the time and my dad said he has never had the same flavor twice and they are always good.

          After a few minutes our entrees came out, my wife and I both got the same thing the seafood pasta.  The pasta in this dish was a hand cut Pappardelle pasta, you could tell they were fresh and not out of a box and they had a nice al dente texture.  The seafood in the dish were shrimp and scallops, they were cooked perfect.  The scallops were fork tender and the shrimp were a nice pink color and cooked just through and not rubbery like they can become.  This all was topped with a sherry cream sauce which tasted like an alfredo sauce.  I loved this dish, the only suggestion I have is more seafood in the dish, there were only four shrimp and three scallops in the dish.  At the end of the meal I couldn't finish it all and I never leave food on the plate.
          So in the end I would say that this place would be able to hold its own down in the city.  I was skeptical going in but when we left the place was packed and people were waiting out in the cold for food here.  In my opinion I would say that it is well worth the drive out of the city and you will be very surprised.  I guess I have to tell my dad his restaurant choices aren't all that bad (or I can keep that to myself).

Overall 7.5 of 10

Food 8 of 10

Price 8 of 10

Service 7 of 10

Evolution Grille

123 Mulone Drive

Sarver, PA 16055

BRGR

          Last Friday my wife and I were in Cranberry visiting her grandmother and we planned to visit BRGR afterwards.  We arrived around 5ish after trying to figure out where the restaurant was located.  There are two levels to the Cranberry Mall and they are on the lower level near the movie theater.  There is plenty of parking available.
          After the huge success that was Spoon a few weeks ago I figured I have to try their sister restaurant BRGR.  When you get there you notice just how big BRGR is, it probably sits 100+.  The front of looks to open up during the warmer months.  It is very well designed with a huge center bar and lots of table and booths. 
          We were really hungry so we started out with the salty caramel shakes on the recommendation of our waitress.  She gave us a few minutes to figure out what we wanted and took our order, I got the double yoi burger and my wife made her own burger and we also got a side of fries that are portioned for two to share.
          The waitress brought out our shakes and I must say I was disappointed.  What she brought us was two empty glasses with the salty caramel sauce drizzled on the inside of it and the metal containers that the shakes were made in.  Look I am not looking to be amazed but I can get that at any crappy bar around, if I am paying $8 for a drink I want them to put some effort into the look of the drink as well as it tasting good.  All the shake was, was a vanilla bean base with Bourbon mixed in and the salted caramel on the glass itself.  All I could taste was the Bourbon, and the caramel just stuck to the glass and really added nothing to the shake.  It was a waste of $8, I would rather go to Steak N'Shake and get one there. 
          Our burgers and fries came out and they looked great.  Mine was on a butter toasted bun topped with a fried egg, pastrami, cole slaw and a thousand island dressing.  My wife's was basically just a normal burger, onion, lettuce, cheese, etc.  We asked for our burgers to be cooked to medium, they were medium well but still very moist so I can't really complain.  The biggest problem I had was about half way through the burger my bun got saturated with the dressing from the cole slaw and just started to fall apart in my hands.  It just turned into a mess.  My wife like her burger it also was a bit overcooked but good just the same.  The fries were very good, they were topped with herbs and Parmesan cheese.  They were hot and crispy and the herbs and cheese just made it that they didn't even need ketchup.
          Overall I would say that after a great meal I had at Spoon, BRGR was way below expectations.  If you are in the area go for it, the burgers are worth the money, can't say the same for the shakes.  Burgatory is all around better though and I will remain a Burgatory customer and pass on BRGR.  I don't know if this was just a bad experience at the Cranberry shop and maybe the original on in East Liberty would be better.  In the end I would say if you want good food go to Spoon, if you want good burgers go to Burgatory.  I really wanted to like it I really really did.  Spoon is a success maybe they should focus more on BRGR and it will get to that same level it has everything that is needed it just needs some fine tuning.

Overall 7 of 10

Price 8 of 10

Food 6.5 of 10

Service 7 of 10

BRGR

20111 Rt. 19 & Freedom Rd.

Cranberry, PA 16066

Spoon

          This past Saturday my wife and I met up with a group of friends for dinner at Spoon.  I have been wanting to go here for awhile and decided to go for my birthday. 
          When you walk into spoon it says classy but down to earth.  We got there early and the maitre d' asked if we wanted to wait for the others in the lounge or at the bar, we picked the lounge.  It was beautiful, they have a gas fireplace, two huge comfy chairs and a couch there to wait.  The bar and lounge have been decorated for Christmas and was classy and festive.  The bartender came over and took our drink orders while we waited.
          When the rest of our party arrived we were seated and our waitress took the rest of the drink orders.  After awhile of catching up and BS'ing the waitress came back to take our orders.  My wife got the classic caesar salad and I got the hot and cold salmon.  No one else ordered apps which made me just feel like a fatty but hey I wanted to taste as much as I could while I was there.  The waitress also took our entree orders at that point, I got the duck two ways, my wife got the miso glazed butterfish, our one friend got the duo of pork and the three others got the chicken pasta.

          After our orders were taken our waitress brought out a basket of bread, this was the best bread basket I have ever had.  There were cream cheese and chive biscuit, cheddar cornbread and sliced french bread.  The biscuits were excellent, soft and moist with the chive flavor really standing out.  Next, the cornbread, it was dense and the sharpness of the cheese paired with the sweetness of the bread.  Finally, the french bread, it was nice and crispy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside.
          After about 20 minutes our apps came out, my wives salad was full romaine heart leaves coated with cesar dressing and homemade croutons.  The lettuce was bright green and crisp and the croutons were crunchy and seasoned well.  The salmon was excellent the "hot" was a smoked salmon on a bed of fennel puree and onions cooked to a perfect medium.  This was fall apart tender and had a nice hint of hickory smokiness to it.  The "cold" was salmon in a green onion crepe with a dill creme fraiche along with a horseradish and beet vinaigrette.  The crepe was paper thin and the vinaigrette gave it a nice spicy sour kick while the creme fraiche cooled it all down.
          I have to admit when I saw pictures of the food online I thought we would leave hungry, you won't.  Our entrees came out and the portions were way bigger than I expected.  My wives butterfish was good but a little too sweet for me.  However she said if you ate the fish with the rice and broccolini it really cut back on the sweetness.  Her dish also came with a crab spring roll which had a chili glaze on it, it was fantastic a little spicy but nothing over the top hot.  My duck two ways was excellent, it was duck breast over a confit of duck leg and potato hash with a pomegranate reduction and baby turnips and carrots.  The duck breast was cooked to medium and was so moist with a thin layer of fat on top.  The roasted potatoes went well with the duck leg meat and pomegranate reduction.  The star of the dish to me was surprisingly the duck leg confit, it collected all of the juices fro the breast and mixed with the sauce and had so much flavor.  The only negative to this dish was the turnips they were so sweet they almost killed the dish, it just didn't flow with how perfect the rest of the dish is. Our friends dishes looked really good too, the chicken pasta was roasted chicken breasts over homemade cavatelli pasta topped with ricotta, walnuts and parma coteghino, everyone loved it.  I would have to say our picky friend got what looked to be the best dish of the night, the duo of pork, it just looked so good.  Roasted pork tenderloin over a bed of braised cabbage and sweet potato pierogies with homemade sausage along with a cider mustard sauce.  I have to get that next time I go there. 
          After all that our waitress asked if we wanted dessert and it was my birthday so we said sure.  We got the apple dessert as did one couple we were wither, the other couple got the homemade ice creams, they got the vanilla cardamom and the chocolate brownie.  The apple dessert was so good.  It was a cinnamon coffee cake topped with a confit of apples and bourbon ice cream along with a raisin puree.  The cake was moist and started to absorb the melting ice cream and the glaze from the apples.  To tell you the truth I thought the raisin puree was apple butter everything just flowed so well together.  Now for the ice creams, the vanilla was great you got just a hint of the cardamom which tastes like a mix of ginger and cinnamon and was the perfect ending to the meal.  The chocolate brownie must have had a coffee or espresso in the title and we all missed it because it was like eating frozen coffee.  I am not a coffee drinker so I thought it was disgusting but if you like coffee this is the one for you.
          Up until this point I would say Salt of the Earth or Piccolo Forno were my favorites but now I would say Spoon has earned a spot right beside Salt.  I will go back her and make sure I tell anyone who listens about it.  It was a great time with good friends and great food.

Overall 9.5 of 10

Food 9.5 of 10

Price 9 of 10

Service 9 of 10

Spoon

134 South Highland Ave

Pittsburgh, PA 15206

Round Corner Cantina

          It has been awhile since we went out with my cousin so we made plans for Saturday.  We were thinking Spoon, E2 or Ave B but after some consideration and knowing the holidays were right around the corner we sprung for something a little bit cheaper and went with Round Corner Cantina.
          When you arrive here it doesn't seem like you are at the right place, it just seems like a bar.  When you go in there is a door in the back of the bar and it leads to a small dining room in the back with about ten tables in it.  The room is very poorly lit with pub style tables.  It is seat yourself and first come, there are menus on the table.  The menu is small and reasonably priced, mostly tacos and tortillas.
          After looking over the menu we placed our orders and received our tortillas and guacamole a few minutes later.  The chips were freshly fried and still warm when they were brought out.  I love a salty tortilla chip and these were very well salted.  I am not a huge fan of guacamole but I must say it was pretty good, it was creamy with a hint of lime and jalapenos on top if you like some heat.
          Our tacos came out about ten minutes later, my wife and I ordered three different kinds of tacos.  They are about the same size of your standard make at home tacos, so three each filled us up.  They come in pairs and average about $7.50.  We got the Taco de Pescado (Mahi Mahi), Taco de Carnitas (Slow Roasted Pork) and Taco de Puerco (Pork Belly).  My cousin got the Tamales and the Tacos De Huitlacoche (Corn Truffle).
          The Mahi Mahi was really god they were coated in tempura batter and fried, then topped with crema, cabbage and radish.  The fish was cooked golden brown and crispy, the crema and cabbage gave it a bit of a sour and bitter taste too which paired well with the fish.  The Roasted Pork tacos were the best on the table, tender pork topped with cool cucumber and a squirt of lime made it perfect.  All the flavors just flowed right with this one.  Now for the Pork Belly, the one I saved for last because I was most excited to try this one.  Awful, look I know pork belly is fatty but this was pure lard with very little meat.  My wife ate it all, she thought it was supposed to taste like that.  My cousin and I had a good laugh about that.  It was disgusting and I thought it couldn't get much worse but then I tried my cousins tacos, but we will get there soon.
          First to her Tamales, they were good, you got two huge chicken tamales for $7.00.  They came out wrapped in the corn husk and were moist.  The masa was creamy and the chicken and queso fresco all blended together very well.  My only complaint would be that it needed something, some type of seasoning in it.  It came with a salsa verde that tasted pretty good so I guess all together it worked well.  Now for her tacos, disgusting, they were some type of corn truffle, which I have never heard of.  The toppings on it was corn and potatoes but that didn't help anything.  I tried them after my cousin did and I should have trusted her reaction.  Needless to say I will trust her facial expressions from now on. The texture of the taco was mush on mush, even the corn and potatoes by themselves just tasted bad.  We tried each component by itself and all together to see if we were missing something, we weren't.  These tacos were some of the worst tasting things I have ever placed in my mouth. 


          Would I go back?  Possibly, but I do have to say Piccolo Forno is right across the street for right around the same price.  If you want authentic Mexican and you know what you like then this place is good, but I do know I normally like pork belly.  In the end I know I would have preferred the place across the street, but I always want to try something new.

Overall 6.5 of 10

Food 5.5 of 10

Price 7 of 10

Service 7 of 10

Round Corner Cantina

3720 Butler St.

Pittsburgh, PA 15201

Burgatory

          On our way home from New Orleans on Saturday my wife and I were starving and wanted something filling so I suggested Burgatory since we have been there before.  Burgatory is a first come first served place so when we got there at 2:30 there was a 30 min. wait.  We decided to go shopping around the Waterworks plaza while we waited for our table to be ready.  We got back to the restaurant about 25 mins later and they said our table was ready.
          When you walk in you get the feeling that it is a sports bar with all the TVs and huge bar right in the middle of the floor.  It also has a modern feel to it with the dark booths, flaming towers and bright red lights coming from behind the Burgatory logo.
          Our waitress came over and took our drink order and we decided to make a custom creation burger for our lunch/dinner.  They have a full menu including apps and meals that take a fork and spoon to eat but they are known for their burgers.  They have a checklist to make your own burgers or you can choose from a list of their burgers with the toppings of their choosing. 
          They have many choices for their custom burgers starting with six different proteins.  Then you choose what type of bun you want it on they will even serve it open faced.  After that you get into the rubs for your burger, I like the Angel Dust but all of them are good.  Cheese is next up on your journey it only costs $1 and there nine different choices ranging from common cheddar to not so common Gorgonzola.  Sauces are then up to bat, 18 different ones there, some crazy ones like banana ketchup but all that I have had are good.  Then come the Pimpin' toppings that are all $1 extra 14 of them in all but most are common to a good burger.  Finally are the no buck toppings which are pretty much anything you would have in your home for a burger.  After all that you pick your doneness and you are good to go just give the slip to the waitress and wait for your creation.
          I got the beef burger cooked to pick in the middle (medium) on the herbed focaccia bun.  My cheese was sharp provolone, with the angel dust rub.  All my toppings were onion straws, romaine lettuce, red onion, poblano peppers, cucumbers and its topped with the chipotle sour cream.  My wife got the beef burger cooked to light pink (medium-well) on the whole wheat bun.  She also got the provolone and angel dust.  Her toppings were bacon, red onion, onion straws, iceberg lettuce, tomato and bread and butter pickles.  We both opted for the fries, which are $1 more than the chips that they normally come with, they are 100% worth it.
          It took awhile to get our food but they were busy and I was hungry so maybe it just felt like a long time.  When the food came out it was worth the wait.  The burgers were cooked to the perfect doneness that we requested and the toppings are portioned just right not to over power the burger.  The fries were cooked just right with just enough crunch and sprinkled with the angel dust rub which just puts them over the top.
          After we were done our waitress asked us if we saved room for shakes but we never do.  I have heard that they do have some of the best shakes around.  One day I will get one but for now I will have to  rely on word of mouth.  I hear the caramel pretzel shake is the best on the menu.
          Would I go back?  For sure and I tell everyone about this place any chance I get.  For $30 its the place you can go to any time you want a really good burger or shake.  You can't go wrong here its just down to earth with a touch of class American burger place.

Overall 9 of 10

Food 9 of 10

Price 9 of 10

Service 8 of 10

Burgatory

932 Freeport Road

Pittsburgh, PA 15238

Elements

          Last Saturday my wife and I went to Elements for dinner.  We had reservations for 5:30 and when we got there the place was pretty empty, but I figured better safe than sorry.  I knew this place was going to be upscale but I am so glad my wife made me change into a button down shirt.  Everyone there was dressed in suites and dresses.
          We were seated and our waitress came over and took our drink orders, she also told us the daily specials.  I knew this place is known for the cured meats and imported cheeses so we asked the waitress for her suggestions on a meat and cheese platter.  She told us to stay away from the lardo unless thats something you like and try the pierre robert triple cream cheese.  We got the 6 selection platter and we chose the venison salami, duck speck, blackstrap ham and guanciale for the meats and we got the pierre robert and cypress grove midnight moon cheeses.  I would get the full platter next time and call it a night, that's how good these were. 
          The venison salami was almost like a jerky and it was spicy while it had a sweet after taste.  The duck speck was a smoked duck breast that was sweet and it had a layer of fat on it that just melted in your mouth.  The blackstrap ham, the best way I could explain it would be a prosciutto with a smokey sweet finish.  To finish the off the meats, the guanciale came out wrapped around a slice of apple drizzled with honey.  The meat was again like a prosciutto but this was much sweeter and the apple gave it a nice crunch. 
          Now the cheeses, the recommended Pierre Robert was a creamy cows milk cheese.  The texture of this cheese was that of a very soft cream cheese and the rind was also edible.  It was tangy and paired very nice with the sweetness of the guanciale.  My wife picked the Cypress Grove and I must say she hit a home run, this was a hard goats cheese with more of a nutty sweet note that paired great with the duck and venison.  The tray came with toasted bread, pickles, Dijon mustard and chickpeas to pair with the meats and cheeses.
          My wife also got the special soup of the day, the seafood chowder.  The waitress brought it out with an extra spoon because she said I would want to try this.  She was right, the chowder had huge chunks of tuna, walleye and salmon in it.  It was so creamy and the fish just fell apart in your mouth.  The potatoes were fork tender and everything went so well together with the cream base.
          Our entrees came out and looked delicious, my wife got the salmon and I got the veal cheek.  The salmon was on top of a bed of polenta and had roasted baby summer squash and baby leeks with it.  It was cooked to medium and was fork tender and delicious.  It had a a tomato vinaigrette over top of it and you could really taste the tomatoes in the meat of the salmon.  The polenta was nice and creamy and the vegetables were seasoned perfectly.  Everything just went together so well on this plate.
          My veal cheek was far out of my comfort range but I got it on the suggestion of our waitress.  I must say it didn't look too bad when it came out but it did lack any color.  The cheek was fall apart tender and the oyster mushrooms had a great earthy and woody flavor.  Everything was over top of a carrot puree which didn't really serve much purpose other than color on the plate and to add a little sweetness to the plate.  I can't really explain the taste of the cheek the closest would be that of a roast.  It had the texture of a roast also.  There were pine nuts and capers scattered around the plate which added that nutty and salty touch to the plate.  The only item that didn't seem to fit on the plate was the cipollini onion.  It was the size of a silver dollar and was tough and just didn't flow well with the plate.  It was good don't get me wrong just seemed out of place on the plate.
          Overall this place was excellent.  Like I said in the beginning I would go back just to get the meats and cheeses.  I don't know if I would get the veal cheek again but it was great, there were just other things that looked better.  The salmon was some of the best I have had along with the chowder.  This place for sure isn't for every day eating being that our bill was...$115.00, yes a shocker.  That being said if you go get everything on the menu you want because its that kind of place you only go to once a year and you don't want to miss anything.  This place seemed to be the special occasion or business dinner place for sure.  Will I go back?  Sure the next time $100.00 is just laying around lol.  If you want to impress whether it be a significant other or a business partner this is the place to go.  Oh, and remember dress up to fit in.

Overall  9.5 of 10

Food  10 of 10

Service 10 of 10

Price 8 of 10

Elements

444 Liberty Ave.

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

McCormick & Schmick's

          I got a gift card awhile back for McCormicks so this past Saturday my wife and I went down to the one in the South Side Works.  We had reservations for 6 and when we got there we were seated right away. 
          The first thing you notice is the restaurants atmosphere it almost seems like two different places.  The bar had what seemed like every college football game that was being played that day.  The actual dining room was very nice and quiet (but you could still see the games always an A+).
          Our waiter came over and told us the daily specials, one was a Wild Blue Marlin and the other was a Grilled Pork Tenderloin.  He took our drink and starter order and we decided to get the Crispy Buttermilk Fried Oysters ($9).  They have a really nice selection for their raw bar if that's what you are into, I haven't gotten that brave yet.  He came back with our drinks and we were ready to place our entree orders I got the Marlin special ($23) and my wife got, surprise surprise, the Buttermilk Fried Jumbo Shrimp ($20). They also have a seasonal menu that changes all the time.
          They oysters came out and looked great, there were four of them over a bed of coleslaw drizzled with a poblano tartar sauce.  This was my first oyster experience and I must say they were very good.  The tartar sauce tasted almost like a honey mustard sauce and the oysters had a nice salty ocean flavor.  When the oysters were paired with the tartar and slaw it really all came together, the oysters were creamy and salty the tartar gave it a sweet hint and the slaw gave it that nice crunch. 
          Our mains came out and my wives meal looked like any fired shrimp you could get at Chili's, 6 jumbo shrimp over a bed of fries with a side of cole slaw.  The shrimp were good and fresh, the fries were crisp and hot and the slaw was almost a Primanti's slaw just vinegar and cabbage.  My marlin was great and I am not a fish guy.  I wanted to try something new, and the waiter said this is a good fish to try if your not a huge fish person.  The fish was about an inch thick and it was grilled and topped with a chipotle BBQ sauce.  The sides for my dish were green beans and mashed potatoes.  The star of this dish was the fish for sure, it was very moist for a grilled fish and didn't have an overbearing fish taste and wasn't overly oily.  I would recommend this kind of fish for anyone that wants to start out trying fish.  The BBQ sauce had a nice balance of heat and sweet, just enough heat to get you in the back of the throat after you get done eating.  The sides weren't anything special, the green beans were steamed and were screaming for some type of flavor there was nothing it needed something.  The potatoes were velvety smooth but they were nothing over the top. 
          Overall if you want fried shrimp the quality is better than anything I have gotten out to eat, but the bar down the street will give you it for half the price but the quality will be less than half as good.  If you are looking for a nice fresh piece of fish I haven't had much better unless you go to Wholey's and cook it yourself.  Would I go back?  For a special occasion yes, just for a night out probably not.  The price is just a little high for just a random night out.  But hey this is coming form someone who's first choice is never fish.  If you are a fish person this is the place to go.

Overall  8.5 of 10

Food 9 of 10

Service 9 of 10

Food 7 of 10

McCormick & Schmick's

2667 Sindey St.

Pittsburgh, PA 15203

Peppi's

          Okay, I have to start off by saying this is one of my favorite dive spots ever.  I have been going to Peppi's since I was in high school and the quality and price haven't changed much.
           My wife and I were down in the Strip the other day and we stopped in to get a bite, our usual Peppi's is the one in Point Breeze but this is the one I first went to back in high school.  When you walk into any of their locations it doesn't look like anywhere that you would want to get a bite to eat, I have had friends that I had to convince to eat there but after they got their food they always want to go back.  The location in the Strip has old church pews and old wobbly tables, and the one in Point Breeze in an old beat down diner car.  They are just not places you would look at not knowing what it was and say "hey let's get lunch there".
          We walked in and placed our order at the counter, I got the Big Wheeler (steak, hot sausage and provolone) and my wife got the Big Nate (chicken, steak and provolone), we both got drinks and we shared a small fry.  The total for our meal was $21.00.  The fries are fresh cut and a small is enough for two people and a large could probably satisfy four.  They also offer a sweet potato fry in the Strip which I have had before they are good but I would stick with the regular ones.
          Our fires came out and they were great, hot out of the fryer, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  After we finished our fries our sandwiches came out.  The sandwiches are about 10 inches long and are piled up with meat and toppings straight off the flat top.  The bread is what makes the subs the best around, they come fresh from Mike and Daves everyday.  You can tell the bread is fresh because of how soft the bread is and it has a nice crust too just enough that it doesn't let the juices run out everywhere.  The bread just absorbs all of the juices from the meat and makes it so much better.  Without the bread the sandwich would be good but nowhere near what it is. 
          They have 50+ sandwiches to choose from and 16 hall of fame sandwiches which are a little more money but they are all worth it.  They also have salads and wraps there too if you are looking for a lighter option.
          Overall like I said at the beginning this has been a favorite of mine for over 10 years.  If you are looking for a good, cheap meal and your not really watching your wasteline this is the place for you.  The decor isn't very pretty but the food will get you past that.

Overall 9 of 10

Food 9 of 10

Service 5 of 10(basically self-serve)

Price 10 of 10

Peppi's

1721 Penn Ave.

Pittsburgh, PA

Smiling Banana Leaf

          So the other day I didn't feel like cooking and I have been wanting to try this place for awhile now so I suggested we go there for dinner.  My wife and I went around 6:30 on a Saturday.  Every review I have read about this place says it is really small and there is always a wait.  When we got there we were seated right away and there was no line or tons of people getting take out.  It seemed weird right away after reading all the reviews on all the websites.  The atmosphere was very nice and well laid out, very inviting.
          We place our app order, fresh shrimp spring rolls $5 for 2 and then our entrees, I got the Red Chicken Curry $10.25 and my wife got the Sweat and Sour Chicken $10.00.  They ask how spicy you want it there and I like spice but I asked how spicy a 7 would be and the girl said spicy but not too bad if you like spicy things.  I said fine give me a 7 and my wife got a 2 because she doesn't like anything that has heat on it. 
          We got our spring rolls and they were really good, the freshness of everything was great, they were crisp and refreshing.  They came with a side of peanut dipping sauce that was also good.  The sauce didn't overtake the rolls like some sauces will, it was light and really complimented the rolls.
          Our entrees came out and they were huge, believe me you are not going to leave hungry.  My wife's meal was good it tasted like sesame chicken but the veggies and fruit were a lot fresher and crisp than you will get at any other place like this  for the price.  My curry, my first time trying curry, was very hot.  I feel there is a difference between spicy and hot.  Spicy is a lot of powerful flavors that make the dish come to life, and hot is lets just add so much chili powder they could be eating cardboard and wouldn't know the difference.  This dish was on the verge of un-edible.  I didn't want to be the guy that sends back his own mistake so I dealt with it.  I was eating it all together with the bamboo shoots and veggies in the curry paste and coconut milk and I just wanted to try the chicken by itself, it was flavorless, nothing at all no salt or pepper or anything at all.  My wife's chicken was the same if you didn't have sauce and veggies in the same bite it was nothing. 
          After all was said and done I feel like every review I ever read about this place was wrong.  The food was okay at best the prices were good but there are so many places at that price range that are better in the city.  Maybe it was just one bad dinner or Thai food isn't my thing but I don't think I would ever go back to this place.

Overall 5 of 10

Food 3 of 10

Service 6 of 10

Price 7 of 10

Smiling Banana Leaf

501 Bryant St.

 Pittsburgh, PA 15206