Category Archives: Cheap eats

The Franktuary truck.

Posted on October 12, 2011 by

Sure, it’s a hotdog. That’s its heart, its essence. Even hyphenated it remains simple. Call it all-beef or all-beef and grass-fed and remains a humble thing. A Pittsburgh thing, even. As much as wings and fries-and-slaw are stereotypes around this … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Cheap eats, Downtown, Ingredients, Neighborhoods, Nontraditional, Oakland, Presentation, Seasonal, South Side, Traditional | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Smoke Barbecue Taqueria.

Posted on October 11, 2011 by

Looks like I have tacos on my mind lately. Couldn’t resist another trip to Homestead this week. Why — now that’s easy. Ridiculous, right? Even in a photo taken in a hurry on my semi-crappy phone camera, that pork is … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Cheap eats, Family, Homestead, Ingredients, Neighborhoods, Nontraditional, Presentation, Service | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Piper’s Pub.

Posted on September 18, 2011 by

If a place can be described as pan-UK, this is it. As many people describe the feel and aesthetic as English as do Scottish or Irish — and not just because there’s often a soccer match on one of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Beer, Cheap eats, Neighborhoods, Service, South Side, Whiskey | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Golden Pig.

Posted on September 18, 2011 by

Yes, Korean food. In li’l ol’ Cecil on Route 50. The whole restaurant has just 10 seats and is subtle enough to drive by twice before pulling in. Even shares a building with a used-car dealership. Like you do. This … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Cheap eats, Family, Ingredients, Presentation, Recipes, Service, Traditional | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Berries in white-wine syrup with mint and jalapeño.

Posted on June 6, 2011 by

One of the most versatile things I tend to make in the summer goes as well with cheesecake or ice cream as it does with grilled or roasted meat like lamb or chicken or turkey. The warm syrup macerates the … Continue reading →

Posted in Cheap eats, Ingredients, Lawrenceville, Nontraditional, Recipes, Seasonal, Techniques and tools | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wilson’s.

Posted on June 2, 2011 by

Publishing can be a strange beast. I wrote a piece on the North Side barbecue joint Wilson’s in January for a magazine in Arkansas. It finally hit print — yesterday. (Flip to page 17 and zoom in if you’re so … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Cheap eats, Family, Ingredients, Neighborhoods, North Side, Recipes, Techniques and tools, Traditional | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Roasted-corn and tomato summer salad.

Posted on May 31, 2011 by

I forget what the inspiration was the first time I made this. I know I took it to someone’s house for a summer party, but the rest is lost to me. The last few years, it’s become a summer staple … Continue reading →

Posted in Cheap eats, Family, Ingredients, Presentation, Recipes, Seasonal, Techniques and tools | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Pittsburgh Marshmallow Factory.

Posted on May 21, 2011 by

Willy Wonka may have said it best. The snozzberries taste like snozzberries. Get a lemon marshmallow from Chris Momberger at his place in the Pittsburgh Public Market in the Strip District and it tastes like actual lemons. The ones he … Continue reading →

Posted in Cheap eats, Ingredients, Neighborhoods, Nontraditional, Presentation, Strip District | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The deed.

Posted on April 3, 2011 by

Not too long after I moved to Pittsburgh, I started going to D’s Six Pax & Dogz in Regent Square. Good beer, something new on tap with tremendous consistency, solid, flavorful hotdogs and exceptional fries. I’m probably there more often … Continue reading →

Posted in Cheap eats, Ingredients, Meta, Neighborhoods, Nontraditional, Presentation, Regent Square | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Southside Steaks.

Posted on January 26, 2011 by

Fatty, oozy, meaty, cheesy, bready — cheesesteaks are a thing close to my heart. There’s a joke there somewhere. It’s about a cardiologist. I’m not from Philly, but the place still feels like home on the rare occasions I get … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Cheap eats, Ingredients, Neighborhoods, Service, South Side, Traditional | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Make your own stock.

Posted on January 21, 2011 by

I beg you. Chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, clam, mushroom — whatever. It makes everything better. Funny thing: I couldn’t tell you why I did it the first time. I think I was just curious. Now it’s one of those things … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Cheap eats, Ingredients, Neighborhoods, North Side, Recipes, Techniques and tools | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Frankie’s.

Posted on January 3, 2011 by

Places like this make me nervous. Old-school like there are no newer schools, Frankie’s is where you can get a more-than-solid hot sausage sandwich and two bottled Yuenglings for less than seven bucks. But it’s just down the street from … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Cheap eats, Lawrenceville, Neighborhoods, Service, Traditional | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

3 Sons Dogs & Suds.

Posted on November 24, 2010 by

Fred MacMurray would be a little confused. The three sons of the place’s name are actually Michael Indovina, his wife, Kathy, and his daughter, Becky. The name is a remainder from when they bought the six-year-old bottle shop a few … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Beer, Cheap eats, Ingredients, Neighborhoods, Wexford | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bad Doors song, good advice.

Posted on November 19, 2010 by

You want to get people in your doors, especially for a special event, tell all the people. Put it on your website. Tweet it. Post it on Facebook. Blast your email list. Give your regulars a heads-up. I met up … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Cheap eats, Ingredients, Neighborhoods, North Side, Presentation, Service, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Peppi’s.

Posted on November 17, 2010 by

Help me out here. When a certain Steelers quarterback was in deep trouble he got himself into, I kept hearing people disown him. It’s about the team, they’d say. The team has integrity. The team has class. That’s what’s important. … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Cheap eats, Ingredients, Neighborhoods, North Side, Traditional | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments