Category Archives: Service

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

Salt of the Earth, Part II.

Posted on October 10, 2011 by

Pork baguette. Doesn’t sound like much, maybe just menu filler or something to get along a fancy takeout pizza someplace, a pimped-out hoagie. But no. This take on Vietnamese bahn mi the best thing I’ve put in my mouth at … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Garfield, Ingredients, Neighborhoods, Nontraditional, Presentation, Seasonal, Service | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Round Corner Cantina.

Posted on September 19, 2011 by

Hipster prices on street food. Runny tacos. Consistently inattentive, even combative, service. Guacamole and tamales ain’t half bad. And some of the drinks – when you can actually order and successfully receive one. Clearly I’m not a huge fan of … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Beer, Ingredients, Lawrenceville, Neighborhoods, Presentation, Service | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Caruso Beer Distributor.

Posted on September 18, 2011 by

Sam Caruso started out as a teacher. Grew up on the North Side in Mexican War Streets, where his Sicilian father opened a beer store in 1933, right after the end of Prohibition. Maybe the first one in Pittsburgh after … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Beer, Family, Neighborhoods, North Side, Service, Traditional | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

Homebrew.

Posted on August 11, 2011 by

If you see one of these bad boys, pick it up. Read it. Check out the advertisers. Sure, I have a piece in it on the TRASH homebrew competition and what goes into entering these things and the long slog … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Beer, Ingredients, Presentation, Recipes, Service, Techniques and tools | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How Lee.

Posted on June 6, 2011 by

Never been to China. Rural, urban – nope. Not even Hong Kong. And when it comes to the language, Wayne Campbell outdoes me. I am clearly not the person to tell anybody what authentic Chinese food is. So grab yourself … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Family, Ingredients, Neighborhoods, Service, Squirrel Hill, Traditional | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Winghart’s.

Posted on May 24, 2011 by

Brie, white-truffle aioli, arugula, caramelized onions and bacon. On a burger. In case you were wondering: And the fries were good. Seasoned, crispy — I think I liked them better than the ones at D’s in Regent Square. Maybe that’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Ingredients, Neighborhoods, Service, Techniques and tools | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Milk Shake Factory.

Posted on February 25, 2011 by

This is probably one of the many ways in which I’m broken. I don’t want a milk shake in the summer. When it’s hot, the idea of all that thick dairyness sliding down my throat and sitting heavy in my … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Ingredients, Neighborhoods, Seasonal, Service, South Side | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 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

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

Salt of the Earth.

Posted on January 2, 2011 by

This is probably a little backward. The first time I went to the one Pittsburgh restaurant everyone — everyone — is talking about and it’s on a night it’s not serving any of its regular menu. It’s on a night … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Beer, Garfield, Ingredients, Neighborhoods, Presentation, Service, Traditional | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

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

More than coffee.

Posted on November 7, 2010 by

It looks like coffee. I get it. Still looks like coffee. Yeah. I — I know. But this is why there are such things as $11,000 Clover coffee machines. And baristas who describe coffee like Jancis Robinson talks about wine, … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Coffee, Neighborhoods, Nontraditional, Presentation, Service, Strip District, Techniques and tools | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments