Tag Archives: authenticity

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

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

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

Yinz privileges.

Posted on May 21, 2011 by

Almost seven months in Pittsburgh now. I’m still new. It’s my city but it’s not my city. As much as I have embraced this city and it me, I am not of this place. I still have something to earn, … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Family, Meta, Nontraditional, Traditional | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

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

Bloomfield.

Posted on February 24, 2011 by

For some reason, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was crazy enough to pay me to write this story for them. No accounting for taste, I suppose. But there is one thing you won’t know from reading it. My favorite paragraphs are the … Continue reading →

Posted in Bloomfield, Family, Meta, Neighborhoods, Traditional | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Generosity.

Posted on January 31, 2011 by

Food is for sharing. One of the hardest things about moving to Pittsburgh in stages has been my inability to entertain. Cooking for myself is fine — I do like food — but it’s so much more gratifying to do … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Ingredients, Meta, Recipes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

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

Deer jerky.

Posted on November 30, 2010 by

Almost sounds like a diary entry. Or an ode. Some kind of deer-hunting season started yesterday. I read that somewhere. For me, it means one thing: my in-laws’ deer jerky. My father-in-law has heads on the the walls of his … Continue reading →

Posted in Beaver County, Family, Ingredients, Seasonal, Traditional | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Thai Cuisine.

Posted on November 7, 2010 by

Never been to Thailand. Or Italy. Never been to France or India. I can’t tell you about authentic. But I know when something’s good. A friend of mine first took me to Thai Cuisine at Liberty and Pearl before I … Continue reading →

Posted in Bloomfield, Ingredients, Neighborhoods, Presentation, Service | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments