Habitat (Downtown)

Last week my friend and I were treated to dinner at Habitat at the Fairmont Hotel, where Chef Francis Ward prepared eight courses for us to sample. My friend and I were both completely blown away by the phenomenal quality of the food and I thought I'd share a few photos here. Although every single course was fantastic, I must state for the record that the unbelievable melt-in-your-mouth tender duck breast was the best duck I have ever had in my life—bar none. In fact, my friend doesn't usually eat duck, and she gobbled this up. Two other standout courses that also deserve special mention are the salted caramel pumpkin soup and the sweet potato gnocchi. My understanding is that a new menu will be unveiled soon, and I'm confident that the new dishes will be just as fantastic!

Fresh Tandoor Baked Naan with Cucumber Aioli, Hummus, and Tomatillo Salsa

Salted Caramel Pumpkin Soup with Spiced Cream

Amuse Bouche

Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Local Wild Flower Honey

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Bacon, Parmigianno, and Pesto

Lobster and Grits, Lobster Bisque, Endive, and Watercress

Cold Smoked Duck Breast, Turnip and Sweet Potato Hash, Liver Mousse,
and Balsamic Reduction

Banana King with Peanut Butter and Banana Ice Cream Cake, Chocolate
Cheerios, and Banana Caramel

In addition to incredible food, the service was also top-notch. Our server was beyond attentive and we were visited by both managers and the chef to ensure our experience was nothing but perfect.

For full disclosure, the meal was complimentary for a reason entirely unrelated to my status as a semi-anonymous, sometime food blogger; in fact, my friend was the one who made this dinner happen and Habitat had zero idea that I write this blog when the invitation was extended to us. Also, because this was a chef's tasting, the photos may not reflect full portions from the menu.

Restaurant info:
Habitat Restaurant
510 Market Street, Pittsburgh, PA
(412) 773-8848
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