Kaleidoscope Cafe (Lawrenceville)

My younger brother was visiting from Toronto the weekend after Thanksgiving and we decided to check out Kaleidoscope Cafe. Though located in Lawrenceville, you won't find Kaleidoscope Cafe along the main drag; rather, it is tucked away on a quiet side street. Driving down 43rd Street past rows of townhouses, we began to wonder if we were headed in the right direction. But just then, the two story building with the colorful mural pops into view - and there it was, the Kaleidoscape Cafe.

Our visit to Kaleidoscope Cafe had been a bit of a last minute decision, as Lil' Bro is not the type to make advanced plans, and so we showed up without a reservation. On a Saturday night.

Oops. Bad idea.

The restaurant was full, and we were initially told that there wouldn't be a table for us that evening. Luckily, after some consultation among the staff, they managed to squeeze us in. Phew! Crisis averted. (I had really been looking forward to trying out this place!)

After being seated, we immediately noted the cute and eclectic decor of the restaurant. Although it was dark and busy, I did notice that each tabletop had a different, colorful pattern. Each table was also outfitted with a kaleidoscope. It was a fun atmosphere.

But it was the quality of the food at Kaleidoscope Cafe that made the lasting impression. I decided to try two light courses so I would have room for dessert later.  My first course was the Farmhouse Salad, with mixed greens, honey roasted beets, pears, toasted walnuts, and gorgonzola cheese, dressed in balsamic vinaigrette.  It proved to be a lovely combination of flavors.

Farmhouse Salad

My second course was a "small plate" item - Duck Cannoli - because who can resist that?? Pulled roasted duck is stuffed into a homemade cannoli shell and served with a white chocolate cardamom burre-blanc and pistachio dust. The duck was moist and tender and the cannoli shell was perfectly crunchy and just slightly sweet.  The saltiness of the meat and the sweetness of the remaining ingredients made for not just a unique but also delicious combination.

Duck Cannoli ($10)

Duck Cannoli, another view

I also got try some of R.'s Keleidoscope Pasta (which he couldn't stop raving about) and Lil' Bro's Kaleidoscope Crab Dip. Both were superb!

Kaleidoscope Pasta
Penne in tomato sauce, with bacon, onion, mushrooms, tomatoes, roasted corn,
and sweet peas ($13)

Kaleidoscope Crab Dip
Hot creamy dip of lump crab, bacon, corn, onion, and red pepper served with warm
pita ($9)

For my dessert, I tried the Poached Pear, which was an absolute delight thanks to the contrasting texture and flavor. Very well done.

Poached Pear
Pear poached in red wine and mulling spices served with fig and spiced rum
mascarpone quenelle and candied walnuts ($7)

(Incidentally, I have also since had the opportunity to try a sample of Kaleidoscope Cafe's Chicken Apple Sausage Saute at the Winter 2013 Pittsburgh Restaurant Week Kickoff Party and thought they were delicious. Now I know what I'll be getting next time!)

All in all, it was a fabulous meal. Everything - from the friendly and accommodating service, to the atmosphere, to the food - was perfect. I am so glad to have found this little hidden gem in the city and hope to be back soon!

Restaurant info:
Kaleidoscope Cafe
108 43rd St, Pittsburgh, PA 15201
(412) 683-4004
On the web: http://www.kaleidoscopepgh.com/
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KaleidoscopeCafe
Bonus: BYOB


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The Church Brew Works (Lawrenceville)

It was time to return to Pittsburgh last Saturday with my sister in tow who was to spend two days here.  We drove straight from Toronto to the Church Brew Works where R. was waiting with his brother and sister-in-law, who were also in town visiting that day.

The Church Brew Works is a brew pub, and a pretty cool one as far as I can tell.  As an old cathedral converted into a brewery-slash-dining establishment, it definitely has a unique atmosphere and worth visiting at least once. Seeing that I'm not at all a beer drinker, however, I really don't have much to say about the beer, except that the beer enthusiasts at the table shared the beer sampler and enjoyed most of the selections. 

As for food, I really wasn't quite sure what to expect with it being a pub (which sadly often means "don't expect too much out of the food") and having seen some mixed reviews.  I decided to go the safe route and ordered The Greek Wrap which had been recommended by two separate sources.  The spinach wrap was stuffed with hummus, cucumbers, kalamata olives, pickled red onions, feta cheese, tomatoes, and romaine lettuce with lemon-olive oil vinaigrette.  It wasn't too bad.  I also requested that the side be upgraded to sweet potato fries, which came with a deliciously spicy chipotle-ketchup.  I was pretty satisfied with my choice.

The Greek Wrap

I had wanted to try some of their special Alligator and Plantain Pierogies, but alas, they had just sold the last of it.  Instead, I had a few bites of Lil Sis' Traditional Pierogies, which she learned quickly is a Pittsburgh staple.  These were your basic potato and cheese pierogies served with sautéed onions, melted butter, and sour cream.
 

Traditional Pierogies

I also had some of R. and his brother's Pierogie Sauté which were Sautéed potato and cheese pierogies served with applewood smoked bacon and broccoli in a garlic cream sauce.  Both the traditional and the special sautéed pierogies were quite good.

Pierogie Sauté

I surveyed everyone about their food and all were satisfied.  The menu is perhaps a bit too "pubby" for my taste, but it seems they do have some interesting specials (as long as they don't run out of them!), and the idea of dining and chugging beer in a church is enough reason to check this place out.  I see this as a place I might take a beer loving tourist for a casual meal.

Restaurant info:
The Church Brew Works
3525 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15201
(412)688-8200
On the web: http://www.churchbrew.com

Pusadee's Garden (Lawrenceville)

My flight back from Kansas City arrived on Easter Sunday right around dinner time.  I didn't have any food at home, so I thought this would be a good excuse to go try another restaurant.  Problem is, many restaurants aren't open on Sundays!  Tipped off by Rodzilla, I was going to try Tamari in Lawrenceville, which is on my wish list and normally open on Sundays, but alas, it was not open that day.  Luckily, I know of another great restaurant in Lawrenceville just a little ways down the street from Tamari, and so I headed for the little family-run Pusadee's Garden.

Pusadee's Garden was actually the second restaurant in Pittsburgh I had ever been to since moving here last August when my friend and his girlfriend suggested to meet here for dinner.  The inside of the restaurant is pretty minimalistic - white/beige walls with few decorations, and in fact, the interior space feels to me to be a bit small and crowded - and mind you I am no claustrophobe.  But head out to the courtyard, and it is a completely different atmosphere: cute, charming, yet down-to-earth.  It feels just like you're in someone's backyard garden.  (Actually, it is Pusadee's backyard garden as fresh herbs are grown here.)  On this visit, I specifically requested patio seating, which was surprisingly empty on this day - I'm guessing because it had rained earlier.

The patio at Pusadee's Garden

Last time here I had tried the Pumpkin Curry which I liked a lot, and this time I decided to go with a different curry: Pineapple Curry with Tofu. (Yeah, I got curry again, surprise, surprise!)

Pineapple Curry with Tofu

You can't tell too well from the photo, but I actually really appreciated that the tofu isn't deep fried, which is how many restaurants do it.  The curry also comes with bell peppers and pineapples, and there was so much sauce that after finishing the rice I still had half the sauce left to take home.  It was one delightful meal turned into two!  The service was also very pleasant.  What a nice welcome back to Pittsburgh!


Restaurant info:
Pusadee's Garden
5321 Butler St, Pittsburgh, PA 15201
(412)781-8724
On the web: http://www.pusadeesgarden.com