Soba (Shadyside)

I must be the only person in the world who can stretch out her birthday celebration over a span of 15 days!

To be fair, this trip to Soba wasn't intended to be an actual birthday celebration.  That I did in fabulous style a couple weekends ago, during Pittsburgh Restaurant Week, at Bite Bistro.  But when the Big Burrito Group considers you a VIP...actually, all you have to do is sign up for the email newsletters...you get a little birthday gift from them in the form of an entree (up to $30) at one of their restaurants (except Umi).

A Big Burrito Happy Birthday!

It is brilliant, actually.  There were a couple of Big Burrito restaurants I still hadn't tried, and it would probably have taken me a whole lot longer to make it out to one of them if it weren't for this little reminder.  With my having been out of town, however, I wasn't even sure I could make it out, but I finally found the opportunity to redeem my gift on practically the last possible valid date.  I decided on Soba as I had only been there for drinks but not for dinner, and I was curious to check out their food.

As the name would imply, Soba's menu is Asian-inspired, with dishes featuring ingredients from such exotic lands as Thailand, Korea, and China.  I was very tempted by a number of the entree options - the Miso Black Cod, Duck Breast and Braised Leg, Tandoori Grilled Salmon, and the Red Curry Tofu were part of the Top 5 - but in the end I went with the Seared Rare Tuna.

Seared Rare Tuna ($34)

The Seared Rare Tuna is covered in a sesame-peanut crust, served with ginger fried rice, a cucumber and red onion salad, and kim chi, which is hidden behind the tuna in the photo.  The sauce is a Korean BBQ sauce, which was the main reason I chose this.  The rare tuna-Korean BBQ sauce combo was good, and certainly interesting if nothing else.  I had hoped for a more sweet grilled bulgogi-like flavor in the BBQ sauce, however, as that's the image I have when I think of Korean BBQ, but this was not so.  Then again, you don't go to a Big Burrito restaurant expecting authentic ethnic food, so I'm OK with that.

I frankly didn't eat too much of the side items as I was getting full (and saving room for dessert) - I had assumed a seafood dish would be somewhat lighter than a heavy-meaty dish, but I was very wrong.  The tuna was a pretty hefty number.

Speaking of dessert...it was a tough choice there as well.  Literally everything sounded amazing.  In the end, I chose the Soba Banana Split for one reason: the pandan ice cream.  I had never heard of  pandan before, but thanks to mobile technology I was able to find out that it is a plant grown in tropical Asian countries and goes well with coconut milk.  I love coconut, so I deduced that anything that goes well with it must be good, too.  Besides, where else are you gonna get pandan ice cream??

Soba Banana Split ($8)
(L-R: Sesame, Chocolate, and Pandan ice creams)

As it turns out, the pandan ice cream was indeed the highlight of this dessert.  Not to diminish the rest of this lovely banana split, which also featured chocolate and sesame ice creams on top of a banana cake as well as caramelized bananas - but the pandan ice cream was chock full of sweet nutty flavor and complimented the  the banana cake like nothing else.  Actually, when I had my first bite of the pandan ice cream with the cake together, I had thought it was the cake that was emanating the amazing flavor, but turns out it was actually the ice cream.  So good on its own; so good together with the cake.

A friend had ordered a different dessert that was one of the options I had considered as well, and she graciously let me take a photo, so I thought I'd share anyway despite not having tried it myself:

Chocolate Maki ($8)

I mean, it was chocolate in the form of a maki roll - too cute to pass up the photo op!  To be more specific, this dessert consists of a dark chocolate mousse rolled with chocolate pistachio crepe and topped with pistachio, served with pistachio cream (instead of wasabi), like chocolate sauce (instead of soy sauce), and shaved cantaloupe (instead of ginger).  Cutest dessert, like, evar.  By all accounts, the Chocolate Maki was delicious as well.  My friends also gave thumbs up to their appetizers and entrees, which included a chopped salad, Thai corn chowder, and the Red Curry Tofu.

And with that, Birthday 2012 is officially over.  Thank you for the chance to dine at your restaurant, Big Burrito!

Restaurant info:
Soba
5847 Ellsworth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232
(412)362-5656
On the web: http://www.bigburrito.com/soba/


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Salt of the Earth (Garfield/Bloomfield): Take Two

A couple weeks ago my little brother and his girlfriend drove in to spend a day in Pittsburgh.  When I first found out they would be coming, my immediate concern was where to take them for dinner.  After all, the two of them are like me in that they like to explore and appreciate good food, so I knew I would have to come up with something that makes Pittsburgh dining shine in their eyes.  I struggled with this a bit as there are several fine options in and around town, but Salt of the Earth was a frontrunner from the beginning and emerged a winner in the end.  Besides, I had been itching to go back to Salt of the Earth since my first visit  there back in the summer!

Traffic was awful on this snowy day - the snowiest yet this winter - but even though we made it to Salt much later than we had planned, it was fairly empty, which was great for us as we didn't have to wait for a seat.  The restaurant actually filled up shortly thereafter, however, and the fact that so many people came out to dine at Salt despite the weather reflects very highly on not only the restaurant but the Pittsburgh dining scene in general.

Salt changes its menu seasonally, and preparations within the same menu can vary from day to day.  One of the current entree features is Duck, which grabbed my attention the most.  The tender, juicy duck meat was served with parsnip puree, haluski (a Polish noodle), and Brussels sprouts, topped with pomegranate and a side of apple butter.  It was absolutely amazing; everything was done just perfectly!

Duck ($24)

Even though I ate every single last bite of the duck entree, I couldn't resist dessert (as is typical of me!).  I decided on the Fruitcake, which consisted of two small bites of cake made with some combination of amaretto, chestnut, pistachio, and orange, and a scooplet of eggnog ice cream.  Amazing.

Fruitcake ($8)

Lil' Bro's girlfriend also had the duck entree and loved it.  Lil' Bro went with the scallops.  He thought the sides were all right, but really liked the main feature of scallops and mussels.  All in all, they enjoyed Salt of the Earth quite a bit, and surprised me by treating me.  Thanks, guys!  It was so nice to spend time with you two!

Restaurant info:
Salt of the Earth
5523 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
(412)441-7258
On the web:  http://www.saltpgh.com
On Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/saltpgh
On Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Salt-Of-The-Earth/159871574028612


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Gypsy Cafe: Take Two (South Side)

UPDATE 7/15/2012: Gypsy Cafe is now closed.

I had been itching to go back to Gypsy Cafe in the South Side since my first visit there in the spring, and a friend and I finally paid a visit there a few weeks ago.

Gypsy Cafe's menu changes every season, so the savory Oxtail Borscht I had last time was no longer on their menu.  This time, I got the Szekely Goulash, partly because I have this odd penchant for trying food I can't pronounce.  The Szekely Goulash is a buttered egg noodle dish topped with pork, Hungarian paprika, bacon, onions, sauerkraut, and sour cream.  It was a huge serving, but it was so good I gobbled up the whole thing!

Szekely Goulash

The Szekely Goulash came with a dinner salad as well.

Dinner Salad

My friend ordered two appetizers as her meal and let me share a bite of each.  On the left are the Gypsy Cevapcici Meatballs, and I forget what exactly was on the other thing she ordered (my memory gets fuzzy after a few weeks) but both were very good.

Appetizers

Unfortunately, due to a host of family health issues, Gypsy Cafe announced in August that it is up for sale.  I don't know what the current status is regarding the sale, and who knows if the restaurant will remain the same once a new owner takes over?  Should the restaurant close, it would be a huge loss to the South Side food scene, for sure.

Restaurant info:
Gypsy Café
1330 Bingham Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203 
(412)381-4977
On the web:  http://www.gypsycafe.net
On Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gypsy-Cafe/55336131881
On twitter: http://twitter.com/GypsyCafe

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Salt of the Earth (Bloomfield)

I'm not quite sure what took me so long to check out THE Salt of the Earth, one of the most talked-about restaurants in town, to see what the hype is all about.  Most recently, the "hype" took the form of accolades from Pittsburgh Magazine, including Best New Restaurant for 2011 and Chef of the Year for Chef Kevin Sousa.  I think that was the last draw.  I had to be the last person in Pittsburgh yet to try Salt of the Earth, and that was just not acceptable.  So I rounded up some friends and made my way there last week.

First impressions:  Sleek, clean, modern design; very bright and spacious, thanks to the uber high ceiling, the open concept, and the ceiling-to-floor windows that line the front of the restaurant.  I absolutely loved the ambience.  I didn't get to see the upstairs seating, but the lower level offers large communal tables and bar seats overlooking the open kitchen, not unlike eating at a sushi bar, only cooler.  I knew they didn't take reservations (well, they do, for the upstairs loft, but I've heard it's better to just walk in), but the wait wasn't too bad on this Thursday night, considering we weren't to meet there until 7:00 pm.  We got a seat at one of the communal tables, which at first pass may seem a bit odd, but it really didn't bother us at all.  Despite being physically close in proximity to the other diners, psychologically the restaurant felt quite roomy.

The menu, which varies seasonally, is written on a snazzy two-story chalk board.  Creative menus always get me, and this was certainly one of the more intriguing ones I've seen, and made it difficult to choose among the options.  While I was curious about the appetizers, I decided to opt for my usual combo: entree + dessert.  There was admittedly some agonizing over my entree selection, but eventually the Soft Shell Crab won out.  And a superb choice it was!  I can't say I've ever in the past had soft shell crab that was not overly crusty on the outside while retaining its juiciness on the inside.  This was hands-down the best soft shell crab I've ever had.  Served with a delicious tartar sauce, horseradish potatoes, and a gingery seaweed salad, the tartness of the sides complemented well the savoriness of the crab.

Soft Shell Crab ($19)

Friend FoodBurgh Mike had ordered the Eggplant with tomato-braised soy protein and tahini.  I'm always a bit wary of eggplant, but this was so interesting I regret not having taken a picture of it.  The eggplant was cubed and made to resemble home fries, and I almost didn't believe it when Mike pointed to it and invited me to try it, but sure enough, when you bite into it, it is unmistakably eggplant.  Very good eggplant, no less, as was the tomato-braised soy protein.

I'm always tempted by dessert, and even though none of the three options available really appealed to me based on their descriptions, I had seen several diners order the Berry Pretzel Jello while I was waiting for a table and it looked so good I knew I had to try it:

Berry Pretzel Jello ($8)

Once again, it was a fabulous choice.  This dessert consists of three layers:  At the bottom is cream cheese and mesquite, topped with sweet and salty crushed pretzels, finished with a variety of fresh berries.  Mike informed me that the pretzel jello (which contains actual jello, along with cream cheese and pretzels) is a "Pittsburgh thing."  I've never had it before, but I don't think I can after tasting Chef Sousa's delightful - no, heavenly, version.

Salt of the Earth certainly backs up its hype with solid quality.  In my opinion, Salt of the Earth really is a step above most other restaurants in town, and I think it is good for the city to have such a high-caliber restaurant to raise the bar for the rest of them.  I pretty much wanted to go back as soon as I walked out, and I'm marking this one an instant favorite.

UPDATE 1/18/2012: Salt of the Earth, Take Two

Restaurant info:
Salt of the Earth
5523 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
(412)441-7258
On the web:  http://www.saltpgh.com
On Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/saltpgh
On Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Salt-Of-The-Earth/159871574028612

Gypsy Cafe (South Side)

UPDATE 7/15/2012: Gypsy Cafe is now closed.


Somewhat hidden along Bingham Street, a block north of the hustle and bustle of Carson Street in South Side, is a little restaurant known as Gypsy Café, the venue of last week's dining out adventure.  Gypsy Café has a small but pretty creative menu consisting of an eclectic mix of European dishes, mostly from Eastern Europe.  (I suspect their menu changes often, just like their hours.)  Despite the limited selection, which included several a la carte options as well as a three-course prix fixe menu, I had a difficult time deciding on what to order as everything sounded delicious!  I was tempted by the salmon, but ended up going with the Shortrib and Oxtail Borscht, a traditionally Ukrainian dish, for a true Eastern European taste.


And I'd venture to say that this was one of the best dishes I've had in Pittsburgh so far!

Shortrib and Oxtail Borscht

The Shortrib and Oxtail Borscht was a very flavorful combination of beef, roasted beets, cabbages, and tomatoes, in a delightful sauce that achieves a nice balance between sweetness and tanginess.  The shortrib was a tiny bit on the chewy side, but the oxtail was perfectly tender.  The dish was topped with sour cream which adds another element of tanginess to the soup.  I always appreciate a dish with a full and complex flavor that just works.  As weird as this may sound, I also find myself having a particularly vivid taste memory trace of this borscht - that is, I find the flavor of the borscht to be very memorable (in a good way), which I think speaks to its savoriness.

Everyone else I was with was impressed with their food, and the portions were huge as well.  This is undoubtedly a place for a repeat visit, perhaps on a night that features live music!


Restaurant info:
Gypsy Café
1330 Bingham Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203 
(412) 381-4977

On the web: http://www.gypsycafe.net/ (check their hours before you go!)