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| - Piccolo Forno has to be, hands down, one of my favorite Pittsburgh restaurants.
Before I get into the love-fest, I have to say the initial thing that annoys me: you can't make a reservation unless your party is of 5/6 or more, and you can't get a reservation for over 10. That said, it's a small place and you can generally get a drink across the street at Round Corner Cantina or Franktuary (I'd go with the former).
But, onto PF. It's byob. This is key.
The salads are very good and well-rounded. I highly recommend the seafood salad or the insalata miste. The appetizers are also very nicely done. There are two types of bruschetta, one a tomato-based and one an olive tapenade. I'm particular to the olive. They usually have a decent meat and cheese plate as well, with excellent cured meats.
It's been a long time since I've had pasta there, because the wood-fire cooked pizzas are too difficult to pass up! My favorite is the Pizze Cappriciosa, which has prosciutto, artichokes, olives, etc., and topped with fried egg. The fried egg really makes the dish, which is an excellent blend of salty and savory, which balance out the natural acidity of the tomato sauce. I'd even say the darned thing reheats really well, too!
Other great pizzas include the Funghi, Quattro Formaggi, and the Quattro Stagioni (four seasons), a past favorite of mine.
I've frequently had very good service here as well. I would highly recommend this place to any Italian food lover! I easily think it's one of the best "Italian" places in town.
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