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| - Overall: An excellent lunch and dinner experience. The service accommodating, the drinks well-balanced, and the food savory, if slightly rich. An easy choice for Pittsburgh fine-dining.
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Ambiance (4/5): One room and large, so it doesn't get to "chill", but otherwise very relaxed, festive, and modern, if a little chatty from the other guests and expansive from the very-large bar.
one room and a small private table with door, industrial feel with pipes and low-power lights hanging from the high ceilings above. bar of 20. high ceilings, rustic wall mounts of deer heads, greens hang from lights for Christmas, tree lit in corner. Soft ambiance play from above, hum to the place.
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Service (4/5): Prompt, if stand-off, arguably "know it all" in delivery, but exceptionally accommodating during lunch and overall very genial and helpful.
Immediate water and refills, long list of suggestions with general portion sizes indicated. Recommendations were as described. Took a bit of time delivering between appetizers though restaurant fairly packed.
I returned for lunch the next day.. 35 minutes after the kitchen had closed! I placed an order at 1:55, they cooked it and put it at the bar. It was still warm, waiting, when I arrived at 2:35. I never felt rushed sitting down this late, and they accommodated me perfectly.
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Drinks (5/5): Mixed drinks have a fantastic balance of flavor, alcohol, and texture. Small craft beer selection.
1) sloe gin fizz - awesome lightness with gin and citrus, juniper a bit lost but consistency creamy with egg. Fantastic stuff.
2) Sgt peppers old fashioned - bitters and orange work well together, pull out bourbon oak and heat while tempering. Pepper keeps drink light, very low sugar presence compared to sometimes over sweetened profile. One of the best old fashioneds I've drank. Another winner!
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Food (4/5): Aside from a few textural shortcuts and missteps, this is excellent cuisine, both lunch and dinner. Rich and hearty yet balanced and inventive, I look forward to trying another round.
1) tartare - spicy from the chili bowl-glaze and Jalapeno crunch! Soft boiled egg sits atop (done perfectly). Seaweed definitely noticeable. Light onion as well. Quality meat, lighter smoke unnoticeable unless you separate from fixins. Peanut adds a distinguished crunch though the flavor contrasts a bit. Lighter, more conflicted from so many ingredients, not as rustic or simple. I prefer softer texture of bittering agents like arugula, black pepper, and capers to the harsher texture here, and the spice heat slightly hides meat, but very good stuff.
2) Bone marrow - rich, fatty melt in mouth, nice use of salt, white onion, caper to cut richness though still a lot. Bread is hearty, absorbs marrow easily, but could be a bit crisper, though richness may overpower otherwise and sopping marrow out of bone is made easier. The coarse sea-salt is a textural issue against the marrow. It's gritty and cracks as the marrow melts in your mouth while you attempt chewing the bread.
3) Tort sandwich - really crunchy bread. Light! Avocado cuts jalapeno sting, pork fat, radishes maintain levity. Waves of flavor, first light jalapeno and pickled radish, then brash mango aioli and avocado, light pork and smoke following as spice builds, before the toasty crunch finish. Really subtle, in control. Lightly dry without aioli.
4) Mac and cheese - served in mini cast iron! thick! Lightly sweet, little burnt aspect so low textural contrast. Light influence from chorizo, hearty lightly stinging. Really solid and rich, though texturally a bit boring. She agreed.. "thick, rich"..
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