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| - I'm a vegetarian, and my mother does the gluten-free thing. As we share a birthday, this often leaves my brother scratching his head on where to take us for our birthday. This year he suggested Eden, and I have to admit that I was skeptical.
I know that vegetarian food can be amazeballs, but I haven't had great luck in Pittsburgh, and the promise of no gluten, processed sugar, etc, etc, left me skeptical. Luckily, I was so burned out on unhealthy holiday food that I agreed to Eden, if only because I appreciated the concept of a healthy dinner.
Boy howdy, I'm glad that I did.
My party of four bought out most of the menu and shared because everything was so unique that we all couldn't make up our minds.
Drinks
Everyone else got a smoothie. They all loved theirs, though I didn't try them. I admit that at this point of the meal, my skepticism kept me from being comfortable with a $5 fruit/vegetable drink. I did get the french press of coffee, and it was very good.
Appetizers
The stuffed avocado wasn't stuffed so much as topped, but it was good besides. The tanginess of the dressing and the crunch of the cabbage paired well with the avocado. It didn't blow me away, but it was more than good enough for me to go back for seconds ... and thirds.
The beet ravioli was perhaps everyone's favorite appetizer: thinly shaved beets cut into squares and sandwiched around some sort of creamy-nut filling. While far from a traditional ravioli, it totally worked.
The pumpkin hummus was hummus made from pumpkin seeds, not your traditional pumpkin-spice flavor, and it was polarizing. It had a smoky flavor, a bit of a tang (kind of like miso) and it came with marinated carrot chips and raw crackers. I rather liked it, but I think I was the only one.
Entrees
I decided to opt for the truly raw side of the entree menu,, and thus decided on a pizza with tomato slices, tons of basil, a garlic-cream topping, and some other stuff. The "crust" was spongey and didn't hold up to its responsibilities well; I had to eat the pizza with a fork. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't unique or delicious enough for me to order it again.
My mother ordered the mac n' cheese. It was deliciously creamy, chock full of vegetables, and the pasta tasted like pasta should. I think it lacked the tang of real cheese, but it was still a big ole pile of delicious comfort-food. I'd order it in a heartbeat.
My brother decided on the butternut squash pierogies, which I so foolishly didn't order because I couldn't comprehend how a vegan, gluten-free restaurant could do anything but ruin the wonder of the pierogie. They were amazing. They weren't just "good for a gluten-free, vegan pierogie," they were good even when stacked against real pierogies. I will be going back for those pierogies.
My sister-in-law ordered a salad that, alas, I did not try. She said it was good, but wished she had ordered something more interesting.
Dessert
I grew up in a health-food house, and few things bring back bad memories quite like desserts made out of fruits and honey and carob when all I wanted was a piece of real cake. As such, even with the amazing meal, I was a little nervous about dessert. Again, I was wrong.
I ordered the pear sorbet, and it was so full of pear flavor and had this blissful vanilla finish. It was good. It was really good. I would order it again, and again, and again.
My other favorite was the chocolate sundae-thingy. With no processed sugar, I assumed it would be an abomination, but it was creamy and perfectly sweet. I was shocked by how much I liked it, really.
The other two desserts, an apple tart and a slice of pumpkin pie, were good. If we had ordered those and nothing else, I'm fairly sure I would have thought they were great, but compared to the pear sorbet and the chocolate sundae, there was no comparison.
Service
Our server was friendly, prompt, and personable. She was great with water refills, and pleasant. You can't really ask for more than that.
Overall
Honestly, it's rare for me to experience a new restaurant and want to return, but Eden is going to be shuffled into the rotation.
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