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| - Whenever the situation warrants, I'll usually ask a business acquaintance from the Pittsburgh area whether they have been to "The O" lately. Usually I get a smile and a conversation ice-breaker. It's been years since I've been here, but by all indications, little changes. In Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood, the heart of the college district, "The O" represents all of the angst and energy, the culinary hedonism and "WTF" attitude of my undergraduate years (in Cleveland). Hot dogs are their namesake, and they're alright; the burgers and steak sandwiches are okay. What everybody remembers about "The O" must be seen to be believed. An order of fries or onion rings is huge beyond anticipation. I would suspect that a few orders of fries from "The O" would have carried Napoleon's troops across Russia in the middle of winter. Quantity aside, they're good. You won't find the crisp, double-fried french fries or duck fat and truffle froufrou here; this is a roll-up-the-sleeves blue collar place. I doubt that it is the cleanest place I've ever eaten in, but this isn't a place for whining and complaining, calorie-counting or sustaining a healthy diet. It's cash-only, and there's no parking for blocks around, but that would be whining and complaining. Order, sit down and gorge; eating can be this simple!
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