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| - I like the trend in restaurants that started some years ago and is now really taking off in Pittsburgh; namely, locally sourced produce and meat thoughtfully put together by people who are serious about food and willing to not only try new things, but return their kitchens to a time when most things (like pasta and bread) were made by hand. Throw in some fun and delicious cocktails, and you have Root 174.
We made an early dinner reservation for a Friday night, and, while the place was empty when we arrived, it was getting busier by the time we left. It's a small space, so reservations are recommended. Both the drink and dinner menus are brief, so choosing was a fairly quick affair for me. I had the Royal Oligarchy, a very good cocktail made with Remy Martin, Jim Beam Rye, St. Germain, house bitters and Cava (Spanish sparkling wine), served straight up and ungarnished. I tasted every element present in this drink, and enjoyed it thoroughly. Caesar salad is a favorite of mine, and their Black Caviar Caesar arrived to the table somewhat deconstructed, with the baby kale dressed, topped with a large crouton and liberally sprinkled with parmesan, and the poached egg, anchovy and caviar off to the side. This is a very good salad, and the well balanced flavors in the dressing, as well as the egg and parmesan cheese crisp, somewhat mellowed the stronger flavors on the plate. For my main I chose the Tuna Bloodline Bolognese, the description of which (olive infused pappardelle, tomato, zucchini, poached fennel) I found very intriguing. I did ask the waiter about the whole tuna bloodline thing, and he explained that the dark red meat that cuts through a tuna steak is the bloodline, and they take that part and create the sauce with it. Interesting. This is obviously not a typical Bolognese sauce, and the tuna was either pureed or melted into the sauce, which was thick and tasted of, well, tuna. I'm not sure what else goes into this sauce, as it doesn't say on the menu. The other parts of the dish...pappardelle (either house made or hand made locally, but brilliant either way), zucchini, poached fennel and tomato, were all done perfectly. The sauce got a little heavy for me after awhile, and there was a lot of it on the plate, so I didn't finish it all...you really have to like the somewhat fishy taste of bloodline tuna to enjoy this dish. And I did enjoy it.
Dessert, a lemon and lavender infused cake, sounded simple, but was completely different than any cake I've ever had, both in texture and taste. French press coffee completed the meal. Everything I tried here was delicious, beautifully presented, and just a bit different from my expectations, which is a good thing. Service was low key and helpful. I'll be back.
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