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| - It breaks my heart to rate Lidia's as only a two-star experience, because I had such high expectations. On the positive side, the environment was very inviting - high ceilings with great blown-glass chandeliers; and our waitress, Paola, worked very hard. Unfortunately the kitchen staff, bussers and other servers seemed to be less dedicated to their jobs, and it appeared that Paola spent a good portion of her shift reminding her colleagues to complete their tasks - bus a table, refill waters, deliver all the entrees that were ordered. More disappointing than the service was the food, which was really underwhelming. Having watched Lidia on PBS for decades and hearing about the excellent quality of her NYC restaurant, I was looking forward to dinner in her PGH establishment. The pasta was cooked to the perfect al dente, and the portions were appropriate, but that's where the compliments end. The Ravioli di Zucca - a butternut squash ravioli with sage brown butter, zucchini and almonds - were overly sweet and were surrounded by only the barest hint of zucchini. The Fritto Misto - an appetizer of fried calamari, shrimp, and seasonal vegetables - was almost all vegetables with very few calamari or shrimp. Granted, the calamari and shrimp that were there were cooked perfectly. The Porchetta - and pork shoulder roast - was dry and uninteresting. Lastly, the Pasta Trio, her signature entree, was two pastas and a risotto the evening we were there. Risotto, while one of my favorites, isn't pasta. The rice for the risotto had slightly more bite than one looks for in an al dente preparation; the ricotta filling of the tortellini was a little watery; and the bucatini pasta was only lukewarm. However, had it been actually hot, it would have been the star of the show. Each selection of the pasta trio is carried about the restaurant in large platters by separate servers, which adds a degree of showmanship, but makes it very difficult to keep them warm. Unfortunately, I believe you'll find better fare and much better service at any number of other Italian restaurants in the city.
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