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| - I came here because it was basically the highest rated restaurant in the area... without being too expensive (only rated $$) or too far away. I'm in Pittsburgh doing training for a couple of days--I live in Seattle. This is my first visit to the area.
The location was more provincial that I was expecting. Very much like small family restaurants on the outskirts of Vienna. Unique, rustic, a bit shabby in places.
I ordered the Stuffed Sole (on special for the evening) with pasta, the Wedding Soup, salad with Ranch (on the side), and garlic bread. Everything was included in the price of the Sole ($13.99). I had a Coors light--one of two beers on-tap, for $2.25. Great price, right? Except it was in about an 8oz mug.
The Wedding Soup was really good. Fresh. Meatballs with tiny pasta balls in a chicken broth with...Kale? Maybe, maybe not. Something dark green.
The salad was a typical side salad. Nothing special. Iceberg lettuce, red onions, grape tomatoes, shredded carrots.
The garlic bread was saturated in garlic butter. I liked it. Soft on the inside, crusty on the outside. Italian white bread. Good.
The Sole was soft and flaky. The stuffing was a decent crab stuffing. It all sat in a cream sauce that was bland. My sole had some small bones, but nothing too complain about.
The pasta was spaghetti with marinara sauce. The spaghetti seemed a bit overcooked, and the sauce was fairly bland. It reminded me of spaghetti-Os.
Overall the meal was a decent meal... not terrible for $21 with tip, but not what I expected with so many stars. Maybe the out-of-the-way location made the reviews seem better? Maybe there isn't much Italian competition? Maybe the family atmosphere wins people over? The waitresses were older and had obviously been there a long time, so it seems stable and a good place to work. Nice to try, but fairly 'meh.'
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