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| - First of all, the service was outstanding. I called earlier in the day, when I was still trying to decide at which restaurant to eat, and the waiter/host on the phone was happy to describe to me, in detail, the appetizers and entrees that were on the board that evening. I made our reservation then and there.
To me, an indicator of a great restaurant is a menu that isn't standardized. While they do have a small menu of appetizers, entrees and desserts (I think 3 each) that are always available, the majority of what they serve each evening is written on chalkboards on both sides of the restaurant. We decided to go with an appetizer and entree from the year round menu, and one each from the chalkboard.
Our starters were the butternut squash soup with green chilis (from the board) and the pear gorgonzola flatbread (from the menu). The soup was phenomenal . It was smooth, creamy and slightly sweet with the perfect amount of spice courtesy of the green chilis. The seeds of the squash were roasted and added as a garnish. Waste not, want not. Plus they were delicious and a great crunchy contrast to the perfectly pureed squash. The pear and gorgonzola flat bread was good too, but nothing spectacular. When we go back I think I'd probably skip it and try something a little more unique.
After reading fellow yelpers reviews, I decided to go with the kobe meatloaf for my entree. It didn't disappoint in any way. The presentation was beautiful, with the meatloaf set atop a mound of chive and goat cheese mashed potatoes (I'll get to those in a minute) and topped off with a generous helping of crispy fried onions. The meatloaf itself was juicy and had great flavor. The potatoes were fantastic... a possible "last meal on earth" contender. Potato + chives is always a big hit with me, and the addition of the goat cheese put it over the edge. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. The goat cheese wasn't overwhelming but there wasjust enough to make it recognizable.
Avenue B adds to the dilemma my husband and I face every time we visit Pittsburgh: too many good places to eat, and not enough meals to fit them all in. Needless to say, Avenue B has pushed itself to the top of the priority list. I see an anniversary dinner here in our future...
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