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| - Who would have thought. Semi-visible behind a pizza shop on South Park Road in Bethel Park is a new addition to the South Hills dining world. And it is a Russian nesting doll of pleasurable surprises. On entry, you're greeted with a simple decor with enjoyable background music pegged at a level that promotes discussion. The owners are at the ready to welcome you.
The dining room is airy with tables placed so as to allow a welcomed degree of privacy. There is a sense that it a space in a remodeling transition, but the current room is attractively treated to mixed tan and black chairs with white tablecloths.
As for the food, you will find a menu that is ambitious in its number of offerings. It's posted on one of the interior walls. The variety extends through familiar beef, seafood, and Italian dishes, with a few Mediterranean selections. What is welcomed is the freshness of the ingredients and preparation. The red sauce for my egg plant caprese was savory with just the right balance of sweetness and spices...definitely made fresh. The accompanying penne pasta was perfectly al dente. My Caesar salad was not the result of bottled dressing. It was freshly prepared topped with loads of anchovies ( but without the inclusion of a raw egg...an understandable omission). For dessert lovers, sweets are supplied by the popular Signatures Desserts. I enjoyed a powerhouse slice of chocolate mousse cake.
The owners and the lone server provided flawless and attentive service... they're committed to a friendly experience. They are eager to establish a clientele of happy, repeat customers. They have easily earned my future business. If you're lucky, you can thank the chef personally, as I did.
I left with a satisfied feeling. I had finished a tasty meal (complimented with a glass of wine from my BYOB bottle) priced reasonably. And, with a loaf of the in-house Italian bread under my arm, I plunged into the cool Fall air as a happy man.
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