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| - I had a fantastic experience at Morcilla. I met a couple of friends for dinner here on Friday night, as I was moving out of Pittsburgh the next day and wanted to eat somewhere special for my last meal in the 'burgh. Given all of the great things I had been hearing about Morcilla, I made a reservation--and it did not disappoint!
The menu is broken down into a few categories depending on the type and size of the dish. Some items consist of just a few bites, then there are some larger plates, and even a few platters meant to be shared by the table. My friends and I took the approach of ordering a bunch of items and sharing/tasting them all. We were a little unsure of how much to order, but our waitress was very helpful and knowledgeable.
A few favorites were the beef tartare (on crusty, thin bread with cured egg yolk and vegetable escabeche--basically pickled veggies), the salt cod with crispy capers, fried garlic chips, and lemon, and also the lamb meatballs with with raisins, sumac, and leek. The tartare was possibly the best I've ever had, and was absolutely packed with flavor. The lamb meatballs were juicy and also full of flavor, and the sumac yogurt was a fantastic pairing. I also enjoyed the chorizo with crispy potato and brandied prune. The thick prune sauce was unique and a flavor combination that really stood out to me. While some items definitely stood out, everything was enjoyable and I loved the ability to experience so many different ingredients, textures, and flavors in one meal.
The service was also great. Dishes were brought out with timing in mind, so at no point were there more than two or three items on the table. Each dish was also explained as it arrived, which was also helpful since it's easy to forget exactly what was ordered when it comes to small plates.
It's also reasonably priced, especially given the quality--for ten menu items and three cocktails, our total bill (for three people) came to just under $100. Overall I really enjoyed this meal and would love to return whenever I'm in Pittsburgh visiting.
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