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| - I really liked Toast. My wife and I went with another couple and we all sampled each others orders, so I think I can make a fair number of broad generalizations. None of our party eat red meat however, so I can't comment about the lamb, steak, pork etc.
My appetizer of Lobster Mac and Cheese was very good. The pasta was al dente (maybe a bit too al dente, but that is a matter of taste). The white cheese sauce was creamy without being cloying and the lobster was a nice accoutrement. Others in our group ordered a risotto, which was really really great and looked like it had some wild rice in it in addition to the arborio, we also sampled the shrimp and grits. My wife thought they were a bit too buttery; personally I think that the term "too buttery" is a metaphysical impossibility. The shrimp and grits were really outstanding, perfectly spiced.
We also split a couple of salads. The vegetarian ceasar was really quite nice. It was a departure from a traditional ceasar without the anchovy, and yet still seemed to capture some of the feel of a ceasar. I had the endive (I am mentioning all of these names but the menu changes regularly so...) the endive and beet ad goat cheese salad was really nice and the presentation was lovely.
The entrees were something more of a mixed bag. I had a very nice Walleye with the skin on (and the skin was quite pleasant and nicely broiled to a crisp). Others at the table had scallops which were excellent, and halibut, also good. My wife ordered a vegetarian lasagna with tofu, which was a bit of a disappointment. It was actually more of a terrine of roasted vegetables with layers of tofu in between than a lasagna. With the pesto, it wasn't bad, but I think that it may have been so far from what she thought she was getting that it ended up a bit of a disappointment.
THe desserts were nice/ different. My wife had a very nice bread pudding with caramel icecream. One person at the table had an apple turnover a la mode, that was also nice but not very different. One person had a tapioca creme brulee which was really very original, it was tapioca pearls in a "glob" (it looks nicer than that description sounds). In a creamy sauce, coated with sugar that is then caramelized. It was a really neat take on a familiar concept. I had the chocolate sampler. The chocolates presented an interesting "safari" in the world of chocolate that starts in San Francisco and ends in the Mayan jungle. By far the most interesting was a dark chocolate with chipotle and pop rocks. I really liked the concept here, but the presentation could have been better (chocolate pieces on a blue plate--maybe some berries, color accents etc.).
The service was really very good. Initially we were seated downstairs near the bar, but we asked for a room upstairs and got a room practically by ourselves. The service was very attentive without being suffocating, and when asking for recommendations we received good and useful information rather than the pat phrases.
The wine selection is fairly extensive with a really great range of options for wines by the glass (hence the name Toast!).
Overall this is a really fantastic new place. I predict that it will only get better in terms of the menu option as it falls into more of a rhythm. I like the fact that the chef seems to want to use seasonal produce and meats (there was a soft shell crab on the menu from South Carlina).
In any case I think that this is a really great dining option for adults for a variety of occasions. It can be a stand alone evening dinner event, or a pre-cursor to a show down town (the restaurant is seconds from Bigelow Blvd., which can whisk you down town in 5 minutes. It is also a great option for dinner before a movie in the East End.
The best part is that the prices are incredibly reasonable for a place of this caliber. In addition to reasonably priced entrees, appetizers and salads, there is a Tasting menu for $40/prix fixe with 4 courses. This may be one of the "best values" in Pittsburgh.
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