A five star rating is rare for me, so when I took in the loud atmosphere, cheap decor (unmatched tables, random haphazard triangles stuck on the walls for adornment), and low staff (one waitress and one hostess for the entire place), I wasn't expecting much.
And then the food arrived, and my taste buds were in for a treat! Even right from the complimentary bread and butter (Pita and seasoned butter), the food was fantastic. Possibly the best meal I've had in Pittsburgh to date.
Our appetizers, the deep fried gnocchi was so light and airy that I couldn't believe it was made from potato. The duck cannoli served on a white chocolate sauce was moist and perfectly balanced.
The entrees kept up the extremely high level of flavor, the cow jumped over the blue moon featured a perfectly cooked steak atop a rich pasta sauce. Honestly, either of the two alone would have been a great entree, but combined the balance of flavors was irresistible. My wife had the cornish game hen, and let me tell you, it was absolutely the right choice. The bird was moist and delicious, served on top of light and airy mashed potatoes, with dried figs, tomatoes, and snow peas.
For desert we tried the flourless chocolate cake and rosemary lemon torte. I must note that while they were very good, I recommend getting both and sharing, as the lemon is very refreshing and the chocolate very rich, so they compliment eachother well.
I will definitely be going back. Any time I can make the excuse!