This is a very unique experience. I cannot think of any other
restaurant I have been to in the Pittsburgh area that is as creative,
as perfectionist, and as exploratory as Notion (and I tend to try
upscale restaurants when I have the time). Just on these grounds,
Notion stands strong. The food was overall very innovative, artsy, and
delicious. Some parts of the dishes were hit and miss, but overall it
is a unique and enjoyable experience. We will go back again.
To summarize, pros:
+ Very innovative and exploratory dishes
+ Food is presented as art
+ Romantic interiors
+ Reasonably sized portions
Cons:
- Expensive (but you should expect this if you are going there)
- Tables are too close to each other
The food is innovative and exploratory... We had four appetizers, one
main course, and a bottle of wine. The appetizers were varied: the
cauliflower with lobster, wild rice with escargot, shrimp with
dehydrated coconuts, and scallops. My gf got the cod. We also got a
bonus chocolate+onion+maple soup at the beginning. All dishes were
delicious, for the most part. Each had a touch of art in it, be it in
presentation, serving, or in the selection of ingredients. The
combination of ingredients in the cauliflower was almost perfect:
cauliflower, lobster, a nicely-designed shrimp cracker, all topped
with a delicious coconut soup (see uploaded picture). My girlfriend's
favorite was the entree, the cod. We also quite enjoyed the wild rice
with escargot. Shrimp and scallpos were also very artsy; dehydrated
coconuts, basil seeds, lemon gels, ... Sometimes we were not sure what
we were eating and not everything was as tasty in a dish, but that was
part of the experience.
The portions we had were quite filling. One should not be expecting
huge portions when going to such a restaurant like Notion.
Downsides... I felt the tables were too close to each other. This was
not a problem for us since the restaurant was not crowded when we
went, but I can see this being an issue when the restaurant is running
at its peak.
Overall, Notion provides a unique experience. Food is treated as art
there. It is definitely worth trying, but make sure you have the right
mindset before you get there: enjoy innovation, treat food as art, and
be open to different combinations of food items; and also do not
expect to have three meals' worth of food for the amount of money you
are paying...
Me thinks we need more restaurants like Notion in the Pittsburgh area.