http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08003/846223-51.stm
As we look ahead with hope, we also look back at improving restaurant scene
Thursday, January 03, 2008
By China Millman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The year 2007 was an exciting one for Pittsburgh-area restaurants. Gourmet Magazine listed Bona Terra as one of the best farm-to-table restaurants in the country. Nemacolin's flagship restaurant Lautrec received five diamonds from AAA, one of the highest possible honors for a restaurant. And the illustrious James Beard Organization, which annually recognizes four small regional restaurants, named Primanti Bros. an American Classic, "a slice of American culinary history."
While Pittsburgh restaurants have new obstacles to face -- an additional 10 percent tax on alcohol and an economy that may be teetering on the edge of recession -- there are reasons to hope the local restaurant scene will only grow more interesting, accomplished and successful this year. But first, let's take a look at this past year in restaurants.
The team behind Sonoma Grill opened Seviche just across the street in February. The view of the stylish open kitchen can be mesmerizing as line cooks deftly construct dishes whose inspirations extent from Latin America to Southeast Asia. Seviche, a technique in which fish is "cooked" by the acid of citric juice, is used to wonderful effect.
Tusca Mediterranean Tapas is a welcome respite from the chains that dominate the SouthSide Works. Here, tapas stray from traditional Spanish dishes -- they are large enough to share and Greek and Italian influences are common.
Costa del Sol is another restaurant that interprets the title "tapas" loosely, though there are clear Spanish influences at this new Shadyside restaurant, such as the wonderful paella for two. BYOB for now, the restaurant also has a lovely bar area that the owners plan to make use of as soon as they secure their state liquor license.
Speaking of state liquor laws, despite all of the irritating hurdles, Pittsburgh is starting to see its fair share of serious wine restaurants: Pittsburgh wine aficionados had long anticipated the June opening of Mio Kitchen and Wine Bar in Aspinwall. Sommelier Alan Uchrinscko has a national reputation in the wine industry and his wine-pairing abilities live up to the buzz.
Robin Fernandez, along with several other partners, has opened Manny's, a new Downtown destination for fine dining. One special feature of Manny's restaurant? An elegant wine and cheese bar that will offer daily selections of wines by the glass as well as domestic and international cheeses.
Though it cannot escape that dreaded chain-status, The Capital Grill has been very successful at wooing Pittsburgh steak lovers, and many of those steak lovers are Cabernet lovers as well. The glass-enclosed wine cellar is a stunning focal point to the room, the by-the-bottle list is varied and unique, and well-stocked connoisseurs can store bottles in private "wine lockers" at the restaurant.
Bistros were a popular theme this past year, with both Legume and Palate opening in May. Legume offers some of the most authentic bistro-style dining I've experienced this side of the Atlantic. Palate Bistro is a little more upscale, though you can expect some changes in the new year as Chef Ryan Racicot has departed from the restaurant. Owner John Valentine is currently reworking the concept along with Chef/consultant Scott Fetty, of the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute faculty and a member of the American Culinary Federation Culinary Team USA, which will travel to Erfurt, Germany, in October to compete in the IKA -- also known as the "culinary Olympics."
Some restaurants are a bit more difficult to categorize. Mojo Bistro started out as a cafe but has developed into a restaurant. The decor is coffee-shop cute but the food is primarily influenced by the owner's southern roots and Chef Dave McCartan's interest in Asian cuisine.
Muriel's offerings range from quesadillas to grilled pork porterhouse, and I'm told that the brunch is outstanding. This eclectic new eatery is already a backbone of North Side dining.
Italian remains a Pittsburgh favorite: Geno's Restaurant in Lawrenceville is a deli by day that becomes a white-tablecloth Italian restaurant by night. Some additional entries include Amici Ristorante on Route 51 and Joseph Tambellini's in Highland Park.
As Pittsburgh palates grow more adventurous, there's a market for more diverse food choices as well. Thai Tom Yung Kung opened early this year in Edgewood, an area that currently has only one other Thai restaurant.
Tana Ethiopian cuisine opened just in time to make it into this article. Pittsburgh's second Ethiopian restaurant is located just around the corner from its first (Abay).
Of course, as new restaurants open, others close.
One restaurant that will certainly be mourned is Chesterfield's in North Huntingdon. This popular family restaurant closed Oct. 22, and the building has been sold to Walnut Capital Development.
The word is still out on the Hot Metal Grille -- according to the restaurant's Web site the restaurant is closed for renovation and will re-open, but the phone number has been disconnected and an e-mail query was undeliverable.
If a restaurant that you loved is missing from this list, I'm sorry. It's a melancholy fact that it's much harder to track down restaurants that have closed than those that have opened. All that's left is a disconnected phone number. In some cases, health department inspectors will show up for an inspection only to find the doors and windows shuttered.
Sometimes, owners retire, move or simply want to try something new. Sometimes locations prove to be a problem, or high turnover diminishes the possibility of success. And sometimes restaurants close because they simply aren't very good. Though it's always a little sad when a business fails, the best we can hope for is that more, better restaurants will open in their places.
In fact, several restaurants that closed in the last year have already been replaced by new restaurants, though only time will tell whether they will live up to the long-standing reputations of their predecessors.
Tambellini on 51 (which is no longer owned by the Tambellini family) became Amici. LaForet closed but Joseph Tambellini's (different Tambellini family than the previous) opened in its space.
I'm currently anticipating the opening of Tamari Restaurant and Lounge in Lawrenceville this spring. The restaurant will serve sushi and other Asian-inspired dishes re-interpreted and mingled with Latin American cuisine. This exciting concept will be matched by a modern space featuring two levels, a courtyard and an open grill.
Bona Terra, 412-781-8210; Lautrec, 866-344-6957; Sonoma Grill, 412-697-1336; Seviche, 412-697-3120; Tusca Mediterranean Tapas, 412-488-9000; Mio, 412-781-3141; Manny's, 412-281-6290; Capital Grille, 412-338-9100; Legume Bistro, 412-371-1815; Palate Bistro, 412-434-1422; Mojo Bistro, 412-761-2828; Geno's Restaurant, 412-781-3432; Muriel's, 412-322-0476; Amici Ristorante, 412-481-1118; Joseph Tambellini's, 412-665-9000; Thai Tom Yum Kung, 412-731-0740; Tana Ethiopian Cuisine, 412-665-2770; Costa del Sol, 412-682-1481.
Restaurant critic China Millman can be reached at
[email protected] or 412-263-1198.
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