BEST DISHES, DRINKS OF ’19
While the food buzz has been fixated on plant-based burgers and fried chicken sandwiches this year, the PG staffers have been diligently seeking the Burgh’s best foods and drinks week in and week out.
The team, Bob Batz Jr., Gretchen McKay, Dan Gigler and Arthi Subramaniam, don’t follow any set formula. Sometimes it is about hitting a newly opened restaurant and sometimes it is about going to an existing restaurant that has rolled out new specials or simply appeals to the family. Then there are the times when it is about giving a shoutout to a food or drink that we happened on and delighted in.
Along the way, we have come across our fair share of duds but we also have found plenty of winners.
Durian Mille Crepe Cake
Amy’s Bakery, 654 Washington Road, Mt. Lebanon
One of the most interesting things I ate all year was a slice ($8) of the mille crepe — thousand crepe cake — at this new Asian bakery that graces Mt. Lebanon’s increasingly diverse main drag. A stack of thin crepes is stacked with layers of whipped cream that are perfectly sweet and flavored with various ingredients, including the controversial durian fruit. You’ve likely not tasted anything like it, either.
— Bob Batz Jr.
Post-Gazette cocktail
Revival on Lincoln, 366 Lincoln Ave., Bellevue
I’m usually a beer drinker, but on a sultry September evening on the patio at Revival on Lincoln, I couldn’t help but be seduced by a spectacularly named cocktail — The Post-Gazette. I mean, it had my name, or at least my employer’s, written all over it.
Served in a martini glass, with a gourmet maraschino cherry garnish ($11), it pairs gin and lemon with yellow vermouth, a sweet and floral French liqueur. It was crisp, slightly floral and so refreshing that one wouldn’t do, and I had to order another.
To this reporter’s chagrin, I was never able to determine how the pale yellow cocktail got its name — even the owner was unsure of its provenance. But no matter. Like the great America newspaper it’s named for, it’s worth every penny.
— Gretchen McKay
Roast pork sandwich
Streets on Carson, 1120 E. Carson St., South Side
Chef Matt Christie is Pittsburgh to the core, but he spent a number of years early in his career in Philadelphia and while there fell in love with the legendary signature sandwich at John’s Roast Pork in South Philly.
He does a faithful re-creation at his Streets on Carson, with fantastic savory, seasoned and juicy pork courtesy of his “Silence of the Lambs”-inspired “pig bag.”
He sews the pigskin together so no juice is lost and the meat roasts inside for 10 hours before being served with sharp provolone and bitter rapini on a crunchy Mancini’s bun. The sandwich ($13) has been on the menu since the restaurant opened in 2016, and only gets better.
— Dan Gigler
Vanilla and chocolate ice creams
Brunton Dairy, 3681 Ridge Road, Independence (Aliquippa)
There are no off-the-wall, hip or funky ice cream flavors at Brunton Dairy — only plain-Jane ones such as vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, cookies and cream, orange cream and cherry vanilla. And that is plenty OK because they are straight talking ice creams that will win over any purist. The creamy and smooth chocolate and vanilla flavors taste rich without leaving that nasty glaze on your tongue. Made by plant manager Herb Brunton with 30% cream, whole milk from the family-owned dairy farm’s 200 milking Holsteins, sugar and milk powder, the ice creams are sold in 56-ounce containers ($6.50). The cow to container experience does not get more real than this as the store sits a few yards away from the barns and is near the facility where the ice cream is made. Talk about finding a pure vanilla and chocolate experience in a cool setting in April.
— Arthi Subramaniam
Pale ale
Insurrection Ale Works, 1635 E. Railroad St., Heidelberg
It was great to slip away on a February Sunday to the bar at this newly expanded South Hills brewery, which consistently and relatively quietly makes some of the region’s best beer. That night I tried a tulip glass ($5.50) of a new American pale ale called Kasvot Vaxt that was made with kveik, an ancient yeast from Norway that once was propagated and passed on via rings of wooden blocks. The beer was bright, flavorful and clean.
And you’ll have a chance to try it, because Brad Primosic says they’re going to make it again in January and distribute it widely in the region, including at Giant Eagles. “A lot of people ask for us to re-brew it,” he says. “I’m eager to get it back in the tank.”
— Bob Batz Jr.
Ravioli stuffed with smoked mozzarella
Mambo Italia, 424 Broad St., Sewickley
Is there anything more comforting than a plate of homemade ravioli? At Mambo Italia, the pasta comes stuffed with a variety of fillings depending on the season. In October, the ravioli special ($20) featured smoked mozzarella, with a simple silky sauce made from sun-ripened cherry tomatoes and fresh basil. It was served with lemon slices and red pepper flakes, and was so fantastic, I ate the whole dish.
— Gretchen McKay
Pappardelle Bolognese
Cucina Vitale, 2516 E. Carson St., South Side
Among the stories I’m most proud of this year was a profile I wrote in January on chef Frank Vitale of Cucina Vitale and how he’s changed his life from being an opiate addict who should be dead to embracing sobriety and running a successful restaurant.
But even if you didn’t know any of that about him, you’d want to try his Italian and Italian-American food simply for his incredible Bolognese sauce. Derived from a family recipe, it’s a thick and rich red sauce made all the thicker and richer by the addition of beef stock and short rib to the classic ingredients. Slathered over fresh, flat and wide pappardelle noodles and topped with shaved Grana Padano ($21), it’s like — for some of us — a hug from the Italian grandmother we never had.
— Dan Gigler
Pulled chicken taco
Mary’s Vine, 211 Kenmawr Ave., Rankin
Why would someone seek out a pulled chicken taco at a wine bar? Well, because everything about the taco works.
Soon after Mary’s Vine wine lounge opened at the former Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church at the end of August, I went to check out the space. The wine list is impressive and will please snobby oenophiles and the rookie types. And the seasonal food menu goes well beyond the cheese-and-charcuterie model.
Take for instance the taco. Rubbed with ground cumin and Cajun seasoning, chicken is roasted and sweetened with brown sugar before getting a good splash of apple cider vinegar and shredded. The result is an insanely delicate meat that is sweetish with a mild hit of spice and tangy. It is served on a flour tortilla and dressed with julienned carrots and parsnips, grated cheddar cheese, pico de gallo and lime-cilantro cream.
Pair the tacos (three for $12) with a Zemmer Schiava, an Italian ruby red with a German accent that is light, fruity and dry in a soft way, from the Alto Adige region in Italy, and you’ll feel indeed blessed.
— Arthi Subramaniam
Fried chicken, jerk pork and roti dinner
Island Spice Caribbean Restaurant, 1160 Washington Ave., Carnegie
One of my family’s best spontaneous local adventure meals was a full Caribbean spread at this unassuming spot on an August weeknight. Everything came out literally steaming: Fried chicken with a starch of white rice and vegetable of coleslaw ($14.99), jerk pork with rice & peas and steamed cabbage ($13.99), and an appetizer of roti -— flat bread — with curried chicken ($6.95) in an amount big enough to be a meal. Just thinking about it reminds me that I want to go back.
— Bob Batz Jr.
Gluten-free pizza
Sir Pizza, 320 Sewickley Oakmont Road, Ross
I’ve been a fan of Sir Pizza’s funky, square-cut pizza for more years than I can count. I love it even more now that the familyowned pizzeria offers some of the area’s best gluten-free pies, because that means my son Jack, who has celiac, can eat there, too.
Introduced in 2016, and made out of house to prevent cross-contamination, the pizzas hold their own against the traditional wheat-crust pies, and not just because they’re so reasonably priced (a 12-inch crustless cheese pie costs $8.95). GF pizzas can be decidedly cardboard-like, but Sir’s are as thin and crispy as their regular pies, all of which come topped with shredded smoked provolone instead of mozzarella. Our favorite way to enjoy the pizza is topped the shop’s signature diced pepperoni. The pizzeria has a pretty decent craft beer list, too.
— Gretchen McKay
Salt-cured anchovy pizza
Dinette, 5996 Centre Ave., East Liberty
It’s been long proved that there’s a deep connection between taste and memory, and one that’s absolutely etched into my brain from the first time I had it several years ago at Dinette is its jalapeno and anchovy pizza.
The flavor combination is one that I never even considered, but after I did, I felt like the guy with his hair and tie blown back in the iconic “Is it live or is it Memorex?” ad.
It’s still on the menu today and is as good as ever. The bright aromatic heat from the fresh jalapenos and the briny anchovies intermingle with fresh mozzarella, salty capers and a light tomato sauce on a thin crispy crust that’s the stuff of the gods — or at least of chef Sonja Finn. It’s one banger of a pizza ($22).
— Dan Gigler
Plantain quiche
Pie for Breakfast, 200 N. Craig St., Oakland
When I went for brunch to Pie for Breakfast one Sunday in March, I had kimchicheese omelet on my mind. I had never had one before, it sounded intriguingly good and I love a good kimchi anytime of the day.
However, on hearing the quiche specials of the day, I did a 180 and ordered a plantain quiche ($11.99) instead. And for the same above reasons.
Studded with cubes of sweet ripe plantain, the quiche hit all the right notes. There was no hint of sogginess in the thin and crisp tart dough crust topped with cheddar cheese and it shouldered an incredibly fluffy and light custard with caramelized onion slices and tender diced plantains, which were first deep-fried and so held their shape. For an aromatic finish, the quiche was dusted with ground cinnamon. As a result, the slice hummed pleasantly all the way to the end.
— Arthi Subramaniam
Pumpkin curry
Nicky’s Thai Kitchen, 1026 Mt. Nebo Road, Ohio Township
I’m the rare bird who hates — hates — pumpkin pie and pumpkin-spice lattes. But fold the ubiquitous fall veggie into a rich Thai curry, and I can’t get enough of the stuff. At Nicky’s Thai Kitchen, steamed chunks of the winter squash are simmered with curry paste and coconut milk for a dish that’s oh so satisfying. Served in a brass curry pot, with a side of sticky rice ($15.50), it comes with your choice of protein. Go for the beef — it’s incredibly tender, and pairs well with the spicy-sweet sauce. My leftovers were even better the next day.
In warm weather, opt to dine on Nicky’s lovely, plantfilled outdoor patio. It’s a lush, suburban oasis.
— Gretchen McKay
Stracciatella ice cream
Antney’s Ice Cream, 1316 Poplar St., Westwood
Absence also makes the stomach grow fonder. All summer I so missed this West End landmark, which closed in April while its owners dealt with dire health issues. But in September, they were back, and so was one of my favorite area ice cream stops and one that has the most amazing flavors.
One night as the sun set on the season, I tried one I never had before (I love that) — an Italian concoction of vanilla with dark chocolate shavings. Lovely. I can’t wait for Antney’s to open in the spring.
— Bob Batz
Nashville Hot Whale of a Cod sandwich
Eat’n Park, various locations
Eat’n Park’s famous Whale of a Cod sandwich has earned its name for a reason. The fish fillet is huge — about 9-inches huge — and spills out of a freshly baked hoagie roll.
For Lent, the Homesteadbased chain rolled out the WOAC in two new flavors — Deluxe and Nashville Hot. The Deluxe is identical to the original WOAC except that it is blanketed with slices of American cheese.
I got hooked onto the Nashville Hot instantly as it has an incredible kick to it. The panko-breaded crisp North Atlantic cod ($9.99), which is fried to a perfect golden brown, comes with a tartar sauce that has a good measure of hot Nashville sauce and is so finger lickin’ good. The fillet sits on a bed of shredded lettuce and is topped with sliced pickles that give the sandwich an appealing tang.
— Arthi Subramaniam