Two foodies and music fans moving from Chicago for about 3 years (Philadelphia: neighborhood, theater)

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by Frenemies

I can't count the amount of growlers I have laying around.

I'm not much of a beer drinker. What's a "growler"?

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by charisb

Oh, I had one of the worst meals ever at Sichuan Gourmet back when it was first remodeled, and found out later that they gave us a Chinese menu only. I noticed that everyone else who was eating there seemed to have delicious plates, and we were the only ones in there who were not Asian.

What is the point of offering a less good menu to Americans/Pittsburghers/Yinzers? If I hadn't read what gortonator wrote, I would never be eating at Sichuan Gourmet again. I may not anyway, as I feel a bit insulted. And it's not like they should be turning away business. They're on Groupon. Goodness!

Thanks to Charis and gortonator.

[theta_sigma]

A growler is a big jug that you take to the brewery and fill 'er up. I believe the laws here are that the brewery has to sell you its own growler with its own label on it, so if you have a few favorites they do tend to accumulate.

It's a longstanding tradition for Chinese restaurants to have 2 menus, one Chinese-Americcan standards chow mein etc... and the other authentic that you only get if you're either Chinese yourself or ask for it. It happens all over the country. Szechuan Express in Oakland (the hole in the wall that is always packed to the rafters with Chinese students) has an extensive authentic menu, written only in Chinese last time I looked.

[charisb]

Originally Posted by jay5835

What is the point of offering a less good menu to Americans/Pittsburghers/Yinzers? If I hadn't read what gortonator wrote, I would never be eating at Sichuan Gourmet again. I may not anyway, as I feel a bit insulted. And it's not like they should be turning away business. They're on Groupon. Goodness!

Thanks to Charis and gortonator.

I agree. I don't like that they assumed I would want the (inferior) Chinese menu. I haven't been back since then. I wonder how they knew gortonator could handle it? Was it his cool accent?

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by jay5835

What is the point of offering a bad menu to Americans/Pittsburghers/Yinzers? If I hadn't read what gortonator wrote, I would never be eating at Sichuan Gourmet again. I may not anyway, as I feel a bit insulted. It's not like they can turn away business. They're on Groupon. Goodness!

When I lived in SF, my relatives from Utah came to visit. We took them to our favorite Chinese place. They ordered fried rice and sweet and sour pork because they had never heard of the other (much better) dishes on the menu. When they tasted what we ordered they wished they had ordered things they weren't familiar with. They did say their fried rice and sweet and sour pork was much better than what they had in Ogden, Utah. Looking back on it, we agreed that the SF people in the group should have done the ordering to introduce them to new dishes. I'll bet that's why this restaurant has two menus. They probably have a sizable portion of their clientele that wouldn't try the unfamiliar cuisine.

[theta_sigma]

I used to work at an Indian restaurant in a godforsaken rural part of Maryland, and we had a "Desi" button on our point-of-sale computer so the cooks would know that the order we were putting in was for Indian people. They'd make it hotter and, frankly, better.

[sskink]

Originally Posted by charisb

I agree. I don't like that they assumed I would want the (inferior) Chinese menu. I haven't been back since then. I wonder how they knew gortonator could handle it? Was it his cool accent?

Maybe it was this...
Chinese, Japanese & Korean Translator by Waygo

I just did a search based on this thread to find out if something like that exists... and it does!

[AaronPGH]

Originally Posted by Frenemies

Examples would be Smartbar or Neo in Chicago.

If you're into Smartbar, Hot Mass is your club. It's the only super late night affair in town (7am). We work with their director of programming on a lot of the same DJ tours. Their resident DJs play Hot Mass pretty frequently, and Hot Mass residents play Smartbar as well. Personally, I think the dance scene is better here. Smaller, but higher quality. People seem to care more.

https://www.facebook.com/hotmasspgh


As for whiskey bars, you're not going have a problem finding that stuff! Seems like it's the only type of bar opening in Pittsburgh these days (I'm not complaining), and everyone else here has done a good job recapping those.

[bluecarebear]

The music scene is pretty good, tons of bars, and the food scene is...well, ask Anthony Bourdain.

[gortonator]

Originally Posted by charisb

I agree. I don't like that they assumed I would want the (inferior) Chinese menu. I haven't been back since then. I wonder how they knew gortonator could handle it? Was it his cool accent?

How do you know I have a cool accent???

We've always been given both menus, The Szechaun one might be scary to anyone who doesn't understand the food though - it has lots of weird, entrail-y stuff on it, badly translated descriptions, and sounds scary hot. I can understand someone not looking at it. But it is seriously where the fun is.

We should go for dinner sometime. Just be prepared to have a very numb tongue, sweat a lot, and possibly scream a little. And be flexible with life the next morning