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But who cares? Their chickpea chili (and lots of their other food) is great and they are sure to have my Bell's Two Hearted Ale on tap. I'm pretty sure Bell's Two Hearted Ale isn't Mexican either.
I agree. I don't know what real Mexican is, but I do like Mad Mex. Guess I'm just an insular yinzer.
Thanks for the heads-up on Franktuary. My partner and I like hot dogs (gay joke, anyone?), but we have yet to patronize this place. $8-$9 per hot dog sounds a bit steep for my tastes, especially since just one hot dog usually won't fully stuff me (another gay joke?).
A $9 hot dog? No. Just...no.
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Originally Posted by SteelCityRising
We do love Piccolo Forno quite a bit, too (I'll thank jay5835 for turning me on to this place).
You're welcome. I ate there last week. I've had a lot of out-of-towners in for a couple of days, and PF is the place everyone wants to go back to. We shared two new stuffed pastas--just delightful. They've gotten better, and have a more comprehensive pasta selection.
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Originally Posted by SteelCityRising
I only ate at Tessaro's once---in 2011---but I tend to remember the burger being pretty good (above-average for sure), but I do remember the service being sub-par. Then again should you ever really expect good customer service in Bloomfield of all places?
Is it my naturally winning personality? I just don't run into many customer service issues, and Tessaro's is no exception. It's not my favorite burger, though. BRGR's brgrs r bttr. I really like going to BRGR. The food's wonderful, and the service is extremely good. I like the selection of cheeses better at Burgatory, but it's so chain-y. I think the entire staff had to sing happy birthday to someone when we were there. I don't love that. BRGR's my place 4 brgrs.
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Originally Posted by SteelCityRising
Sorry to hear about the Pub Chip Shop. I was looking forward to trying it.
It depends, I think, on how much you like battered, fried fish. It's my least favorite way to eat fish, and since I've always found Pipers, the mother ship, boring, I'm going to skip the Chip.
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Originally Posted by SteelCityRising
I really need to treat you to Penn Ave. Fish Company sometime. I love seafood. 99% of my friends abhor it, so I never get to experience it. By the way you rave about it I'm overdue to try it out!
Class trip! Hook it up. Another set of out-of-towners wanted to get back to PAFCO, so I ate there again on Saturday. Always excellent. Their salad with seafood is an absolute steal, $8.95-11.95, and they always cook my salmon a perfect medium-rare. It's one of the only places I can get The Coupon King to go sans coupons.
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Originally Posted by SteelCityRising
I'm sad to hear that you don't like Luke Wholey's Alaskan Grille, though.
I wanted to like it. I really did. The Coupon King won't even go WITH a coupon. That's really saying something.
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Originally Posted by SteelCityRising
Meh. Lidia's is a chain. The food is very good, in my opinion, but I think it receives the right amount of hype for what it is. It's always been fairly crowded whenever we've been there.
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Originally Posted by Copanut
It's so crowded, nobody goes there anymore.
Never had a bad meal there and the service is great.
I love Lidia's. And I don't dismiss it as a chain for all the reasons cited above and below. The pasta tasting is the way to go. Or the brunch.
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Originally Posted by HeavenWood
I agree that Lidia's gets the acclaim its due.
I happen to think the Union Grill is under-rated. Not a top dining establishment by any means, but the turkey Devonshire is a must-have.
Now you know I be lovin' me my Devonsheer.
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Originally Posted by HeavenWood
I'll also give a shout-out to Josza Corner in Hazelwood. Where else can you get a personalized homestyle four course Hungarian dinner for ~$20 a person?
I've wanted to try this, too.
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Originally Posted by SteelCityRising
I think LeMont is going to go the way of Minutello's in about another decade or two if its clientele keeps aging and dying off while not being replaced by younger people who can see through the veneer of it being overpriced and mediocre, as we can.
My girlfriend -- so you know how long ago it was -- took me here for my 21st birthday. I loved the view, and it was widely considered the best restaurant in Pittsburgh in the '70s, and I had a wonderful time. It has that emotional tug for a lot of people, I suspect.
Minutello's was meh in the '70s ("meh" wasn't a word yet, though), garbage in this era.
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Originally Posted by SteelCityRising
OVERRATED: Primanti's, as has already been mentioned. I may go to my grave never having eaten there.
Eat 'n Park: (Bland) But their Porch restaurant is so good. WHICH REMINDS ME, ALEX, THE ITALIAN PLACE I LIKE IN CENTER CITY IS CALLED PORCINI. 2048 SANSOM STREET.
Steak 'n Shake: (Horrid customer service) What is it about me? They're nice to me here, too.
Del's: (It's "super rad awesome" now just because it was on TV). Inexcusably hideous food.
Sun Penang: (We think it's overpriced for what you get). I used to go on Saturday for their cheap lunch. It was okay.
Alexander's (A "Bloomfield institution" my arse). My "arse," as well. It just doesn't suck as much as most of the Liberty Avenue red sauce joints.
Thai Cuisine (good food, but I'm always still hungry). I go to Smiling Banana Leaf in Highland Park. The food is so good. The people are so nice.
Mad Mex (are there ANY Mexicans working here?) Someone describes it perfectly downthread. It's not "Tex Mex." It's hardly even "Mex."
Mineo's (good---but not THAT good!) I have an extremely weird contender for best pizza in Pgh: Market District in Shadyside. Their plain pizza (8" round) reminds me more of the pizza from my NJ childhood than any pizza I've had in Pgh.
UNDERRATED: Piccolo Forno, as has already been mentioned. I don't find it underrated. Most people know about it. Most people love it. Or at least like it a lot.
Los Cabos (authentic, reasonably-priced, yummy) Where is this? I suspect I'd like it.
Tana (seems like nobody even knows where it is) I don't even know what it is.
Max's Allegheny Tavern (cheap, good food; nice atmosphere) I'd eat there more if I lived up north.
Giovanni's (nobody in the East End has heard of this place, but we love it!) Where is it? Do they deliver?
Village Trattoria & Tavern (great food, great prices, great atmosphere) West End w/Jules?
Antney's Ice Cream (seems like only West Enders know about this place) I want to try it.
Coriander (above-average Indian food, decent pricing, never crowded for some reason)I liked it. I watched -- or avoided watching -- the last superbowl at Coriander.
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Originally Posted by greg42
It isn't meant to be Tex Mex. It's more of a Mex fusion, kind of pick anything you like and it happens to be wrapped in a tortilla. I mean, one of the things they serve right now is the Gobblerito, wrapped like a burrito but the filling is turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and cranberry. A regular menu item is the Thai Curry Burrito.
It's meant to be wacko, in other words.
Best description ever of Mad Mex.
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Originally Posted by ferraris
Thanks for reminding me, I've been meaning to try that place out! While we're talking about Bryant Street, I'll say that Park Brugges has some really good coffee and poutine. I have no idea how authentic the poutine is, but it's delicious.
I go there for Thai at Banana Leaf. I'd like to go to Park Bruges next time.
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Originally Posted by ferraris
Los Cabos is great! Much better than Verde.
I must try Los Cabos. Verde -- are we allowed to say "suck"? -- sucks. I ate there three times, just in case it was off, or I was crazy, or... But it sucked all three times. Everything is HOT. You need a contrast. I like hot. I get an 8 at Banana Leaf. But everything was equally chilified at Verde.
OVERRATED: Primanti's, as has already been mentioned.
Eat 'n Park: (Bland)
Steak 'n Shake: (Horrid customer service)
King's: (Bland)
Del's: (It's "super rad awesome" now just because it was on TV).
Sun Penang: (We think it's overpriced for what you get).
Alexander's (A "Bloomfield institution" my arse).
Thai Cuisine (good food, but I'm always still hungry).
Gooski's (grouchy bartender)
Mad Mex (are there ANY Mexicans working here?)
Mineo's (good---but not THAT good!)
Industry (way overpriced; service was awful the last time we went)
UNDERRATED: Piccolo Forno, as has already been mentioned.
William Penn Tavern (good wings)
Los Cabos (authentic, reasonably-priced, yummy)
Tana (seems like nobody even knows where it is)
Max's Allegheny Tavern (cheap, good food; nice atmosphere)
Giovanni's (nobody in the East End has heard of this place, but we love it!)
Village Trattoria & Tavern (great food, great prices, great atmosphere)
Antney's Ice Cream (seems like only West Enders know about this place)
Coriander (above-average Indian food, decent pricing, never crowded for some reason)
Del's was never awesome. It went from affordable and pedestrian to god awful (no...I mean really really awful...inedible) and significantly more expensive.
I'll cosign on Gooski's being unwelcoming. We used to live across the street and it always felt that if you weren't a stereotypical hipster they weren't at all happy to have you there.
Mad Mex is ok. I've never really had a bad meal in one, they have a decent drink selection, and the decor is solid. Nothing to complain about from me.
I really want to try Reyna's restaurant in the strip.
I've heard people who have immigrant family members state that Max's on the north side is terrible, but I've never not loved eating there. The cheese stuffed pretzels are blissful.
Los Cabos is awesome. If we lived closer we would go more often. El Burro on the north side is excellent for takeout too.
Dinette will change your definition of good pizza. I want to puree one of their pizza's and shoot it into my arm just to consume it in a quicker manner and get the full effect of whatever drugs they've sprinkled on their pies.
Overrated: Hofbrauhaus - beer was reasonably priced and decent. Food was terrible. Server seemed like she hated her life.
Beto's - only a certain segment of the population will think of it as being wonderful to the point of justifying the 'overrated' tag, and everyone else will loathe it. I advocate that everyone go at least once just so you can say that you've had the worst pizza that has ever existed. I can see where the concept of pizza dough with pizza sauce baked on it might work with cold toppings, but ONLY if those toppings are of exceptional quality. Beto's gets theirs from the can. It, along with the cheese is served cold on top of the previously mentioned bread. Awful.
Up in the Great White North we have Patron's, Emiliano's, and El Campesino. Not to mention Mad Mex. No doubt it's because we in the North are very liberal and diverse. We also have a Mexican grocery in Wexford. It's just so diverse out here.
For sure, Mad Mex is white bread Mexican, they don't even have soccer games on the TV. Talked to a waiter at Emiliano's about how many Mexican restaurants are along the Route 19 corridor and what he thought about Mad Mex, he just started laughing.
Adios
Mad Mex is Tex Mex if its anything, and maybe not even that. Definately not Mexican.
Overrated: Mancini's Bread. I mean it's alright, but not "Grandma would buy nothing but Mancini's every week" good like some make it out. Breadworks and Sunseri's bread are tons better.
Underrated: Teppanyaki Kyoto. If we're talking authentic, this is the authentic Japanese restaurant in Pittsburgh. Bomb ass takoyaki and okonomiyaki. The problem is that people automatically assume Japanese = sushi/hibachi. When they realize this place does neither they poop a little.
agree re:Mancini bread.
Don't know Kyoto. I must look it up. Authentic okonomiyaki is worth seeking out.
And Penn Ave Fish Co must be underrated, as for the quality of the food and the price, there should be a Pamelas-style line out the door every weekend on the Strip.
Is it my naturally winning personality? I just don't run into many customer service issues, and Tessaro's is no exception. It's not my favorite burger, though. BRGR's brgrs r bttr. I really like going to BRGR. The food's wonderful, and the service is extremely good. I like the selection of cheeses better at Burgatory, but it's so chain-y. I think the entire staff had to sing happy birthday to someone when we were there. I don't love that. BRGR's my place 4 brgrs.
Haven't had good experiences with Tessaro's customer service either. Burger was great, service was below average, but the older lady at the door was downright rude.
I prefer BRGR as well. Burgatory is great too, but usually more crowded and the service suffers.
Totally agree and I'll throw in the Bettis Grille.
Bettis Grille is good for a novelty every now and again, but there's only so many times one can eat a deep fried Italian hoagie.
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