Guest Post: D&T in the 'burgh

As I start my first week into the "career world" I'd like to introduce you all to some of my favorite Pittsburgh bloggers. First up is DeAnna and Tony of D&T: in the 'burgh. They happen to be the sister-in-law and brother of one of my Seton Hill favorites (Hi, Tina!) and when they started blogging, I instantly started to follow along. I love that they put so much detail into their writing, that it makes you feel like you were at some of these restaurants with them. I also love the variety of places they review, but all showcasing great Pittsburgh cuisine. First, is a little bit to get to know them and then you can continue reading to their review of The Porch at Schenley. Enjoy!

Why do we blog? The original thing my wife and I wanted to do was to, I guess “catalog” our favorite meals and restaurants we have enjoyed in the area. Then we had friends and family constantly asking us about our favorite restaurants and bars, so we decided to create a blog for them to follow along and see where we go. Now as we move forward we are trying to find new and creative ways to show people where to eat and drink in the ‘Burgh. On occasion we will also do a local activity that doesn’t revolve around dining, just to change things up.

What is our favorite thing about Pittsburgh? We would have to say it’s the love and loyalty that Pittsburgher’s have for the city. People love this city, they care about this city and they support others who want to make Pittsburgh better. They support locally owned businesses whenever they can. When they aren’t in Pittsburgh they are usually talking about how great they think it is here. Few cities have a population that is so passionate about their hometown. You may take a person out of Pittsburgh, but you can’t take Pittsburgh out of the person.

The Porch at Schenley - all photos provided by D&T.

Review of The Porch: On a sunny summer day in Pittsburgh the list of places to go are endless. We opted for a lunch date in Oakland at one of our favorite restaurants, The Porch @ Schenley. The Porch hasn’t been around long; a couple of years, but it is already on the short list of restaurants we recommend to people who are looking for a new and exciting place. Most people are unaware of the fact that The Porch is owned by the Eat ‘n Park Hospitality Group (along with Six Penn Kitchen downtown). The location of The Porch is ideal, right in the center of Oakland; you can walk to the Cathedral of Learning, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum, Carnegie Museums of Art & Natural History, University of Pittsburgh, Schenley Park and Phipps Conservatory. You can spend a whole day in this area and only see half of what is has to offer.

The building is gorgeous, its “green roof” is both beautiful and functional; growing many different fruit, herbs and vegetables right up above you. The kitchen is open with a beautiful pizza oven front and center. The walls are mostly windows allowing you to people watch or just stare out at the amazing surroundings.

The restaurant is wide open and lively; but not so loud you can’t get some studying done if you happen to be a student. You walk in, grab a menu, and then you step up to the counter and place your order. After ordering you take your numbered sign and grab a table. The service was good but not great, being that you ordered already the server just brings out the food once it is ready. They tend not to check in too frequently, which didn’t bother us at all. Some people who have negatively reviewed this place were unaware of how ordering worked and apparently also like their server to be at their constant beckon call (quick FYI, we are not fans of urbanspoon or yelp, its just people complaining over tiny little things, most of whom have no idea what they are saying). We don’t think Porch has to change a thing, they system is working great. Now to the best part, the FOOD! Everything here is made in house, the bread, the sauces, desserts, veggies, hell they even have honey bees on the roof and are producing their own honey. You can tell this when you bite into the food, its fresh, flavorful and handled with care.

Seviche: Raw With A Twist

Who doesn't enjoy a great sandwich board?

Basil Salmon Seviche Tapas

Back: Cuban Sushi Roll | Front: Some cheese ball things that AJ got.
Thankfully AJ took this picture right before I scarfed down my Cuban Sushi Roll and then
remembered that I'm a blogger and should take pictures of things.

Awesome and huge wall art at Seviche.

I remember when Seviche was first opening because at the time I was interning for Nakturnal and they were handling their viral marketing materials. I also remember writing reviews of some of their food during the time to start to get the word out about Seviche, but it wasn't until recently that I actually went to the restaurant to enjoy the atmosphere, along with the food.

With my friends, AJ and Isaac with me, we headed to Seviche for happy hour. As shown above, I had a Cuban Sushi Roll (sticky rice and nori roll filled with salmon, calabaza, jicama and avocado corm salsa, topped with spicy sushi tuna, crispy taro root frizzle, Sriracha mayo and citrus ponzu) and Basil Salmon Seviche Tapas and of course, a couple glasses of Cabernet. Each bite was fantastic. Like I cannot even explain to you how amazing everything was. We also shared a Tres Leches Cake (white cake soaked in a trio of sweetened milk and topped with fresh strawberries) that if I think about for about five seconds or longer, I can still taste. I wish I didn't have to share that sucker. 

If you are in the area, you should certainly book a table at Seviche for your next meal and I am certain you will not be disappointed. Especially if you have the fabulous waiter we had, Tony. He was super personable and knowledgeable about everything we asked, which was more than normal customers probably do. Seviche is considered a Nuevo Latin Bistro, is a dressy casual kind of place and is located at 930 Penn Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh. It is a part of The Big Y Group which hosts Sonoma, NOLA, Perle and Talara, as well as Seviche. All of which, I'm behind on checking out. Guess I know what I'll have planned for the rest of the summer!

Il Pizzaiolo in Market Square

As I mentioned in my "last" Pittsburgh weekend post, MJ took me to the newest restaurant in Market Square that weekend, Il Pizzaiolo. While Il Pizzaiolo has another location in Mt. Lebanon, this new location downtown fits in perfectly with the revival of Market Square and should be on your list of places to try in Pittsburgh.

Il Pizzaiolo is a traditional Neapolitan restaurant that uses high-quality, fresh ingredients and uses the "old-world" techniques of cooking. Simply meaning that if you order a pizza, you'll have it in front of you in 90 seconds and it will be better than any typical pizza place. Trust me on this, MJ is a pizza connoisseur and he was melting over this dish. I, of course, got a dish that took more time to prepare, so we waiting about a minute longer than had we both ordered pizzas.

Outside Il Pizzaiolo in Market Square - between Moe's and Starbucks.

Now, don't think this restaurant is just another pizza place. Far from it. It's just that they cook it, along with everything else, in the Neapolitan ways. They have an extensive, and sometimes hard to pronounce, menu that is sure to please the youngest to the oldest in your family. Also, the wait staff is well versed in everything that the menu has on it and they will pronounce it all beautifully for you. And while MJ knew how to say everything on the menu...that's what you get when your boyfriend has a music degree...if he can sing in ten different languages, he can certainly tell you what a menu item is. But, in case you don't have an MJ within your reach, don't worry, the staff is very pleasant and will help you make the right decisions based on your taste.

In the downtown location, there is a small outdoor seating area, typical to the Market Square vibe, and inside, a full bar and seating areas on two floors. But if you're closer to the Mt. Lebanon location, not to worry. The outside dining area there is actually bigger and they also have what they call the Enoteca, which is an intimate wine bar above the patio with romantic and relaxing fireside seating. I know the atmosphere alone just sold you, so stop into one of these locations and I promise you will have a truly wonderful and unique dining experience.

I'm Finally Writing a Review of Red Beard's

Hey there. About a month ago I mentioned how some friends and I checked out a new restaurant downtown and that I would write a review of it soon. Well, this isn't what I'd consider "soon" but here it is. Red Beard's is now downtown. It is wonderful and you should check it out.

Red Beard's Logo

Red Beard's has another location in Mt. Washington and now that they are located in downtown, around the block from my apartment, I am in love with them. When I went there for the first time, everything was so very new and I was overly excited just because it was a different choice to the downtown options. It was the second day that this location was open, so it still smelled new and the staff was still learning the menu and specials and getting into their flow, so I didn't want to blog about them right away. So I have gone back a couple times now and it is clearly one of my favorite spots for easy dining and late drinks with friends.

The atmosphere downstairs, of course, is very mid-priced bar and upstairs has the more restaurant feel. While the menu is pretty much the typical cuisine you'd expect for a what would be served at a bar, it also has a vibe that is more chic or "clean" in my opinion. Bar food isn't what I normally go for but Red Beard's is able to give you the simplicity of typical bar food with the added ingredients of a local bistro. Since that first visit, the staff seems like a now well-oiled machine, but a machine that is still personable and friendly and welcomes you at the door. Red Beard's in this new location is a great place to be able to get a quick, yet delicious, meal before seeing a show in the Cultural District and the perfect place to celebrate a Pirates or Penguins win after the game. Or if your in the area for any of those things, or just roaming downtown (or Mt. Washington) during the day, stop in and experience it for yourself - I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

Cuzamil en miercoles!

Alright, Pittsburgh friends. You need to know, if you don't already, that Cuzamil Restaurante Mexicano is the place to get your fill of yummy Mexican cuisine. I went to their Squirrel Hill location during late-February with my friend Issac and I love myself for doing so. Although, now that I know they have a downtown location too, I hate myself because I'll be there too often for my bank account to be okay with. I guess you can stop reading this post if you don't like Mexican food, but if you're like me, your mouth is already watering.

Although I cannot comment on how authentic Cuzamil actually is compared to other "authentic" Mexican restaurants because I have never been, if you're going to say "I'm in the mood for Mexican, let's go to Moe's/Chipotle/Taco Bell." Stop. Talking. I understand that everyone needs a yearly intake of Grade D meat once in awhile, or just something super cheap or quick, but come on, guys. Step up your Mexican food game and go to Cuzamil.

During my last visit I had the fish taco special, which at the time, sounded gross but it was Friday during Lent and I was playing into the hands of the Catholics and went for it. OH. MY. GOODNESS. Get the fish taco special if it's available when you go. Anyway. Another great thing is that the excellent cooks at Cuzamil also buy local, from vendors in the Strip District, so you know what you're eating is fresh, and helping out other small businesses in Pittsburgh. Go there for lunch or dinner today and I'm sure you won't be disappointed!