Corduroy Orange

It’s rare that I look forward to going out to dinner at a particular place; most of the time I see a dinner as a convenience option, knowing that I’ll be able to do as well for myself at home. With Cafe Sam, it was different. I had heard from enough sources that the food was worth talking about and I was expecting a great meal.

Boy, was I wrong. My Greek salad was made with iceberg and olives from a supermarket can: generic old black olives. On a Greek Salad. With iceberg. Now come on, you’re not even putting forth an effort. If you tell me that I’m going to have a Greek salad, I expect it to have kalamatas at minimum, and something with a pit still in it no matter what. The lettuce should have some variety to it. The feta chunks shouldn’t be of uniform size: that’s indicative of it coming pre-crumbled in a plastic bag instead of as whole cheese crumbled fresh in the restaurant. This salad failed on all counts. I’ve gotten better salads from church volunteers.

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Hi there,

I’ve been accepted into Pitt’s MFA program, which I am very psyched about, and I’m headed that way for a visit.

Is there much of a foodie scene in Pittsburgh? What kinds of things should I try to check out while I’m there?

Thanks in advance!

Emily

Beyond a doubt, there is a great foodie scene here! Much of it is centered on the Strip District, which borders on Downtown and is centered on Penn Avenue and Smallman Street. Here, you’ll find all kinds of specialty and ethnic shops. The variety of wares available and the numbers of people who flock to it are proof of how much this city likes its food.

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I’m a fan of places that serve breakfast all day (BAD–but in a good way). If I can get a waffle whenever I want it from your establishment, I’m biased in your favor before I’ve even sat down. There’s just something about the fare at BAD diners that’s hearty and comforting in its stick-to-your-ribs simplicity.

The Village Inn is a chain that has locations in the Rockies, the Midwest, Arizona, and Florida. Much of their menu is comprised of exactly what you’d expect from a restaurant of its calliber: eggs any way, pancakes, hamburgers, chicken fried steak…. Their stand-out offering is something they call a skillet, which, not surprisingly, comes to the table on a cast aluminum sizzler skillet (the same sort of dish you’d expect your fajita meat to come on at the Tex-Mex chain). It’s like breakfast and lunch all rolled into one menu item: perhaps the best chain diner brunch offering I’ve ever seen.

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If you’re a cupcake fan (or even just cupcake-curious), check out my update to my review of Dozen Cupcakes.  I went back yesterday so that I could sample more flavors and have a more complete review of their wares.  Just scroll past what you’ve already read to the bottom of the post where the new section is clearly maked as an update.

On January first, I was surprised to check my email and find in it this message from James Gray, owner of Dozen Cupcakes in Squirrel Hill:

Jesse,

I read your blog on Coco’s. I’m so glad that you enjoyed their cupcakes and that they did so well on their opening! Dennis and Shea are very deserving people.

I also wanted to apologize for our delay in opening (yes, I am the owner of Dozen Cupcakes.) I am also sorry that we missed your sis’s birthday. We are officially open now and saw some staggering numbers this past weekend for our opening, too.

I’d certainly like to extend an offer to you and your sister to visit us and give us a try. On me of course! When you do come in, please introduce yourself to me.

Happy New Year,
James

Long story short, my wife, my sister, and I took him up on his generous offer just a few days later, and we were very pleased with what we found.

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Dining at the Sunnyledge Boutique Hotel

The Sunnyledge wants to make sure you know that they are an exclusive and upper-crusty establishment. The decor says it all: oak paneling, lined drapes, and crystal chandeliers. In case you can’t visit, though, they spell it out for you in their promotional brochure, “Boutique Hotels are recognized for their elegance and personalized attention. Sunnyledge offers modern luxury in its finest form.” Its services for guests include “twice-daily maid service” and its accommodations include an “open-air veranda [that] offers a spectacular view of ‘Millionaire’s Row’ while enjoying one of our chef’s specialties.” At least the hotel’s promotional staff knew enough not to name their chef specifically; following a sequence of personnel troubles, the current executive chef, Heather Buechel, has not yet finished culinary school and is serving in an interim capacity.

The fare relies heavily on salt for its flavor, to the extent that your mouth puckers when eating some of the selections.

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A Good End to Any Meal

My sister, whose love for cupcakes predates the current hipster status of the diminutive dessert, celebrated her 25th birthday one week ago today. As part of the celebration, we paid a visit to CoCo’s Cupcake Cafe, one of two cupcake bakeries planned in the Pittsburgh area. The other, Dozen Cupcakes, was supposed to have opened on her birthday, but when she stopped by to check it out all she found inside were some workmen on ladders. Therefore, by merit of being the only currently functional cupcake bakery in Pittsburgh, CoCo’s won our business. By merit of their tasty confectioneries and attentive customer service, they’ve won us over as potential regulars.

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If you’re looking for a tasty meal, don’t get sick

Or injured, because really I’m of fine health, with the exception of having a severely broken leg and ankle.

FAQ: Freak accident playing soccer no contact making a quick cut heard something snap and went down screaming one surgery completed successfully at least one more to follow in a week complete bed rest two to three weeks limited mobility ~ 3 months yes it sucks but please don’t dwell on the depressing aspects of the situation because i don’t want to think about it. Thus, we’re skipping completely over a detailed description of the injury and getting right to food.

Hospital food is rarely called cuisine, and with good reason.

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Classic look plus classic taste equals winning combination.

Everybody who visits New Orleans hears the same thing from their friends before they go: “Go to Bourbon St., man! You’ve gotta go to Bourbon!” Anyone who says that is dead wrong, of course: Bourbon Street is a malodorous melange of mediocre grog shops, and as such is not worth wasting the time on.

Sophie’s Gelato, on the other hand, ought to be a must-visit for everyone who goes to New Orleans. Located on Magazine Street in the Garden District, Sophie’s has something for every ice cream lover. Whether you’re looking for the nostalgia of their 1950’s-era soda shop decor, the magnificent flavor of their house-made gelatos, or the most courteous customer service imaginable, you won’t be disappointed. Because their gelatos are hand-made in house, there is a rotating cast of varieties that may be available. I visited twice on consecutive days and though many of my choices were the same both times, there were new flavors available on day two, and every type I tried was fabulous.

In the end, both times I settled on flavors featuring the local delicacy Creole cream cheese: one day on its own and the other as part of Strawberry Creole Cream Cheesecake. My choices were mainly inspired by the knowledge that once I returned to Pittsburgh, I wouldn’t see Creole cream cheese anything; but, if your tastes run more standard, there are many flavors from which to make your selection.

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A Tale of Two Logos

Look closely; compare the two signs. The one painted on the building has been painted to reflect the restaurant chain’s new logo, whereas the free-standing sign still has the subliminally papist design. I had a friend in college whose purely speculative theory was that Al Copeland (Popeye’s Chicken & Biscuits founder, New Orleans Entrepreneur, and known Catholic) intentionally disjoined the word contrary to its syllabic divisions for the purpose of promoting his religion; and that after he sold the chain, the new owner changed it to reflect proper scansion. I can neither confirm nor deny that rumour, but I wouldn’t put it past Al to think in those sorts of terms: even after he sold the chain, he maintained rights to the secret blend of spices, and all franchises everywhere still have to buy their seasonings from him. You don’t get much more wily than that. Love that chicken from Pope-Yes.