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A Taste of Pittsburgh
by Lisa Clark
Last year six restaurants were reviewed for Pittsburgh Point magazine. The reviews have been edited and the following is a compilation.
George Lee knows why Sesame Inn remains successful after nearly 20 years: authentic Chinese cuisine.
Mr. Lee, who owns the restaurant, opened the first Sesame Inn in Mt. Lebanon. In 1990, the business expanded to the Freight House Shops of Station Square on Pittsburgh’s South Side. Two additional restaurants opened in 1994 in Ross Twp. and McMurray.
The Station Square location, which has long been a staple of one of the city’s main entertainment districts. Tucked in the second floor balcony, Sesame Inn is a quiet escape in an otherwise bustling conglomeration of bars, shops, and restaurants. The large, serene dining room features linendraped tables and booths and a staff that stands ready to offer guidance as you navigate an extensive menu of Catonese, Hunan, Mandarin, and Sichuan specialties. “We have over 100 entrees on the menu,” says Mr. Lee.
If you’re hungry for an authentic taste of Italy, head to Pittsburgh’s South Side. Abruzzi’s, owned by Tony Masci, boasts a flavorful selection of homemade pasta and sauces and regional specialties from Abruzzi, the central-coastal area of Italy.
It was in Abruzzi where Masci spent his formative years as his father fished and his mother sold homemade meatballs and sausage in the local market. He moved to the United States in 1966 at age 8, but he never forgot the strong culinary traditions of his family’s homeland.
A trio of savory sauces helps set this restaurant apart from run-of-the-mill pasta palaces. “The sauces are all my mom’s recipes,” says Masci. “A lot of the dishes are stuff we grew up with.”
Family connections and a loyal staff help make Abruzzi’s successful, Masci says. His brother, Claudio, was the original chef and he trained the four current masters of the kitchen. Much of the staff has been a part of Abruzzi’s since it opened 14 years ago, about a block from its current location at the Holiday Inn Express on Tenth Street. And with the food they have, they’ll likely be serving eager diners for years.
Paul Rosato knows everything that comes out of the kitchen of his restaurant, City Grill. He’s the owner and the cook.
Mr. Rosato first flipped burgers at the City Grill in the mid-1980s, when he was in high school. After college and a stint on another career path, he agreed to buy the iconic diner from the original owner in 2002 and developed it as a casual bar and grill offering higher-end food at affordable prices.
Choice cuts are featured in the Butcher Block selections, such as New Zealand French-Cut Lamb Rib Chops. If an 8-ounce New York Strip Steak or a 6-ounce Filet Mignon isn’t big enough to satisfy your appetite, you can order an extra-large cut, with the extras priced by the ounce. With variety and great tastes, patrons have been flocking to City Grill for two decades.
Max & Erma’s is perhaps most famous for its fresh burgers. There’s even a land-mark giant one perched atop the entry canopy downtown.
The menu features ten varieties, many of which can be ordered in the 10-ounce “original” size or the only slightly more petite 6-ounce “Erma” size.
Bold flavors are the norm here. The Roast Beef & Brie Sandwich features creamy Brie, baby spinach, and sweet horseradish sauce on Ciabatta bread. Entrees include Chicken Fajitas, beer-battered Fish & Chips, and Cajun Shrimp & Pasta, as well as steak and barbecued ribs.
Brian Annapolen spends just as much time tableside as he does in the kitchen. This executive chef makes it his business to find out firsthand what his guests think of the food they receive at his firstrate restaurant, The Original Fish Market Restaurant.
Located in the Westin Convention Center Hotel, The Original Fish Market has served some of the region’s best seafood for eight years. Annapolen joined the staff two years ago and quickly added his personal touch to the restaurant’s offerings.
He introduced three- to seven-course tastings, which allow guests to sample smaller portions of some of the more adventuresome offerings. Annapolen tailors each tasting to the guest by having servers ask a few key questions about preferences and expectations. He says, they’re very popular, accounting for about half of all dinners.
There aren’t too many places in Pittsburgh that can boast a glass dance floor. Thanks to a new restaurant and nightclub that just opened in the Strip District, revelers can dance the night away upstairs as diners take in the action and nosh on Italian favorites at the restaurant below. Isoldi’s On The Strip is the brainchild of local entrepreneurs Vincent and Carla Isoldi, who established the new business at the site of the former Club Chemistry.
The restaurant features 200 seats in two dining rooms filled with tables and two large banquettes. Photographs of old Italy and copper, wood, and rich tones of orange and burgundy complement the décor. For al fresco dining, choose from an outdoor deck and patio. The Happy Hour crowd can pile into the restaurant’s lounge, complete with an island bar and four flat-screen televisions.
The restaurant shares its outdoor dining space with PURE, the Strip District’s newest nightclub. As the name implies, these digs are done up in pure white. While the focal point is the glass floor, a popular feature is the Bottle Service Menu. Five cabanas—in white, of course—are available for those who prefer a little privacy.
Whether you prefer to dine or dance, Isoldi’s on The Strip has you covered.
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