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Great Taste Ignites at Mantini’s Wood Fired
by Lisa Clark
If you hunger for the authentic woodfired grill taste, but don’t have the time or talent to appease your palate, you’ll want to put Mantini’s Wood Fired restaurant on your to-do list.
Casual yet sophisticated, Mantini’s relocated in February from Sixth Street, Downtown, to bustling East Carson Street on the South Side. Tucked inside you’ll experience white tablecloth service with classic American appeal.
From the gleaming wood floor to the glowing fireplaces, this airy space welcomes guests with a choice of square tables and large banquettes for casual conversation, high-boy window seats for people watching, and stools with prime access to the open kitchen. A bar serving cocktails with fresh-squeezed fruit juices is in the center of the dining room.
First, look above the fireplace as you enter. You’ll see a collection of impressive trophies chef/owner Matt Mantini has accumulated from his “hobby”—barbecuing competitions. It’s just one indication of the food you’re about to experience.
Mantini started his culinary career at age 14 and worked his way up in the Pittsburgh restaurant market. He studied at the Culinary Institute of America and earned the Certified Executive Chef designation from the American Culinary Federation in 1996.
As corporate executive chef for Marriott, he moved five times in nine years and developed thousands of recipes for contract dining services, along with an affinity for southern cooking.
When it was time for this Upper St. Clair native to come home, he put his experience to work in his own restaurant. “I cook everything on cherry wood,” he says, adding that the restaurant uses about a cord of wood every two weeks. Taste the Barbecued Pork Quesadilla and you’ll be hooked. This entrée-worthy appetizer features crisp flour tortillas stuffed with pulled pork that’s been roasted 16 hours and a smoky, sweet barbecue sauce made with apples and Vidalia onions.
Jumbo Shrimp Steamed In Beer is
another winner, with plump shrimp and a
peppery finish.
Salads here could be a satisfying meal by themselves, or enough to share. The Mantini House Salad has a pleasant mix of romaine, iceberg lettuce, and field greens tossed with balsamic vinaigrette. The Tomato Salad offers meaty slices of beefsteak tomatoes, sweet strands of red onion, and plentiful gorgonzola cheese crumbles on a bed of shredded lettuce with balsamic vinaigrette.
At 18 ounces and almost two inches thick, the Grilled Pork T-Bone Chop is among the biggest we’ve seen at a restaurant— and the tastiest. It was nicely charred on the outside, moist and lean on the inside, and topped with Mantini’s homemade barbecue sauce. It doesn’t get much better than this.
Grilled T-Bone Steak is equally tender and succulent, weighing in at a massive 24 ounces and seasoned with a “secret” dry rub. If you prefer seafood, try a sizeable portion of lightly seasoned Grilled Jumbo Gulf Shrimp.
Entrées come with your choice of two sides from a selection that includes Southern-Style Green Beans, golden Basmati Rice, Mississippi-style Baked Beans, Cheddar and Bacon Smashed Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli, Sautéed Spinach, and Creamed Spinach. Our favorites are the savory Cheddar and Bacon Smashed Potatoes and the Creamed Spinach, which is thankfully more like a rich dip than a vegetable.
Don’t be deterred by the big portions. Ask for some to be packed up so you have room for dessert, and request several spoons to share the Fresh-Baked Bread Pudding, made with cinnamon raisin bread. Candied pecans and chocolate sauce make Bourbon Pecan Crème Brulee sinfully rich.
After you’ve indulged in Mantini’s enormous, flavorful offerings, it is the perfect time for a relaxing stroll among the neighborhood’s eclectic shops and clubs.
—Lisa Clark is a writer and restaurant reviewer whose articles have appeared in newspapers and magazines.
Mantini’s Wood Fired
1209 East Carson Street, South Side
412-488-3560
www.mantiniswoodfired.com
Hours:
Lunch Mon.-Fri. 11:30 AM-2:30 PM,
Sat. 12:30PM-3:30PM
Dinner Mon.-Thu. 5:30PM-10:00PM,
Fri.-Sat. 5:30PM-11:00PM
Dinner Price Range:
Appetizers, Soups & Salads — $2.50 to $9.95
Entrées — $15.95 to $35.95
Desserts — $6.0
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