food

Foodie on the Half Shell: Review of Industry Public House

chathamcommunique

I have noticed that I have been very focused on reviewing restaurants lately. That is telling of my kitchen life…with the end of the semester creeping up on me, I don’t have a lot of time to make dinner every night. I preach about making time for homemade healthy food on a college schedule, but even I can get worn down.

Last night I was able to unwind a little bit by going out to eat and listen to some live music. For dinner, Ben and I went out to the Industry Public House on Butler Street.

Lawrenceville is such a weird and wonderful place. While I was sipping on my tequila I looked out the window to see a female mannequin riding on a jumbo sized bowling pin in a window above a bowling alley. It must be some bowling alley…

Industry is a large space full of friendly faces drinking impossibly potent drinks. The restaurant has large windows out front to create an open feel to it, and even has two bars.

I was drawn to this restaurant because I heard about their “Smokestack” cocktails ($3 plus whatever liquor you pick). The smokestack is a simple two-step process where you pick out whatever bourbon, whiskey, or scotch you want, and then you pick a flavor to smoke it with.

The flavors include mesquite, maple, pecan, apple, and cherry. I had The Gilded Age ($10) cocktail which was tons of tequila with citrus, ginger, and fall spice bitters. Their cocktails are strong and not watered down with a lot of ice–only with a large ice cube. The tastes are strong and unique.

As for their food, the descriptions on the menu are enticing, but the food itself does not keep up with their cocktail’s sophistication. I had their Lucy Furnace ($10) which was a portabella cap with grilled onions, ricotta salata, tempura zucchini, and watercress.

The elements were great, and it was a decent sandwich, but quite dry and a little bland. What I really wanted was some garlic aioli to smear all over it.

With it, I ordered some french fries with cheddar cheese melted on top. The fries were pretty flimsy, and I wanted way more cheese. When I want refined pub food, I want lots of cheese, seasoning, and the right amount of grease.

Ben had their smokestack sandwich ($12) that had ribeye, cheddar, arugula, and horseradish. It was was not big and luxurious, as most meaty sandwiches are. It was pretty simple. His side dish was probably the star of the night. It was brussels sprouts, with bacon and gorgonzola. The seasoning was nice and strong.

The pub is a pub and has above average pub food. Do not miss out on their drinks for any longer. Go and enjoy a game on one of their dozen televisions and sip on one of their many beers on tap or whiskeys.

Foodie on the Half Shell: 21 and over brunch delights

chathamcommunique

Turning 21 really lends itself to you when it comes to brunch. Honestly, boozing and brunching are a match made in heaven. I love Bloody Marys so much that I used to drink them virgin style. Also, you can’t forget the Mimosas and Bellinis.

My first brunch as a 21-year-old consisted of both of those classical brunch libations. Bagels and lox go so much better with a spicy Bloody Mary, and the same goes for a sweet and savory french toast with a Bellini.

Last Sunday, my partner Ben and I journeyed to Tamari in Lawrenceville for some brunch. Tamari is a cool pan Asian restaurant that offers my favorite sushi in the city. Their brunch keeps some of their Asian inspired dishes, but you can also get brunch favorites like a make-your-own-omelette.

Tamari is usually very busy, and you have to make a reservation unless you want to sit at the bar–which isn’t so bad either. For their brunch on Sundays, however, they seemed to be pretty slow. This is not a sign of a bad brunch, though. The prices shouldn’t be deterring anyone, either. You can order a “prix fixe” brunch for $23, which consists of a cocktail, a small plate, an entree, and a delicious cinnamon roll. We did not do the prix fixe lunch, but I think it is a great option if you are hungry.

To start, we ordered their small plate of Hamachi Crudo ($11). To drink I had their guava-mango Bellini ($8). The Hamachi Crudo consisted of half-inch thick slices of yellow fin tuna. It was served raw, and it tasted sweet and fresh. It was served with tangy house-made pickles, Tobiko (flying fish roe), and Crème Fraîche. The dish was delicious and had a surprising amount of sweet notes. It all worked together nicely.

I didn’t want a full on sushi dish, but I wanted something along those lines, and this dish was a perfect compromise that fit into our brunch nicely.

As Ben’s entree, he had the Hanger steak and eggs ($12). I was kind of expecting something heartier to look at, but it ended up being an artfully composed plate of small portions. That’s great if that’s the type of brunch you are going for. I am pretty much always in need of big portions of cheesy, starchy, and spicy foods.

The dish was still tasty and innovative. Hanger steak is lean piece of meat that is best served Pittsburgh-style. The roasted corn succotash was probably the best thing on the plate other than the steak. It also came with a gorgonzola cream and a fried egg. It was keenly done, but I was left unsatisfied–and it wasn’t even my entree.

I had the made-to-order omelette ($10). The cool thing about an omelette is that you can judge a chef by their technique. It is known that sometimes, instead of an interview, a chef will be asked to make an omelette to assess their skills. This omelette was cooked nicely, and I chose to stuff it with aged cheddar, asparagus, kale, and shrimp. It was pretty bland, and was crying out for a little spice or just a pinch of salt. The omelette comes with some toast and some potatoes.

I had their Bloody Mary with my entree, spicy style. You can choose from three different types of Bloody Marys: Traditional, Rye Mary, and Spicy Mary. Mine was good, and the spice level was on point.

This review sounds like I really didn’t enjoy my brunch at Tamari, but a brunch has to be pretty bad for me not to. I have a feeling that it was a pretty slow day, and maybe their A-Game chef was home awaiting their dinnertime rush the next day.

Their dinner is always amazing, and I truly think that their brunch has the potential to be the same. The food was good, but if they are going to be expensive and classy then they need to pump it up to the next level. I think Tamari is great for birthday brunch if you want to splurge a little bit, or go out with your friends for a get together. I will try back again soon–I refuse to give up on you, Tamari!

Foodie on the Half Shell: Cooking for loved ones

chathamcommunique

Fall is my birthday season, and I turned 21. It is like the missing piece to my being a real food and drink connoisseur has been put into place. Fall rocks for so many different reasons–those mainly having to do with food. On my birthday, my family takes me out to one of my favorite restaurants, and I get to eat (and drink) all of my favorite things.

It is also party season, and all of the goodies come out to play such as warm dips, candy, nachos, baked goods with cute Halloween sprinkles, and hot cider. The goodies are pretty much impossible to ignore, and thus far I have had at least one piece of candy a day since two weeks ago…oops. Candy isn’t even that good, but when Kit Kats are just sitting out, how am I not suppose to snack on them?

For my birthday, my partner made me an amazing dinner as a surprise for me. I had no idea what he was making, but I wasn’t expecting anything too fancy. His specialty is French toast, so I was prepared to eat some breakfast for dinner. That being said, I was still rooting for a serious dinner, so I handed him one of my favorite cookbooks for him to get some great ideas.

The cookbook is actually called “Intercourses,” by Martha Hopkins and Randall Lockridge. Yes, “Intercourses.”

It is a cookbook full of “aphrodisiac” recipes, but that’s not why I love the cookbook so much. The recipes are amazing, aphrodisiac or not. Each recipe comes with it’s own love story that inspired it. I encourage anyone who loves to cook to invest in this book; it is a classic in the cookbook realm.

Photo Credit: Olivia Beals

Photo Credit: Olivia Beals

When I got home, I was so happy and relieved to find a very confident and rather handsome cook in my kitchen. Thick cuts of bright pink salmon were marinating in a honey pepper sauce that ended up being baked; Moroccan couscous had been made already; and there was roasted asparagus.

Before we had even begun to eat dinner, we learned how to shuck oysters, and then we got to enjoy them. Wholey’s Fish Market in the Strip District has great oysters. They look intimidating and a little creepy, but they are fresh and great to eat raw.

The dinner itself was delicious, and the pepper and honey salmon was extremely flavorful. For dessert, Ben went to Priory Bakery in North Side to pick up some delicious cupcakes. The ladies at Priory are awesome and very talented.

Ben isn’t a natural cook, but that’s the cool thing about recipes—you don’t have to be. All cooks start out with a recipe, and that is how they learn what works and what doesn’t.

Ben was daunted by the idea of cooking for me, but following the steps was easy for him. We all like to be cooked for at least once in a while, and if you have a significant other or friend that you want to cook for you, guide them in the right direction by giving them a cookbook or website.

It will be fun for them to decide what to cook, especially if the recipes are intriguing and tasty. They will end up feeling really proud of themselves for what they have accomplished, and your encouraging words and reaction may contribute to them doing it again for you!

Foodie on the Half Shell: Perfect pasta

chathamcommunique

Pasta Carbonara is a decadent and delicious dish that is made from cream, egg, cheese, black pepper, and bacon, but it is not especially great for your arteries.

I don’t eat bacon, but I love the heartiness and warmth of the dish. The smokiness of the lox–which is a fancy way of saying smoked salmon–is a perfect substitute for bacon, and you still get the salty and meaty taste. I was inspired to do a lighter version of pasta carbonara since I wasn’t going to use the fatty bacon, and I used Greek yogurt instead of cream.

I take dinner very seriously, and I cook most nights of the week. Dinner is my time to shine, practice cooking, and to explore different ideas and flavors. I look at dinner as my main meal of the day, and I make sure that it’s healthful roots shine through.

Cooking with fresh produce and fish is very important to me, and it is a sure way to spruce the nutrients up in your cooking. I am the only one who cooks in my house (out of the two of us), and I feel a certain responsibility to provide my partner with foods that will enhance his life and health.

That may sound dramatic, but food is a huge part of who we are and what we become. I want to be healthy, innovative, and a little bit spicy–so I try and eat that way, too! I see that my partner has good eating habits that he has learned from me, and I feel really proud that I gave him those skills and values. That is a big part of why I love to cook and why I love to write about cooking–I want others to have a great relationship with food, like I do. My relationship with food is getting pretty serious!

This recipe is filling and tasty. With the substitution of smoked salmon and Greek yogurt, the dish is transformed into a lighter alternative with a lot less fat. This dish is tangy from the yogurt, salty from the lox, and a little spicy from the black pepper and cayenne. Even people who don’t like to eat fish will love this dish.

What you will need for two people:

1 cup of orzo al dente

1 package of smoked salmon, chopped

1 small red onion

3 cloves of garlic minced ( I love a lot of garlic. Feel free to use less)

1/3 cup of Greek yogurt

1 egg whisked

3/4 cup grated parmesan

a bunch of basil chopped

1 tsp of cayenne pepper

tons of black pepper

Saute the garlic and onion with olive oil until the onion is translucent. Add the chopped salmon. When the salmon’s color turns a lighter pink, add the orzo into the pan. Mix the greek yogurt in until it is well-incorporated. Add the whisked egg and the parmesan and mix. Add the cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt. Don’t worry about overdoing it on the black pepper, it is a key ingredient. The consistency should not be too creamy or saucy, but a little dryer than you might expect. Top with parmesan and fresh basil and enjoy.

 

Foodie on the Half Shell: Everybody loves brunch

chathamcommunique

Brunch is one word with so many different meanings. It is the epitome of meals, encompassing sandwiches, waffles, eggs, potatoes, scones, mimosas, and bloody marys. It is a meal that is full of so many possibilities, and without any boundaries.

I love to go out for brunch. It is an event and party in itself. With the autumn coming, and the cool wind invading my home, I have the desire to go shopping in little boutiques for pumpkin scented stuff and blankets. To top it off, I want a chai tea with some inventive version of brunch. My ideal brunch involves smoked salmon, cheeses, potatoes, pickles, and spicy stuff. Bagels and lox with a spicy bloody mary fit that picture.

Whenever my partner, Ben, has a morning off during the weekend, we sleep in and end up starving when we wake up. It is around noon when we head out, but we still want breakfast. Pamela’s down in the Strip is a go-to, but we wanted to try something different recently.

Coca Café in Lawrenceville is a tiny café that doesn’t look like much from outside, but once you are inside it is a colorful blast from the past. The mix-matched furniture creates a home style from the 60’s feel. It isn’t a huge café, but it is big enough to keep a crowd moving. On a Sunday around one in the afternoon, we waited for about fifteen minutes for a table.
Coca Café only has brunch on Sundays, and their menu changes weekly. I ordered their house tea smoked salmon omelet. Their eggs were cooked perfectly, and it was stuffed with goat cheese, dill, grape tomatoes and salmon. It came with crunchy home fries.

It was delicious, and tasted very fresh. Ben got their–wait for it–herb goat cheese stuffed French toast, dusted with powdered sugar and topped with strawberries. It was good without syrup, but it was incredible with the syrup. The savory and salty of the goat cheese with the sweetness of the powdered sugar and fruit went together like brunch heaven.

This spot is perfect for a morning out with your friends or loved one. It has a large scope of foods, and they even have vegetarian sausages, which are super tasty. It is also in a part of town that is really hopping with fun shops, salons, restaurants and cafés.

It will fulfill all of your hipster needs, such as kosher pickles, barbershops, vintage clothes, and BPA-free toys. Head down to Lawrenceville and enjoy the tastiness Coca Café has in store for you.

Foodie on the Half Shell: Warm up this fall with a toasty tostada

chathamcommunique

What we have today is a crunchy and spicy shrimp tostada. Tostadas can be made with pretty much anything, but they usually have some beans, cheese, and veggies on top. The shell is crunchy, and usually flat, and then it is piled high with ingredients of your choosing.

The only downside to tostadas is that they are so hard to eat! I tried using a fork and knife, but that didn’t seem right, so I actually looked it up online. Go to this Youtube video, and learn how to eat a tostada before you make them! This guy’s technique was not only funny, but seemed legitimate.

The word tostada means “toasted” in Spanish and is a Mexican food that you can get at almost any Mexican restaurant you go to in the United States. A lot of food from Mexican restaurants in the US is very heavy, and full of beans, cheese, ground beef, and sour cream. Although, that is delicious, it’s just not that good for you, and a lot of authentic Mexican food isn’t actually like that.

I’ve been to Mexico twice, and I’ve been to the Southwest a lot, so I have had my share of all kinds of styles of Mexican food. I have to say that my favorite type is the coastal style from the Yucatan Peninsula.

I’ve never been to the Yucatan Peninsula, but I have tried their style of food, and it is very fresh and unlike the burritos and nachos that most of us are used to. They use ingredients like avocado, oranges, plums, and seafood.

I was inspired by the freshness of the Mexican food I know and love, and also by the crunchy tostadas we can get from our own Mexican restaurants around us. This tostada is not deep fried; only lightly pan fried and then put into the oven to crisp up. This will save you calories and fat from the useless amount of oil from deep frying. By using shrimp instead of the usual ground beef, you are saving yourself from saturated fat and cholesterol. Shrimp is lean, and still gives you a great amount of protein.

What you will need for 5 tostadas:

1 pound of uncooked shrimp

5 small corn tortillas

1 can of refried beans

1 bell pepper

1/2 large onion

1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese

1 chopped large tomato

1 head of chopped romaine lettuce

1/4 cup of cilantro

2 tablespoons of chili powder

1 tablespoon of cumin

2 tablespoons of chipotle pepper powder

2 tablespoons of honey

1 juiced lime

salt and pepper to taste

Sunflower oil or veggie oil for pan frying the tortillas

2 tablespoons of olive oil

To fry the tortillas, add two tablespoons of oil into the pan and make sure it is hot. Add the tortilla and let it fry for two minutes on each side. Put the finished tortillas on paper towels to get rid of excess oil, and then pop them into the oven around 350 degrees to keep them crunchy and not soggy.

Clean the shrimp, and take their tails off. Marinate them in half of the chili powder and half of the chipotle, with the honey, lime, olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Sauté them in a pan until they are cooked thru, and then chop them into little chunks to put on top of the tostada when ready.

Put the bell pepper and onion into a pan, cook them until they are sweating, and season them with salt and pepper and some extra chili powder if you desire.

Cook the beans and add the rest of the chipotle, cumin, and chili powder into them. Spread the beans onto the crunchy tostada, add the sautéd veggies, and sprinkle on the cheese. Broil them on low, and take them out when fully melted. After you take them out, add the chopped lettuce, tomatoes, shrimp and cilantro. Add salsa, lime, or hot sauce to top it off.

Foodie on the Half Shell: You are where you eat

chathamcommunique

I am so happy to be back writing for the Communiqué this year. Last year was my first year as a food writer, and I have a bunch of new inspirations for cooking, health, and stories that I collected this summer.

I think that the theme for my foodie adventures this year goes something like, “eat sustainable food” and “Pittsburgh is becoming a foodie paradise.”

That doesn’t sound extremely eloquent so we will not make it official, but seriously, I went to so many restaurants this summer and it is becoming clear that Pittsburgh’s food scene is high caliber.

How does a town, city, or region become known for its food scene? I think there are three main categories that a city’s food providers must check off before they can be considered superior.

First of all, the restaurants, cafes, etc. must be inventive in their preparation of food and also how they present themselves as a business. If your town is full of checker-printed-table-cloth restaurants, I would not consider that a progressive food scene when it comes to display.

Also, the food should be new and inventive. We usually don’t see regular grilled cheese sandwiches in our new favorite restaurants. What we do see is grilled cheese sandwiches with bacon, chipotle mayo, and grilled onions, or even a grilled cheese with soy cheese, kale, and hemp seed filled bread.

Our food habits are changing. I know more people who are on the vegetarian scale than I know unbounded meat eaters.

I think the next category goes without saying. We want the food that the city provides to be delicious. That isn’t always easy, though. There is a grilled chicken salad, and then there is a salad made up of spring greens, heirloom tomatoes from a local garden, fresh spring onion, and grilled chicken that had a happy and healthy life before it was butchered for our delight. That love within food is what makes it extra yummy.

Finally, we want a food system in a city that has their sustainability together. With sustainability comes support of an environmentally friendly food system. With an environmentally aware way of producing food, comes more food without harmful chemicals in the plants and animals, thus healthier food.

We all like the idea of eating healthy. Some people don’t like the “taste” of healthy foods (and I plan to change your views on healthy food by giving you simple recipes full of whole foods), but even if they only eat chicken tenders, chicken tenders without hormones and from an organic farm down the road is “healthier” in the long run.

We want lettuce without pesticides, and we want salmon that was sustainably caught in the wild. We just don’t like how hard it is to find, and we don’t like the prices that go along with it. When a town is able to have relationships with gardens and farms, their level of natural and sustainable food goes up.

I believe that Pittsburgh has qualities that fit into every one of these categories. Although, we are not Asheville, N.C., or Portland, Ore., we are on our way to making a name for ourselves in the foodie paradise checklist. Follow my column and learn about restaurants in our area and easy recipes that will improve your health, or are just tasty.

Also, if you want more foodie ideas, follow my blog!

Foodie on the Half Shell: Power food for finals week

chathamcommunique

Spring is here, and I can already smell BBQ on the grill, and taste the refreshing mojito I make out of my mom’s own fresh mint. I am really looking forward to the summer, and a break from all the stress and pressures that go along with school. First though, we must all get through finals week.

I’ve always hated finals week, because you’ve worked so hard the entire year, but no matter how great you did the rest of the semester, you could ruin everything your last week. That is completely horrendous! Well, there is only one way for me to get through finals week and that is fuel. I’m talking delicious food that gives me energy and the spirit to go forth and conquer!

It is easy to fall into eating anything and everything during finals week. I even hear about people bribing themselves with cake and candy to make themselves do their research project. However, I can guarantee healthy snacks will be the way to survive this week of hell.

My main snacks this week will be loaded salads, healthy yogurt parfait, and maybe some chocolate covered frozen bananas for a bit of sugar buzz to get me through those last few pages I have to write at two in the morning.

For the loaded salads, I top mine with some plain tuna fish, hard-boiled eggs, grilled veggies, and some feta cheese. The key to this salad is the lean protein, which will give you energy and fill you up without a lot of added fats. You could also use grilled chicken, or salmon.

For the yogurt parfait, use a Greek yogurt, skyr, or regular yogurt and add your favorite fruit, and either some nuts or granola. This is my partner’s everyday breakfast, and it fills you for a long time. The chocolate covered bananas that I get are actually dark chocolate covered frozen bananas, by the brand Diana’s Bananas. They are only 130 calories, and are really delicious. I’m not even a huge fan of bananas, but when they are frozen, it’s like ice cream. These foods are totally reliable, and seriously the way to go!

Since this is my last column of the year as a sophomore, I did want to just say thank you to all for reading my column. This really has been such a learning experience for me, to write about food. It has been so positive to hear from my readers, and to force myself to try new recipes and new restaurants. This summer I hope to start my own website so you all can get new recipes and reviews all week long, and to also start doing cooking videos that I will post on Youtube.

If you have any questions, or want to be notified this summer when the sites are up and ready, please email me at opbeals@gmail.com. This really has been a dream come true. Food is my passion, and I hope I inspired some of you to journey into the world of cooking. Thank you, all!

Foodie on the Half Shell: Happy as a clam

chathamcommunique

With all of the preparation for final projects and exams, the only thing that really can help me relax is to put some hard work into cooking when I have the time. Last week, I went crazy and made split pea soup, sesame noodles, tiramisu, and even more. It’s my release from the pressure of school and work. Presentation? Take that smashed potato! Research paper? I will beat these eggs to a friggin’ meringue.

Last week, both my partner and I had a hectic schedule. To ease the pain of stress, I made a big pot of clams, in a garlic wine sauce, with linguine. Not only was this special and fun to make, but it also gave us fuel to study for the rest of the night.

Now you either love or hate clams, but I always hear about people not liking shellfish because of the grittiness. There’s a simple remedy for that: soak them for about 15 minutes and then scrub the outside of each one. This will get rid of the sand and dirt on the outside and inside of the clams.

Keeping clams alive is tricky if you’re keeping them for more than a few hours before cooking them. Personally, I wouldn’t go past a day and a half without cooking them. Now, if you’re going to cook them in the next ten hours, don’t worry, just make sure they’re out of any plastic bag and are in the refrigerator able to breathe.

If you go any longer, this is my way of keeping them alive: wet paper towels and lay them out on a cookie sheet or a shelf in your fridge. Place each clam on top of it and sprinkle it with water about once every six hours. This will allow the clams to breathe, and this way you are recreating their natural habitat. Another great thing about clams? They’re cheap! They’re only 45 cents a clam.

Now, how do you make clams? It’s SO easy, and the results look like you are a professional. How much better can it get? This recipe consists of clams in a delicious broth, over linguine. It is very filling and really lovely to look at.

What you’ll need:

Olive oil

A pound of clams (scrubbed and soaked)

A bag of spinach

1 shallot

10 cloves of garlic

Al dente linguine

1 cup of dry white wine

1 cup of veggie or chicken broth

1 cup of water

2 tablespoons of oregano

Salt and Pepper to taste

Start by slicing the shallot and garlic cloves and sautéing them in some olive oil in a large pot (large enough to hold all of the clams). When they soften, add the cup of wine. Let that reduce and then add the broth, water, and oregano. Let all of this simmer together for about ten minutes. Then add the clams and a couple handfuls of spinach into the pot and put the lid on top. The clams are ready when their shells are wide open. Don’t eat clams that didn’t open! They were dead. After the clams have all popped open, ladle them over the linguine along with the broth. Finish with some parmesan cheese. Delicious!

Foodie on the Half Shell: Review of BRGR

chathamcommunique

The best kind of restaurant out there is the type that is casual, has fun food, and has a cool atmosphere. BRGR has all of those things. You can look forward to a bunch of unique styled burgers, and thick, spiked (or not spiked) milk shakes. This is my favorite place to go out to with a group of people, or even just my partner and I. The place is always rockin’, and so is the food.

My mom likes when I pick the places to eat when she’s in town, and I usually have a couple weeks notice to make sure I get reservations at a cool place. This time, I had no idea there was going to be six of us, and I was informed only five days before the dinner.

My entire family and some tag-alongs were coming to Pittsburgh for my sister’s “Accepted Student’s Day”, at Chatham (Yes! My sister is coming to Chatham!). I still wanted to impress everyone, but all of my favorite restaurants, or the ones I’ve been meaning to try, scoffed at the idea of my reservation for six people. Come on, Pittsburgh! It’s not like six people is an unmanageable number.

Anyhow, I knew that I was in a bit of a pinch. BRGR is hard to get into sometimes, because it is so popular and they don’t take reservations. Even so, they have a nice bar and are in Shadyside, so we were fine waiting for an hour for a table.

Even though it’s technically a burger joint, they really do take it up a notch. I always get the veggie burger, and then I try it with all different toppings. This time I got the veggie burger patty on the Greek Burger. In the past I’ve gotten the Santa Fe Hippi, with guacamole and pepper jack cheese–so delicious!

All of the burgers have fun toppings on them, and they are really created with care. Most of the burgers are around $10, which might seem a little pricey, but they are not just any ordinary burger.

Sides don’t come with the burgers, but they make up for that in taste and size. The sides are large portions, maybe enough for about two or three people. They have spicy tater tots, French fries, onion rings and more. They are the perfect fix for something crunchy and greasy, and are usually around $4.

The service is always friendly–it’s a bunch of young enthusiastic people who probably love burger food just as much as we do. A secret that I was told by a waiter last time I was there was: you can get any kind of burger patty (salmon, beef, veggie, etc.) on any style of burger (Greek, Santa Fe Hippi, Shrooms). That made me like the joint even more!

You won’t be spending a lot of money at this place, but you will leave completely satisfied. Be sure to get there around six if you want a short wait, though. This place is my favorite casual restaurant I’ve been to so far in Pittsburgh. The fact that it’s not too far away from Chatham doesn’t hurt either. Get a group of your girls, and hit up BRGR!