Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 2016 (various eateries)

Pittsburgh is now on the destination map for artisan food. Many New York Chefs have moved here and opened eateries to escape the high rent prices of the big apple. The quality of food and the talent really show in this industrial city. Similar to Detroit, Pittsburgh is also inching its way back up the economic ladder, probably with help from the bustling food industry. I was very happy with everything I ate here.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.


Five Points Artisan Bakeshop
6520 Wilkins Avenue, Pittsburgh
http://fivepointsartisanbakeshop.com/
A tiny bakeshop with a line out the door, this family owned and operated bakery specializes in European-style breads and pastries. Mostly a to-go place, there were also small tables available in case patrons wanted to eat in while reading their morning paper.

Baguette. A simple bread that made a nice sandwich for me later. It had a nice crust with a good chew.

Blueberry Tart. A flaky pastry crust was filled with fantastically juicy ripe blueberries and blueberry jam. The pastry cream and nuts made for a nice, smooth and crunchy contrast to the color, flavor and texture of the blueberries. This went great with coffee.

Toasted Almond Praline Cream Puff. I love anything with cream, and this did not disappoint. The almond praline shell was crunchy and not too sweet. The pastry cream complemented the crumbly, nutty shell very nicely.

The Commoner
458 Strawberry Way, Pittsburgh
http://www.thecommonerpgh.com/
This gastropub was slightly below street level, which gave it a hidden aspect, and had quite an upscale-sounding menu for a name like "The Commoner". Some of the food might have sounded common, but the preparation was not common at all.


Cappuccino. A strong cup of coffee; this is what I expect, and hope for, in a cappuccino.

Scotty Toddy. This is my idea of a good start to the day. Made with Scotch, Earl Grey Tea Syrup, Amontillado Sherry bitters, lemon oil and a dash of nutmeg, this was a very sophisticated toddy with well-rounded flavors and just the right amount of sweetness.

Being Green. A healthy and delicious drink with cucumber, celery, apple, kale, lemon and ginger. This was well balanced with a nice, natural sweetness. Very refreshing.

Oatmeal. Not a very interesting-sounding dish, but good and hearty all the same. The oats were slow cooked and served with milk, brown sugar, dried cranberries and almonds. 

Bacon Beni. A fantastic house made english muffin was topped with crispy house cured bacon, pork belly and onion soubise. Excellent in every way, even the hollandaise sauce was light, creamy and not over powering.

Whitfield at The Ace Hotel
120 S. Whitfield, Pittsburgh
http://www.whitfieldpgh.com/
Located in a renovated historic building, the architecture, as well as the food, were full of character. With high ceilings held upon ornately carved columns and an open floor plan, the space made one imagine how this was back in its heyday. But the modern spin on classic food made me glad to have visited when I did.

The Pike. A nice take on an Old Fashioned. This was made with Bourbon whiskey, cinnamon plum syrup and aromatic bitters.

Deviled and Pickled Eggs. An excellent pre-dinner snack. This had a wonderful balance of tang and savory all on one plate.

Butcher's Plate. A gorgeous plate of house made charcuterie, potted meat, a variety of pickles and mustard. Each had a unique cure or brine with flavor profiles that kept me going in for more. The taste combinations seemed infinite and infinitely delicious.

Rainbow Trout. A perfectly seared piece of trout was served atop a cloud of savory cauliflower puree and flanked with tender braised fennel, marinated radish and grilled lemon salsa. Light and delightful.

Berkshire Pork Shank. A phenomenally tender and flavorful pork shank was served with a buttery and savory white bean cassoulet and braised greens. This was the star of the show. The leftovers also made for a really tasty sandwich the next day.

Wigle Barrel-aged Genever. From the looks of this, it would not seem aged, however, the flavor profile was more complex than an un-aged gin with sweet, mild smoke and that wonderful juniper aroma.

Olive Oil Chocolate Cake. This might have been the best cake I've ever had. The cake was very moist. It was not too dense but not too pillowy and had an excellent dark chocolate flavor without any bitterness. The frosting was a Nutella mouse that was light, airy and enhanced with chocolate shavings, fresh blood oranges pieces and candied orange peel. The sweetness throughout all the components was not overdone and the blood orange creamsicles sprinkled around had a fantastic texture and gave this cake an interesting contrast in temperature.

I ended my time in Pittsburgh as I began it...in a bar. This city had great flavor with the variety of restaurants and transplants from other states. I was very happy with everything I ate (and drank) and I look forward to visiting again.

Toledo, Ohio 2016 (various eateries)

I was not expecting much from the food in Ohio, but I was very pleasantly surprised that the food scene was very much on par with other major foodie cities like San Francisco; but the price, and service, was much nicer. Other than the Toledo Zoo, which was voted "best zoo in the country", there wasn't a lot to do in this city, but I did enjoy time with good friends and good food.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.


Petit Fours Patisserie and Cafe
27 Broadway Street, Toledo OH
Located in historic Toledo, with cobble stone and brick buildings, I was already prepped, mood-wise, for this quaint cafe. This was a small but comfortable space with several dining areas situated like different rooms in a house. The service was relaxed but the desire to please was definitely there and it was appreciated. The display case of tantalizing sweets was also very inviting.

Tomato Soup. Fresh and tasty, this broth-like tomato soup and buttery bread was just enough to whet the appetite.

Cafe French Dip. Slow roasted and thinly sliced beef was piled into a soft, buttered and toasted french roll with caramelized onions, melted boursin and provolone cheeses. Served with the jus on the side and incredibly crunchy house made potato chips. This might have been the best french dip I've tasted. Every ingredient was just delicious.

Caprese BLT. Crispy bacon paired very well with fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh lettuce, tomato, and balsamic syrup. All this was served between two pieces of thick cut toasted bread and those fantastic house made potato chips.

Cranberry Mozzarella Quiche and Turkey Mushroom Wild Rice soup. I never would have imagined putting cranberries and mozzarella together in a quiche, but this worked. The custard was delicate, fluffy, seasoned perfectly and the soup was warm and savory with nice chunks of mushroom and turkey. This meal gave me a great start to my day.

Peanut Butter truffle. Almost like a fancy peanut butter cup, this was two little bites of just enough sweetness to end the meal on a very nice note.

Revolution Grille
5333 Monroe Street, Toledo OH
http://revolutiongrille.com/
This was a very hip and bustling restaurant located in a quiet strip mall. I was not prepared for how good this food was. The menus are on tablets with the appearance of pictures and ingredients if a dish name is tapped, which, in my opinion, is a great idea. People eat with their eyes first and a good picture can sell an item a lot better than just a description. They were also having a "restaurant week" special at the time of my visit, so I took advantage of the any-three-entrees-for-$30 deal.

The Professional. One of their cocktail specials, this was made with rye, Averna and sweet vermouth. Similar to an old fashioned, this had boozyness, a little sweetness and a bit of bitterness from the Averna. I enjoyed this very much.

Banana Hammock. Another cocktail special with a funny name, this was made with Tito's vodka, lime juice, banana and simple syrup. A nicely crafted cocktail.

Green Curry Potato Soup. A tasty pureed soup with a bit of a kick, nice spiced flavor and topped with fresh tomatoes, creme fraiche, and toasted croutons.

Meat Lover's Flatbread. A phenomenal flatbread with succulent house made sausage, salami, heirloom tomatoes, red onion and cheese. Every ingredient was phenomenal. So delicious.

Veal Sweetbreads. This was excellently prepared sweetbreads. Full of sweetbready flavor but not too much to be overpowering. It was gently seasoned to let the natural taste shine and served with a parsnip puree.

Pork Belly. Long braised then quickly seared, this was moist and flavorful as a belly should be. Well rounded with a potato puree, pea sprouts and picked radish.

Grilled Colorado Lamb Chop. Served atop a bed of savory romesco sauce, roasted potato and carrot, this was a juicy and perfectly cooked piece of lamb.

Braised Ohio Black Angus Short Rib. Tender would be an understatement for this piece of meat. A spoon would have been fine for this dish. It was falling apart, well seasoned and so good.

Ohio Black Angus Ribeye. Another gorgeous piece of meat; well prepared and topped with meaty pieces of chanterelle and shiitake mushrooms.

Pan Seared Cape Cod Sea Scallop. Nicely adorned with frisee and exceptionally seared, this scallop was served with a parsnip puree colored with beet juice. It was a perfect bite of the ocean.

Jumbo Lump Crab Cake. A small crab cake that had what seemed like all the meat of one whole crab in it. The fresh and sweet crab was delicately plated with just enough veggies to balance out everything.

I would say Toledo was a surprising foodie destination, but seeing is believing. If I didn't have friends here, it's unlikely I'll come back, but as long as I have a reason to visit, I'll enjoy the food while I'm here.

Detroit, Michigan 2016 (various eateries)

I recently visited several cities within one whirlwind of a week of traveling. Detroit was my first stop. I wasn't expecting too much from Detroit, but the few hours that I spent there was pleasant. The people were very friendly and welcoming, the city was making efforts to revive itself and the eats and drinks were delightful.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.


Masri Sweets
5755 Schaefer Road, Dearborn MI
http://www.masrisweets.com/
This middle eastern bakery had a very large display case full of many varieties of arabic specialties like baklava, cakes, and cookies. They even had very tasty looking american pastries and cakes. I was very happy to learn that they ship some of their products within the U.S. I ended up getting a tray of their middle eastern treats and I was very happy with my selection. These varied from namora, different baklavas, burma with ishta filling, and graibeh. So delicious.

Petit Four Cookies. These were a variety of butter cookies. Some had caraway seeds, chocolate and/or pistachios. One cannot go wrong at this store. Just point at anything and prepare to be delighted.

Chartreuse
15 E. Kirby Street, Suite D, Detroit MI
www.chartreuseKC.com
This was a very colorful oasis amidst the cold, gray midtown Detroit exterior. I was happy to find a place that supported local farmers and foragers and I looked forward to the food.


Last Word. With gin, chartreuse green, lime juice and maraschino. This cocktail had an excellent balance of sweet and tart.

Gon Naw Git. I ordered this mostly because I just wanted to say the name. Made with rye, Averna and lemon juice, this was a very nice bourbon drink.

Bread and maple garlic butter. Crusty bread served with house made maple garlic butter. Sometimes, it's the little things that add to the experience.

Vegetable Caesar. With broccolini, local greens, peas, duck cracklins, locatelli, grilled kale, kohlrabi, red onion and croutons. If you're a garlic lover, this one's for you. This was garlicky with a healthy mix of many textures and flavors.

Twice Cooked Egg. As eggs are my weakness, I could not pass this up. Frisee, brussels sprouts, pea tendrils, parmesan cheese, and warm shallot vinaigrette rounded out the salad. The egg, as one can see below, was perfectly fried.

Roasted pork and Pappardelle. Tender, fall-apart roasted pork was mixed into perfectly al dente pappardelle and covered with parmesan cheese. The sauce was savory and the cheese gave it a wonderful salty nuttiness. Delicious.

Berkshire Pork Belly. Fork tender pork was served with ten year cheddar grits, romesco sauce, arugula pesto and fried onion rings. You can't go wrong with pork.

I wished I had just a little more time in Detroit, however, from the experience I had, I wouldn't hesitate to come back and stay a bit longer next time.

Casa Cubana--Oakland (Cuban cuisine)

This fairly new establishment has art, color, flavor and flair. For a taste of Cuba in the East Bay, this is an excellent choice for contemporary cuisine and Cuban-inspired cocktails. Located at 59 Grand Avenue, it's a short walk from the 19th street BART station.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.

http://www.casacubanaoakland.com/



Mojito. A classic cuban beverage. These vary in sweetness and tangyness depending on who's behind the bar, but if you're open minded, why not?

Montecristo and a Cup of Joe. This was a nice cocktail with some coffee syrup, Bacardi 8, bitters and tobacco mist. A full-flavored drink that was very enjoyable.

Guacamole. Even with the fresh avocado, this happy hour item was a bit of a side liner compared to the house made taro, yuca and plantain chips. I could have had a big bowl of just the chips. Delicious.

Lechon Tostadas. Crispy tortillas were topped with stewed black beans and really well prepared pulled pork with a tangy cabbage slaw. A very tasty item on their happy hour menu. This could have also doubled as a small meal.

Ropa Nueva. This might have been the best thing I've eaten in the month of February. Super savory, succulent skirt steak topped a luscious, fall-apart tender beef brisket ragout. The boniato puree cleansed the palate after each piece and the chimichurri sauce topped it off with even more flavor. So good.

I was not expecting too much from this place, but I was very pleasantly surprised at the phenomenal flavors of some of the dishes, particularly the ones with meat. The happy hour menu is a bit limited, but order one of their meat entrees for dinner, and you won't be disappointed.

BBQ Pork Ribs & BBQ sauce (Recipe)

For any game day, one of the main attractions in my household is the food. For the last "big game," I wanted to make some pork ribs that were slow cooked, and not quite falling off the bone, but tender with a good chew and fantastic flavor. This is a simple, no grilling method to keep everything clean and tidy.

Here's what you'll need for the ribs and rub:
1 rack of St. Louis cut or baby back pork ribs
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp. smoked paprika
2 tbsp. sweet paprika
2 tbsp. ground cumin
2 tbsp. ground coriander
2 tbsp. mustard powder
2 tbsp. pepper
2 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. onion powder

Here's what you'll do:
- Coat the rib rack with rub, wrap with foil and let sit overnight in the fridge.
- When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- Do NOT unwrap the ribs, place on a cookie sheet and into the oven for 90 minutes.
- Let rest for 10 minutes, then unwrap, cut between each bone and serve.
- For a nice glaze, unwrap the ribs just enough so the top is facing up. Brush a light coating of BBQ sauce (recipe below) over the top and broil it for about 3 minutes. Then remove from oven, let rest for 10 minutes and serve.
- Any leftover rub can be placed in a baggie and used for any other protein. It's great on chicken and fish too.

Here's what you'll need for the BBQ sauce:
1 1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
1/8 cup molasses
1/8 cup dijon mustard
1/8 cup Worchestershire sauce
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt

Here's what you'll do:
- Dump everything into a medium-sized pot.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Whisk until everything is dissolved and well incorporated; about 3 minutes.
- Let cool, pour into a squeeze bottle and serve.
- This keeps in the fridge for at least a month.

Hongry Kong--Bay Area (Hong Kong style food truck)

The long British occupation of Hong Kong (from 1841 to 1997) has led to the use of seemingly non-asian ingredients in their foods, such as spaghetti, tomato sauce, cheese and milk. One may raise an eyebrow upon seeing these dishes, but for me and others who've become accustomed to Hong Kong-style food, it's become a form of comfort. This food truck makes its way around the bay area and gives joy and comfort to those seeking it.

Here are some of things I've enjoyed.

http://www.hongrykong.com/hk/



Curryous Fish Balls. Making fish balls is actually quite a bit of work to get the texture right. It's nothing like making meatballs. These balls of fishy goodness have the right squeaky springiness and texture that makes for great snacking. The curry sauce is mild but flavorful and a great accompaniment to this treat.

Golden Eye. These might be one of my favorite things. These are golf ball-sized pork and shrimp dumplings, seasoned well, steamed and served three at a time. They have a very satisfying chew and have an excellent balance of sweet and salt.

Beef Brisket w/Tendons. Tendon may not be everyone's go-to ingredient, but I love the chewy, gelatinous texture and the way it soaks up any sauce its cooked in. The brisket is hearty and meaty and stewed with potatoes, carrots and that mild but flavorful curry sauce all over rice. So good.

Pork Cutlet. I opted for their tangy tomato sauce, spaghetti and an added egg on top for this dish. The pork is breaded and fried, the tomato sauce is a bit sweet and a bit tangy, the cheese is wonderfully weird and the egg just adds to the layers of flavors.

Fish Cutlet. This option included breaded and fried fish, their firecrackin' pepper sauce, rice and an optional egg. The sauce is oyster sauce based with some savory sweetness. Potatoes and carrots are also in the mix for some textural balance.

Egg Tarts. On the left is their egg tart in a butter crust and on the right is their egg tart with a flaky crust. The egg custard itself is creamy, smooth and sweet. The butter crust is similar to a shortbread cookie is probably my favorite of the two. The flaky tart is lighter, more mild and incredibly flaky.

Many of their rice/spaghetti dishes are not what one would consider fancy food. This is more like Hong Kong street food or home cooking. It can be a sloppy mess but it's just one of those things that I crave sometimes. I would encourage anyone to give this truck a try.

Mozzeria--San Francisco/Bay Area (Pizza Place and Mobile Food Trolley)

The bay area has many note-worthy pizza places, and Mozzeria is one of them. Some of the words to entice any hungry pizza lover may be: "hand tossed," "wood fired" and "housemade burrata" for starters. Located at 3228 16th street, it's an easy walk from the 16th street BART station. They also have a mobile trolley, with a wood-burning pizza oven on it, that may come to your neck of the woods if you can't make it out to the city.

One unique aspect, not overly mentioned since the focus is on great food, is that this establishment is owned and operated by a deaf couple. Also noteworthy is they support the deaf community by providing jobs for other individuals with hearing impairment or loss. It's also a lot of fun to learn how to order pizza using sign language.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.

http://www.mozzeria.com/



Burrata. Housemade, stretchy mozzarella with mozzarella cream encased inside. It was smooth and sweet with notes of nuttiness. The balsamic vinegar, fresh ripe cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and olive oil were simple toppings that really completed the dish.

Fried pizza dough. What a great way to use up leftover pizza dough. Fried and served with the burrata, this was not greasy, and an excellently crunchy accompaniment to the delicious cheese above.

Margherita pizza. The beauty of this pizza is in its simplicity. With tangy and sweet marinara sauce, fresh mozzerella, grana padano, pomodoro and basil, I enjoyed this very much.

Italian Sausage pizza. Fantastically tasty sausage, fennel fronds, red onion, white garlic sauce and mozzerella. All topped on a thin and wonderfully baked crust.

I've only experienced the trolley, since it was conveniently parked in my neighborhood. I look forward to visiting their restaurant and trying some of their other starters and pizzas next time I get a chance.