conspiracy?

 Hmmm...
 So because of where I work, my opinion is less than valid.  And I would
 lie just to advance Tom and Juno's business?  Don't think so.

 Restaurants outside our company fold that I do recommend:

 Baum Vivant-excellent food and service, interior is very small and
 intimate.  A good place for romance. The owner, Tony, adds to the
 experience with his exhuberant personality.  Had an unusual dish
 there, periwinkles, that was memorably good.

 Nina-I was very slightly disappointed in the entree I had there, rest of
 meal was uniformly excellent.  The frozen chocolate zabaglione I had for
 dessert was really delicious.  I liked the small house atmosphere.

 Cafe Allegro-My fiance and I have been there several times, always
 excellent food and service.  I find the seating in their bar area noisy
 and prefer the other dining area.

 Pino's Pizza-A "gourmet" pizza place in Point Breeze.  Pizzas have always
 been very good.  They offer nice alternatives to the standard pizza with
 red sauce.

 Bonacci Bros Pizza-Was Vincent's, in Squirrel Hill.  Good bet for a
 standard pie, if you're a thick crust person.

 The Sharp Edge-Food is just okay, ambiance is early 70's dive, beer
 selection is tremendous, especially Belgian beers.  Staff very freindly
 and informative.

 Fajita Grill- a perennial fav of this newsgroup.  In fact, that is the
 reason I went there.  I had the best authentic Mexican meal I've had
 outside of Mexico.  Met the owner(he waited on us, and I suspect may have
 been cooking too).  He was really great.He told me the hours he was
 working since he opened Si Senor at CMU.  God bless him! Heard that it
 closed, hopefully that's not true.

 Cafe at the Frick-*Excellent* lunch place on the grounds of the Frick
 museum.  Food is really great, pastry is particularly good.  This is
 probably the best place for outdoor dining for lunch.  When the trees are
 green, and the flowers in bloom, it can't be beat.

 Primanti's-Where the the beer is cold, the help is rude, and sandwiches
 are big, greasy, and delicious.  Perfect for late night eats.

 Wooden Angel-Worth a drive.  Interior did not do much for me.  Then
 again, I hardly noticed as my nose was buried in the wine list.  Best
 wine list in the city.  I had an '86 Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel that
 blew my doors off.  I could spend a year sampling bottles from the cellar
 here.  Food was decent.  Service very friendly and efficient.  I really
 liked the fact that they poured a taste of wines ordered by the glass,
 just as if you had ordered a bottle.  I only wish it was not such a
 long drive for me to get there.

 As for my slamming of Monterey Bay, I stand by it.  I group it with
 another restaurant, Mallorca, as far as quality level.  The base products
 they serve(by that I mean raw product-fish, meat, etc.) are good.
 Portions are large, *but* preparation is mediocre at best.  If big
 portions impress you, Mallorca and Monterey Bay will definitely wow you.
 I was underwhelmed.  I also got rush-rush service at Mallorca, because we
 were a party of two. And I stand by my comments on the shop talk that
 surrounded me at Monterey Bay.

 As for identifying myself, I did, by name.  My opinions are my own, and
 should not always be connected with my employer.  I recommend restaurants
 frequently, both in and out of the Big Burrito group.  I do myself no
 favors sending a guest to a mediocre place.  I went to Monterey Bay
 hoping to have a nice meal.  IMHO it wasn't.  Believe me or not.

 As for Ms. Reder, if, indeed her gift certificate did not go out, I owe
 her an apology in a long litany of apologies.  Her experience was
 inexcusable.

 In my own defense, New Year's Eve, my parents' house burnt to the ground.
 Luckily, they were away on holiday.  The same night, a childhood
 neighbor and friend, was killed in a different fire at her parents'
 vacation home.  I spent the better part of two weeks commuting back and
 forth during my off time to my parents home to sort out the mess and
 support them.  Ms Reder and I were corresponding right around that
 period.  If I let her get lost in the shuffle, I will rectify that error.
 I should not allow my personal problems to interfere with my professional
 responsibilities.

 Jeff