The food is not fantastic and the service is not sublime. Unfortunately, the people running it don't realise this, so it's unlikely to improve. This is a great pity, because when it first opened, Le Pommier was really rather good. ------- Michael Witbrock. [email removed] <a href="http://www.cs.cmu.edu:8001/Web/People/mjw/mjwhome.html">this is a NCSA mosaic hyper-document URL.</a>
Pittsburgh, PA
Le Pommier
I feel a little more kindly toward Le Pommier than do you and Michael. I had gone there several years ago. I was unimpressed and didn't return. We went back fairly recently, liked it, and returned again. It's hardly stellar, but it's pleasant, comfortable, quiet, and the food is good. The new chef is Morrocan by birth, but French-trained. The menu lists as the "Chef's Specialties" two couscous dishes---the only North African influence to be seen. Couscous Royale is a rich chicken, lamb, and vegetable stew, served on semolina. Really good, authentic, and unique in Pittsburgh. There's a vegetarian couscous that I haven't tried. The other dishes---some country French, some more citified---have been consistently good as well. (no point going into detail, since we're told the menu is in transition.) It shows no sign of having re-scaled, one way or the other. Not quite casual, but not formal either (Maybe 60% of men wearing ties. Most of them probably didn't know any better.) Definitely not a bistro. And the sign and the menu just say Le Pommier, without translation. They had a prix fixe menu centered around Coq au Vin the night we were there (didn't have it) for $25/person. A la carte entrees (there--I said it!) ranged from $12 to $25. All in all, worth at least an occasional visit.