Tony, Out of the restaurants you'd like, I'd put Baum Vivant on top by a mile and Casbah on the bottom by several. Baum vivant left me speechless. I had the best meal I've had in 9 years in Pittsburgh there. I'll try to write a review when I've digested the experience.
Pittsburgh, PA
Recommendations anyone?
Someone wrote: > I'm going to take a friend to a thank-you dinner and am considering > the following. I'd appreciate any comparisons you'd like to make, or > comments about the individual restaurants. I've been to Casbah, Baum Vivant and Siena, so I'll give a comparative critique of the three. Casbah gets bashed by a lot of people on pgh.food, but I was pleased with my one visit. For an upcale restaurant, I found that their prices were more moderate than Baum Vivant or Siena. Baum Vivant was definitely more expensive than Casbah, but worth every cent. Entrees were in the $18-24 range and included bread, salad, mixed vegetables and starch-of-the-day. The portions were so large that it really wasn't necessary to order soup or appetizer, although the soup was excellent and they will gladly split appetizers. Also, a large glass of decent house wine was only 5 dollars. The service was extraordinary; just the right amount of attention from the wait staff. Siena was the most expensive of the three, and the entrees didn't even include a side salad. The presentation and food quality were excellent, but I don't think it justified the prices. Be warned that although they serve a majority of their winelist by the glass, it is _very_ expensive. They charged us $12.50 for a small glass of wine from a bottle which was listed for $35.00. Happy Dining! Steve [email removed]
The most extensive wine list in the area belongs to the Wooden Angel
out in Beaver. The list is daunting to say the least, but the owner will come to your table to suggest wines that would be appropriate for your party's meal. Are bottle prices outrageous? Not really, but the owner has verticals of prominent California vintners that reach back into the seventies and for those older vintages, expect to pay alot. I should mention that the list focuses on Californian wines. The food is good without being excellant - sort of Ruth's Chris meets Cafe Allegro if you know what I mean. The bill, with a good bottle of wine per person, should range from $50.00 to $100.00 per person. Again, if you opt for the good stuff from the seventies, expect to pay well in excess of $100.00 per bottle of wine.
Be forewarned! First, the trip out to this place is at least 45
minutes on a good day. Second, the Wooden Angel is attached to the Wooden Indian which is a casual restaurant owned by the brother of the owner of the Angel. While the Wooden Indian might be a fine establishment, you might be confused when you first approach the building and see the dining room of the Indian through the window. Keep walking, the Angel's entrance is around the side. Third, the last couple of times I was there, the wait staff was dressed in uniforms what can only be described as early American revolution dairymaid outfits. They also have these walki-talkie things in their ears so they can communicate with the kitchen. This gets weird when you are talking with your wait person and suddenly they zone out and look blankly at the far wall as they receive the latest news from the kitchen.
If you want something closer to the city, I suggest Cafe Allegro.
The wine list is not as large as the Angel's, but it is well thought out and is a good mix of Californian and French wines. The food, depending on the season, is excellent. The fall menu last year was a knockout while the summer menu was a dog. Prices are what they are.
Forget about Casbah. The place is a joke. The wine list reads like
a random selection of wines from the bizarro world, while the menu is all high concept but with mediocre execution. They must have called Shelia Lumkins.
MAS