John G. wrote: Amen, brother/sister. This may be my single biggest pet peeve about > But a nice dinner within strolling distance of the > Manor? It's just not to be had (I guess I should go on record here > and > say that I think Dumpling House is overrated and Lemon Grass both > overrated and overpriced). Generally I agree that Sq. Hill is lacking in good restaurants, considering the sizable market that I think exists there. But , there are a few restaurants that are pretty good: Suzie's is about the best Greek restaurant in town, and if you split a mezza platter for two, it can be cheap as well. I've been going there for years and have never been disappointed. The Peking Gourmet Kitchen is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants around here. Their food is as close as I've had to the family style meals I got when working in a chinese restaurant, and it is the only restaurant that I've encountered around here that comes close to getting Kung Pau chicken right( at least as far as the sauce and blackened chiles are concerned, oddly they don't put peanuts in unless you ask). Most places around here give you chicken smothered in a corn starch rich brown gravy, sans blackened chiles, though they do give you peanuts. PGK's tea leaf smoked duck is also very good. I should also say that I like the dumpling house, particularly the chefs special selections. Duck with preserved ginger is very good. I haven't tried their Sushi yet, but am looking forward to it. Finally, Sq. Hill is the closest think to a pizza mecca in Pgh. Mineo's, Aiellos, and Bonacci Brothers (formerly a Vincent's branch) all provide top notch pizza. If only I could get a Pizza this good in Bloomfield. > Given how > nice an evening can be had in Sq. Hill otherwide -- good theaters, > good > cafes, a bookstore that stays open pretty late -- the food situation > is > just appalling. > > Dreaming that Gullifty's goes belly-up and Big Burrito moves in, Tripple amen to that. My wife and I had an appalling meal there a few weeks ago. I ordered a steak salad, the waiter asked how I wanted my steak cooked and I said medium rare. The anemic salad they brought me( wilted lettuce, etc) came topped with cold( I mean below room temperature cold), WELLDONE, and dry strips of steak. They must have grilled their steak early in the evening and refrigerated it for later use. Why even go through the charade of asking me how I wanted my steak prepared? My wife got a three cheese calzone, which was appearently deep fried instead of baked, and, if my memory hasn't failed me, smothered in a lame tomato sauce. Desert, however, was pretty good, though not good enough to make up for the preceeding. Ralph
Pittsburgh, PA