Hello all. This little place is in Swissvale, in the old Frankie's (II) location. I and a companion dined there Saturday evening. Currently they are open for Lunch and Dinner, I think they are closed Sunday's. The are awaiting their liquor license and should have it mid month. They've been open about a week. First the decor. They have totally redone the place (Not that I ever saw Frankie's) and it is a very comfortable ambiance with what I'll call a pub-like atmosphere for a restaurant. Very nicely done wood paneling and nice color scheme. The food. This restaurant is a labor of love and boy have they done a great job on the food. We both ordered the daily special, Meatball casserole. And I ordered the soup of the day, Seafood Bisque. The salads were a delightful mix of greens with other good salad things, such as mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, red peppers, and other goodies. The dressings were bottled, but they intend on making their own when they have things better under control. The soup, ah the soup. This was a perfect combination of fish, shrimp, seasonings and cream. Not for the faint of heart! It was rich, full flavored and perfectly done. There were a few shrimp shells in it, but they didn't detract from the soup. At least not for me. I could have stopped here, and probably should have. The soup ruined me for the entree, it was that good and filling. We got a wonderful bread, Mancini's I think, with a lovely homemade garlic and parsley butter. Made with fresh garlic. The bread was very warm when we first got it. The entree was also good. But alas the soup spoiled my appetite for it. The casserole consisted of a layer of properly al dente penne pasta, homemade meatballs, a slow cooked tomato sauce, and provolone on top. Very nicely done, especially the tomato sauce. They don't have desserts, yet. But they anticipate making their own soon. Prices were wonderful. Our bill was ~$21 (my companion paid so I didn't really see it) and they expect to take credit cards any day now. The owner waited on us and was very enthusiastic about the place. He got the name from his love of motorcycles, but this is not a biker bar in any way. Definitely a casual, yet upscale place. Other things on the menu included: pastas, seafood, italian dishes, full range of appetizers (and decent prices!), PGH style salads, sandwiches, and more. The place is small, I counted about 10 tables for 2-4 each, so a large group would want to call ahead (sorry, I don't have the number). Give it a try and encourage the small restaurateur! Martha Underwood [email removed]
Pittsburgh, PA