Eating Sewickley (and elsewhere)

The Lovely Bride and I have just returned from a week in Pittsburgh, a short visit for family and friends. We were camped out west of the city, on the formerly industrial district of Neville Island, near the town (sorry, village) of Sewickley, which has always been a bit upscale but recently has seen a boom in restaurants. And this time we've eaten a bunch in Sewickley. Here's our report:

Vivo Kitchen- On the main drag (Beaver Road) in Sewickley, has a patio that a few years back was probably an adjacent building that has since been removed. Upscale American cuisine. Seasonal menu. Fresh ingredients. Gates to keep most of the street noise out. Human skulls in the firepit (what's the story on THAT?). I had the bison, the LB soft shell crabs (which she rarely gets outside of sushi places) Really good stuff. Recommended.

Cafe Des Amis - Took my parents (who don't do this sort of thing) to this for lunch. The LB chose it off the web site. Turned out to be a bakery on a back alley, with counter service. The food was excellent (my dad liked the BLT, the LB thought the french onion soup was worth it). The bread was baked in-house.We caught the tail end of the lunch rush, so it was noisy at first, but tapered off.

Mambo Italia - Set up in what looked like a renovated car dealership with a great roll-top garage door, which was open, allowing dining on the sidewalk, which is what we did. Food was good (penne with sausage for me and a Cesare salad) but the service was extremely hit and miss (I'm looking at YOU, Chad). Missed my salad and a wedding soup to the table next door on the first bounce. Still has to work some of the bugs out.

Paradise Island Bowl - You're serious? A BOWLING Alley? You're recommending a BOWLING ALLEY? Yep. Located at the far western end of Neville Island in the Ohio River, right next to the Robert Morris College sports center (miniature golf!) it has a great parking lot patio (a strong point in May, when it is not thunderstorming) with a view of the river. Excellent cheese steak on a flatbread, very good po'boy. It is a good summer evening place.

Vocielli's Pizza - This one is a chain, and there was one down the street when my mom-in-law lived in Upper St. Clair. This one is in Sewickley. Good sandwiches, mighty fine pizza, very fast. We use it on the days when we're too tired to experiment.

Bea's Taco Town - OK, not in Sewickly, but rather on Banksville Road in the South Hills, in one of the low buildings along the side of the road. Did lunch with an old friend there - his suggestion, since his favorite Thai place had just been shut down by the health inspectors. However, Taco Town was great - double-wrapped street tacos. Great fish, shrimp, and chorizo. Will go back to try some of the others.

Ichiban Hibachi and Sushi Bar - Decent sushi in Pittsburgh? You betcha. Situated in a strip mall in Robinson Town Center, went there with Kate's sister and her family (usually my brother-in-law makes a mean backyard grill, but that evening there were threats of heavy rain). Really good and affordable. My only complaint is actually the rolls are TOO large, making it hard to take them in one bite.

Eleven - Our sole downtown entry this time, where the Strip District abuts the downtown area at the convention center, near the History Museum (trust me, any 'Burgher will tell you those directions make perfect sense). This is the high-class joint that we've been to before. Took my nephew for lunch, since he wanted to scope it out for his wife. High-end and good, even for a lunch menu. Had the finest lobster roll in many years there - right temperature (many are tooth-deadeningly cold), right texture (too many are too creamy), and stuffed deep within the roll (some are an open-faced sandwich with a lobster topping). Pricey. Bring a tie.

Bellevue Dairy Queen - My grandparents lived in Bellevue, and as a child I may have been taken here for a treat. Still here, still a tiny, tiny building, located just between Sewickley and Pittsburgh to make it a good stopping point for a reward for dealing with Pgh traffic. Good cones. But you know, it's a Dairy Queen.

More later,