Keep your gastronomic analyses away from this one.
Primanti Brothers is one of those establishments that you know you can always go back to and be guaranteed a good meal.This is due entirely to reputation, which seems to be a commonality among all of the greats. But beyond that, Primanti is a purveyor of simply delicious, good quality foods. They are in line with Katz's Deli in NY.
Primanti Brothers was founded in 1933 during the Great Depression in the Strip District in Pittsburgh. Essentially located in a port of commerce, this sandwich-cart-turned-restaurant maximized its location and capitalized on an untapped market. It was a hit.
Featured on the Travel Channel’s “Top 100 Places to Chowdown Countdown,” Primanti brothers actually came in #3, which I feel is actually a bit generous.
For all intents and purposes, Primanti Brothers is basically a deli. However, on all of their sandwiches, they put homemade coleslaw and freshly made French fries. That’s right…on the sandwich between two slices of Italian bread. And they won’t make it with fries or slaw “on the side” either. I like that. When a restaurant has an established tradition/trademark and won’t deviate from it, I think it speaks to their authenticity. It also says they are proud of how they do it and want you to experience what we like. Being unapologetic about your product is awesome.
I ordered the corned beef and cheese. It arrived piping hot and exactly as advertized. I took a bite and was impressed. The corned beef was well cut and seasoned and the provolone was oozing and the aroma danced in my nose. I found myself removing some of the fries and slaw but still kept some so that I was able to experience the true authenticity of the Primanti Sandwich. It was very satisfying. The crunch from the freshly made slaw contrasted the soft interior of the fries or the savory taste of the meat.
Every college town has a place like this. Each location has its own succulent variations of sandwiches and carbohydrate contributions that will appease the drunken undergraduate in us all. However, Primanti Brother’s were the first to gain notoriety. And there has to be respect given for that.
I think that the college chowhound would certainly make his/her way down to one of the five Pittsburgh establishments and be completed sated after a night of drinking.
I went to Pittsburgh again because I wanted to see my favorite hockey team play. They lost to the Nasville Predators.
But would it stand to reason that I drove six hours just for a nationally recognized sandwich?
Monday, February 15, 2010
The Carlton
Home to the 2009 Stanley Cup Champions Penguins and 2009 Super Bowl Champion Steelers, Pittsburgh is a city rich in history that dates back to the American revolution. Becoming valuable after the War of 1812, Pittsburgh's contribution in the Industrial Revolution is well documented.
But this time also produced a unique culinary culture that evolved from a blue collar work ethic that you can still feel to this day.
And yet in recent years, the city is making a noticeable effort to enhance its culinary culture with more progressive, upscale and trendy restaurants. Currently there are spectacular choices in nearly every cuisine; from French to Pan-American.
The Carlton is located inside the Melon Building, within one block of the Melon Arena and Doubletree Hotel, in the center of Downtown.
The restaurant will tell you that attire is casual, but you'd feel out of place in a t-shirt and jeans. Business casual would be your best bet. And if you prefer the middle-class demographic crowd, you will feel comfortable.
We were seated in a cozy two-top in what you would expect to be candle-lit. Despite the absence of the aforementioned illumination, the restaurant compensates with an appropriate amount of lighting. That is offset by the maroon/reddish color schemes that make the interior decor.
Almost immediately, a member of the experienced waitstaff (we found out later our server had an 18 year tenure of service), explained the specials and we ordered a bottle of white wine.
Fresh bread soon arrived with roasted red pepper/ horseradish whipped butter. We were both able to identify the signature flavors of this herbed spread. Regardless, we felt the combination of flavors was a poor attempt to be unique. It almost seemed that we were the subjects of some chef's experimental butter concoction where he just wanted a vehicle for his bread. I didn't mind it but it wasn't enjoyable. My wife doesn't enjoy peppers so much and I can do without a pungent horseradish taste. On the upside, the bread was freshly baked and slightly sourdough-ish. The more I think about the butter, however, the less I like it.
For appetizers, we ordered the house salad ( spring mix, egg, classic "Louie" dressing, bacon bits, and mushrooms) and Cajun grilled shrimp. The salad was fresh with clean flavors. I can't say there was true balance with the ingredients, but the flavors worked. The "Louie" dressing, an import from the West Coast of America, is commonly found in Crab Louis. I am not crazy of mayonnaise based salad dressings, so I was unimpressed with this culinary sibling to Thousand Island. Nevertheless, it satisfied as an introductory course. An no, I can not explain why there are two spellings of Louie.
The Cajun shrimp was tremendous in flavor. The four jumbo shrimp were perfectly cooked -just beyond pink- juicy and succulent. The Cajun spices added a nice kick to the dish without overpowering the natural taste of the shellfish. Since shrimp is so easy to overcook, I appreciated their attentiveness to its plating. The serving size was good to share and allow for plenty of room.
My wife ordered the 9oz filet mignon to a perfect medium rare. It came with an herb butter, which thankfully, was not the same gastronomic atrocity that came with the bread. Fortunately it was not overpowering, and the butter is nutty and amplified the beef taste. I could see the perfect sear on the filet when it arrived. My wife cut in and I could see that the kitchen had given it an appropriate time to rest. We each took a bite and the contrast of crisp sear and cool center was exactly what we wanted. Dipping the next bite into the herb butter added a delicate touch to the beef.
However, while I immediately drew comparisons to a Ruth's Chris grain fed filet, I soon rescinded such an ambitious analogy. When I first ate at Ruth's Chris, I liked the filet because I could tell the difference between their filet and garden varieties you'll find. But I found Carlton's filet to take it an unnecessary step forward and to me, it even borderlined gamey. My wife does not feel the same way and would happily eat it again. I would be somewhat reluctant and might try the barramundi next time.
Served with rather peppery whipped potatoes, a crispy potato wave/wedge and steamed vegetable, it was a well executed entree. Foolishly deciding against the barramundi, I went with lobster and crab ravioli with a petite lobster tail. Now I must preface this by saying it was not foolish in the choice to have the pasta, but foolish in that I did not use the opportunity I was given to try something new.
Regardless, the dish arrived and was beautifully presented. All four of the ravioli were arranged in a diamond shape in the shallow bowl, topped with julienne vegetables and covered in a delicate cream sauce. I had to perform a double take to locate the petite lobster tail. It was miniscule. Now, I like to think that I know food, but as far as I know, petite lobster tail doesn’t mean “lengthy of a ten year old’s pinky finger.” What a massive disappointment. I was hoping that the lobster would hold prominence in this dish because I had that much more of it. It didn’t. Truthfully, it was the texture of the pasta essence of the sauce that tied it all together. The crunch of the perfectly steamed veggies suggested that the executive chef thought about the dish instead of throwing it together. Again….attention to detail.
For dessert we ordered the Apple Sour Cream Crumb and the Whiskey Bread Pudding. I ordered the latter. I found that the streusel icing was far to sweet and I didn’t get the expected tartness I desired out of the apples. I was disappointed with this dish. My wife enjoyed it but I feel that the name of the dish is more appealing that its taste. The Whiskey Bread Pudding was absolutely divine. A rather large portion was served and it was perfect. I assumed my wife would not like it because bread puddings can have a tendency to be mushy towards the bottom. Yet each bite I took dismissed that notion. In fact we can describe it as a dessert French toast. Hopefully that can illustrate it in your mind. The best part of the dessert had to be the whiskey topping. This caramel sauce sweetened each bite without overpowering you with sugar. This sauce was so good that my wife felt it improved her apple crumb when she dipped into it.
We really enjoyed The Carlton. Overall I was thoroughly impressed with the portion sizes across the board for the appropriate courses. I was never able to gorge myself with any particular course, nor did I feel there should have been more of any single one.
The total for all of the food, wine and two coffees was $156 (before tip). Worth it.
But this time also produced a unique culinary culture that evolved from a blue collar work ethic that you can still feel to this day.
And yet in recent years, the city is making a noticeable effort to enhance its culinary culture with more progressive, upscale and trendy restaurants. Currently there are spectacular choices in nearly every cuisine; from French to Pan-American.
The Carlton is located inside the Melon Building, within one block of the Melon Arena and Doubletree Hotel, in the center of Downtown.
The restaurant will tell you that attire is casual, but you'd feel out of place in a t-shirt and jeans. Business casual would be your best bet. And if you prefer the middle-class demographic crowd, you will feel comfortable.
We were seated in a cozy two-top in what you would expect to be candle-lit. Despite the absence of the aforementioned illumination, the restaurant compensates with an appropriate amount of lighting. That is offset by the maroon/reddish color schemes that make the interior decor.
Almost immediately, a member of the experienced waitstaff (we found out later our server had an 18 year tenure of service), explained the specials and we ordered a bottle of white wine.
Fresh bread soon arrived with roasted red pepper/ horseradish whipped butter. We were both able to identify the signature flavors of this herbed spread. Regardless, we felt the combination of flavors was a poor attempt to be unique. It almost seemed that we were the subjects of some chef's experimental butter concoction where he just wanted a vehicle for his bread. I didn't mind it but it wasn't enjoyable. My wife doesn't enjoy peppers so much and I can do without a pungent horseradish taste. On the upside, the bread was freshly baked and slightly sourdough-ish. The more I think about the butter, however, the less I like it.
For appetizers, we ordered the house salad ( spring mix, egg, classic "Louie" dressing, bacon bits, and mushrooms) and Cajun grilled shrimp. The salad was fresh with clean flavors. I can't say there was true balance with the ingredients, but the flavors worked. The "Louie" dressing, an import from the West Coast of America, is commonly found in Crab Louis. I am not crazy of mayonnaise based salad dressings, so I was unimpressed with this culinary sibling to Thousand Island. Nevertheless, it satisfied as an introductory course. An no, I can not explain why there are two spellings of Louie.
The Cajun shrimp was tremendous in flavor. The four jumbo shrimp were perfectly cooked -just beyond pink- juicy and succulent. The Cajun spices added a nice kick to the dish without overpowering the natural taste of the shellfish. Since shrimp is so easy to overcook, I appreciated their attentiveness to its plating. The serving size was good to share and allow for plenty of room.
My wife ordered the 9oz filet mignon to a perfect medium rare. It came with an herb butter, which thankfully, was not the same gastronomic atrocity that came with the bread. Fortunately it was not overpowering, and the butter is nutty and amplified the beef taste. I could see the perfect sear on the filet when it arrived. My wife cut in and I could see that the kitchen had given it an appropriate time to rest. We each took a bite and the contrast of crisp sear and cool center was exactly what we wanted. Dipping the next bite into the herb butter added a delicate touch to the beef.
However, while I immediately drew comparisons to a Ruth's Chris grain fed filet, I soon rescinded such an ambitious analogy. When I first ate at Ruth's Chris, I liked the filet because I could tell the difference between their filet and garden varieties you'll find. But I found Carlton's filet to take it an unnecessary step forward and to me, it even borderlined gamey. My wife does not feel the same way and would happily eat it again. I would be somewhat reluctant and might try the barramundi next time.
Served with rather peppery whipped potatoes, a crispy potato wave/wedge and steamed vegetable, it was a well executed entree. Foolishly deciding against the barramundi, I went with lobster and crab ravioli with a petite lobster tail. Now I must preface this by saying it was not foolish in the choice to have the pasta, but foolish in that I did not use the opportunity I was given to try something new.
Regardless, the dish arrived and was beautifully presented. All four of the ravioli were arranged in a diamond shape in the shallow bowl, topped with julienne vegetables and covered in a delicate cream sauce. I had to perform a double take to locate the petite lobster tail. It was miniscule. Now, I like to think that I know food, but as far as I know, petite lobster tail doesn’t mean “lengthy of a ten year old’s pinky finger.” What a massive disappointment. I was hoping that the lobster would hold prominence in this dish because I had that much more of it. It didn’t. Truthfully, it was the texture of the pasta essence of the sauce that tied it all together. The crunch of the perfectly steamed veggies suggested that the executive chef thought about the dish instead of throwing it together. Again….attention to detail.
For dessert we ordered the Apple Sour Cream Crumb and the Whiskey Bread Pudding. I ordered the latter. I found that the streusel icing was far to sweet and I didn’t get the expected tartness I desired out of the apples. I was disappointed with this dish. My wife enjoyed it but I feel that the name of the dish is more appealing that its taste. The Whiskey Bread Pudding was absolutely divine. A rather large portion was served and it was perfect. I assumed my wife would not like it because bread puddings can have a tendency to be mushy towards the bottom. Yet each bite I took dismissed that notion. In fact we can describe it as a dessert French toast. Hopefully that can illustrate it in your mind. The best part of the dessert had to be the whiskey topping. This caramel sauce sweetened each bite without overpowering you with sugar. This sauce was so good that my wife felt it improved her apple crumb when she dipped into it.
We really enjoyed The Carlton. Overall I was thoroughly impressed with the portion sizes across the board for the appropriate courses. I was never able to gorge myself with any particular course, nor did I feel there should have been more of any single one.
The total for all of the food, wine and two coffees was $156 (before tip). Worth it.
Loco Lizard Cantina
When you think Park City Utah, the logical line of thinking would take you to skiing, Olympic park and perhaps even Mormons and polygamy.
But, fresh Mexican? Surely you jest. Yet in Deer Valley, when the beautiful views can easily distract you and encourage dreams of alpine skiing and gold medals, there is an unassuming restaurant in a strip mall that shouldn't go unnoticed.
After a relatively uneventful, albeit lengthy, my wife and I headed into Park City in our rented Chevy Traverse, guided by our GPS. Famished by Delta's lack of in- flight meals, I acted as if I was an impoverished carnivore, willing to suffer through salad just to achieve satiation.
In the outskirts of, as well as within the walls of Park City proper, the architecture is extremely repetitive, so you won't be able to identify any "M" arches or other trademarks.
Since Mexican sounded much more appetizing than the flavorless cold cuts pressed between two slices of cardboard served to me by an indifferent stewardess, I was optimistic.
The Loco Lizard Cantina fits the mold of what you might picture a Mexican restaurant should be. music playing that you don't know the lyrics to, much less understand; international soccer playing on the TVs and a waitstaff who assumes they can complain about you in Spanish because you can't translate it.
The complimentary chips and salsa started off the meal. Salsa Verde was also there; a nice touch to the typical single salsa offering. I ordered guacamole which was delicious. I love large chunks of avocado in my "guac" and this had it. Also present was just enough cilantro which can very often overpower the side dish. In this case, there was a good balance of each ingredient making it an encouraging start to our meal.
With sodas ordered, we decided on the shredded beef quesadillas. Several common problems will often accompany said dish: Soggy tortillas, uneven distribution of ingredients, and occasionally the "squeeze out of the sides" bites. Fortunately, our order had none of those faults. The tortilla was just perfectly crispy without being to stiff, and the shredded beef stood out as the clear star of the dish. I was able to secure bits of the beef in each bite without overwhelmed by the cheese. The beef, cheese and seasonings all fit the proper quesadilla profile. The marinated shredded beef was also vastly greater than ground beef which would have likely taken away from the standout flavors. All in all, probably one of the best beef quesadillas we've ever eaten.
My wife ordered the carnitas: Pulled pork, refried beans, sour cream and a flour tortilla. It came in "fajita style" where you get to put it all together (not on a sizzling skillet). The pork was fabulous. It had clearly been slow cooked and fell apart when touched with a utensil. I always find that encouraging. In its preparation, the pork was cooked with a sweet marinade. Its succulence permeated successfully and contrasted well with the tart from the sour cream and smooth texture of the refried beans.
I ordered the chicken trio: an enchilada, tamale and taco. I've never been a fan of tamales, and while this attempt didn't make me a fan, it certainly impressed and reinforced to me about what good preparation can produce. This tamale made me consider them in the future.
The enchilada was a step above others I have eaten too. The cheese, chicken and spices worked seamlessly. While it could certainly stand on it's own the side of black beans added depth and complexity to each bite.
Short of being serenaded by a mariachi band to celebrate the third act of my chicken trio, I couldn't have concluded the dish with a better choice than the taco. I opted for the hard shell because that for me is usually the key factor (at least for me) in how enjoyable tacos can be. A premade and uniform shell (like those found at Taco Bell, Baja Fresh, Qdoba) really can ruin it. I like the taco to be puffy, super crispy and made to order. Doing so creates a lightness and crunch that will enhance all the flavors it holds. The crispy, airy blisters in the freshly made taco shell maintain that lightness you want. The pulled chicken was marinated in adobo and you could sense it throughout the taco and it's blend of shredded cheeses. The sour cream's cooling effect worked well also.
I was also pleased to find that when I bit into the crunchy taco, it didn't split in half along the bottom hull of the shell depositing the ingredients at my plate.
For less than $40, this is probably one of the best Mexican restaurants I've ever visited. If you ever make your way to Park City, skip Main Street Pizza & Noodle and make your way to Loco Lizard Cantina.
Oh and if you’re thirsty, you can wash it down with a nice cold bottle of Polygamy Porter. (Yes…that’s a real beer out there)
But, fresh Mexican? Surely you jest. Yet in Deer Valley, when the beautiful views can easily distract you and encourage dreams of alpine skiing and gold medals, there is an unassuming restaurant in a strip mall that shouldn't go unnoticed.
After a relatively uneventful, albeit lengthy, my wife and I headed into Park City in our rented Chevy Traverse, guided by our GPS. Famished by Delta's lack of in- flight meals, I acted as if I was an impoverished carnivore, willing to suffer through salad just to achieve satiation.
In the outskirts of, as well as within the walls of Park City proper, the architecture is extremely repetitive, so you won't be able to identify any "M" arches or other trademarks.
Since Mexican sounded much more appetizing than the flavorless cold cuts pressed between two slices of cardboard served to me by an indifferent stewardess, I was optimistic.
The Loco Lizard Cantina fits the mold of what you might picture a Mexican restaurant should be. music playing that you don't know the lyrics to, much less understand; international soccer playing on the TVs and a waitstaff who assumes they can complain about you in Spanish because you can't translate it.
The complimentary chips and salsa started off the meal. Salsa Verde was also there; a nice touch to the typical single salsa offering. I ordered guacamole which was delicious. I love large chunks of avocado in my "guac" and this had it. Also present was just enough cilantro which can very often overpower the side dish. In this case, there was a good balance of each ingredient making it an encouraging start to our meal.
With sodas ordered, we decided on the shredded beef quesadillas. Several common problems will often accompany said dish: Soggy tortillas, uneven distribution of ingredients, and occasionally the "squeeze out of the sides" bites. Fortunately, our order had none of those faults. The tortilla was just perfectly crispy without being to stiff, and the shredded beef stood out as the clear star of the dish. I was able to secure bits of the beef in each bite without overwhelmed by the cheese. The beef, cheese and seasonings all fit the proper quesadilla profile. The marinated shredded beef was also vastly greater than ground beef which would have likely taken away from the standout flavors. All in all, probably one of the best beef quesadillas we've ever eaten.
My wife ordered the carnitas: Pulled pork, refried beans, sour cream and a flour tortilla. It came in "fajita style" where you get to put it all together (not on a sizzling skillet). The pork was fabulous. It had clearly been slow cooked and fell apart when touched with a utensil. I always find that encouraging. In its preparation, the pork was cooked with a sweet marinade. Its succulence permeated successfully and contrasted well with the tart from the sour cream and smooth texture of the refried beans.
I ordered the chicken trio: an enchilada, tamale and taco. I've never been a fan of tamales, and while this attempt didn't make me a fan, it certainly impressed and reinforced to me about what good preparation can produce. This tamale made me consider them in the future.
The enchilada was a step above others I have eaten too. The cheese, chicken and spices worked seamlessly. While it could certainly stand on it's own the side of black beans added depth and complexity to each bite.
Short of being serenaded by a mariachi band to celebrate the third act of my chicken trio, I couldn't have concluded the dish with a better choice than the taco. I opted for the hard shell because that for me is usually the key factor (at least for me) in how enjoyable tacos can be. A premade and uniform shell (like those found at Taco Bell, Baja Fresh, Qdoba) really can ruin it. I like the taco to be puffy, super crispy and made to order. Doing so creates a lightness and crunch that will enhance all the flavors it holds. The crispy, airy blisters in the freshly made taco shell maintain that lightness you want. The pulled chicken was marinated in adobo and you could sense it throughout the taco and it's blend of shredded cheeses. The sour cream's cooling effect worked well also.
I was also pleased to find that when I bit into the crunchy taco, it didn't split in half along the bottom hull of the shell depositing the ingredients at my plate.
For less than $40, this is probably one of the best Mexican restaurants I've ever visited. If you ever make your way to Park City, skip Main Street Pizza & Noodle and make your way to Loco Lizard Cantina.
Oh and if you’re thirsty, you can wash it down with a nice cold bottle of Polygamy Porter. (Yes…that’s a real beer out there)
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