 |
 |
||
|
||
 |
||
 |
||
300A Beverly Road, Mount Lebanon 412/440-0414 It's easy to fall for Iovino's Café, the newest dining destination in Mount Lebanon. Lunch: Tues.-Sat., 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Dinner: Tues.-Thurs., 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
OH! IOVINO'S! "Two years too late for that gig," retorted my amused spouse. But in a way, when you first sit down to dine at Iovino's Café, an enveloping ambience provides an illusion that takes you in and makes you feel like a member of the Iovino family, offering a perfect setting for where it all begins—right after the chicken dance. The glass references the wedding of owner Jeff Iovino and his wife, Carol. Located below Himalayan Institute of Pittsburgh, Iovino's is part of a subsidiary shopping district of Mount Lebanon on Beverly Road. A relic of a simpler era, this pleasant stretch recalls the kind of small-town America that Norman Rockwell depicted. The mom-and-pop businesses were still a fixture when Jeff Iovino, 33, was skipping along this vibrant little "downtown." When he was in high school, he took a job here at Bado's Pizza Grill & Ale House, then migrated to South Carolina, where he honed his culinary skills at a little French bistro until Hurricane Floyd blew him back to Pittsburgh and, eventually, Soba. The dream of owning his own place became palpable when a gift shop closed on Beverly Road. His heartbeat ratcheted to an aerobic rate. "I knew there could be something special in that space; it seemed a perfect fit," he says, and so a chef's dream came to fruition. In an effort to help support the little neighborhood he slipped into, Iovino features several local touches at his restaurant: House blend comes from Coffee Tree Roasters; artwork is from Lee Heckman Custom Framing; gorgeous flowers, symbolic of symbiotic ecology that flourishes on the street, originate from Blooming Dahlia a few doors down. "Sometimes you've just got to take chances," I overheard his wife and partner, Carol, say as she glided through the room heaving bins of dirty dishes and spinning around to greet guests. "In a little place, everyone's got to wear many hats," declares Jeff, a humble guy who adamantly preaches that the restaurant is not the "Jeff Iovino Show." His father, Regis, helps Carol manage finances. Carol runs the front of the house, and Mike Humphries serves as "co-chef," says Jeff. "Some dishes are mine; some are Mike's, and some are collaborations. That's what makes it great." We circulated an intoxicating contingent of starters. Half-dollar-sized torched scallops sashimi with tempura avocado (Iovino's excels at tempura) were subtle and fresh with a light batter and accompanied by a citrusy ponzu dipping sauce that makes an ingenious counterpoint. Mushroom escargot uses local, seasonal mushrooms that change in a blend of wines, butter and garlic, nicely mimicking this earthy delicacy. Three briskly fried mini halo crab cakes atop a tangy Asian napa and red-cabbage slaw are silken behind the crunchy exterior, augmented with shredded egg, peppers and julienne carrots, and accompanied by a fragrant, zesty orange-ginger side dressing. The chef makes no bones about using the word "fried," though it's become something of a "no-no" in politically correct foodie circles. The art of frying is lost in a world of fast food, he notes, but even if you're following a strict diet, a small amount of fried food might be considered fit and proper. Iovino is a soup aficionado, and as any souper knows, sometimes the biggest successes tumble out as you open the refrigerator door. Back in the summer when we were here, it was reassuring that the temperature of the food provided the capacity to cool. A rich, balmy tomato basil (which came with an option to add shrimp to top it off) is significant for its body and the fine flavor of fresh tomato laced with newly plucked basil, surely one of the outstanding aromas on earth.
The menu reflects Iovino's true instincts. The simplest dish is a thing of beauty. Entrees are straightforward, squeaky fresh, with imaginative, deeply flavored sauces and salsas adding complexity and interest without blindsiding flavor. The house has a mastery of seafood, be it seared tuna, red snapper, bluenose bass, Carolina tilefish, grilled salmon, sautéed crawfish and scallops, all worthy of envy. I loved the prolific flake of rosy sockeye salmon grilled with sautéed spinach and served with a heavenly, red-curry coconut sauce; also tempting was the seared red snapper with fingerling hash and a sweet black-pepper mirin glaze, which added a pithy, sweet-yet-vinegary bite to the salty fish. Regulars (I am told) are crazy for seared sea scallops, assembled in a portobello red-pepper salsa over fresh black-pepper linguine finished with apple-butter porcini cream sauce. Two 6-ounce pork chops were marinated in an olive brine and then served with a top knot of kalamata olives, garlic, fresh basil, roasted tomatoes with chilled linguine, feta cream and a thin canopy of flash-fried spinach. A classic flank steak was "marinated intelligently" with a blend of soy, balsamic, olive oil and garlic. Served with a terrific portobello-pancetta hash and lovely roasted-tomato sauce, it cut with a fork. If you had red sauce last night, opt for linguine tossed with fresh basil pesto, cherry tomatoes, mixed peppers, pine nuts and shaved parmesan—a simple mix but memorable, and just what Iovino's is all about: homemade pesto, just-picked produce, made-to-order. No shortcuts. Does anyone leave room for dessert these days? Iovino's portion sizes make dessert a realistic consideration: apple torte, chocolate cake, creme brulee. With a cup of coffee. Lots of little things made us fall for the place. That the restaurant makes the most of the moment with slots for daily changes ensures the market's best. By not being tethered to one culinary tradition, Iovino's provides an equilibrium that's a delight. I could make my Irish father as happy as my vegetarian in-laws or my friend from Paris. Portions are filling without being overdone (Neanderthals might leave hungry), and sides will vary from dish to dish.
|
||
Each month, Deborah McDonald jump-starts appetites with lively restaurant reviews that scrutinize who's cooking what and where. She works anonymously, visiting each restaurant at least twice before writing her column. Do you know of a restaurant you'd like to have reviewed? | ||
For a complete interactive Dining Guide CLICK HERE. | ||
|
||
It is always wonderful to get a glimpse of a long-nurtured dream come true. People are funny, which is what makes them interesting, as my mother observed. Case in point: I overheard someone snarling about the noise level. I, on the other hand, found the steady clanking of pots and pans from an uninhibited kitchen, the sudden jolts of laughter, the hot rhythms washing out from the speakers to be welcome, like someone playing a brand-new piano across the street.|
|
| PAST REVIEWS |
|
Abruzzi's GET IT TO GO!
|
|
