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"I'm just
as enthusiastic as the day we opened," says chef/owner Toni
Pais. "I'm always looking for new ideas, ways to make a dish
more perfect. I look at a plate and say, ‘Yes, it's good, but
we can make it better.'"
In July, perennial
Blue Ribbon awardee Baum Vivant celebrates its 10th anniversary.
But don't expect any laurels-resting. It's not in the kinetic Pais'
nature.
Following contemporary
food trends -- especially from the West Coast, this Portugal-born
chef is currently devising lighter, simpler food, tweaking old traditions
with new ideas and fewer ingredients. A streamlined lobster a l'americaine
gilds roasted tails with lightly spiced golden tomato sauce. A simple
puree of pear, almond and port sauces poached pears stuffed with
stilton, then baked in puff pastry. A precise langostino cake supports
a
pan-roasted grouper filet, sparingly embellished by Manhattan clam
chowder.
Pais' legendary
passion for superb product drives a creative cuisine. He's ordering
rare, nutty-flavored Moroccan argon oil to drizzle on grilled fish.
He's tracked down a source for special Portuguese sausages. And
now he's landed a scarce, much-lauded fresh goat blue cheese. "So
beautiful," he says. "The taste goes from butter to pepper."
His staff --
executive chef Carl Lashley, sous chef Shawn Carlson and front-of-the-house
manager Debbie Fajerski -- shares his enthusiasm, and kudos.
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Laforêt
delivers lovely decor, excellent service, good wines and spirits
and terrific updated classic French cuisine (see Chef
of the Year). The owners, chef Michael and Robert Uricchio,
are always on-site when the restaurant is open, and they promote
a uniquely democratic staff environment.
Each year they
throw a three-day staff outing. Picnicking, hiking, fishing and
bonding pull everyone together and boost morale. This extra effort
shows in the restaurant's relaxed, friendly atmosphere.
The brothers
and Squirrel Hill natives regularly brainstorm to determine the
restaurant's performance. While this year was brutal for fine dining,
the duo made good strides in positioning Laforêt as more than
a special-occasion dining venue. Regional France dinners, Wednesday
and Thursday nights, at a bargain $35 for three courses, attracted
new clientele, providing good introduction to the regular menu.
Advertising
urged prospective customers not to worry about jackets and sent
the message that French food goes way beyond organ meats and cream
sauces.
"Failing
to plan is planning to fail," says Michael, explaining his
and Robert's business philosophy. Right on! to this forward-looking
restaurant.
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Diners love
the funky,
shabby-chic decor, laid-back atmosphere and creative menu at Café
Zinho. Owned by Baum Vivant's Toni and Becky Pais, this magnetic
neighborhood eatery offers good food quality for the price, plus
lots of meeting, greeting and people-watching opportunities.
In fine weather,
the action spills out onto sidewalk tables. The a la carte menu,
listing soups, salads, sandwiches, dinner entrees and desserts,
changes seasonally. But you'll always find some preparation of mussels,
the signature roasted-garlic and tomato bisque with dill, an Elysian
Fields lamb burger, fresh greens in the salads and good vegetarian
options.
These days,
Toni says, he's taking more control of Zinho's food, prepping it
more in Baum Vivant's kitchen. Having learned that he can be freer,
more experimental at the Café, he's now successfully running
European-style specials there -- fish on the bone, heads-and-tails-on
sardines, king salmon and rabbit.
With experience,
the service staff has stabilized and assumes an efficient, but still
affable, pace. Remember, Zinho is BYOB and cash only.
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With its 50
yards of glass windows framing vibrant city scenes, Palomino makes
a great downtown lunch. On a bright day, sunshine pours in, illuminating
a beautifully sophisticated interior. Be sure to make a reservation:
The restaurant fills quickly from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Palomino's
lunchtime popularity, says manager Kevin Reed, is a
combination of the setting, service and incredible value: "At
lunch you get the same great food from chef Brent Novotny, similar
portions, but at lower cost." He also points out an unbeatable
deal -- the combo: salad and soup, pasta and salad, or soup and
pasta, for somewhere
around $10.
Most of Palomino's
lunch trade is business-related -- either for conducting business
or for office outings. But about 20 percent are leisure, shopping
and lunching diners. The servers are trained to ask each table about
time constraints, says Reed. Either an in-and-out-meal or a relaxed,
socializing one can be accommodated.
Palomino's
bar is renowned for its creative cocktails, but the best-selling
lunch drink is strawberry lemonade.
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