SONOMA GRILLE
Executive Chef Andrew Hebson
947 Penn Ave, downtown
412/697-1336, thesonomagrille.com
$$-$$$
Since winning our Best New Restaurant slot last year, Sonoma Grille has continued to enrich its menu by pulling pages from culinary traditions around the world, from France and California to Spain and Asia. An impressive wine list and luscious house-made desserts sweeten the deal. The dining room, located adjacent to the Courtyard Marriot, is large yet still feels cozy thanks to terra-cotta walls, vineyard murals and warm lighting.
Chef's Favorite Dish to Make: Tapas platter for two, which includes five items, including an ahi tartare sushi roll with white-truffle wasabi mayo or braised veal-cheek ravioli with habañero peppers and maple-scented butternut-squash puree.
TYPHOON
Co-Chefs: Pusadee Tongdee, Busaba Tongdee, Jamie Hill
242 S. Highland Ave., Shadyside
412/362-2005
$$
Upscale, contemporary new Thai cuisine is showcased at this chic Shadyside destination, which turned 3 years old in April. The dining room's champagne interior and intimate bar, always adorned with fresh flowers, is sophisticated and charming. Prompt service and delicious fare that ranges from well-made favorites like pad Thai to new-style offerings such as spiced rubbed salmon with Thai herbal mango sauce are on the menu.
Chef Team's Favorite Dish to Make: Pumpkin curry with grilled chicken.
 >> Umi Japanese Restaurant's nigiri (sushi) plate from the chef's omakase menu.
UMI JAPANESE RESTAURANT
Chef Mr. Shu
5849 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside
412/362-6198, bigburrito.com/umi
$$-$$$; omakase menu, $75 per person and up
Japanese-food connoisseurs flock to this restaurant where the sushi chef's knives are wielded with grace and expertise - and the silky texture of the sashimi is downright sensual.The dining room eschews trendiness for the tranquil simplicity of wooden furniture and Asian-themed artwork, so you can concentrate on the gemlike fish on your plate and the top-shelf sake you'll doubtless want to sip with it.
Chef's Favorite Dish to Make: Omakase (which loosely translates to "trust the chef"), a multicourse meal with items such as toro tartare (raw, fatty tuna belly) and sawara (raw mackerel) seared with hot sesame oil.
RESTAURANT UUBU 6
Chef and Owner Michael Lench
178-180 Pius St., South Side
412/381-7695, uubu6restaurant.com
$$-$$$
This recently opened restaurant should be high on your list of exciting new spots to try. Its colorful, creative use of the space that was formerly Workingman's Beneficial Union No. 6 and its mission to put the best ingredients on the plate have created a buzz. The constantly changing contemporary American menu showcases great variety, from Florida stone-crab claws and wild asparagus from France to the best local products. Beautifully set tables, worthy service, live music that creates a supper-club feel on weekends and valet parking (at only $5, it's worth it) provide the trappings of an upscale night out.
Chef's Favorite Dish to Make: Risotto with fresh morels and organic purple asparagus.
 << Umi's blackened cod with miso.
VIVO
Chef and Owner Sabatino "Sam" DiBattista
565 Lincoln Ave., Bellevue
412/761-9500, friendsofvivo.com
$$$-$$$$, BYOB
Chef DiBattista describes his "Italian philosophy" in the kitchen as having two parts: First, he finds the best ingredients - the second step is having fun with them. Dinner (served Wednesday through Saturday only) in the comfortable dining room, with walls hung with family photos, is a pointed reminder of why rustic Italian food is some of the simplest yet most satisfying on the planet. Portions are hearty. The $28 to $36 entree cost includes a pasta course and concludes, European-style, with salad. Save room for the luscious desserts made by DiBattista's wife, Lori, which include chocolate torte, pizzelles with cannoli filling and homemade gelato made with seasonal fruit.
Chef's Favorite Dish to Make: Slow-braised veal cheeks with amaretto, garlic and herbs served with pureed butternut squash.
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