We went to Pangea, the current restaurant in former Pasta Piatto space. The chef is Ron DeLuca, formerly of Blue in the North Hills. The restaurant features mostly tapas & salads with entree selections. There is a main floor dining room & an elevated area with a bar & some tables.

     We had mostly tapas which included – seafood cake trio that includes lump crab with micro greens & mustard sauce, lobster & gulf shrimp with mango & pineapple salsa, king salmon with grilled asparagus & creme fraiche – very nicely plated, each cake distinctly different & delicious. A trio of hoummus – gargonzola & chive with toasted pine nuts, artichoke & feta, calamata olive, sun-dried tomatoe & spicy pepper jalapeno & roasted shallot – each served in small bowls – good presentation & the toasted pita was delicious. Heirloom tomato confit with english cucumber & balsamic glaze – very nice salad. Crispy shrimp with fried leeks & sweet chili glaze – crispy, flavorful & excellent. Dessert was a vanilla creme brulee, which was a little too sweet. We had cocktails which were excellent & a wine flight of 3 2-oz. pours of a pinot grigio, viognier & a pinot noir. This was our second visit. First visit we met friends thewre, drank too much & don’t remember the rest.

 Pangea is a new place to go. Worth a visit.

We had the privilege last night of attending Legume’s First Year Celebration and wanted to share what they chose to have on the menu!!! We started with a pork and rhubarb crostini with Fois Gras on top!! Then on to laughing bird shrimp salad with potatoes, young greens and chervil mayonaise. 3rd course was a homemade ricotta crepe with poached asparagus, farro and bistro vinaigrette. I had aJamison lamb chop with carolina grits and sage pesto, my husband had kobe beef with fava bean ragout and polenta…….we finished off with fizzy rhubarb soup topped with creme fraiche and sliced strawberries!!!!! THEN, came a most remarkable cheese trio (Hooks 10-yr.cheddar, constant bliss (like brie) and bayley hazen blue with a prune compote/sliced apples and french bread slices!!!! Then came the chocolate truffles (homemade) and the cranes to get us home!!!!! OUTSTANDING and no wonder Trevitt has been chosen chef to watch out for!!!!

THANKS for reading all of this, just wanting you all to know what’s going on (gastronomically!!!!) on a regular, old Sunday night in Pgh.!!!!

Went to Vivo in Bellevue Weds. night 4 for dinner. Very warmly greeted by Lori, restaurant owner. Verbal menu – 5-6 selections of starters & 5-6 selections of entrees  all very informative & enticing but no mention of price. Vivo is BYOB with drink & wine setups handled quickly. Appetizers were – grilled asparagus wrapped in prociutto with balsamic – outstanding & calamari stuffed with crab – boring ,& exotic wild mushroom & chorizo sausage – excellent dish. A pasta dish of curly pasta with excellent marinara sauce is served to all. Main courses – black cod- slightly boring, whole bransino grilled – recomed this dish, lamb chops which our friends liked very much, & a 50 day dry aged strip steak with gargonzola & balsamic – had interesting texture & mineral, earthy flavor -tasty. A simple green salad is served after entrees. Desserts were a cold meyer lemon mousse & coconut sorbet with chocalte sauce made in house by Lori-outstanding. Sam the chef comes out to greet all diners. A very friendly family oriented environment.

We were lucky enough to have dinner tonight @ the brand new restaurant on Bellefonte Street, “Pangea”…..absolutely wonderful!!!! We had some friend with us from California and they were impressed with the wine list (we had some bottles from the Williamette Valley) We all ordered different tapas and shared a wonderful lamb, bean cassoulet, beef in lettuce leaf, shrimp/w fennel and mini open-faced burgers!!! Then we tried the fish du jour, scallops w/bok choi and filet mignon…..all FABULOUS!!! very unusual combinations of food and flavors…..desserts were creme brule, chocolate fudge terraine and a meyer lemon curd/with lemon soufle’ on top. It was a most memorable meal with very attentive service (we were one of only two other tables, so I think that they need our encouragement while they get started!!!!) and one to look forword to again!!!!
 

Casbah. Sat. night dinner for 4. With their entrance through their patio dining room, Casbah has remained a very nice atmosphere. Cocktails & wine selection are among the best in the city. Starters English pea risotto with shaved parmesan – nice but needed a little more seasoning & mesclun salad which as always is fresh & tasty. Entrees soft shell crabs sauteed ok but underseasoned, pasta with cream & chicken extremely rich & delicious & pork chop grilled to perfection with crispy leeks on a bed of greens -this is the best chop anywhere- highly recommended. Dessert choc. bread pudding -a little too heavy & sorbets which were excellent. Casbah has remained one of the cities best restaurant chioces. Wait staff & service are very pleasant. Overall a really nice dining experience.