Cafe IO

Cafe IO

Upon finding a parking space, which is limited and mostly metered, I walked into a place I didn't expect.  I saw a deli counter in front of me & no seating.  I grabbed a paper menu from the wall and didn't see any of the burgers or salads I saw online.  I was highly disappointed.

I tried to order a spinach salad with some sort of meat on it because I saw a spinach and shrimp salad onlune.  The man behind the counter said, "We don't have any kind of meat to add to your salad.  If you want that, you'll have to go to our cafe next door."

Relieved and a bit embarrassed, I said, "Oh, that's actually what I'm looking for!"

Apparently, you can order deli meats to go from the deli counter & have a sit down meal at the cafe.  The sign was above both doors and I just walked into the first one I saw.

I walked next door to find a beautiful little cafe.  The menu was bigger & the the place was lively. It was actually a very beautiful, relaxing place.  

I ordered the spinach salad with shrimp I was searching for.  It lived up to my expectations.

 The salad had apples, cranberries, pecans, and goat cheese.  The dressing was a white balsamic honey vinaigrette.  It was just as I imagined. 

And if you'd like to see some of the non-gluten free items, here's the burger & grilled cheese.













300 Beverly Rd
Pittsburgh, PA 15216


http://cafeio.com

Poros

Poros is brand new to Pittsburgh.   The space is cozy and classy.  I'd recommend a reservation because space is limited.

I wanted to start with the risotto,  but the server came back from the kitchen with news that it was made from grains, not rice.  Good save, server!

I then chose the ouzo cured salmon with dill and fennel.  It was delicious.  The tzatziki sauce was fluffy and really complemented the salmon.

  

 I ordered the Garide, chargrilled with a shallot garlic citronette.  It was a prawn larger than their lobster tails.  This giant shrimp was grilled to perfection.  It definitely was not over or under cooked. Although, I must say, I could have eaten three of them!  But not for the price.  These little delicacies were very expensive, but I've never had one so large.  

They also had a great selection of fresh fish, some of which you could order whole, lamb, pork, and chicken. 

The ouzo berry sorbet was a delicious end to a wonderful meal.  It was, in fact, a little boozy.  They also offered some gluten free ice creams and a flourless chocolate tart.

If you are celebrating a special occasion, this is a great place to eat. 

PPG2 Market Square
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
412-904-2051

Porospgh.com

Gaucho Parrilla Argentina

Gaucho Parrilla Argentina

I heard a lot of hype about this place, so I had to try it out for myself.  It was a small place.  I waited in a line staring at a chalkboard menu trying to figure out what I wanted.  I couldn’t understand what most of the things on the menu were, so I had a hard time figuring out what was gluten free and what wasn’t.  They said they could accommodate gluten free diners, but they didn’t have anything marked as gluten free.  They only thing I understood was the meat section.  I figured the meat would probably be gluten free, but I’d ask when I finally got to the front of the line. 


I asked the man taking the orders if the small ribeye could be done gluten free.  He looked at me funny and said yes, we just won’t put any toast on it.  I was hoping the marinade or sauces didn’t contain gluten and that it didn’t touch other people’s toast.

I looked around for a seat and finally found one at the counter.  I didn’t care much for the set up of this place.   It’s reminiscent of a cafeteria and there was very little places to sit.  If they added some high top tables, I think they could fit more people inside. 

I didn’t wait long for my food to arrive.  I guess because they are slinging meat all day long they just keep cooking it to keep the momentum flowing. 

The meat was cooked to perfection.  There was a sauce on it that was tangy with a kick of hot.  A salad with a balsamic vinaigrette accompanied the meat.  I also ordered the roasted potatoes.  They were pretty amazing.  When I ordered them, I asked the guy if they went through the fryer with other stuff and he said, “We don’t have a fryer.”

I loved that response.  It was just what I wanted to hear.  That means these potatoes were truly roasted potatoes.  They were crispy and flavorful.  Between the potatoes, salad and the meat, a small was the perfect size for me.  The prices were a bit expensive for the dining experience, but pretty much what you’d expect at a white table cloth restaurant. 

Overall, this was an interesting experience. 


1607 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

http://eatgaucho.com/

Capital Grille

Capital Grille

The atmosphere is nice.  It's upscale and interesting.  There are many Pittsburgh themed portraits on the walls.  It's nice when you can see the kitchen cooking your food, too.

I pointed out that my meal had to be gluten free to the waiter.  After ordering, they brought out bread & crackers.  I didn't mind so much, but I guess I've been a bit spoiled with other restaurants bringing out gluten free options before my meal.  No big deal.

I ordered the truffle crusted sirloin with the blue cheese and red wine sauce.  I was really interested in the preparation of the steak rather than the cut.  I don't usually care for a sirloin, but thought I'd take a risk.

It was a gigantic cut of meat.  Actually, it was the biggest sirloin I'd even seen.  It could have been done a little rarer, but wasn't too over done.  The sauce was delicious.  The truffle crust was very strong.  It was worth the risk.

I didn't order any sides.  I just don't care for the group shared sides that are over priced.  Anyways, there was nothing gluten free on the menu that really spoke to me.  If they would have had something unique, I would have given it a try, but there was nothing in the side department to write home about so I skipped it.

The price point here was $$$$.  Pretty pricey.  But they focused on service, keeping your water glass full at all times & having a few extra waiters bustling around you to make you feel like you are getting a lot of attention.

They did have a nice touch at the end of the meal.  They brought out 2 free gluten free desserts - berries and cream and a coffee dusted flourless chocolate cake.  I love berries and cream!  The flourless cake was delicious, too, but I don't like coffee, so I couldn't eat much of it. 

It was a nice touch to end the meal.


301 Fifth Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

https://www.thecapitalgrille.com/locations/pa/pittsburgh/8031

Hyde Park

Hyde Park

I can't tell you how awesome lobster mashed potatoes are, you'll have to try them your self at Hyde Park.  Although the steaks are way too overpriced, they were cooked perfect and very delicious.  But this place no only has great steaks, it has unique sides.  Unfortunately, the prices were $$$$ to match the main course.

I thought $18 was too much for a side, but I really wanted to try the lobster mashed potatoes.  I'm so glad I did.  They were wonderful!  I could eat them as a meal.  They were creamy, and salty, and buttery, and had a few whole lobster claws sitting on top.  These were amazing.

For my main course, I ordered the filet with lobster, Bearnaise sauce, asparagus, and mushrooms.  It was cooked to perfection and topped with a multitude of flavors that made my taste buds happy. It was filling, too.

They had a lot of cuts of meat to choose from, but I love the filet.  They also had cute Pittsburgh names for the preparations of some of the steaks.  These were a bit more pricey than a plain ones, but if you're celebrating something special, then why not splurge?

The onion straws, as you may know by now, are not gluten free.

247 North Shore Dr
Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Paris 66

Paris 66

6018 Penn Circle South
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
 

Paris 66 is a family owned French restaurant in East Liberty.  It’s dinning room is decorated with French posters and pictures.  The space is cute.

The menu has plenty of gluten free items.  Just ask.  Most of the items can be modified to be gluten free, just ask the knowledgeable waiter.  He told me only things with puff pastries, pastas, and the frog legs were not gluten free.  I was slightly disappointed about the frog legs, but there were plenty of other things to eat.

First they bring out some sort of Brussels sprout cream to clear your pallet.  It was different.  Then they bring out buckwheat crepes with butter.  They were alright, if you like buckwheat or are really hungry.

I ordered the cauliflower soup.  It was pretty good.  I felt it needed a bit of salt added, which when I added it really brought the cauliflower flavor out.  It was creamy and white.  It was just a puree without any chunks of cauliflower in it, which I would have preferred, but didn’t mind.

Then I ordered the raspberry duck with the potato gratin.

The potato gratin was a square layered with potatoes and cheese.  It was moderately warm and probably premade and reheated when I ordered it.  It was ok, but not spectacular. They substituted the tomatoes for me for mixed vegetables.  That was nice.  They had a seasoning on them that I'm not entirely sure I liked, but they were crisp and fresh, and that's what matters.

What was spectacular, was the duck.  It was tender, juicy, and crispy on the outside just like it should be.  The sauce wasn’t overly sweet. It was delicious. There are a few more things I’d like to try on this menu, so I guess I’ll just have to come back.

Eddie Merlots

Eddie Merlot's

444 Liberty Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15222


Eddie Merlot's has a very nice atmosphere.  The service was very attentive from the door to the end of your meal.  The waiter was very knowledgeable about the gluten content of the items on the menu. 

The steaks are why you come here.  Sure, there's seafood and poultry on the menu, but why would you even spend time looking at those things when this place is known for the steaks?  What kind of steak do you want?  Some of the meats are aged.  They have bison or cow in all the best cuts. 

Everything is al a carte.  You can add sauces or toppings to the steak. The waiter said almost all of the steaks come gluten free as they are listed on the menu and we would check on the sauces when we come to that bridge.  I didn't need a sauce to cover the taste of my steak.  I wanted to taste the steak.  I ordered the 7 oz bison filet medium rare. 

It was the beefiest filet I had ever tasted.  It was cooked perfect.  It was the only thing on the plate, except three green leaves of... something.  Maybe it was spinach. I don't know what the garnish was.  The bison looked lonely on the plate. 

The sides came in big bowls.  They were big enough to share.  I was excited about the Brussels sprouts with bacon, but was quickly disappointed by them.  The bacon was undercooked & tasteless. The Brussels sprouts were al dante, nicely cooked but bland.  I didn't try the potatoes because they scared me.  Something about they said not gluten free.  I heard I wasn't missing anything.

I was also disappointed to learn that the sides were already prepared before I ordered them, so there was no modifications that could be made to them.  The pre preparation was apparent in the quality.  I almost expected this from a chain restaurant because they are trying to keep all of the sides uniform throughout their locations.  I had higher hopes for this place.  But like I said before, you don't come here for the sides, you come here for the steaks.

The steaks, no matter which one you order, will not disappoint you!

The onion straws are not gluten free. You can just order the steaks that come with them without onion straws.  This is the beef rib eye.

The steaks are amazing and worth it!