Grub Club: BYOB

Showing posts with label BYOB. Show all posts

Friday, August 5, 2016

Pasha Cafe

June 2016
808 Ivy St, Pittsburgh PA 15232

We were really excited to try out Pasha Café in Shady Side since it has a great outdoor area it is BYOB! Unfortunately, they messed up our reservations and they ended up squeezing us in to a table in the back of the restaurant by the kitchen. I had called to make the reservations 2 week in advance, but that did not matter. Actually, just about every party that walked in the door that evening and said they had a reservation were given the same blank stare that we received....the hostess did not have their reservations noted in their system.

Our waitress seemed very confused the entire evening and was not very attentive to our party. She poured wined into the water glasses and we had to get up to fetch cups and utensils ourselves a couple of times. The vegetables side was red cabbage and it did not have much flavor. Our party ordered crème puffs and baklava for dessert - the crème puffs were still frozen on the inside but the baklava was very good (it was the best part of the meal by far). It is highly unlikely that I will be going back to Pasha Café anytime soon.

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Merrante's

December 2015
4723 Liberty Ave
Pittsburgh PA 15224
https://merante-gifts.com/private-dining/

Merrante's was our chosen place for our holiday Grub Club and it did not disappoint!If you are interested in visiting Merrante's, you have to plan months in advance as they are in high demand. Everything is private dining of groups of 8 or more. They give you options for the menu that you have to choose ahead of time and all you do is show up with your bottle(s) of wine and enjoy! I felt like I was at Sunday dinner at my Grandmother's house as soon as I walked in the door. We had a separate room set up for drinks and appetizers. Our group had 9 people and we shared 6 appetizers including stuffed mushrooms, brie, meatballs, tomatoes and mozzarella, etc. Once we had enough there, we went into the dining room where we could see and smell (!) all the goodness happening. We were served soup, salad, a main dish, dessert and homemade limoncello. The staff was very friendly and fun. They interacted with us throughout the evening and joined in on the fun. I have been meaning to get back here with my family....I will have to see if our schedules are clear around October.

Sunday, November 8, 2015

Gaucho Parilla

September 2015
1601 Penn Ave
Pittsburgh PA 15222

http://eatgaucho.com/

Gaucho Parilla has got it figured out. By minimalizing the responsibilities of the waiters, they are able to serve upscale meals at a low price. It is a BYOB restaurant without a corkage fee! Upon arrival, you stand in line to order your meal and then grab a seat (if you can find one). The place was packed the entire time we were there with a steady line out the door. You have to grab your own wine glasses, plates, silverware and any dipping sauces you choose. It was a little awkward at first when we asked for glasses and the waiter told us to help ourselves! It feels like you are at a friend's house for dinner! The dining area is a little on the loud side but it just added to the unique atmosphere. We ordered a few dishes to share as a group including flank steak, ribeye, empanadas, grilled veggies and salads. Everything was served family style and was delicious! I will definitely be making a trip back to Gaucho.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Buon Cibo

December 2014
4556 William Penn Highway, Murrysville PA 15668
http://www.ilovebuoncibo.com/

"I liked this small family run BYOB restaurant. Everything was made to order and the portions were substantial. I has the crab cake/scallop platter. The scallops were nicely caramelized. I did not know that I could have gotten the crab cake grilled rather than fried. I would have preferred that from a preparation standpoint. The crab cake had very little filler and tasted great. I had the side of pasta which I really did not try as I focused on my seafood. The house salad was fresh and I liked that they placed the bottle of house dressing on the table so you had control over how much (or little) dressing you used. We split the antipasti tray and edamame appetizer. The food is not overly creative but is a notch above regular Italian fare. The owners were friendly, coming to the table to introduce themselves. We were there mid week and the place was relatively empty."

"The bruschetta appetizer was absolutely delicious. For my entrée, I had the Chicken Parmesan. The portion was huge for the price! I opted for greens and beans for an additional charge rather than a soup or salad and I was a bit disappointed. I love greens and beans, but this one lacked flavor. My chicken and pasta were excellent, I wish I would have opted for the vodka sauce on my pasta as it would have made the dish perfect!"

"Buon Cibo has the feeling of a small town restaurant where everyone knows each other. It is a family friendly BYOB establishment where you feel like you are downtown Pittsburgh for an evening out. I liked that the owner specially made a bruschetta plate for us - it was a nice touch. I have been back to Buon Cibo since our group went together and I loved it even more the second time around."