Architect William Burns designed the magnificent Pittsburgh & Lake Erie train station on the South Side in 1898, and Michigan restaurant entrepreneur Chuck Muer spent more than $1 million in 1978 to transform the stately old station into a restaurant. The beauty of the classical interiors added to the quality of the kitchen has made the Grand Concourse Restaurant a favorite "special occasion" dining venue in Pittsburgh.

		Grand Concourse Location: Station Square, South Side, 412-261-1717 Hours: Lunch 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; brunch 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays; dinner 4-8:30 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, 4-9:30 p.m. Fridays, 4-10:30 p.m. Saturdays. Basics: Appetizers: $4 (soup)-$14; entrees: $7-$19 (lunch) and $17-$35 (dinner); desserts: $4.95-$7.95. Historical Landmark building with awesome interior and extensive fresh fish and seafood menu. Well-spaced tables allow for comfortable conversation. Full bar service from the adjoining Gandy Dancer. Smoking in bar. Wines from $5.75 a glass and $24 a bottle. Parking in Station Square lot with validation by restaurant. Valet parking on weekends for an additional $6 charge. Wheelchair accessible. All credit cards accepted. Reservations accepted for all meals except Sunday brunch. Reservations advised.

Pause at the top of the stairs that descend into what once was the railroad passenger waiting room to fully appreciate the majesty and harmony of this vast space. Faux marble columns divide the room into three areas with Victorian accents. Upholstered banquettes circle huge palm trees. Varnished walnut portals line the walls, remnants of the old ticket booths, which once sold passage to travelers heading north from Pittsburgh. To dine under the high-vaulted ceiling with stained glass coffers is a return ticket to Pittsburgh's turn-of-the-century past, when titans of industry passed through these halls.

The daunting dinner menu measures 11 by 16 inches and offers an incredible 14 shrimp, crab or lobster dishes and 20 fresh fish entrees. The appetizer menu is also focused on fish, both raw and cooked. Freshly shucked oysters from both East and West Coast are featured on the raw menu. Even the soups here are fish oriented. Chef John Klein has been cooking at the Grand Concourse since 1983, and he proudly notes that the restaurant receives daily shipments of fresh products, produce as well as fish. At the moment, the emphasis is on wild fish from the Northwest: Copper River salmon, Alaskan halibut, Sockeye salmon and Penn Cove mussels.

The first bite of Orange Ginger Copper River King Salmon ($31.95) is enough to make a convert of anyone who thought all salmon tastes the same. The firm flesh and full flavor of the wild fish makes it seem almost another species, unrelated to farm-bred salmon. Farm-bred fish tastes flabby and dull after the amazing Copper River King or Sockeye. This entree was char-grilled and served with a tomato citrus marmalade, steamed asparagus and herb rice pilaf. The citrusy marmalade was a good partner for the salmon. The asparagus was firm and al dente, as I like it to be, but the rice pilaf was colorless and rather tasteless.

Fresh fish selections change daily. Frequently they include mahi mahi, yellowfin tuna, sole, scrod, farm-raised salmon and catfish, and rainbow trout. All of these will be prepared to the diner's choice: grilled, sauteed, broiled or blackened and served with rice pilaf and seasonal vegetables. In my experience, all that were tasted were extremely fresh and cooked perfectly.

We also tried the Alaska King Crab Legs, something rarely encountered on local menus. The portion was generous, and, although previously frozen, the crab was sweet and succulent. It was served with drawn butter and the proper tools for cracking the shells. Still, this is messy to eat and should be served with a finger bowl. The menu shows "market" for the price of crab legs. I try to avoid the kind of surprises this "non-price" invites. What will the price be when calculated at the current per-pound market price? I was relieved when the bill came to find that the crab leg cost a reasonable $32.

A half-dozen Fanny Bay oysters from Washington state ($9) were served on a very pretty silver tray of shaved ice. They were plump and delicious and another rarely encountered luxury. Caesar salad ($5) was passably good, not memorable. Although the menu offers rack of lamb ($24) with sun-dried cherry demiglace or New York strip steak ($25) with mushroom/shallot confit and mashed potatoes, it is clear that when dining at the Grand Concourse, one should take advantage of the remarkable variety of fish offered. Fish and other seafood are what this restaurant is about.

Lunch is served in the River Room, overlooking the Monongahela. This glass enclosure offers magnificent, uninterrupted views of Downtown. It is a pleasant place for lunch (and dinner, too). The luncheon menu appetizers are the same as at dinner. In addition to the fresh oysters, crab cocktail, seared tuna sashimi and smoked salmon, there are crab cakes, fried calamari and steamed mussels.

All of these hot appetizers ($7-$14) make great luncheon entrees. I tried the Dynamite Scallops ($11), five crab-encrusted sea scallops served with a basil-infused oil dressing. With the bread basket of house-made orange biscuits and hot rolls and a salad of red lettuce, pine nuts and Bleu cheese ($5), it was a perfect meal. The menu also has a sandwich and salad section as well as a number of fish selections. Sandwiches are served with french fries and cole slaw. They are pricey. The blue crab club sandwich is $13. Lobster grilled cheese sandwich is $13. Salads are priced from $8 for a chicken Caesar to $15 for Palace Court, lump crab, bay shrimp and artichokes in Green Goddess dressing.

Desserts here are as rich as the decor. Thanks to full-time pastry chef Jim Lazeration, a product of Pittsburgh's own Culinary Institute, the dessert menu is a delicious menace to any waistline. We couldn't resist the opportunity to taste Lazeration's wares and so shared the Assortment Platter ($7.95). This included a white chocolate cheesecake in an Oreo cookie crust, Key Lime Pie in graham-cracker crust and a sinful Chocolate Marquise. All of them rated high marks with our table. We will gladly go for the Peach Melba Tart made with fresh peaches and raspberries on the next visit.

The Grand Concourse wine list is extensive and features wines up and down the price ladder. We were very happy with a Buena Vista Lake County (California) Sauvignon Blanc for $24, which was the lowest rung. We were not tempted by the Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay for $90. This fine wine sells for $31.49 at state stores. I cannot justify paying $58.51 plus tax to any restaurant for nothing more than uncorking a wine and supplying clean glasses. There are 20 wines available by the glass, priced from $5.75 to $18.

Sunday brunch at the Grand Concourse is reputed to be the best in town. Served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the extensive buffet costs $19.95. Since no reservations are accepted for this meal, it is best to arrive early to be assured a table without an undue wait. The restaurant is also known for the Early Bird Dinner menu. Served from 4 to 6 p.m. daily, it offers three courses and a beverage for a bargain price of $10 to $19.50.

When the founder of the Grand Concourse was lost at sea, his restaurant empire passed through several hands before being bought by the Landry Corp. in Houston. Landry owns 300 restaurants, including the Charthouse and Joe's Crab Shack chains. The corporate headquarters oversees both the menu and the wine list for the Pittsburgh restaurant.

But it needs to pay some attention to management details. The service at lunch was lackluster. A simple lunch took two hours. Our dinner reservation could be honored only 25 minutes after our on-time arrival. The hostess/captain at the reservation station seemed totally confused about what to do with customers who were lining up and complaining about not having a table at the appointed hour. We had finished our appetizers before our waiter brought our wine. For a restaurant in this category, these details are not acceptable.

It is easy to see why the Grand Concourse attracts a large tourist business. The awesome interior deserves to be visited. It is another of Pittsburgh's architectural treasures and a Historic Landmark. Like the view from Mount Washington, it is something we have that others don't. Go and enjoy for yourself and by all means share with out-of-town visitors.