Next to food, wine and my husband, history is my greatest passion. Pittsburgh history especially fascinates me, perhaps because I am a relative newcomer to this city. It didn't take long for me to discover that in Pittsburgh, just about all history threads lead somehow to steel mills. I just regret that I was never here in the days of the mills to experience the sights and smells and sounds produced by the world's most productive city.

John Beale, Post-Gazette Priscilla Restaurant executive chef Michael Baxendell displays a plate of seared duck with mango soy glaze with white rice. Click photo for larger image. Priscilla Dining in Art 2557 E. Carson St., South Side 412-488-8000 Hours: Breakfast, 8 a.m.-noon Saturdays and Sundays; lunch, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. daily; dinner, 4-11 p.m. daily. Basics: A spacious dining room with well-spaced tables and walls covered with original oil paintings. Although the owners are Philippine natives, the menu covers the world. Service is friendly and casual. Noise is not a factor. Prices: Appetizers, $6-$12; entrees, $11-$30; desserts, $5-$7.25. Summary: Nonsmoking; accessible; major credit cards accepted. Parking in garage at SouthSide Works or on street at meters.

The SouthSide Works today showcases not raw industrial material but finished consumer goods. There are fancy shops, a multiplex cinema and various dining venues on the site that was once the home of the largest and most modern electric furnace in America. (After LTV Steel shut down in 1984, I was told that this furnace was sold, dismantled and shipped to China.)

The corner of 26th and East Carson Street was the home of Pittsburgh Mercantile Co., considered the J&L company store. Just across the street is the newest restaurant addition to the SouthSide Works: Priscilla Dining in Art. Priscilla Almazan St. Mary and her sister, Guia Posadas, are the guiding forces in the kitchen. Priscilla's husband, Manny, looks after the front of the house. All are natives of the Philippines, and both the menu and the art on the walls have roots in Southeast Asia. Priscilla and Manny came to Pittsburgh to work in a private home. At one time, she was the private chef for Isaac Stern at his home in Connecticut. Now they have brought their talents and their art collection to the only nonchain restaurant in the SouthSide Works complex.

Walking or driving past the restaurant on East Carson Street, one is immediately impressed by the warm colors of the interior and the many paintings and sculptures exhibited. The salmon-colored walls provide the perfect background for the tropical colors in the modern art. The restaurant is spacious without being cavernous. I love the generous size of the tables and the amount of space between them. The reception upon entering is warm and friendly. The room is welcoming.

Knowing that the owners were Filipinos, I was expecting a menu that was essentially Asian in influence. Unfortunately, instead of finding fusion foods, I found confusion. There are elements of Asian to be sure, but they are overwhelmed by a menu that is trying to be all things to all people. From Saltimbocca Veal ($21.95) to New York Strip Steak ($25.90) to Steamed Salmon ($19.95) to Paul Prudhomme's Blackened Catch of the Day ($16.95) to Fettuccine Alfredo ($12.95), I felt I needed a compass to navigate this menu. I just wanted a taste of the Philippines, something there is little of in Pittsburgh. But here I was stuck between Rome, Paris (lobster bisque), New York and New Orleans.

I did finally find Manila on this menu. It was a Crisp Fish Fillet in Sweet and Sour Pineapple Sauce ($16.95). The fillet was tilapia, battered and deep fried. The batter was heavy and not well suited to the mild and delicate tilapia. The fish is served with rice and sauteed vegetables that change daily. Mine were carrots, snow peas and zucchini. On another occasion I ordered Shrimp and Calamari Tempura Appetizer ($11.95) not realizing it would have the same heavy batter that was on the crispy fish fillet. The shrimp and calamari were as unsatisfactory as the tilapia.

The eggroll appetizer ($9.95) was in fact a springroll, raw rather than fried and found throughout the Orient. Priscilla serves two rolls of fresh vegetables and lettuce tucked inside a thin, damp rice wrapper with peanut-garlic sauce. Again, I found one of the elements of this dish out of balance with the others. The roll itself is light and refreshing, but the sauce of peanut butter and garlic totally overwhelmed the timid flavors in the roll. I also feel that the price is unrealistic for this appetizer.

By far my favorite dish on the menu is Chicken Priscilla. This special creation has won awards in cooking competitions. The chicken, either halved or whole, is first brined, then boiled and finally deep-fried. The result is a half chicken that is moist and flavorful beyond belief and has an exterior that is the epitome of crisp. It is served with rice, potatoes, vegetables and a slice of fried pl?tano, a starchy member of the banana family. Another chicken dish is Adobo Chicken ($12.95), the national dish of the Philippines. All dinner entrees come with a salad of mixed baby greens and a small loaf of house-baked bread and butter.

Desserts are all made in-house and include a Peach and Berry Torte ($6.95) and a Poached Pear Torte ($7.25)

On the weekends, Priscilla serves breakfast. There is a section of the menu that lists Philippine breakfast selections: chicken adobo, marinated sirloin beef, Manila sausage links or sweet marinated pork all served with two eggs. I enjoyed the Potato Pancakes with Eggs and Bacon or Sausage ($8.95).

One entire wall of Priscilla is glass looking out on East Carson. It is a pleasant place to spend a sunny Sunday morning with lots of room to open and enjoy the Sunday papers.

The restaurant opened in December but does not yet have a license to sell alcohol. Still, there are neon signs advertising beer, and the sign on the sidewalk is provided by Iron City. This led to some misunderstandings. I witnessed customers who left after sitting down and ordering when they discovered there was no beer or wine available.

Priscilla Dining in Art has been open only for 10 weeks. It is still experimenting and searching for an identity. If the owners asked me for advice, I would suggest they shorten the menu and dump the Italian focus. Pittsburgh has plenty of linguine and scaloppine, but I know of only one other Philippine restaurant. And my advice to you is, "Don't miss Priscilla's amazing fried chicken."