Robin Rombach, Post-Gazette Dinner at the Hyeholde Restaurant in Moon can include a tasting of Wagyu beef -- a piece of short rib underneath a hanger steak with Rossini sauce served with potatoes and asparagus topped with onion rings. Click photo for larger image. Hyeholde 1516 Coraopolis Heights Road Moon 412-264-3116 www.hyeholde.com Hours: Dinner, 4-9 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; 5-10 p.m. Saturdays. Basics: A menu of inspired dishes prepared by classically trained chefs served in a baronial setting. Medieval European decor, fresh floral arrangements in every room and interesting art and artifacts create a special environment. Tables are well spaced to allow for comfortable conversation levels. Noise level: low. Prices: Appetizers, $5.50-$14; entrees, $19-$49; desserts, $7; wines, $6.50-$12 for a 6-ounce pour. Summary: Nonsmoking; accessible; major credit cards accepted. Free parking on grounds (valet on weekends). Reservations recommended.

Just like Bookbinder's restaurant in Philadelphia, Lockober's in Boston or Tadich Grill in San Francisco, Hyeholde in Pittsburgh is a piece of local culinary history. Since 1938, Hyeholde has been serving great meals to generations of discriminating diners. In a scrapbook at the restaurant, I found a menu from those early days, when it was among the first local establishments to bring in live lobsters and oysters. The broiled live lobster dinner was $1.50 and Porterhouse steak was $1.25.

Hyeholde's history begins with a love story. In 1931, newlyweds William and Clara Kryskill, both natives of Western Pennsylvania, bought a 6-acre cornfield in Moon and spent the next seven years constructing the restaurant entirely with their own hands. When Hyeholde began serving meals, Mr. Kryskill looked after the guests while Mrs. Kryskill ran the kitchen. The family lived in the same building, and their two daughters grew up shelling peas or waiting tables. Even during World War II, when most of the employees left to fight or to work in factories, Hyeholde remained open.

In 1974, the Kryskills retired and Hyeholde had new owners, but in 1991, the Kryskills' daughter, Barbara McKenna, purchased the property, where she grew up and once managed the restaurant.

Hyeholde's menu is a testament to the local and fresh mantra that is currently practiced in all our fine dining destinations. During the summer, chef Chris O'Brien gets berries, tomatoes, lettuce and herbs from the kitchen garden on the restaurant property.

The chef's creative flashes are in evidence throughout the menu. Tandoori Rubbed Lamb Ribblets ($11) are a perfect example. Two miniature lamb chops are first seared and then braised before being coated in oil and an Indian spice rub of turmeric, cumin, coriander and some secret ingredients. The result is melt-in-the-mouth moist and succulent meat with a bit of spice to perk up the taste buds. The plate is finished with tiny French green beans dressed in sweet balsamic glaze and a chutney of lingonberries and fresh mint, a perfect tangy counterpoint to the spiced lamb and a visual balance to the presentation.

Grilled Quail ($13) is offered as an appetizer but I ordered it as an entree with a side accompaniment of Wild Mushroom Fricassee ($8). The quail breast is boned and the tiny fowl, blackened on the grill, comes with crisp skin over the delicately gamey meat. The quail is topped by what the menu refers to as Miso mushroom cigar. In plain language, this is a thin pastry skin made of an Asian won-ton wrapper, which is rolled around a center of mushroom duxelle and deep fried. I had it with a small salad of bibb lettuce and julienned heart of palm and carrot dressed in oil flavored with green curry paste. This combination of flavors and textures goes from yin to yang and from silky to crunchy, but the end result is a whole new take on a grilled quail.

Sesame Crusted Sea Scallops ($12) are an original interpretation of the almost cliched seared scallop. Chef Chris brings a Middle Eastern touch to this appetizer, with the addition of tabouli, garbanzo beans in tahini sauce and a garnish of black olive and fennel mignonette. Miso Glazed Hamachi ($12) looked great on paper but was less successful in execution. Two small blocks of hamachi (also known as yellowtail amberjack and frequently used raw in sushi) are served with carrot puree spiked with ginger juice and sprinkled with bright orange tabiko caviar. Baby zucchini tempura slices form a sort of teepee over the fish. Although I have eaten and enjoyed raw hamachi, the cooked version seemed rubbery.

If you love Caesar Salad ($7.50), the Hyeholde version should not be missed. Not only is it the best Caesar dressing I have found in Pittsburgh, it is also one of the prettiest salad presentations in our town. The bottom half of an entire heart of romaine lettuce is wrapped in a thin slice of cured ham (much like prosciutto), giving the effect of a bouquet of flowers wrapped in a sheet of paper. The garlic-infused croutons and a hint of anchovy in the dressing were the finishing touches that made this Caesar a star.

Entrees are equally creative. Sauteed Barramundi ($32), a freshwater fish from Australia, is served with St. Andre risotto, a medley of wild mushrooms and a sauce of Pinot Noir red wine, unusual choices for accompaniments to a mild-flavored fish but in fact, perfect complements. Hyeholde has always had wild game on the menu. At the moment, the game dish is Cervena Elk Strip Loin ($33). Medallions of elk sit on a foundation of creamy cauliflower puree and are topped with a rich brown sauce of oven-roasted tomatoes spiked with cognac. Logs of breaded and fried sweet potatoes finish the plate.

The current pasta dish is Pan Roasted Bronzini ($31), a sort of macaroni-and-cheese dish made from cavatelli and embellished with crab, which comes with French green bean salad dressed in truffle oil. All pastas are made in-house.

Desserts are the purview of pastry chef Erin Ribo. As much an artist in her field as Chef Chris is in his, Ribo presents a menu that goes from Chocolate Marquise to Baby Bananas Foster (all desserts are $7). My own favorite is Meyer Lemon Semifreddo. This composition of frozen lemon mousse and toasted almond meringue is stacked in layers and served with candied kumquats and huckleberry sauce. It is a symphony composed of opposites. Tart and sweet, creamy and crunchy, cold and warm are all present. Damson Plum Churros is another dessert with similar notes. Hot fried bread-like fritters are covered in Damson plums in syrup and served with malted vanilla ice cream. There are fruit sorbets and ice creams all prepared by Chef Erin, who also makes the excellent breads served at the table.

House wines are $6.50 for a 6-ounce pour. Prestige wines range from $8-$12. The wine list is focused primarily on American wines with bottle prices ranging from $30 to $400. If you prefer to bring a bottle from your own cellar, corkage is $20.

There is a six-course Chef's Tasting Menu for $65. For special occasions, Chef Chris will prepare a Chef's Table in the kitchen, where guests can watch the theater a busy kitchen crew produces as they dine on a special menu he creates just for them. This is a wonderful way to celebrate a birthday or anniversary with a small group.

Chris O'Brien has been at the restaurant since 1993, the past 10 years as executive chef. After his formal culinary training, he spent eight months working at The Greenbrier before returning to Pittsburgh and to Hyeholde.

The ambience here is as impressive as the food. The dining rooms, with baronial fireplaces, Gothic ceilings and stained-glass windows, hold handsome, medieval-style furnishings, tapestries and interesting works of art. Don't miss the charming figures taken from Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales," portrayed in some of the stained glass. There are beautiful fresh flower arrangements in all of the rooms. At the entrance, there was a regal display of a dozen red and pink amaryllis in bloom, all of them potted in antique vessels. Obviously, the entry flowers change with the season.

With so much perfection elsewhere, I was disappointed with the dining-room service. On a night when the restaurant was full, there were only two waitresses responsible for three rooms. They were stretched too thin to provide the kind of service this four-star meal deserved. However, that won't stop me from returning to Hyeholde, where the food and ambience deliver so much pleasure.