Barcelona at Rivers Edge offers breathtaking view, leavable food
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Grilled artichoke appetizer at Barcelona at Rivers Edge. -
The view up the Allegheny River from Barcelona Rivers Edge, Verona. -
Cheese, pepper and olive appetizer plate.
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Barcelona at Rivers Edge, a new restaurant in Verona, sits on the southern bank of the Allegheny River. Large glass windows front the restaurant, and a wooden deck perches on the roof, offering a glittering, glorious stretch of river below.
A restaurant with a view always sounds appealing. But the view that captivates diners can sometimes be a handicap for quality food. Barcelona has some potential, but in its first few months has drifted toward mediocrity, with just the slightest hint of Mediterranean flavor.
The menu has contemporary touches. Seasonal specials included Copper River salmon and a steak with morel mushrooms. Temperatures were requested for fish, steak and even pork, which even the USDA agrees is safely cooked at medium.
But the food was dominated by relics of American dining past. Rather than crafting each entree as a distinct dish, the majority consisted of a protein with a vegetable and starch of the day. They were plated in a similarly repetitive fashion, with steak, salmon and pork all perched atop a pile of roasted baby zucchini, petite carrots and slender green beans, a few roasted potatoes set to the side.
at Rivers Edge
- Hours: Sunday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-midnight, kitchen closes at 10 p.m.
- Basics: The river view is the big draw at this upscale casual restaurant serving a menu of Pittsburgh classics with some Mediterranean influence.
- Recommended dishes: Garlic shrimp, grilled artichoke, lobster crab cake Romano; olives, Manchego and goat cheese plate, shrimp cocktail, and veal osso bucco
- Prices: Appetizers, $5-16; entrees, $14-32; desserts, $7
- Drink: About a half dozen standard beers on draft; full bar; wine list organized by taste profile; six white and seven reds by the glass, starting at $6; 19 whites by the bottle, 11 bottles for $30 or less; 19 reds by the bottle, 8 bottles for $30 or less; short list of premium reds also available
- Summary:
First Published June 9, 2011 12:00 am
