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Restaurant Week will tame heat in your kitchen
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With temperatures in the 80s, we'd all like an excuse to get out of the kitchen. June 16 through 19 is Pittsburgh Restaurant Week, the perfect time to leave cooking to the professionals.
Restaurant week began in New York in the 1980s as a lunchtime promotion for restaurants. Over the years, it has spread to cities throughout the country. Restaurateurs like it because it's a successful marketing tactic that brings in diners during the summer, traditionally a slow season in the restaurant industry. Diners like it because it often allows them to sample restaurants at a reduced price.
Dozens of Pittsburgh restaurants are participating by offering a $35 three-course dinner prix fixe and sometimes a $25 three-course lunch prix fixe. Some restaurants, such as Six Penn Kitchen, Downtown, are offering some items off of the regular menu, highlighting some of their favorite dishes, including the beet salad, with organic greens, feta, spiced pecans, and fennel and orange vinaigrette; Jamison Farm lamb Bolognese with fresh papardelle, roasted tomatoes and feta cheese; and a house-smoked pork chop with leek and bacon spoon bread, asparagus and smoked tomato jam. Other items are new, such as the braised pork belly with fried yams, Mexican coleslaw and jerk barbeque sauce.
Six Penn, now under the helm of new Executive Chef Keith Fuller, also is offering wine pairings for only $12. Diners can choose one of two suggested wines for each course, and will receive 2-ounce pours of each.
Others, such as LeMont on Mount Washington, have prepared a menu especially for the week, although of course the regular menu also will be available. The menu includes choices of three appetizers, eight entrees and four desserts, and includes dishes such as macadamia nut-encrusted salmon laced with hazelnut demi-glace, apple-bourbon pork chops and flaming baked Alaskas. LeMont also is extending the promotion through the end of the week.
One suggestion: Since restaurants are also offering their regular menus, take a look at those as well. At some restaurants, you may find that food on the regular menu won't cost more than the prix fixe dinner.
Restaurant Week is a great opportunity to try a new restaurant or go back to an old favorite. If you can't find the time to go everywhere you'd like, you'll be happy to know that Pittsburgh is hosting a second restaurant week Nov. 3-7 as part of the city's 250th anniversary celebration.
Pittsburgh Restaurant Week officially is June 16 through 19, but restaurants that will be extending their Restaurant Week menus are indicated below. Some are doing lunch or dinner; some are doing both. Some participating restaurants' plans were not finalized, so do call before you go.
Palomino
Downtown
www.palomino.com
412-642-7711
Lunch and dinner
June 16-22
Steelhead Brasserie
Downtown
www.thesteelhead.com
412-394-3474
Dinner only
Rockwell's Red Lion
Elizabeth
412-384-3909
Lunch and dinner
June 16-21
Nine on Nine
Downtown
412-338-6463
Dinner only
June 17-19 (closed Monday)
La Feria
www.laferia.net
Shadyside
412-682-4501
Ma Provence
Squirrel Hill
www.maprovencepgh.net
412-521-2925
Dinner only June 17-19 (closed Monday)
F. Tambellini Ristorante
Downtown
www.eatzucchini.com
412-391-1091
Lunch and dinner
June 16-30
Cafe Allegro
South Side
www.cafeallegropittsburgh.com
412-481-7788
Dinner only
Lidia's Pittsburgh
Strip District
412-552-0150
Lunch only
The Terrace Room
Downtown
412-553-5235
Spaghetti Warehouse
Strip District
www.meatballs.com
412-261-6511
Smithfield Cafe
Downtown
412-281-5452
Georgetowne Inn
Mount Washington
www.georgetowneinn.com
412-481-4424
Tamarind Savoring India
Greentree
www.tamarindpa.com
412-278-4848
Dinner only (dinner for two for $35)
June 16-22
Mio Kitchen and Wine Bar
Aspinwall
www.mio-pgh.com
412-781-3141
Lunch only
June 17-20
Enrico's Ristorante Shadyside
www.enricos-shadyside.com
412-661-1050
Dinner only
Tana Ethiopian Cuisine
East Liberty
www.tanaethiopiancuisine.com
412-665-2770
Dinner only
August Henry's City Saloon
Downtown
www.augusthenrys.com
412-765-3270
Dinner only
Tom's Diner
South Side
www.eatattomsdiner.com
412-488-8108
Lunch and dinner
915 Cafe at the Holiday Inn
Braddock Hills
412-247-2700
Houlihans
Station Square
www.houlihans.com
412-232-0303
Lunch and dinner
Le Mont
Mt. Washington
www.lemontpittsburgh.com
412-431-3100
June 16-22
Kaya
Strip District
www.bigburrito.com/kaya
412-261-6565
Dinner only (Wednesday is also the regular monthly vegetarian dinner)
Casbah
Shadyside
www.bigburrito.com/casbah
412-661-5656
Dinner only
Eleven
Strip District
www.bigburrito.com/eleven
412-201-5656
Dinner Only
Soba
Shadyside
www.bigburrito.com/soba
412-362-5656
Dinner only
Uubu 6
South Side
www.uubu6.com
412-381-7695
Dinner only
June 17-21 (closed Monday)
Six Penn Kitchen
Downtown
412-566-7366
Dinner only
Sonoma Grille
Downtown
www.thesonomagrille.com
412-697-1336
Lunch and dinner
June 16-21
Seviche
Downtown
www.seviche.com
412-697-3120
Dinner only
Bistro 19
Mt. Lebanon
www.bistro19.com
412-306-1919
Lunch and dinner
Palate
Downtown
www.palatebistro.com
412-434-1422
Dinner only
June 9-21
Tonic Bar and Grill
Downtown
www.tonicpittsburgh.com
412-456-0460
Dinner only
Common Plea
Downtown
www.commonplea-restaurant.com
412-697-3100
Dinner only
Atria's Restaurant
All locations
www.atrias.com
Mt. Lebanon 412-343-2411
Murrysville 724-733-4453
O'Hara 412-963-1514
Peters 724-942-1108
PNC Park 412-322-1850
Richland 724-444-7333
Robinson 412-722-1555
Pine 724-934-3660
Lunch and dinner
River Moon Cafe
Lawrenceville
www.rivermooncafe.com
412-683-4004
Dinner only
June 17-21 (not open Monday)
The Carlton
Downtown
thecarltonrestaurant.com
412-391-4152
Lunch and dinner
June 16-21
Red Room
East Liberty
www.redroomcafe.net
412-362-5800
Tuscan Inn
Allison Park
www.thetuscaninnzc.com
412-486-7696
Dinner only (closed Monday)
Mighty Oak Barrel
Oakmont
www.mightyoakbarrel.com
412-826-1069
Dinner only
Jimmy G's
Sharpsburg
jimmygs.com
412-781-4884
Lunch and dinner
June 16-22
Tusca Global Tapas
South Side
www.tuscatapas.com
412-488-9000
Call restaurant for information
Tamarind Flavor of India
Oakland
www.tamarindpa.com
412-605-0500
Dinner only (dinner for two people for $35)
June 16-22
Jimmy Wan's Taipei
Cranberry
www.taipeipgh.com
724-778-8978
Dinner only
First Published June 12, 2008 12:00 am
