Lifestyle • March 18, 2025

Restaurant Roulette with Suzanne! March Issue!

by Suzanne Lorenzi Sala

There are 3 rules to the game:

1) Every month one person picks the places to dine.

2) No one in the group could have eaten there before.

3) Everyone splits the bill.

Follow me on this journey of tasting new things and learning more about the city I love! Feel free to use this game with your own family or friends and share below the amazing places you find throughout your travels!

-MARCH-

The march restaurant choices were up to me this time and I did a great job with a little help from Rachael!

We started the evening at Nan Xiang in the Southside Works, a Chinese restaurant chain that originated in Flushing, NY. We were warned about the wait but it was not bad at all. On a Friday, we arrived a little before 6:00 and were seated by 6:20, no reservations. Scanning the QR code has your number and how many parties are ahead of you. They did a great makeover of the large space and it is very bright.

We ordered a lot to try and brought home plenty of leftovers.

An order of veggie spring rolls ($6) were light and crispy served with a dipping sauce.

The pan fried pork dumplings ($8.50) were our favorite.

We had pan fried pork buns ($10) that were quite good and the meat was delicious.

The pan fried crispy noodles with shredded beef had vegetables, was a generous portion but was light on flavor ($13.75).

The fun part was the chicken soup dumplings ($11.50). They provide instructions at the table on how to eat them. We both failed on our first two attempts. We pierced them before they got to our mouths so we lost the soup!! They give you a small porcelain spoon to eat them but they are large and you eat them in one bite. It was fun trying to eat soup dumplings properly. We did it successfully on try number three. It has been nominated for a Michelin star.

Off for dessert in Oakmont in heavy snow showers to The Pub at 333. We ordered crème brûlée ($8) and fried dough ($8) along with a Kahlua and coffee ($8.50) and an espresso martini ($14).

The crème brûlée was your average crème brûlée but the fried dough brought smiles and yums from both of us. We were served a bowl with a base of cheesecake frosting covered with small dough balls and topped with fresh strawberries and blueberries. It was simple and delicious. And…Rachael was happy to discover chocolate covered espresso beans at the bottom of her martini!

Until next time, happy eating!

Lifestyle • February 18, 2025

Restaurant Roulette with Suzanne! February Issue!

by Suzanne Lorenzi Sala

There are 3 rules to the game:

1) Every month one person picks the places to dine.

2) No one in the group could have eaten there before.

3) Everyone splits the bill.

-FEBRUARY-

This month was Rachael’s pick and her choice was Piyola, an Uzbek restaurant in the heart of Mount Lebanon. They offer a number of market items for sale from their region throughout the restaurant such as robes, pottery, blankets, and wall hangings. We followed the hostess to the back dining room and were delighted with the beauty of it with a rolling video of their countryside and the pottery along the textured wall.

We started with a chicken and a beef samsa served with a side of tomato sauce. Very reasonably priced at $3.00 each. They were light dough pockets filled with nicely seasoned ground meats and were tasty.

We ordered two entrees to share, creamy beef medallions ($20) and lamb shish kebab ($30). The dishes were nicely presented, the beef medallions plated with mashed potatoes, sticky rice and pureed green beans. Great seasonings and flavor. The lamb was grilled and served with sticky rice, thinly sliced red onion, greens and tomatoes with a side of the tomato sauce, very nice and tender.

We decided to stay and try a dessert called the choconut, described as a Snickers flavor, served jelly roll style. It was a generous portion but was light on flavor AND no coffee! They did serve tea. Overall the food was very good, different but the service was very slow.

Until next time, happy eating!

Lifestyle • January 30, 2025

Restaurant Roulette with Suzanne! January Issue!

by Suzanne Lorenzi Sala

There are 3 rules to the game:

1) Every month one person picks the places to dine.

2) No one in the group could have eaten there before.

3) Everyone splits the bill.

-JANUARY-

Welcome to 2025 and our restaurant blog. Happy New Year everyone!

We kicked off the year with Suzanne’s choice, Viva la Vida located in Fox Chapel.

First time we are including a video of our most adorable smoking drinks, Rachael a spicy pineapple margarita ($13) and me, a traditional margarita, no salt ($10). They had very attentive service.

Click Here to View the Video!

Upon seating we were served a carafe of cold water, chips and salsa. We enjoyed the thick, creamy queso.

For dinner we enjoyed Al Pastor street tacos with rice ($15) and carne asada especiale ($23) – flank steak, enchilada verde, and elote corn. Everything was well presented and served hot, however the flank steak was a little chewy.

The restaurant is a wide open dining room with a nice bar. It was crowded so it was a bit loud. Give it a try.

In the same plaza is a place, Local Provisions, a combination market selling ‘local’ food items and a counter/cafe where food and desserts are served. We did not choose any of their offerings so we crossed the road and broke our own rules and enjoyed Baskin and Robbins Ice Cream, a favorite!

Until next time, happy eating!

Lifestyle • December 23, 2024

Restaurant Roulette with Suzanne! December Issue!

by Suzanne Lorenzi Sala

There are 3 rules to the game:

1) Every month one person picks the places to dine.

2) No one in the group could have eaten there before.

3) Everyone splits the bill.

-DECEMBER-

I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas but there were snow flurries this evening! It was Rachael’s choice of restaurants this month and she picked Italian, Shrodi’s Cucina di Maria in Plum. Over Thanksgiving I kept saying I wanted sauce and tonight my wish was granted. Shrodi’s is an old stone house with a bar addition and ample parking. We had a sweet, attentive waitress and our food was served hot.

We were served warm bread with a garlicky oil dipping sauce and ordered meatballs as a starter ($11). They served three generous sized meatballs and the house made meat sauce.

Their dinners are paired with pasta and soup or salad. We felt that they were very fairly priced considering the portions. I ordered the pasta di fagioli and Rachael the side salad. The soup was tasty and the salad was very fresh served with mushrooms and shredded Parmesan with a cruet of homemade house dressing.

My chicken Parmesan was lightly breaded and topped with sauce and cheese, accompanied by a side of pasta. ($22)

Rachael’s was really good. She had bucatini with guanciale (pig cheek), coated in Parmesan and it was cooked perfectly. We both have plenty for dinner another time. ($16)

We didn’t stop there. We ordered a rich gluten free chocolate torte and decaf coffee. It was a good dinner in an inviting restaurant with a sweet server, nice experience.

We hope you all have a great holiday season!

Lifestyle • November 18, 2024

Restaurant Roulette with Suzanne! November Issue!

by Suzanne Lorenzi Sala

There are 3 rules to the game:

1) Every month one person picks the places to dine.

2) No one in the group could have eaten there before.

3) Everyone splits the bill.

-NOVEMBER-

Tonight we did our monthly dining outing for November and it was my choice. We only did one spot this evening called Cala Lily located in a shopping plaza in Gibsonia. Cute, comfortable spot with a great friendly wait staff and it was quiet enough to hear each other talk.

Rachael started with Pinot Grigio and we began with fried artichoke hearts ($18) and pasta carbonara with bacon and peas. It had nice flavor but I prefer the pasta a little more al dente. They served individual focaccia rolls, light with a warm crispy crust.

We shared a Ron’s Elegant salad, greens and berries dressed with a Spanish Italian vinaigrette dressing. ($11)

Our entree was chicken Romano piccata with a lemony sauce, capers and button mushrooms. ($32) They plated it individually with wilted spinach and a small side of pasta and snow peas. We both enjoyed the food and it was a very comfortable atmosphere.

To top it off we shared a pecan ball, as big as a softball, served with a generous coating of pecans, delicious hot fudge and caramel sauce with whipped cream. Nice experience.

Until next month, happy eating!

Lifestyle • October 20, 2024

Restaurant Roulette with Suzanne! October Issue!

by Suzanne Lorenzi Sala

There are 3 rules to the game:

1) Every month one person picks the places to dine.

2) No one in the group could have eaten there before.

3) Everyone splits the bill.

-OCTOBER-

Tonight was our monthly dinner and Rachael knocked it out of the park with her choice. Alberta’s Pizzeria on the North Side is definitely a place to visit if you like great pizza baked in a huge wood fired oven.

We started with anchovy and egg served on a bed of bibb lettuce delicately topped with a light dressing. ($8) Our meal went to more and more delicious from there.

We ordered the White Boy pizza and added mushrooms and prosciutto, nothing short of fabulous! ($28)

The cutoletto is a HUGE pork schnitzel fried in a crispy coating served with lemon wedges. ($25)

We laughed and said our dinner was light on vegetables but was truly delicious.

Great job. Fresh flowers everywhere and a very melted candelabra. Nice soft decor, great wait staff, and a few outdoor tables. We really liked this. Your bill comes with a 20% gratuity because they believe in paying the staff a living wage. If you choose to add extra it goes straight to the wait staff.

And…..in the back they have a couple of pinball machines. Bonus! I won!! (Funny. Rarely do I win).

On our next stop Rachael was out at first base. We went to Nothingman in Bloomfield for dessert. No strawberry pretzel salad. We ordered pistachio fluff. ($10) Very basic. No coffee. Will not go back, but we enjoyed the evening and Alberta’s is a hit. Try it.

Until next time, happy eating!

Lifestyle • September 8, 2024

Restaurant Roulette with Suzanne! September Issue!

by Suzanne Lorenzi Sala

There are 3 rules to the game:

1) Every month one person picks the places to dine.

2) No one in the group could have eaten there before.

3) Everyone splits the bill.

-SEPTEMBER-

This month was my choice of restaurants and it was a fun night out. We enjoyed a leisurely dinner at Tocayo, a brightly decorated Mexican restaurant in Shadyside.

We started with a tray of chips and three dips ($12) with a spicy mango margarita for Rachael ($14) and a traditional margarita for me ($12), all tasty and the drinks were nicely garnished.

Rachael ordered a drowned carnitas burrito, huge!! A flour tortilla stuffed full with tender pork, white rice, peppers and onions and doused in queso and roasted tomato salsa. ($15)

Mine was traditional steak fajitas, a very generous sized portion so we both went home with leftovers. ($18)

Then we went to AWC (Awareness and Wellness Center) on Walnut Street for a sound bath session with Monique Mead. This was my second visit, a first for Rachael. There were about a dozen people, a much larger class than my first visit. Each person lays on a big bean bag – a Yogi Bo Max – covered with a blanket and has a small bean bag eye cover. She turns the lights down low and the various sounds envelope the room, beginning with Monique playing the violin. I read her profile online and it is impressive. She is a professor at CMU and even studied under Leonard Bernstein!! The idea of the sound bath is like yoga to exercise, relax and forget the cares of the world. The Yogi Bo is ultimately comfortable and the experience is so relaxing that I fell asleep. ($35/person)

We topped off the night at Cinnaholic in East Liberty where you customize your cinnamon roll with a huge assortment of toppings.

We split the Incline with frosting, cookie dough, peanut butter cups and a chocolate drizzle. It was good, shockingly sweet and $9 for one cinnamon roll. At 8:30 PM they only served regular coffee and there was no seating. I was not a fan of the business model. It was a beautiful evening so we sat outside on the steps to enjoy our purchase with the other Cinnaholics since they offered no seating. I would only recommend going on a nice day unless you plan to take your goodies home to enjoy.

After the Sound Bath experience I came home and slept soundly.

Until next month, happy eating!

Lifestyle • August 15, 2024

Restaurant Roulette with Suzanne! August Issue!

by Suzanne Lorenzi Sala

There are 3 rules to the game:

1) Every month one person picks the places to dine.

2) No one in the group could have eaten there before.

3) Everyone splits the bill.

-AUGUST-

Last night was Rachael’s choice of restaurants for the month. Cornerstone in Aspinwall was the destination. It is an attractive establishment offering a lovely front covered patio and an inside bar and dining room with white tablecloths and great service.

Rachael ordered a Plane Ride ($12) with her favorite aperol, maker’s mark, agave and a luxardo cherry.

We shared a Stone burger topped with gruyère cheese, dried tomatoes and bacon onion jam ($18). It was a very thick burger served with a side of sweet potato fries.

The Mac n Cheese was tossed with pancetta, leeks, spring peas, mascarpone and Al dente orecchiette ($24). Very creamy but light on flavor.

On to Oakmont for ice cream at Brr-Kee’s, open year round. It is a popular spot!! They did not offer a huge number of flavors, but they are very reasonably priced.

I thought my espresso iced cream sandwich was presented really cute and homemade-looking in a sandwich baggie. It made me smile. Rachael had a nice hot fudge sundae topped with pecans and whipped cream.

A gentleman asked to join us at our picnic table and he had a beautiful banana split commenting that he lives in Verona and Brr-Kee’s is often his dinner!

Until next time, happy eating!

Lifestyle • July 29, 2024

Restaurant Roulette with Suzanne! July Issue!

by Suzanne Lorenzi Sala

There are 3 rules to the game:

1) Every month one person picks the places to dine.

2) No one in the group could have eaten there before.

3) Everyone splits the bill.

-JULY-

We were a little late for our dinner this month but it was certainly worth the wait. We went to Albero Verde in the Scott Towne Center, the former Il Burloni site. The space has been refreshed, light, and bright with much more space between tables. Anthony is the chef – very personable – and the dishes are uniquely prepared in front of the dining room.

We arrived during happy hour and ordered the pepperoni and salami Stromboli, alike to slices of Stromboli served with a red sauce and fried chicken skewers, very meaty and crispy.

The warm mushroom salad was really delicious, plated family style ($12). Always appreciated! Served with Parmesan crispies and slices of warm sautéed mushrooms.

I never order fish so for me I went out on a limb and ordered the branzino ($41). It was butterflied with prosciutto and goat cheese in the middle and topped with eggplant and asparagus. The fish was white and flaky and we ate every bite.

Dessert! We decided to stay and have dessert there instead of our usual moving on to try another place. How could we pass up a gooey baked chocolate chip cookie ($3) and funnel cake topped with the creamiest lemon gelato and candied mint? ($10) Yum!!

My favorites were the warm mushroom salad and the lemon gelato.

Albero Verde is BYOB.

Give them a try. The menu is a little different and the food is great.

Best wishes to Anthony!

Until next time…

Lifestyle • June 12, 2024

Restaurant Roulette with Suzanne! June Issue!

by Suzanne Lorenzi Sala

There are 3 rules to the game:

1) Every month one person picks the places to dine.

2) No one in the group could have eaten there before.

3) Everyone splits the bill.

-JUNE-

This month was Rachael’s choice. We started the evening at the Three Rivers Art Festival and it was a very warm, sunny day. We walked through the art market that was set up across the Ninth Street Bridge and along the Duquesne Boulevard. It is nice to see so many artists out displaying their talents. There were plenty of food stations set up and a nice number of picnic tables. The band was playing and it was very enjoyable to hear the steel drums.

On to the Strip District to try Balvanera, an Argentinian restaurant. The Strip was bustling with activity from an outdoor exercise class, to people riding bikes, and crowded restaurants with filled outdoor patios.

We really liked Balvanera. The servers were extremely attentive and friendly, the table was wiped between servings and fresh silverware was placed between courses. The decor was light and airy with a lot of light wood, mirrors, and big light fixtures but it was a bit loud for conversation.

Rachael enjoyed the house Malbec while we ordered several small plates and the skirt steak, served with fresh chimi, salsa criolla and roasted garlic.

For the small plates we started with Gildas ($10)—cute, fresh skewers of guindilla peppers, anchovies, onions and manzanilla olives, and the Harlow’s Caesar salad ($16).

Next we had the arancini de coliflor ($12)—cauliflower and rice croquettes with melted cheese. They were light and fried perfectly.

The steak was tender and delicious with a smokey flavor ($32). To pair, we ordered the papas frites ($10)—French fries and rueda de cordero ($16)—housemade lamb sausage served with pear chutney and herb salad.

To top off the evening, we ordered the Tarta de Chocolate, a rich chocolate ganache served with whipped creme fraiche. It was decadent and served with a rich cup of coffee. Everything was very fresh and well seasoned. Give it a try, we enjoyed Balvanera!

Until next time, happy eating!

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