Enchilada Evangelism

Hi, folks! It has been far too long since I updated. Rather than make long, extremely detailed excuses for why I have for being too busy to write blog entries, let me just say this: I'm graduating from law school in 1 month, taking the PA bar exam in 4 months, getting married in 5 months, and regaining my sanity in 6 months. Oh, and I am still unemployed. If anyone needs an environmental lawyer/foodie on staff, please let me know!

Ok, so about enchiladas. I had no idea that enchiladas could be anything special. I surmise that most people's experiences with enchiladas are either out of a box (e.g., Old El Paso dinner kits) or from a Mexican restaurant. I have eaten at many Mexican restaurants, and let me tell you: at most Mexican restaurants, it does not matter whether you order soft tacos, enchiladas, or burritos. Your food will taste pretty much the same regardless of what it is called on the menu. I can't comment on the dinner kits, but I imagine they aren't as awesome as what you can make on your own.

My enchilada epiphany came when one of my professors, learning that I was a food appreciator, loaned me a copy of an amazing Mexican cookbook. She had recently moved to Pittsburgh from Texas, where, as you might imagine, there is an abundance of excellent Tex-Mex and authentic Mexican food. Not so much here in Pittsburgh, apparently! When she learned I had no experience at all making Mexican food, and, indeed, did not even suspect that more "gourmet" Mexican food was possible than what I could get in a restaurant, she suggested I try making enchiladas. I made everything from scratch except the tortillas, and my life was changed forever. It's hard to describe how much better the sauces taste when they are not out of a can: the Salsa Verde alone is absolutely incredible.

I know what you're thinking as you scroll down this long entry full of recipes, but please do yourself a favor and give making enchiladas a try: you'll see for yourself that it's worth the investment of time.

The first thing you want to do when you are considering making your own enchiladas from scratch (minus the tortillas maybe...I haven't mastered that yet) is to make sure you have enough time. The process can be broken up by making the sauces the day before (they taste better the second day anyway) and the filling the next. Once you have all the ingredients prepared, assembling enchiladas is actually really fast (10 minutes maximum), so this is a great dish to prepare ahead, perhaps over the weekend, and have ready for fast meals during a busy week.

If you make them vegetarian, enchiladas are even faster to prepare, since preparing the meat fillings tends to take about an hour or more. I've included below my adaptation of the San Fonda Miguel chicken filling that is so amazing that, much to my chagrin (all those future enchiladas I missed out on!), Karl ended up eating the unused filling with a spoon for a midnight snack. I also included my own vegetarian filling. The San Fonda Miguel cook book also had a recipe for cheese enchiladas that seemed far too onion-y for my tastes (if you'd like to try it, it's basically raw, chopped onion mixed with Monterey Jack shredded cheese).

Some tools helpful for making enchiladas: food processor (or blender), tongs, small skillet, large skillet, griddle (or broiler)

Where to find:
chiles in adobo sauce: Mexican grocery store, and probably in the Latin American aisle at any large chain grocery store. They come in a small can.
corn tortillas: available in almost any large chain grocery store, but if you're in Pittsburgh, go to the Strip District (on Penn Avenue) and get some freshly handmade tortillas from the Mexican grocer there.
tomatillos and serrano chiles: available in most grocery stores, but definitely available in Mexican grocery stores

Enchiladas San Miguel
Serves 6

For best-tasting results, make the fillings and sauces well ahead of time and reheat just in time to assemble the final product when it’s time to eat.

Salsa Verde for Enchiladas (recipe below)
Sour Cream Sauce (recipe below)
Chicken Filling (recipe below), or Vegetarian Filling (recipe below)
6 TBSP vegetable oil
12 corn tortillas (white or yellow)

Prepare Salsa Verde and keep warm, or reheat when ready to assemble enchiladas. Prepare Sour Cream Sauce and set aside. Prepare the Chicken Filling and keep hot or reheat.

When ready to assemble enchiladas, preheat the broiler. In a small skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Make sure the oil is hot enough, or the tortillas will absorb too much oil. Using tongs, dip a tortilla into the hot oil for about 10 seconds on each side, or until softened (if it starts to get brown, it's been in too long). Quickly drain on paper towels, then immediately dip the tortilla in the warm Salsa Verde. Lay the tortilla flat on an ovenproof plate and put 3 to 4 TBSP of hot filling down in the center of the tortilla, then roll it into a tube. Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas. Place 2 enchiladas on each plate and cover with warm Salsa Verde. Spoon a couple of dollops of Sour Cream Sauce on each enchilada, then put the plates under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, until the sour cream sauce starts bubbling. Serve immediately.

Salsa Verde for Enchiladas
Makes 2 cups

15 tomatillos, husked
Half of a medium white onion
1 garlic clove
4 to 6 serrano chiles
¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
sea salt to taste

Prepare the Salsa Verde for Enchiladas. Roast tomatillos, onion, garlic, and chiles on a griddle, or under the broiler until they are blistered all over (you should turn them over frequently so they roast evenly). Combine the roasted vegetables in a food processor and process until smooth. When ready to serve, add cilantro. Adjust seasonings, adding salt if necessary. Set aside.


Sour Cream Sauce

1 1/2 cups sour cream
3/8 cup milk
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground white pepper

Whisk all ingredients together and set aside.

Chicken Filling
Makes 3 cups (fills 12 enchiladas)

3 TBSP canola oil
¼ cup chopped white onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 medium tomatoes, roasted in 350˚F oven for 10 minutes,chopped
3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 TBSP adobo sauce from the can
2 to 3 chicken breasts, poached in water seasoned with sea salt and ground black pepper, then cooled and shredded (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup chicken broth, reserved from cooking chicken
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven over low. Add the onion and garlic and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until onions are wilted and transparent (5-8 minutes). If you're worried about burning the garlic, you can add it later. Add tomatoes, chiles, and adobo sauce. Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring often until all moisture has been absorbed and the mixture is dry, about 15 minutes. Stir in the shredded chicken and broth. Cook another 3 to 4 minutes, until chicken is heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Vegetarian Filling

1 14-oz can of vegetarian refried beans (at room temperature)
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese (at room temperature)
3 TBSP onion
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients well in a small bowl. Add a little oil or water if it is too thick to easily spread into the waiting tortilla.

Girls' Night Out: Pangea

Pangea
736 Bellafonte St
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
412-621-3152

Last night, the ladies and I went out on the town. Since I'm moving next week and am feeling the stress of packing, I voted we have dinner out instead of cooking. Ariel suggested we check out Pangea, a new tapas restaurant in Shadyside.

The ambience of the restaurant is incredible: soft and yellow, helping me feel very relaxed, as though I were dining outdoors during a lazy sunset. Also, though there may have been some music playing softly, I don't remember it, which means that it was at the perfect volume. I prefer to focus on the company and conversation when I'm out with the girls! The picture of the interior here is from the Pangea website, and the lighting in the photo does some justice to the lighting in the restaurant.

We each ordered a glass of wine from the menu. Pangea offers wine flights of three 2-oz. servings each, each with a theme ($12-14). I decided just to have a glass, as I'm operating under a rather tight budget. I probably should have foregone the wine completely, but I drink wine so seldom these days that I decided to splurge. The least expensive wine by the glass is $9 and ranges up to $14. I opted for a Viognier ($9), which turned out to be delicious. It was sweet, with no acidity at all, but remained uncloying with hints of honey and apricot and the classic oily mouthfeel of a Viognier.

The girls and I decided to share the Hummus tapas flight ($11), which consisted of three tasty hummuses (Gorgonzola and chive with toasted pine nuts, artichoke and feta with Kalamata olives, and Sweet Red Pepper with roasted shallot) served with warm, seasoned pita wedges. I wasn't wild about the pita wedges paired with the hummus, since the seasonings clashed with the intense flavors of two of the hummuses. However, the hummus was excellent. There weren't enough pita wedges to go around, however, and sadly, the remaining hummus was cleared from our table before we could lick the platters clean.

I ordered a Scallop Trio flight ($16), consisting of a tempura-style fried scallop, a scallop ceviche, and a seared scallop. In other words, I paid $16 for 3 scallops. While the scallop dishes were very tasty and left me wanting more (especially of the ceviche), I do have a complaint about the price for obvious reasons.

Though the restaurant claims to be a tapas restaurant, I felt that perhaps they missed the mark. Yes, tapas are generally smaller portions; but they are also supposed to be shared. The tapas flights, for the most part, consisted of three very different items following a theme (e.g., my scallop trio), and could not easily be shared without divvying up those individual items.

I have almost nothing negative to say about anything else at Pangea. I truly enjoyed my dining experience. The food was delicious, if a bit scant in amount for the price; our server was charming without being overbearing (he even brought us a complementary dish of Potatoes Lyonaisse, which was quite tasty), and didn't even raise an eyebrow when we asked to split the check four ways; and, of course, the conversation was colorful, with nary a dull moment.

However, I probably will not go back to Pangea because I know I can get even more excellent tapas and wines at Ibiza. I could have eaten (and drunk) twice as much for the price I paid at Pangea. (By the way, I have just realized I never reviewed Ibiza on my blog, though I have reviewed its sister restaurant, Mallorca; this is a situation which I must soon remedy because the whole world needs to know about Ibiza!).

So, the verdict on Pangea is really based on your mind-over-money mentality, I suppose. If your eating experience is based solely on the quality of the food and money is not a concern, give Pangea a try: you probably won't be disappointed. However, if you are value-driven and pinching your pennies, you'd be better off eating somewhere else.

Red Drum Tap House

Red Drum Grille and Tap House
2412 S. Virginia Dare Trl (The Beach Road, Mile Post 10.5)
Nags Head, NC 27959
252-480-1095

While Karl and I were on the Outer Banks last week with my entire family, we managed to slip out for lunch one more time (after the Outer Banks Brewing Station). Karl was really craving some good local seafood, which is surprisingly hard to find on the Outer Banks. Most of the restaurants' supply of crab, at least, is imported from places like Alaska (Snow crab, King crab legs), despite the abundance of delectable blue crab on the Outer Banks.

After scouring a few OBX restaurant guides and finding out that seafood lunch buffets are hard to come by, we settled on the Red Drum Tap House, which turned to be a fortuitous choice. Not only does this place have about 18 beers on tap (most of which are craft beers instead of the usual array of Anheuser-Busch selections), but they also were featuring a soft shell crab sandwich special.

I must admit, though, that the menu at first seemed a bit disappointing. Most of the seafood selections were fried, and the non-fried (i.e., steamed) seafood choices were non-local (i.e., from Alaska). I chose the most local thing I could find for my lunch, a "Game Fish Burrito" ($10.95) with the Monterrey Jack Cheese on the side (I don't think that most fish is improved by cheese...). I'm still not sure what kind of fish it was, but it might have been blue fish. The burrito was delicious! Packed with grilled fish, it was well-balanced by the refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and sufficiently spicy salsa.

Karl fared even better. He had originally considered getting the Combination Seafood Platter ($21.95) (we would have split that), which would have included three of his choice of steamed spicy shrimp, snow crab legs, middleneck claims, and oysters. Then, feeling disappointed by the lack of local seafood, he considered risking the crab cake sandwich ($10.95), but was dissuaded when the waitress informed him that the cakes contained breading and green peppers. She recommended he try the special, a soft shell crab sandwich ($9.95), though it took some convincing. She insisted that the batter they fried the crabs in was a light one, and that the crabs were fresh off the boats on the Outer Banks.

If you have ever had soft shell crabs, you probably know that the crabs tend to be less than six inches long and are not so tasty unless fresh. You generally eat the entire thing (because the shell is edible). When the waitress brought Karl's sandwich out, I thought there must be some mistake: the crab sitting on the bun was much, much bigger than any soft shell I had ever seen! At least 8 or 9 inches across and 2 or 3 inches thick, this crab was more than substantial enough for a full meal. Karl didn't even bother with the sandwich roll. The waitress had been right about the batter, too: it was light and crispy, and the crab was perfectly cooked. Karl let me have a few bites. Yum!

Karl enjoyed it so much that, even though he was stuffed, he seriously contemplated purchasing another for takeout so he could eat it later. The waitress informed him kindly that he could simply buy his own raw soft shells down the street at local seafood market (Austin Fish Company). We stopped there on the way back and discovered those humongous soft shells were only $3! We didn't buy any, though, and I am sad that we didn't.

If you are going to the Outer Banks for vacation this year, and you enjoy crab, please do yourself a favor and seek out some of the local soft shell crabs! They are simply out of this world.

Outer Banks Brewing Station

The Outer Banks Brewing Station
P.O. Box 2584; MilePost 8.5
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948

Last week I had the pleasure of attending a family reunion in Nags Head, North Carolina on the Outer Banks. My dad's side of the family squeezed about 30 people into a beach house, and fun times were had by all.

I was extra excited because Karl tagged along for the first few days (and didn't break up with me after meeting the more temperamental and volatile half of my family). Since Karl was there, we of course had to explore the edible and drinkable possibilities brewing on the Outer Banks.

On recommendation from Gene (our favorite Church Brew Works bartender), we sought out the Outer Banks Brewing Station (on the sly, of course: my family is a bunch of teetotalers!), a brew pub at milepost 8.5 on the main highway (Croatan, or the Bypass, or "The Big Road"). When I asked my former missionary grandmother, who lives on the Outer Banks, for directions, she looked horrified, and said, "You're going there? But that's a joint!"

Oh well. We promised her we'd stay away from the bar, which seemed to satisfy her.

The Brewing Station resembles a church more than a pub (on the outside). It's a large white building with architectural aspects that suggest a nautical theme. The coolest part about the pub is that they have a windmill! I read on a blog somewhere (I'm sorry I lost the link!) that the windmill doesn't actually power the Brewing Station, but they sell the electricity it generates to the main grid and thereby receive a credit on their electricity bills. An ad we saw in one of the travel mags touted the Outer Banks Brewing Station as America's first wind-powered brew pub, which is a little misleading, but I think that this is a step in the right direction!

After being seated in the dining area (well away from the bar, Grandma!), Karl and I split a bowl of mediocre crab bisque ($5.99). Besides containing far too little crab meat, the bisque tasted cheesy. Crab bisque should have no cheese, or at least shouldn't taste like nacho sauce! It should be creamy and silky, with nice lumps of crab floating just below the surface. That bisque made me long for the she-crab soup at Soby's in Greenville, SC.

The fish (flounder) and chips ($8.99)were much more delightful, and there was plenty for Karl and me to split the lunch entrée and be stuffed. I am of the opinion that it is difficult to mess up fish and chips, but Karl has apparently had some bad experiences. The OBX Brewing Station pulled through well enough to satisfy Karl's tastes (and mine!). The batter wasn't too heavy, and we got about 5 good-sized pieces of flounder. The wedge fries were perfect: crispy and flavorful on the outside with pillows of soft potato on the inside. The fish also came with a delicious remoulade on the side.

Of course we tried the beer, too! Before ordering any pints, we ordered a tasting flight of four 5 oz. servings of their current selections ($6): Ölsch, Old Knucklehead Nut Brown Ale, Shipwreck Stout, and one that I cannot currently remember. I'll have to update when I do. The Ölsch was pretty plain. If you like light beers, go for the Ölsch. The Nut Brown Ale, on the other hand, was insane: I could appreciate what an interesting and well-crafted beer it was, but I still didn't like it. I took two or three sips and could not figure out why I didn't like it, but there it was! It is unlike any brown ale I have ever tasted. It has a strange roasted cereal taste that is juxtaposed by resiny hops. It makes a very, very strange and great beer that I, nevertheless, could not bring myself to enjoy.

The winner for me is the Shipwreck Stout. It definitely made the trip worthwhile: it's one of the tastiest and smoothest stouts I have ever had the pleasure of imbibing. The description on the menu is fairly apt: "Fat and chewy oatmeal stout with a sweet silky finish." I'm not sure that it's chewy, but it is a full-bodied beer that ends up feeling incredibly light and, yes, silky by the time you swallow. So well balanced! It's chocolate-y and slightly sweet, but not to the point of being a dessert beer. One of the things that often turns me off about stouts is that I have difficulty finishing even one pint because they are so heavy. The Shipwreck Stout is light enough that you can eat a meal and have your beer without risking explosion of the innards. It is absolutely worth the trip to the Outer Banks Brewing Station just to try the stout.

Karl also tried a pint of the Hefeweizen, which was alright. The waitress served it in a very tall hefeweizen glass with a slice of orange for garnish. Though the presentation was lovely, the beer had a little TOO strong of a banana flavor for my tastes. If you want the best brew pub hefeweizen, you should try the Church Brew Works' Heavenly Hefeweizen: I swear that it is like drinking a refreshing banana split (pineapple, strawberries, and nuts included) in a glass.

Philadelphia: Tria

123 S 18th St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 972-8742

Sorry I haven't updated in a while: I've been on Spring Break! But you can expect a steady stream of "in retrospect" reviews. I'll try to limit myself to comestibles and potables, since I had so many fun experiences in two short days visiting my brother in Philadelphia that I'm not sure I'll be able to restrain myself from giving a detailed play-by-play otherwise.

Even before my sister and I had arrived in Philadelphia, plans were afoot to go at least once to Tria, which is basically my idea of heaven. Tria is a sophisticated little bar that offers wines, cheeses, and beers (and some food, too). But not just any wines, beers, and cheeses! Tria prides itself on offering the off-the-beaten path experience, and at very fair prices, I am happy to say.

I loved the atmosphere. If you go to their website, they have a lovely photo that really captures it. Smooth lines but not a lot of space: it feels like what I think a "European" wine bar would be like (I haven't had the pleasure of that experience yet). It's pleasantly cramped in both the bar and table areas, which somehow just makes the whole experience more charming.

We went on a Sunday evening (in order to take advantage of their "Sunday School" half-off special, featuring a Greek red wine ($5.50/glass), a Gorgonzola ($3 for 3 oz.), and a Victory Brewing Co. beer (though I can't recall the name of it) ($2.50)). The lighting was a little dim, but not too dark so as to make it difficult to appreciate the color of our beverages (color is important in wine and beer!).

It took me about 15 minutes to finish perusing the menu for what I wanted. We opted not to try the Sunday School specials, at least not right away. The Greek red wine ran out, sadly, so the special changed to a Carmenere, which I tried later on. We tried so many wonderful wines, cheeses and beers (for under $100 between the four of us, not including tip!). Unfortunately, I didn't take notes while there, so I'm not going to try to recall all the beautiful things I smelled and tasted. But seriously, you have to visit this place to believe it! Below are a few of the things I remember trying; the menu changes often, so some of the things I had are no longer available online for me to refresh my memory!

I only wish that I could remember what the red wine from Cahors, France, was that Jeremy ordered: that wine was so perfect! I miss it.

One last note: Tria serves each 5 oz. serving of wine in simple, classic crystal Bordeaux-style stemware. Thank you for caring about the swirling and the sniffing, Tria!!!

Things I remember trying (and loving!):
1. Chinon Les Graves Gasnier (2006) from the Loire Valley, France [Cabernet Franc]: $8.50

2. Viogner, Renwood (2005) from Lodi, California [Viogner]: $7.50/glass

3. Tete De Moine (Cow cheese from Switzerland): $6 for 3 oz., served shaved (and shaped into a carnation!!) with hot pepper jelly

4. Cashel Blue (Cow cheese from County Tipperary, Ireland): $7 for 3 oz. served with chocolate pate

5. Allagash White (Belgian style wheat beer from Portland, Maine) $5 for 16 oz. draft

6. Reed’s Spiced Apple Ginger Brew: $2.50/bottle

Pittsburgh Fare : Church Brew Works

The Church Brew Works
3525 Liberty Ave
Pittsburgh PA 15201
Phone: 412.688.8200

I will not attempt to review everything I've ever consumed at the Church Brew Works: Karl and I are actually considered regulars there (i.e., the bartenders know us by name). Since Karl lives about a block away, several times a week, we will go there to share a pitcher of the beer brewed on site. And yes, this is a brewery and restaurant set up in a church. The atmosphere this creates is truly unique. Add the fact that the food and beer are generally a cut above what you'd expect from a bar and restaurant and you've got a winning combination!

When you walk in through the imposing double doors, the bar is on the left and the two dining sections are divided by an aisle (that used to divide the two rows of pews). This division is utilized to divide the two "sections" of the restaurant. The area near the bar boasts a "Pub Menu" and the other side is the "Dinner Menu." If you want the famous pizza, you have to sit on the bar side (although, I'm sure the servers would make an exception if you requested it). Karl and I have eaten dinner at the CBW, and unless you're out for a special occasion, on a student budget, I do not recommend it (it's pretty pricey!).

But I don't want to talk about that. Last night, Karl and I finally managed to get our hands on some of that pizza. The last time we ordered it, we were told we would have to wait an hour (it was a busy night!). Gene, our favorite bartender at the CBW, informed us that they can only fit a maximum of 5 pizzas in their wood-fired brick oven at one time, so it tends to get backed up on weekends. So, we decided to wait for another time.

Last night, we ordered the Garden Plum Tomato Pizza ($13), with plum tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, and just the right amount of mozzarella cheese. The key to any pizza is the crust. The toppings are hard to ruin (although, it has been done), but if the crust is bad, the whole pizza suffers. The Church Brew Works makes a great pizza. Because it is baked in a hardwood-fired brick oven, the crust is the perfect texture: lightly crisped on the outside, and tender on the inside. Pizza crust should never be tough and chewy. The pizzas are also a nice, generous size (I think cut into 8 or 10 large slices). They are certainly large enough to feed up to 4 people, but Karl and I managed to put the whole thing away by ourselves (I blame it on the beer! I always get hungrier when I drink beer).

Because you can't go to the CBW without ordering beer (and really, pizza and beer is a classic combination!), Karl and I indulged in a pitcher of the Millennium Trippel ($15, 9% ABV). I don't tend to be the biggest fan of Belgian-style beers, but this Trippel is one of my favorite beers that the CBW brewmaster has created. I'm not kidding when I say it tastes just like banana cream pie! Even if you don't get the smooth, creamy texture that makes it taste pie-like to me, you will not be able to deny the banana flavor. One of the reasons this Belgian-style beer is more palatable to me is that the sweetness is balanced by a subtle acidity balanced with the creamy texture. I felt that this beer paired surprisingly well with the pizza for that reason as well.

CBW pizza gets an A+ in my book! I think next time, I want to try the intriguing "Pittsburgh Pierogie Pizza, topped with potato puree, sautéed onions, garlic, and cheddar cheese ($13.50). But if you want your pizza in a timely fashion, don't go on a busy night (e.g., Friday or Saturday!).

Pittsburgh Coffee Crawl: Oh Yeah! Part II

Oh Yeah! Ice Cream Bar and Coffee Pub
232 S. Highland Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Phone: 412-253-0955

This week, the Tuesday nighters braved the "freezing rain" that was forecast after our morning mini-blizzards and forged ahead in our Coffee Crawl. Except we found ourselves back at Oh Yeah! for more ice cream and good coffee.

This time, Karl and I split a scoop of the Mint Tea Cream, probably one of the most delicious ice creams I've ever had. The peppermint refreshes the palate with a fresh burst while the subtleties effervesce up into your nose. Absolutely delicious. We didn't get a mix-in this time, but I can think of a number of things that would have been delicious mixed into this one.

We also had a coffee, which was really nice and well-balanced (despite our mixing half decaf and half dark roast).

Did I mention last time that there is a delightful (leashed) dog on the premises? Depending on your love of canines, this may or may not be a selling point for you. The dog is very friendly, a large-ish black boxer mix. No barking has been heard up to this point, but the dog is very desirous of playtime, even with fairly new-found friends. Don't be surprised if you find his head in your lap with a ball while you're sipping your coffee!

Another bonus: clearly marked recycling receptacles for of all plastic utensils and cups. Yay! The more I got to Oh Yeah!, the more I like it.

Pittsburgh Coffee Crawl: Oh Yeah!

Oh Yeah! Ice Cream Bar and Coffee Pub
232 S. Highland Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Phone: 412-253-0955

Last night, the Tuesday crew chose the new Oh Yeah! Ice Cream Bar and Coffee Pub as the destination for mid-week merriment and de-stressification from the arduous life of law school.

Oh Yeah! is in a two story house (it's situated on the first floor). You walk up the stairs to the porch and into the wide-open door (it was warm last night). The walls are covered in burlap coffee sacks, hung like artwork, with a smattering of paintings. Its somewhat tropical ambience is supported by the patio tables, complete with open umbrellas, that are the only source of seating other than the retro bar stools near the espresso bar. I also liked that Oh Yeah! supplies a few rows (and stacks) of well-loved books for cafe reading, from Simpsons comic books to Jonathan Swift and John Steinbeck to Gilbert & Sullivan's (opera libretti!)! A rather eclectic selection to choose from.

The main draw of this place is that they tout the use of almost exclusively local and organic products. They serve a variety of ice creams (with vegan options) with a TON of available mix-ins. The ice creams are products of Woo City, an Ohio company that makes hand-packed ice creams, sorbets, and frozen tofus (or "woo fu" as they call it) using all organic ingredients. The cream used to make the ice cream comes from grass-fed Amish cows, making it, supposedly, a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Great! Ice cream is now healthy! Ice cream flavor choices included Amaretto Peach, Guinness and Bass flavors, and Grasshopper, among others.

The coffee, though obviously not locally grown, is locally roasted at La Prima in Pittsburgh. The cafe also sells baked goods and other products of local businesses. Pretty cool, in my opinion.

In the interests of giving Oh Yeah! the proper review, Karl and I were forced to try the ice cream, though the rest of our group stuck to the coffees and teas. I got a small scoop of the Malted Vanilla Woo Fu (which was, I learned later, a frozen tofu -- NOT ice cream!) blended with habenero pepper powder. The scoop + blend costs $2.75 (a bit pricey, if you ask me, but probably worth it considering the organic ingredients and hand-packing). To create my blend, the barrista scooped the ice cream into a cup, sprinkled the powder on it, and then used a Matrix-like drill to blend it: this is not your average Blizzard machine!!!

I know, I picked a strange combination, but sweet and spicy is probably one of the more overlooked taste combinations. In retrospect, I should have mixed the habanero with either the regular (albeit sugar-free) vanilla ice cream, or possibly the 5-star Chocolate ice cream. It was still pretty delicious, and I didn't even notice that I wasn't eating ice cream (which is kind of incredible).

Karl got the Caramel Bourbon Vanilla ice cream blended with candied ginger. I'm sure it was delicious, but for some reason, the taste of my ice cream made the Caramel Bourbon Vanilla taste like dish detergent. Karl verified the effect after tasting mine, so I know the ice cream doesn't actually taste like dish detergent. Just be forewarned in the highly unlikely event you try to have both at the same time...

We also tried the espresso ($1.85), which was really pleasant, even as it cooled. The acidity factor was pretty low, but the espresso was dark and rich and really well-balanced. This was no stomach-eating Starbucks espresso, that's for sure.

One weird quirk: the bathroom door is a one-way mirror. So you can't see into the bathroom, but you can watch everyone while you go! I have severely mixed feelings about this, but I applaud Oh Yeah!'s attempt to liberate its customers a little.

I'll definitely be going back, especially once it warms up a little bit.

Coffee Crawl in Pittsburgh: Tango Cafe

Tango Cafe
5806 Forward Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Phone: (412) 421-1390
www.tangocafepgh.com

The Tuesday night crew continued its search for the perfect Pittsburgh cafe with a visit to the Tango Cafe in Squirrel Hill. Boasting an authentic Argentinian menu of pastries and coffees, this unassuming little cafe packs a serious punch.

Our group of seven arrived around 9 p.m. (the cafe closes at 10 p.m.). Immediately when you walk in the door, your eyes (if they are dessert-seeking like mine) will be drawn to the small pastry case containing Argentinian pastries and cookies. Karl and I decided we had to split a Merengue ($1.99), which consisted of sweet, thick and delicious dulce de leche sandwiched between two perfectly baked merengue cookies drizzled with chocolate: the yum-factor was strong in these cookies.

I also ordered a cafe con leche ($2.10), although I really had my eye on the Tango Submarino, which the barrista informed me in her lilting Spanish accent was a bar of dark chocolate submerged in a mug of steamed milk ($3.10). I'll definitely be trying that next time!

I'm enjoying trying out different coffee shops. It's a shame that last year's regular Tuesday night meeting place, Make Your Mark Artspace and Coffehouse, is no longer open until 10 p.m. on Tuesdays, but at least we are getting to try out some of the other great locally owned cafes in our area. I wonder where we'll end up next Tuesday...?

If there is a limit to all things and a measure
And a last time and nothing more and forgetfulness,
Who will tell us to whom in this house
We without knowing it have said farewell?

from "Limits" by Jorge Luis Borges of Argentina (1899-1986)

"Jazz" in Pittsburgh: Paparazzi

Paparazzi
2100 E Carson St
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
Phone: (412) 488-0800

Saturday night, Karl and I went out with one of his friends, Neal, and Neal's girlfriend Heather who was visiting from out of town. Neal had expressed interest in finding a good jazz club as the site of our Saturday escapade, and he settled on Paparazzi, which was supposed to have a jazz band performing that night.

Paparazzi is a combination bar and restaurant. The restaurant is on the second floor, and the bar is on the first floor. The bar has a very small dance space (supposedly to accommodate swing dancers for their monthly swing nights): it doesn't seem large enough for more than two pairs to really heat things up, though.

When we arrived, the band was still setting up, so we just took our seats and ordered drinks. My Pomegranate Truffle martini ($7) was pretty delicious, I have to confess. Karl ordered a Yeungling for $2.50.

Then the band started playing.

Now, I don't know if they changed their lineup because there was an undergraduate fraternity playing "Bar Golf" passing through, or if they really weren't a jazz band at all: the first song they played was a cover of Usher's "Yeah!" Then they played "Kiss" (Prince), "Sexyback" (Justin Timberlake), and "Billie Jean" (Michael Jackson), before they settled into some old-school soul and R&B (following the exit of the golfers).

Needless to say, I was not terribly impressed. Although, to be fair, they were a good group of musicians. The covers were very good. I was probably not enthused because i had come expecting jazz.

Ah well. I wouldn't mind going back just to hang out at the bar. The patrons were an eclectic mix of senior citizens (dressed in their finery), middle-aged businesspeople, 20-somethings, and, of course, the undergraduate fraternity/sorority crowd. Any bar that hosts such a mixed crowd is ok in my book!

Pomegranate Truffle Martini

2 oz Pomegranate Flavored Vodka
1 oz White Crème de Cacao
1 oz Fresh Cream
½ oz Grenadine

Shake well with ice in a shaker and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a Maraschino cherry.

Breakfast in Pittsburgh: Coca Cafe

Coca Cafe
3811 Butler Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 7am - 3pm
Saturday 9am - 3pm
Sunday Brunch 10am - 3pm
Phone: 412-621-3171


After an early-morning service project with the Pitt Legal Income Sharing Foundation (PLISF), seven of us decided to change our breakfast plan from Pamela's, the staple student breakfast venue in the Oakland and Shadyside areas, to trying the Coca Cafe in Lawrenceville. I had been there last year for Sunday brunch with my friends Matt, Katie, Ben, and Dave and enjoyed it very much, but hadn't gotten around to going again.

The decor, as you can see in the photos, is very artsy, but bright and uncluttered. With a party of seven in a fairly small space, we procured a table immediately at 9:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning. When I came last time on a Sunday, the place was swarming with people and my party of five had to wait 40 minutes for a table.

The food was spectacular, even more so than I remembered. I had been planning to eat as cheaply as possible. The obvious choice in that case would be to get the Hot Irish Oatmeal with brown sugar, dried fruit, walnuts, and milk for $5.00 (fresh berries an additional $1). However, when I saw on the menu Herbed Goat Cheese French Toast with Berries ($7.75), all thoughts of frugality and budgeting fled my intrigued mind.

After waiting only about 15 minutes, our food arrived, piping hot and all at the same time: quite a feat for a small kitchen! My French Toast (made with Challah bread stuffed with a basil goat-cheese and served with fresh strawberries and blueberries) was perfect. I had worried that the flavor combinations would be a bit strange, but the mild, creamy tang of the goat cheese melded wonderfully with the berries' sweetness. The three thick slices of golden, crisp Challah were the perfect canvas for the simple yet sophisticated flavor combinations.

I passed out nibbles of my adventurous French Toast to other inquisitive diners, and they all agreed that it was, at least, interesting! In exchange, I got to try Ariel's Egg White Omelet with fresh spinach, basil, goat cheese, and tomatoes ($6.50) and Ruchi's Southwest Breakfast Wrap (scrambled tofu [substituted for eggs], roasted peppers, spinach, caramelized onions, and Meunster cheese in a wheat wrap ($6.50)); both tasted scrumptious.

One minor annoyance: for a party of our size (7), the restaurant has a policy of refusing to split the table's check to accommodate several methods of paying. For larger parties of modern card-carrying consumers who don't often carry cash, this could be a major setback, especially for new or infrequent diners.
The restaurant does accept credit cards.


Note: The menu on the Coca Cafe website is a little out-of-date, but most of what is currently on the menu can be viewed there. Just be aware that the prices may have changed (usually increased).

Spanish Cuisine in Pittsburgh: Mallorca

Yesterday, after feeding our spirits at Shadyside Presbyterian and feeding our inner-outdoorspeople at REI, Karl and I feasted mightily at Mallorca, a Spanish restaurant on E. Carson and 22nd in the South Side.

The Pittsburgh City Paper named Mallorca for "Best Outdoor Dining" and "Best Spanish Food" in Pittsburgh. While it was a bit chilly (17˚F) to test the former, I certainly agree with the latter award!

Right next door to Mallorca is its sister restaurant, Ibiza, a tapas and wine bar that Karl and I enjoy frequenting for its delicious and varied array of tapas and inexpensive wine flights ($10 and up for 4 half-glasses). We were pretty excited to explore the heftier Spanish fare at Mallorca.

Mallorca would clearly have been out of the question price-wise for two poor graduate students (entrees $17-$40) had it not been for the uber-generosity of Karl's parents. His father, while in town for a convention a couple of months ago, had chanced across Mallorca for lunch, enjoyed the goat immensely, and consequently promised Karl that he and I could have a meal there on him.

Well, we didn't get his goat. We had all the best intentions of ordering goat for lunch, but the first special we heard in our waiter's thick, Spanish accent changed our plans: wild boar.

Neither of us had ever had wild boar previously. We briefly considered the rabbit entree but settled on Plan A: splitting the wild boar ($36, with an extra plate costing a mere $6.00) and ordering two bowls of soup ($4.95 each). It seemed like it would be a nice light lunch. We assumed that the wild boar entree would be a lunch-sized portion...

Though the wine list doesn't list any, Mallorca does offer wine by the glass. Since we didn't want a bottle, we ordered two glasses of their house Rioja ($8 each) in anticipation of a good pairing with the boar. The Rioja was delicious: the nose smelled obviously of chocolate-covered cherries that carried over into the taste. The bottle had clearly been open for a while, allowing the tannins of this Tempranillo wine to soften and highlight the bright berry notes with faint spice.

We started off with salads of mixed greens, onions, tomatoes, and hearts of palm in a mustard-y version of thousand island dressing (included in the price of entree). I nibbled at mine, picking out the hearts of palm (my favorite!). I didn't want to spoil my appetite, after all.

Our soups arrived shortly after the salads: one Sopa de Ajo (Garlic soup) and one Caldo Gallego (Spanish Vegetable Soup). The Sopa de Ajo was delicious, with the traditional soft-cooked egg in the bowl. I enjoyed the Caldo Gallego soup, too. The hot soup chased the chills from our bones.

Then came our "light lunch."

Two legs of falling-off-the-bone boar in a delicious sauce with lima beans , a plate of yellow rice, a plate of freshly fried potato slices and a bowl of mixed vegetables later (most of which we had wrapped up to go), we ordered a piece of almond cake (who can resist almond cake, I ask you?). The waiter also brought us two complimentary almond liqueurs from the bar. Did we feel like royalty? Oh yes!

Waddling out to the car, our bellies full and with the promise of a repeat meal (due to our sizeable doggy bag), we decided that we'd definitely return some day to taste the goat.