Il Pizzaiolo

This is the best traditional Italian pizza in Pittsburgh. Il Pizzaiolo, located in the middle of the Mt. Lebanon business district bakes their pies in a wood fired, brick oven. They bake at 1000 degrees for only about 90 seconds. The ingredients are top quality which results in a great pie for those of you that love the true traditional, Neapolitan style. In addition to the large speciality pizza menu, they also have a nice variety of pasta dishes.

We decided to split a salad which had beautiful fresh greens along with roasted red peppers, cherry tomato, carrot, cucumber, parmigiano-reggiano, and served with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. For the main course we chose the Diavola pizza, which is San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, spicy salami, chili pepper, pecorino romano, fresh basil, and extra virgin olive oil. Excellent.

During the warm months you can dine on their private patio in the back. Il Pizzaiolo also has a nice bottled beer selection for $5 to %20, and wine at $8+. Keep in mind that a pizza with a salad and a couple of ice teas will set you back about $35...Top quality ingredients in a sit down restaurant along with a Mt. Lebanon address adds up! This isn't your typical take-out pizza joint, but that's not what they are trying to be. I also recall reading that they are opening a new location downtown, in Market Square sometime this summer. With all the new restaurants and renovations happening in Market Square, this should be a great location for them.

Il Pizzaiolo isn't really the kind of place I think of when I'm craving a pizza. For me, that would be Franks in Ambridge, but I think of it more like a nice dining experience.

As always, click on the title above to see their menu.

Chicken and Waffles

I spent a couple of days this past week in State College PA, which is the home of Penn State University. I've always really liked visiting State College. It's a small town without the traffic or major crime issues of larger city's, but just about any night of the week you have a choice of many live bands at a number of local watering holes. On a Wednesday night, we were able to catch a blues band, a great bluegrass band, and back at the hotel, a folk duo playing in the lounge, all within walking distance of each other. Anyway, another thing I love about the area is the "stick to your ribs" Pennsylvaina Dutch food found at local eateries.

In the south, chicken and waffles are famous. I know that Gladys Knight has a restaurant in Atlanta that features it as a speciality. Great southern fried chicken served on top of a thick, tasty waffle. It's not like that in Central PA though. Here the PA Dutch version is prepared with shredded chunks of chicken on top of a thick waffle and then smothered with gravy! The sweetness of the waffle combined with the tasty salty gravy makes a great traditional dish.

If you would like a recipe, or to read a little about the Pennsylvania Dutch, just click on the title above and check out Teri's Kitchen.

Pittsburgh Turkey Devonshire

I posted this several years ago, but get so much interest that I thought I'd post again. For those not familiar, the Turkey Devonshire Sandwich was a traditional Pittsburgh dish and can still be found on many local menus. Some restaurants also make Crab Devonshire, just substitute lump crab meat instead of turkey. Enjoy!

Frank Blandi's Original Devonshire Sandwich

Cream Sauce:
3/4 stick butter, melted,
1 cup flour
1/4 pound Cheddar cheese, grated
1 pint chicken broth
1 pint hot milk
1 teaspoon salt

Melt butter in deep pan and add flour, stirring constantly. Add chicken broth and then hot milk, stirring all the while. Add cheese and salt. Bring to boil, then cook slowly for 20 minutes, still stirring. Cool to lukewarm. Beat with wire whip until smooth before using. This makes enough sauce for 6 Devonshire sandwiches.

For each sandwich you need:

1 slice toast, crusts trimmed off
3 slices crisp bacon
5 thin slices cooked turkey breast
Cream Sauce, recipe above
Melted butter Parmesan cheese and paprika

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In each flat, individual oven-proof casserole dish, place 1 slice of toast and top with 3 slices bacon. Add 5 thin slices of cooked turkey breast. Cover completely with cream sauce. Sprinkle with a little melted butter, then with the combined Parmesan cheese and paprika. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Pittsburgh Fish!

In my quest for the best fish sandwich in Pittsburgh, I stopped in the Carson City Saloon on the South Side the other day. I know I've ordered fish there before, but I just forgot how good it really is! The things a monster too. Since its fish fry season, I thought I'd post this for those of you that might be looking for an alternative to you local church or fire hall.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Pittsburgh Fish Sandwich, this city has a history of serving up monstrous filet's, almost always fried, and usually cod. It's common to get a fillet a foot long served on a standard hamburger bun. Some places offer an additional bun for a little more cash. Because of the large Catholic population in the area, hundreds of local church's hold fish-frys during Lent. Volunteers will prepare, cook and serve hundreds of dinners and sandwiches each night to lines of people at these churches.

To get an idea of whats available, or to locate a fish-fry near you, click on the title "Pittsburgh Fish" above.

And yes, that is broccoli....I eat healthy!

Jean-Marc Chatellier’s French Bakery

I don't know much about baked goods, but I know when I really like them. Jean Marc Chatellier's Bakery has the best I've ever had. Really. Look him up online, read the reviews. This is really great stuff. Jean-Marc is a third generation pastry chef from a small town in Brittany, in the northwestern part of France known for buttery pastries. His father and grandfather were both bread bakers who owned boulangeries (bread bakeries), but Jean-Marc went on to become a pâtissier (a pastry and cake baker).

Jean-Marc apprenticed four years with Master Pastry Chef George Merlet in Chateaubriant, France and earned Certificat d’Aptitude Professionnelle in pastry, ice cream, and chocolate candy making from Chambres des Metiers in Nantes, France.

I had heard about this bakery years ago, but never bothered to stop. What a mistake! On a recent trip, we enjoyed a vanilla cream croissant, and a raspberry brioche. Breton Cake, or French shortbread samples were available and It was so good, I'm not sure why I didn't come home with one. Maybe next time. A variety of colorful Macarons filled one display case along with chocolate dipped strawberries, chocolate truffels and a variety of cakes, pies and pastries.

Jean Marc Chatellier's French Bakery is located in Millvale, at 213 North Avenue. Click on the title above to go to Jean-Marc's website.

Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza

Those of you that read this drivel know that I'm always on the lookout for a unique comfortable tavern, good fish sandwich or exceptional pizza. My favorite pizza's in the area, Franks and Pizza House, are both located Northwest of Pittsburgh, in Ambridge. Harry's in Peters township and Il Pizzaiolo in Mt. Lebanon are also favorites when I'm in the mood for a more traditional style. Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza which recently opened in Settlers Ridge, is going into my list of favorites.


Anthony's got their start in Florida. Hometown son and Miami Dolphins quarterback, Dan Marino soon became a patron. Dan's enthusiasm soon compelled him to become an equity partner in the business, as they started to expand throughout Florida and now in the Northeast.

The pizza is baked in a coal fired 800 degree oven and comes out thin and crispy with just a touch of burnt, similar to the wood fired style. A side salad with fresh mixed greens and full bar service (say hello to Tracy!) made for a great meal. The only complaint was that it's a bit pricy for a pizza place, but it's more of a restaurant than a typical pizza joint, so that's understandable.

Anthony's is located in Settlers Ridge in Robinson Twp, just off of the Parkway West.