PGH Dining: PLUM Pan Asian Kitchen

Often times during the week, I find myself not wanting to make the dinner I'd planned to make earlier while grocery shopping on Saturday or Sunday. Some nights you just feel like eating something specific for dinner. Friday night was one of those nights; I'd had a super stressful week {I am a busy job-seeker after all}, and to me, there's nothing better to soothe than sushi and cocktails.

We began driving around, ignoring our phone apps and GPS, and stopped at PLUM Pan Asian Kitchen on Centre Avenue, where it turns into Penn Circle South. We parked in the convenient attached parking lot, which was a bonus in our book.  We walked in to a bustling restaurant, and noticed it was nicer than we initially thought it would be. The lighting was delicate. It was a professionally-dressed crowd. The tables were covered in white tablecloths. We were seated at a two-seater booth plus chair in the middle of the main dining room, and proceeded to look at the several-page-long menu {the link doesn't include sushi or cocktail options...those are separate!}. 

Lady drink versus Man drink.

I ordered a spicy rum cocktail with light fruit juices, and Husband ordered a local stout. Both were super delicious. We then moved on to sushi, ordering the Marilyn Mon Roll {fried soft shell crab, avocado and caviar} and a spicy yellowtail roll {in lieu of the usual spicy tuna roll}.

Marilyn Mon Roll

It was mentioned as one of the patron's favorites.

Spicy Yellowtail Roll.

We both thought the rolls had a generous helping of fish and other ingredients for the price. Additionally, the sushi was on-point in taste. It wasn't outstanding, best-sushi-I've-ever-had, but we didn't have any complaints. 

I also ordered the Tealeaf Salad, which was to have an assortment of 'individual helpings' of nuts, dried fruits and other tasty bits glossed in a tamarind leaf dressing. 

Tealeaf Salad, with terrible lighting.

To pile the goodies on the outskirts of the plate was an interesting idea, and I especially enjoyed the toasted garlic chips on the side. Sweet, yet intensely garlicky. Slices that thin can become burnt so easily, but these were perfect!

The dressing, however, was not very strong, and was somewhat lost in all of the nuts, seeds and dried fruits. I was expecting it to be more 'tamarind flavored,' but it ended up being more of a simple vinaigrette.  I didn't miss it though! Lovely salad.

We then ordered another sushi roll, just because. Husband can never get enough of those fried crustacean rolls, so we ordered the Rock and Roll, which featured rock shrimp. Cute presentation!

The Rock and Roll...roll.

We ended the meal on a liquid dessert, in the form of a lychee martini. Sweet and tart!

Lychee Martini.

For a spur-of-the-moment dinner, PLUM served us well. It was certainly not too crowded to walk in without reservations, but we may have just hit the restaurant at the right time. I can imagine that this would be a fun dinner spot for a group of coworkers, or for a couple of friends catching up over several plates of sushi. If in Shadyside/East Liberty and in need of a sushi and cocktail night, PLUM Pan Asian Kitchen is it!

PGH Dining: Burgatory Bar

 I'm warning you now, readers, that this will be a somewhat lackluster post. While I loved the greasy goodness of Burgatory, there were several features of the event that weren't stellar.
First, Husband and I had tried to go eat at Burgatory Bar, a spankin' new restaurant in the Waterworks Mall in Aspinwall {across the river from us in UpLa*}, but were unsuccessful because of the TWO HOUR WAIT {in December}. So, this time, we came prepared. We walked in on a Thursday evening, threw our name on the reservations list, and was told it would take about 45 minutes to an hour before we could get any table {they have tall boys as well as booths or chairs}. Fine. Great. Will do. We then proceeded to shop at T.J. Maxx and other smaller stores nearby. After about 50 minutes, Burgatory texted my phone to let me know I had less than 10 minutes to rush my buns over to the restaurant, or I would lose my table. We BOOKED it over, and made it in time to be seated at a two-person table near these puppies:

Flame Sculptures! {Or maybe some sort of space heater?}

Another one.

After taking a breather from our jog to the restaurant, we looked over the menu, which held a bevy of delicious options from chicken chili to salads to custom burgers. Husband didn't end up getting a "Custom Creation," but he HAD filled out the form.

He noticed lettuce wasn't an option. Weird. It IS a burger place, after all. 

We continued to look over the menu {and took in the cutesy posters on the wall, below} before deciding on sharing a burger and a salad, which would follow our appetizer of all appetizers... 

We couldn't pass up the truffled Gorgonzola fries. Could you?

Bucket O' Fries.

 The Gorgonzola stayed mostly in clumps, and stuck to the oiled fries delightfully as you snagged a few for your bite. The green onions added a nice bite to cut through the richness of the cheese and white truffle oil. 

 After eating 85% of that bucket of absolutely delicious fries, we were thankful that we were sharing our entrees. I ordered the Farm House salad, which featured "Baby Lettuces and Arugula tossed with Sunflower Seeds, Shaved Parmesan, Roasted Roma Tomatoes, Sweet Corn, Haystack Onions and Balsamic Vinaigrette".

My portion of the salad.

 I wish I could say I loved this salad. I do. It has every typical item I love to sprinkle onto the salads I make at a salad bar or at home for a light dinner. This salad, however, was RUINED by the incredibly acidic balsamic vinaigrette. Biting. Seriously. Additionally, the 'roasted' roma tomatoes resembled jarred sun-dried leathery bits. The corn was basically nonexistent. Neither of us found more than four kernels. The only redeeming factors of this salad was the crispy onion rings, being super thin and perfectly crunchy, and the pieces of shaved Parmesan for their salty taste.

The salad, as I began to pick through to unsuccessfully find tasty bits.

We were so ashamed at how little of the salad we ate, that we took the rest home to cover our tracks.

On to the burger. That lovely, meaty dish that won our hearts for Burgatory. The meat was cooked well, and the vegetables and condiments were fresh. The bun was a winner, too. It was buttery and airy, without falling apart as soon as we dove into our respected halves. 

Can you tell I was super pleased with the bun?

 Finally, we had some room left in our stomachs, so we indulged in a Campfire S'Mores shake. The shakes, at $6 for a classic and $8 for a hard boozy one, are thankfully served with any extra shake liquid that won't fit in the frosty glass. 

Our shake was a chocolate base with graham crackers blended in. The grainy texture might sound terrible to some {and I thought I'd agree!}, but it went so well with the whipped cream and toasted marshmallow on top for the overall S'More effect. Check plus from these ice cream lovers on that!
Getting into Burgatory was an exhausting feat, but I think it was worth it. I'd give them a solid B+, considering the dishes we ordered, and how typical they'd be for burgers and fries fare. With some extra credit work on the wait time and salad, they'd bring themselves up almost a letter.

*Note: I've deemed our neighborghood, Upper Lawrenceville, as UpLa. I mean, if Lower Lawrenceville gets called LoLa, then we should have something fun, too, right?! 

PGH Dining: Pho Van

 On a rainy night last week, Husband and I indulged in our favorite dark and stormy weather pastime - having a steamy bowl of pho. We decided to head to Pho Van, located in The Strip District, because of the look of the storefront {I know, we're superficial!}, the number of people inside {always a good indicator}, and the proximity to Lawrenceville. It WAS raining, after all!

While we usually start a meal with appetizers, this time we went straight for the main event. We shared two dishes: Pho Tai and vermicelli noodles with peanut chicken {Bun ga nuong} and a fresh summer/spring roll {instead of a fried one}.

Just what we wanted to foil the steamy goodness of beef pho.

The noodle dish was super fresh and light. The dipping sauce/dressing was sweet and not at all spicy like I was expecting. The roll mimicked the dish itself, having noodles, lettuce and herbs inside. The chicken was a decent portion for the price, and was grilled well.

The pho 'side plate' came with the usual suspects, all fresh and crunchy. 

Beef {Eye-of-Round} Pho

The pho came out looking just as we'd hoped: pinkish meat, fragrant broth and floating accoutrement.

As you swirl the meat in the piping hot broth, it finishes cooking. 

Despite the shiny surface, this bowl of pho was not too greasy at all. Husband said the pho was one of the best he's ever had. He appreciated the fact that it had plenty of beef, as so many phos can be packed with only noodles and broth.

Pho Van was priced well, with no surprises on our bill. {Total was less than $22.} It has definitely found a spot in our usual lineups, according to weather conditions. 

Do you have a favorite rainy weather restaurant?

Life as a Job Seeker

The life of a job seeker is a stressful one. If you've been in those shoes before, you know how things in life can fall by the wayside if it doesn't pertain to an interview, resume critique or reference checks. Today was the first day in about a week or so that I had time to call my mom and sister, reply to important emails, and {sadly} blog. I'd like to tell you that as a result of all of this business I have good news, but not yet. Until then, I think it's time for another photo blink! 

Monday night I reached FAR back into my recipes for this gem.

Bell peppers were on sale at the new Market District in Pine, so we had plenty!

 I was feeling {SUPER} stressed from all of this interviewing, so last night Husband gifted me my Valentine's Day present early! {Too bad you guys have to wait to find out what it is!}

BIG HINT

 I also put my healthy homemaker attitude to good use and made cinnamon chocolate-covered frozen banana pops!

Covered in toasted almonds!

Other side.

 Then, after it was all too much, I was driven to drink. Actually, to have one of my favorite stress-relieving pairs - sushi and cocktails. Delightful.

My review of Plum is coming!

Stay tuned for {hopeful} good news!

Husband's Whoopie Pie

Amidst all of this holiday eating, Husband decided it would be okay to make a sugar-rich, butter-infused dessert the other night. Unless you've been sleeping under a rock, you've heard of the dessert sensation that is a whoopie pie. These pies are not new, but are quickly becoming national favorites.

Husband tried his hand at making a batch after seeing an episode of Chuck's Day Off. {Side note: This show is the perfect match of yummy cooking show for me, but still being somewhat manly for Husband. The host does play some mean hockey!} This is the episode, to be exact.

{Chuck's Whoopie Pies}

INGREDIENTS

• Chocolate Cake:
• 1 1/2 cups/375ml all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup/125ml unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons/7ml baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon/2ml salt
• 1 cup/250ml sugar
• 1/2 cup/125ml butter, room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon/5ml pure vanilla extract

• 1 cup/250ml milk
• 
  
• Marshmallow Filling:

• 1 cup/250ml sugar
• 2 tablespoons/30ml honey
• 1 teaspoon/5ml pure vanilla extract
• 2 egg whites, room temperature
• 
  

DIRECTIONS

For the chocolate cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a bowl. 
Beat the sugar, butter and eggs with a mixer for about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and beat for 30 seconds more. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, alternating with the milk and beating until smooth. 
Using an ice cream scoop, drop mounds of the batter (about 1/2 cup for each) onto the lined baking sheet (6 per sheet as they will spread when baking). Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining batter. 
For the marshmallow filling: Whisk together the sugar, honey, vanilla, egg whites and 2 tablespoons water (30ml) in a large heatproof bowl using a hand mixer. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Beat with the mixer until the mixture is thick, creamy and stands in peaks, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and beat for a minute or so more, then let cool completely.
Spread a generous amount of filling on the flat side (bottom) of a chocolate cake. Sandwich with another cake, pressing down gently to spread the filling evenly. Repeat to make 8 whoopie pies. Serve immediately or wrap the whoopie pies individually in plastic wrap (they can be frozen).

Here's Husband's interpretation, with added espresso powder:

Complete with glass of milk.

I'm so proud of my handsome baker! You {know} I wouldn't attempt to do this. Baking is not really my forte, so I'm pleased to be married to a great baker!  

Super Bowl Sunday!

Happy Super Bowl Sunday, a national holiday in America, and day of both elation and of terrible pain {depending on the performance of your chosen team}.
Today, however, in our household, it's most notably a day of good food. Usually, when we are fortunate enough to spend the day with family, we indulge in the fattiest of foods: Rotel Dip. Other heavenly items on the menu include hot dogs, baked beans, other chips and dips, mile-high sandwiches, and lots of chocolaty desserts. This year both Husband and I are trying to watch our weight and aim to be somewhat healthier in our food choices; thus, we have a calorie-conscious menu planned {still featuring some of our favorites}!

{The Menu}
Crab Rangoonies {a Hungry Girl recipe}
Chili Dogs
Napa Cabbage Asian Slaw {Based on this recipe}
Clementines
Neapolitan Ice Cream, Slow Churned & No Sugar Added

I plan to upload photos this afternoon, after the cookin' of course. Stay tuned!

{Update!}

Here are the photos from our Super Bowl feast:

Napa cabbage Asian slaw, before mixed.

After a good mix. I added chipotle powder and red pepper flake. 'Cause I can.

Crab Rangoonies with dipping sauce of light soy sauce, walnut oil, rice vinegar, red pepper flake and spring onion.

Ready for it's close-up, in all of it's baked glory.

The whole shebang, complete with 97% fat free hot dogs & 80-calorie buns. 

Plated slaw.

Clementine in the corner.

Local beer! And light!

What did you make for your Super Bowl feast? Did you participate in feasting? 

P.S. - HEY THERE to all my visitors from Taste of Pittsburgh! Welcome! Let me know what you think of my PGH Dining reviews!

PGH Dining: La Gourmandine

Whichever way you look at it, Husband and I have been lucky to live close to a bakery, and a French patisserie at that. La Gourmandine is affixed in a group of shops on Butler Street, across from the Boys & Girls Club at 46th street. I've neglected to write a PGH Dining post about La Gourmandine, mainly because we've been so often that it becomes somewhat commonplace. The "bakery" is anything but commonplace, however. 

We've had the chance to sample almost every offering they have, from breads to sandwiches to quiches to those lovely pastries and desserts. Everything is delicious, because it's made in the true French way, with no short cuts. 

You've seen the following desserts we gobbled up this past December. 

One of the Religieuses - Two tiers of choux pastry filled with vanilla pastry cream and topped with fondant.

The pastry above was featured in the February issue of Pittsburgh Magazine {on page 49 if you want to know}. The article about the patisserie is on page 55, and features the head pastry chef, Fabien Moreau. The article lauds Moreau's work, and {wisely, in my opinion} urges each 'Burgher to visit the shop.
And these, too, which were our New Year's treats.

Husband's Tartelet au Citron {Lemon Tart}.

My Buche de Noel.

 Then, we shortly moved on to the breads. They all have a perfect crumb, but our favorite is he Pain aux Cereales, which is bread with sesame seeds, flax and sunflower seeds.

It reminds me of Seeduction bread from Whole Foods, but it's more hearty because of the amount of seeds. Seeduction is overwhelmed by seeds, and there isn't much room for the actual bread. The Pain aux Cereales is a perfect mix of both.

More recently, we stopped in for a quick snack of madeleines and coffee. 

Husband, for some weird reason unknown to me, loves his madeleines to be saccrine-sweet, with a pungent lemon flavor. I love a softly sweet madeleine that's scented with lemon. La Gourmandine achieves the latter. 

There's nothing better than dipping a lemony scented biscuit-type confection into a hot coffee. This brings me to a whole other discussion. Other French patisseries I've been to in the past have set the coffee standards fairly high. They have a house-brewed coffee, but also options for lattes, espresso and other 'specialty' drinks. La Gourmandine chooses to only offer carafe-pumped, self-served coffee. Don't get me wrong - I am a fan of the coffee they serve, but it's a bit of a contradiction between the superb baked goods they offer to the type of coffee service they offer. This is so nit-picky, I'm not going to spend any more time on it!

We also have had the chance to try most of their sandwiches {La Parisien, the ham, Swiss and butter is our favorite}, served on their homemade baguette. Continuing with their savory options, we purchased one of the Foccacia Garnie, which is a small round focaccia, topped with mozzarella, Parmesan, basil and tomato. 

Focaccia on the tray.

It was almost like a small pizza, but with actual bread as the crust. It wasn't greasy, as focaccia is sometimes. Lovely for a quick lunch.

 They also serve Foccacia aux olives, as pictured below. 

Of course, since I married an olive-hater, we didn't romantically share one of these. {In my dreams!}

Overall, I love each and every offering from La Gourmandine. It's a classic patisserie, and I feel lucky to have it in my neighborhood. 

Fitness Update

As most of you know, I have somewhat foolishly signed up to run a half marathon in May. If you didn't know, you can gasp in disbelief along with me.

I just started the Hal Higdon method of training for the half marathon, and I am following the "Novice 1" level. This week, I am going to log 10 miles of running {in my case this is all jogging with some fast-paced walking}, and 1 hour of cross training {in the form of walking or doing a Jillian Michaels workout}. 

Sounds like an uphill battle, huh?

I've got a few tools to help me along the way. My friend James told me about Endomondo, a sports tracking app, that I can use to follow my progress online. So far, it's been working really well. It even makes maps of where I run!

One downside to all of this fabulous training, is that my knees are hurting. I asked my group of Facebook friends for their opinion on how to keep my knees happy throughout training, and the suggestions varied. Some suggested I pick up a pack of Osteo-BiFlex, others thought new running shoes are the key to happy knees. But, without me bringing in a steady source of income {No Job!}, I don't feel right going out to buy a new pair of $100 shoes or a bottle of expensive supplements. Until then, I'm going to try running in all of my athletic shoes, gauge which ones are the best, and stick to it until I secure a job. Let's hope that's soon! :)

Miles Logged {Week}: 5 so far

Miles Logged {Total}: 5 

*{Update} I just got back from running, and while I didn't run the whole 3 miles, my knees aren't hurting.  Knock on wood. I ran in these shoes, which may be a better bet than the old nikes I ran in the first time.