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Being the best isn't a one-dimensional moniker. Lance Armstrong isn't the best just for his record seven Tour de France wins. Along with pushing the pedals fastest are his assets of perseverance, personality and charity. An Oscar-winning movie doesn't take home the statue just because of the actors on screen, but also for its music, screenplay and cinematography. Same goes for food. When we talk about the Best Restaurants of 2006, we're not just talking who makes the best seared sea scallops with fufu and Key lime chili mojo here (though that would be Kaya). There's a mood, a certain chord that is struck with diners like a Yo-Yo Ma performance that synthesizes cello, player and audience. A chef must be simpatico with his staff and that staff must provide superb service to its customers. Diners must convene with not just the food on the plate, but also with the conversations that sprinkle about the room, the linens on the table and the colors on the walls. That's why this year's incredibly diverse list of 25 Best Restaurants, chosen by Pittsburgh magazine's Restaurant Review Panel, ranges from the homey, close-knit space at Tessaro's for burgers to the exquisite foie gras and Frenchness of Lautrec. Read on with pen and phone poised to make a reservation at one or all of these delicious winners. Aqueous Sure the food's American and the place was inspired by the
consummate American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, but like Wright's
off-beat fusion of outside and inside, nature and the manufactured,
Aqueous is no ordinary American restaurant. Where else can you get
fish and chips made of yellow-fin tuna with avocado tartare and
parsnip? From the fresh, regional ingredients to the sense of
communing with nature that abounds in the spacious rooms, you know
you're in for a world-class culinary experience. After stepping off the truly unassuming Main Street in
Sharpsburg, you'll be warmly greeted into the earth-toned belly of
Bona Terra as if you've been invited to an intimate dinner party in
a small bungalow. From the moment you enter this simply appointed
place, you'll realize that culinary pleasure here is tied to things
natural. Tables are close together, and the sounds of laughter
compete with discreet, knowledgeable waiters uncorking lush bottles
of BYOB wines. Don't rush; linger and share tastes of generous
plates of locally grown food like fresh lamb. This long-standing resident of the South Side culinary community
beckons patrons in through its looking-glass front window. Who
wouldn't want to sit at the simple but lively bar and chat with the
smart bartender? Sitting in the crisp, artwork-filled main room over
dishes such as fettucine with fresh romano cheese, sun-dried
tomatoes and cream with a professional service staff bustling about,
the place evokes a true European bistro situated on the Riviera.
Like bistros across the sea, stay and people-watch.
There may not be a lovelier setting for lunch in Pittsburgh.
Enjoying the melt-in-your-mouth crab and zucchini cakes amid the
splendor of the Clayton estate will make you feel as if you've
struck it rich. Sit inside the airy little building and listen to a
veritable East End "who's who" gossip, or lounge outside and let the
birds and the breeze lull you on a lazy afternoon. If you're into
tea, there's no place better to enjoy authentic service while
inhaling the heady scent of the industrial baron's wealth and the
abundant gardens on-site. Cafe Zao The high-ceilinged, urban charm of this Cultural District bistro
lies in its funky, modern feel. The ice-blue and chocolate walls
most definitely make you feel part of a "scene" and indeed make you
hungry. Good thing too, because this Tony Pais delight will satisfy
your cravings for the tastes of Portugal and Spain with a range of
unique dishes. Here you're as likely to taste tamarind or saffron as
you are pepper and garlic for a smooth and subtle meal that matches
the cool atmosphere. If you don't find your mojo at Casbah, then there's none to be
found. The sexy artwork, low lights and haute design are enough to
rouse the hormones along with the palate. Many a first date has
played out in the intimate dining room over a great bottle of pinot
noir and a plate of off-the-tree olives and off-the-boat cheeses.
Or, you may choose to sit under the cool front tent beneath the
flattering tiny white lights and votives. Paired with the
Mediterranean splendor of the entrees, Casbah should be a staple in
any connoisseur's diet.
Clifford's rack of lamb with polenta and roasted vegetables. No passport? No problem. The unlikely destination of
Connoquenessing Township, near Evans City, will deliver you to a
faraway European inn where the food is fresh, the seating is
intimate and the owners and chef are family. Twin brothers John and
chef Jesse Enslen, together with Jesse's wife, Nicole, travel Europe
two months
out of the year to bring back techniques and recipes using fresh
ingredients to plate up an exquisite dining experience. Seafood is
flown in twice a week from Boston and Hawaii; bread is baked fresh
daily, and salad dressings are whisked on the premises. Like its
French-country setting, Clifford's offers an atmosphere that's
relaxed as you chat with the chef. Dish
Osteria and Bar It's the perfect place for happy hour on a summer day. Not
because you can stand outside, but because inside at the sleek bar
there's so much shedding of worries that you have to step over
jackets, ties and briefcases to order your drink. There's something
about the front of Dish that draws in friends and lovers to inhale
the aroma of rustic Italian food simmering in the back kitchen while
waiting for a table. No matter if the wait is long, one bite of a
wild-mushroom risotto and your wine-warmed belly will forgive you.
Eleven If you can't get to Manhattan this weekend, go to the vastly
(literally and figuratively) urbane Eleven. The huge bar and lounge
area is enough to satisfy your big-city hankering for a scene and
perhaps the most delicious chocolate martini in the world. As you
click your good heels into the dining area, your eyes will traverse
the open kitchen and the eclectic menu featuring fare such as an
appetizer of apple-smoked lamb or a selection of a half-dozen
American-made cheeses, including Hudson Valley camembert.
Maybe you've celebrated a special occasion like an anniversary or
have attended a wedding at this Moon Township castle. If you have,
then you know Hyeholde is an experience, an event -- not just a
restaurant by any stretch of the imagination. If you haven't been to
Hyeholde, get there soon because it's a must experience for both
foodies and romantics. Where else can you enjoy quail, pheasant or
rabbit surrounded by stone walls and stained glass? You'll feel like
a royal in this castle with exquisite service and
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