Pittsburgh Dish

Nuisance bar now cafe

Celebrate a North Side success story

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On Saturday, April 26, 2008, New Hope for Neighborhood Renewal will celebrate the transformation, community-building and reclamation of a neighborhood at the grand opening of New Hope’s Cafe ‘n’ Creamery in the Marshall-Shadeland neighborhood of Pittsburgh’s Northside, 2700 Shadeland Avenue.

Open to the public, the kick-off and ribbon cutting ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. The event will feature special guests and freshments, including Zelienople-based Beecher’s house-roasted coffees and homemade gelato. The Cafe ‘n’ Creamery is one of several social enterprises the Social Innovation Accelerator is assisting.

The family-friendly Cafe ‘n’ Creamery is housed in a former nuisance bar in the Marshall-Shadeland neighborhood and was purchased by New Hope Church in early 2007. New Hope for Neighborhood Renewal, the church’s development arm, spent the last year redeveloping the space creating both a cafe and community gathering space for the neighborhood. Featured performers, artisans and musicians will provide entertainment and a family-centered environment year-round. In addition to serving specialty coffee drinks, gelato, and homemade baked goods, the cafe will serve as a job readiness-training program for teens in the community.

For more information please contact Accelerator’s special events director Katherine Harrell at 412-325-2202.

Sassy Marie's to open tonight

New North Side restaurant ready to go

Sassy Marie's, once the legendary James Street Tavern, will fling open its doors today at 4 p.m. The restaurant will be BYOB this week only, until the liquor license arrives.

"We'd hoped it'd be here on time but it's somewhere driving around the city," laughed co-owner Stephanie Britton. She originally thought today's opening was tentative but was able to meet the deadline.

The restaurant will only be open for dinner this week (4 p.m. to 10 p.m.), but will be in full operation starting next Monday.

"A week from today we'll have a full lunch and dinner menu and full bar service," said Britton. By then the liquor license will be well in hand.

Sassy Marie's, 422 Foreland St. at James Street, 412-246-0355; Smoking is available at the bar.

Photo by Frank Kownacki

Once James, she's now Marie

Former James Street Tavern to open anew as Sassy Marie's

Photos by Frank Kownacki

The legendary James Street Tavern on the North Side will reopen as Sassy Marie's under the ownership of North Sider Stephanie Britton and members of her family. A soft opening (meaning no balloons, searchlights, or fireworks) is tentatively planned for Monday, Feb. 19.

Britton has be involved in the restaurant business, but Sassy Marie's is her first family venture. She will work alongside her uncle and brother. Britton's family are longtime North Siders who live only blocks from each other.

The 82-seat restaurant features 17 tables and five booths. The structure was upgraded to meet building codes, but Britton said the interior "will look pretty much the same." As will the building's jazz foundation.

"There has been a lot of response to keeping jazz performances," said Britton. "So we'll have jazz on Friday nights and on Saturdays, we'll do some other different types of music."

Sassy Marie's will be open for lunch at 11 a.m. daily. Dinner will start at 4 p.m. Britton described the menu as "fusion American," which, along with traditional dishes, will offer tapas. "We're trying to stay away from Italian food because in Pittsburgh, there are so many good Italian restaurants." A lighter menu will be offered at the bar. After three months or so, she plans to open the downstairs area and offer a full bar menu.

All this is excellent, but the question remains: Who is Marie and why is she sassy?

Britton decided to name the restaurant after a family member but wasn't comfortable with naming it after a relative who is still alive. "I thought about naming it after my grandmother who is 92," said Britton. "But I decided to name it after her sister, Marie."

Both her grandmother and her great aunt were logical choices as namesakes for a bar/restaurant. "My grandmother sang in a girl band at nightclubs downtown," laughed Britton. "And my Aunt Marie would be in the audience, all dressed up and sipping on a cocktail."

Marie went to church three times a week and her husband owned a little speakeasy, said Britton. She loved church life and night life.

"She was sassy," said Britton. "Sassy Aunt Marie."

Sassy Marie's, 422 Foreland St. at James Street, 412-246-0355

New shop paints the town green

Eco-organic-fair trade store debuts in Lawrenceville.

Equita, an emporium of green, socially responsible goods, opened on November 24 in the historic Ice House Factory in Lawrenceville. The Equita line includes: home furnishings; kitchen and bath; apparel, jewelry and handbags; body care; and baby clothing. In addition to functional goods for body and home, they will also carry specialty foods such as Fair Trade coffee, chocolate, tea and olive oil. Products are organic and made from recycled materials and renewable resources. Several of their featured brands are being offered for the first time in the Pittsburgh area.

Co-owner/proprietor Sara Parks tells Dish about the new venture.

Tell us about yourselves:

We're a small family-run business--the co-owners and co-proprietors are my sister Amanda Parks, her husband Michael Solano and myself. Amanda and I were born and raised in Pittsburgh and Michael is originally from Costa Rica. Last fall, Amanda and Michael moved back from Costa Rica last year after about 10 years there. I finally quit my corporate job a few months ago and now we all dedicate ourselves to this business full-time.

How long was the planning process?

About a year. It is notoriously difficult to obtain capital to start a socially-motivated business through the traditional channels and we found that to be true. So it took us a little longer than most to get things up and running. We have received a great deal of guidance and support from the Small Business Development Center at Duquesne University (SBDC), the people of Pittsburgh and other small business owners.

Why did you chose Pittsburgh?

We wanted to locate in Pittsburgh for several reasons. We find it to be unpretentious, livable and affordable. We have all lived in a number of cities both in the US and abroad including San Francisco, Boston, Geneva and New York and do not think it would have been possible to have started an enterprise like ours in any of those cities--the expense would have been unmanageable, a suitable space nearly impossible to locate. We are very happy to be here and the response we've gotten from Pittsburghers has been better than we ever could have imagined. Pittsburgh was the cradle of the modern labor movement and we find Fair Trade to be an extension of that same struggle. People of all ages, income levels and political persuasions have come in to our store and thanked us for expanding the range of ethical products available to them here in Pittsburgh.

Tell us about the store:

Our store is about 1700 square feet. We have three lines: body, home and food. Body includes natural body care, clothing, handbags and jewelry. The home line is comprised of rugs, baskets, kitchen and bath, towels and sheets, glassware, etc. Food is our smallest section but we have a good selection of Fair Trade coffees, chocolate, tea, dried fruit, olive oil, local honey, etc. We carry a number of items that could be suitable for winter including: hot chocolate, coffee and tea; cold weather gear from Fair Trade cashmere sweaters to union-made hoodies and fleece jackets; recycled glassware, plates and platters for the holiday table and gifts in all price ranges.

Equita Essentials for Ethical Living,100 43^rd St., #114, Ice House, 412-353-0109.

The Dish on Dish: Acanthus Restaurant

Food Editor Michael Vivar gives new North Side restaurant a standing ovation.

My love for the North Side knows no bounds. I am among the first to shout its virtues from the rooftops. One aspect that contributes to this affection is the Boggs Mansion, now The Inn on the Mexican War Streets. I’ve spent countless neighborhood gatherings laughing and imbibing with friends here. Despite this inherent fondness, I can say with not a hint of bias or doubt that the quality of their new restaurant, Acanthus, has robbed me of my meager ability to speak as a mature adult. OMG, dude, this place is, like, sooooo awesome. LOLZ

Our reintroduction to this beloved establishment began in their newly opened martini bar in the main house. The former boudoir had been converted to a posh sipping room that was well stocked and cozy without being cramped. The granite bar, substantial wood stools, and fine crystal had me looking over my shoulder every so often expecting a Rockefeller or other captain of industry to come glad-handing his way through the room. In the midst of our pre-dinner drinks, we were served an unexpected pair of hors d'oeuvres. Canapés filled with firm roasted and spiced tofu and savory empanadas made us feverishly expectant of the upcoming seven course meal. After an interval that whetted our appetites, we were shown through a courtyard, while expansive and striking, could have benefited from some heat lamps in a cold night. Past this was a dining room set in what wasonce a carriage house. Within were tables impeccably set with silverware and wine glasses for each course. It reminded one of a rural hunting lodge.

The first course consisted of an amuse bouche of buttery corn madeleines topped with smoked trout and crème fraiche. Merely a tasty mouthful, its status as a tease could have turned into a maddening taunt were it not for the prompt presentation by our meticulous waiter, Chris, of the appetizer, Acanthus Pirogues. Pirogue in name only, it was caramelized onion sandwiched between light and flaky pirogue pastry and potato pancake drizzled with a thick buerre blanc. It was accompanied by a crunchy triangle of baked wonton skin which we dipped into the buerre blanc. Were it not for this, we would have given in to the urge to lick the sauce directly from the plate.

The fish course was a pan-seared red snapper. Encased in a thin seasoned skin, the tender fish found a wonderfully bittersweet complement in a blood orange vinaigrette. This was the first truly substantial portion of the meal, but not so much so that our craving for more was blunted.

The intermezzo gave us a welcome pause to relish the miasma of deliciousness with which we were quite willingly assailed. A sweet jewel of frozen red grape enshrined in a wedge of slightly sharp queso blanco readied our taste buds better than any common strawberry sherbet could have.

After this culinary sigh of appreciation, Katie had her staple, filet mignon. Its caliber was on par with what we had already experienced with a fine marble. The starch of herb gnocchi with butternut squash was a trifle overdone, but the relatively soft texture went well with firm asparagus tips and a heavy shitake cream sauce.

I had the veal osso bucco, which was the only slight misstep to be found. I’m used to an osso bucco shank with marrow in. I was served very good but de-boned veal meat that was tender, but could have done with more fat. Speaking to the chef later, she indicated that a larger shank of meat didn’t really fit the spare aesthetic of her presentations. While I can understand this vision, I think in this case she should have chosen to forego form for function. This came with a chestnut risotto that had more of a porridge consistency than pasta, but it was delectable nonetheless. It was also served with brussel sprouts. I don’t eat brussel sprouts. In fact, I refuse to acknowledge the existence of brussel sprouts. So, no, it didn’t come with brussel sprouts.

Following European tradition, our penultimate course was a salad. The chiffonade of Napa cabbage, grapefruit, cashews, raspberries, sprinkled with a warm rosemary shallot vinaigrette was another bittersweet dish that nicely settled our stomachs from the previous courses and cleansed the palate for dessert.

The final treat was a chocolate mousse eased into a cornucopia topped with fresh berries on a vanilla bean sauce. Its staging in a horn of plenty was a fitting allegory for a completely delightful meal.

At $75 per person, prix fixe, this superb meal along with the fine atmosphere is a bargain at twice the price. I should also mention that Katie had the wine flight for another $25. Whoever paired the wines for each course is like unto a god among sommeliers. So what are you doing still reading this bloody ramble?

Make a reservation. Now.

Acanthus Fine Dining at The Inn on the Mexican War Streets, 604 W North Ave, 412-231-6544.

Bake Sale Chic comes to Pittsburgh

Fundraiser food all the rage.

In New York City there's Cupcake Cafe. In San Francisco there's Citizen Cupcake. In Pittsburgh it'll be Dozen Cupcakes.

Cupcake culture (you read it right) is arriving in Pittsburgh in December. The latest fad in Boomer "comfort food" pops out of the Easy-Bake Oven and onto a bistro table in Squirrel Hill in December. Dozen Cupcakes co-owners James Gray and David Wojtnick describe their future cafe as the "newest urban cupcake experience." A date has yet to be set for the grand opening.

Cupcake cafes are newish but not new. In D.C., Warren Brown Jr., a former federal agency lawyer got a lot of press for his career shift into making gourmet cakes and cupcakes and got on Oprah some years ago.  He runs Cake Love and a separate cupcake and mini-cake cafe with coffee and WiFi across the street from his original bakery.   

Will cupcakes replace The Cosmo? Send Dish your thoughts on this latest trend.

Joel Lawson of D.C. contributed to this story.

Amen: Amani Coffeehouse & Cafe opens Monday

Cool beans.

Allegheny East’s newest coffee shop and café will open Monday, Nov. 6 at 6 a.m. Owner Terra Jones is excited to finally fling open her door and beckon in her North Side neighbors and hungry AGH employees.

I’ve been on the go for so long,” laughed Jones, “I’m thrilled that it’s finally here.”

Amani International Coffeehouse & Café hours are 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will feature fair trade coffee, teas, Italian sodas and a menu that includes soups, salads, panini and wraps.

Amani International Coffeehouse & Café

507 Foreland St., North Side, 412-537-5510

New coffeehouse & cafe opening on the North Side

East Allegheny neighborhood boasts caffeinated meeting place.

A construction crew rattled away inside 507 Foreland Street in East Allegheny this morning. Later this month their handiwork will be unveiled at the grand opening of new coffeehouse.

Former Starbucks employee Terra Jones enlisted the help from the Northside Community Development Fund to set into motion Amani Coffeehouse & Cafe. Amani, which means peace in Swahili, will offer fair-trade coffee, teas, soups, salads, smoothies and Italian sodas. Steps away from Allegheny General Hospital, the coffeehouse is sure to draw plenty of foot traffic and parking is available in an adjacent lot.

The Little Deli debuts on the North Side

Dean Zotis is a little worried. About three weeks ago he opened a (much needed) deli just off Western Avenue and business has been slow. His renovations took months but the pay-off is worth the elbow grease and expense. And his timing couldn't have been meatier.

Zotis has opened a squeaky clean take-out deli with an impressive selection of lunch meats, cheeses, breakfast items and sandwiches (Reubens, folks!). Many of the side items have a Greek flair: stuffed grape leaves, marinated Kalamata olives, Pita Land meat & spinach pies. The menu boasts deviled crabs and industry standard deli items such as coleslaw, macaroni salad and spicy wings.

"I listen to what customers want," said Zotis. "They say 'what about this' and I try to provide it. That's why I got the biscotti." He also brews fresh coffee and cappuccino.

But business is measured up to Zoti's expectations. However, a city plan announced in today's Post-Gazette may alleviate Zotis's concerns.

Reporter Rich Lord reports:

Efforts to create a business improvement district for a two-block area of Western Avenue got a boost from Pittsburgh City Council.

Council on Wednesday tentatively approved the transfer of $1.29 million among various Urban Redevelopment Authority programs. Among other things, the transfers allow the URA to commit $500,000 to Western Avenue improvements between Brighton Road and Allegheny Avenue in Allegheny West.

Business owners in the district would partially match public funding by assessing themselves a special tax, as Downtown businesses currently do.

The combined funds would support improvements in the streetscape, curbs and lighting, said John Canning, a North Side historian who supports the designation.

The funding shifts also move money from an under-utilized loan program for assisting businesses with equipment purchases, to a more popular program that backs commercial real estate transactions, said Robert Rubinstein, the URA's director of business development. The real estate purchase loan program, known as the Urban Development Fund, makes loans ranging from $25,000 to $250,000.

A final vote could come Tuesday.

In the meantime, Zotis shouldn't fret so much. Once the word gets out, North Siders should flock. Finding a good neighborhood deli is as rare as good roast beef.

The Little Deli

910 Galveston Ave., (near the Modern Cafe) North Side, 412-231-2678

Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Open for Steelers home games.

Scoop du jour: Park House & Pyrohy

Old and new on the North Side.

Scoop's scooting on over tonight to a brand new Ukranian North Side restaurant/deli called Roxolana's Garden (856 Western Ave., North Side, 412-321-7696). The posted menu lists pancakes, muffins, toasts with ricotta and friut as well as specialty deli items. Also featrured are cherry and blueberry pyrogy. Hmmmm....

Scoop'll have a full report on Monday.

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While getting one of the best haircuts since she arrived in Pittsburgh, Scoop jotted down a tip from Shirlene, owner of Thomas and Thomas hair salon (858 Western Ave., North Side, 412-322-4248). Shirlene swears by the Friday night crab leg special ($7.99) at the historic Park House (403 E. Ohio St., North Side, 412-321-0551). "We've been going there faithfully every Friday night for the past four years," swooned Shirlene. "It's a nice crowd and we know others who have been going just as long as we have." The Scoops are big fans of Park House's fresh salads. For a full review read Eric Miller's piece on The New Colonist website.

No arrests made

Things are a tad slow around Dish HQ today. But for good reason.

On Saturday night, Dish hosted it's official launch party. OK so we've been around since May but, well, we're a touch on the slothful side. That deadly sin aside, we also felt it smacked of self importance to do such a thing. However, we've received such overwhelming support from friends, neighbors and the community-at-large we felt the need to give a little something back. And we wanted to drink beer. Dish likes beer. Beer. But back to that something and the giving back of it.

That something, we hope, is our continued effort to make readers chuckle, kill a few minutes at work and maybe offer a good story or two. In the near future we look forward to scooping the big dailies (we can dream can't we?) and hope to hatch our own Best of Pittsburgh awards to rival the annual advertiser arse-smooch fest at the CP and alt weeklies around the world. These and other goals were discussed over wonderful food, fine beer, tasty wine and robust coffee at Dish HQ.

Our thanks to Penn Brewery for supplying Mr. Dish's favorite beer, Aldo Coffee in Mount Lebanon for the fuel (our hungovers especially thank you), Cynthia Petno for her graceful catering (she can be reached by either calling or stopping by the Monterey Pub 412-322-6535 on the North Side), The Wine Thief in New Haven, Conn., for their usual superb selections (damn you state store system!), Reverend Ron Wanless of New Hope United Methodist Church on the North Side for his pull with the man upstairs who stopped the rain, our North Side neighbors (especially Arthur for capturing a big bug in the kitchen and Chris, who turned his home into a flophouse for weary travelers), Dish intern Katie Johnston, the Jackometer, our chums at the Post-Gazette and our always supportive and far-too-talented Connecticut friends--Kathleen Cei, Kyle Summer (Dish web designer), Mandy, Dawn, Laurie, Jeff, Chris, Tucker and Dish A & E editor Drew--who drove more then humans should in one day to help us celebrate.

And thanks to our readers who were with us in spirits, er, spirit.

 

Photos by Kathleen Cei and Colleen Van Tassell

Top to Bottom: Drew & Cynthia; Patrick, Cherise, Demitri & Dish Intern Katie; Chris, Jeff, Dawn, Mandy; Cynthia's freshly-made bounty; Katheen & Kyle; Shawn Casey & PG Morning File's Bill Toland; Mr. Dish and Eric, Dish's scanner guy; Mr. Dish, Bill & Steve; Shawn, Bill, Rachel & Casey; party shoes; our dear friends from Connecticut who we don't deserve.

New smoke shop puffs on to the scene

The ink on Tami and Aaron Warfield's grand opening banner was still wet when a man walked into their new store and spent $400.

"I couldn't believe it," said Tami. "On our first day. How often does that happen to new business owners?"

That first lucrative day is scarcely a few weeks old and already Smokin' Depot is sending up smoke signals high above Center Avenue.

While the Depot might not attract nearby Whole Foods customers, the Warfields have managed to tap a vein in UPMC Shadyside hospital employees.

"I know it's weird, but many of them smoke cigars," laughed Tami. "And many of them come in with specific requests."

The Warfields don't smoke. Never have. However, personal abstention didn't stop them

from developing a business plan and chasing after their pipe dream.

But like most businesses, risk is built into the display cases.

Premium cigar smoking become something of a fashionable in the early 1990s when images of celebs like Sharon Stone and Michael Jordan chomping on fat Churchills sparked a full court press on Americans hungry for a new trend. It's chancy for the Warfields to invest in a craze that has waned. But market analysts claim there are plenty of established cigar, pipe and loose tobacco smokers to support new ventures.

The primary goal for the “Smokin’ Depot” is to focus on the specialty tobacco market. Besides having a variety of hard-to-find imports, they also carry rolling machines, flasks, grinders, cutters, cigarette cases, rolling papers humidors. The couple hopes to phase out small convenience store items (soda, candy) and establish themselves among serious smokers. Currently, patrons can place an order for worldwide products with only a one to one-and-a-half day shipping period.

As for the risk involved? Ask the $400 man.

Smokin' Depot (5440 Center Ave., Shadyside, 412-688-0222).

--Katie Johnston & Colleen Van Tassell