...Verde Mexican Kitchen & Cantina

Different does not equal bad.

Sometimes the negative connotation of "different" causes people to think so - when you want to be nice, and you try a new food, you often say, 'Well, it's different..."  Unfortunately, this can cause confusion, in that people tend to think that any food described as "different" isn't delicious.

Verde is different, but in a good - as in unique - way.

I have been eagerly awaiting this restaurant's opening for months - in fact, I have been eagerly awaiting its opening since being inspired to start this blog, as it was mentioned in the original China Millman article in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that caused my epiphany.

Verde has been running a blog since April, which I have been following since June.  It's refreshing to see a business that reflects upon its doings and is excited to share its progress, whether it's progressing positively or negatively.  They commented on their research, their vision, their progress, and their successes and failures alike, which goes to show that the restaurant industry, no matter how much education, planning, and vision you may have, is always a learning experience.

I like that.

I was so thrilled when the soft opening was announced for November, but I didn't want to visit until the soft open was over.  It's not fair to review a restaurant when it first opens - that would be like doing someone's annual performance review in their first week on the job or giving a midterm exam during the first week of classes.

No es justo.

James suggested going to Verde, and I couldn't hold off any longer.  We made a reservation for the Thursday of the official opening week, and I was thrilled to see a post on their blog about what they had learned during the soft open and what they were going to do to improve.  That in itself showed me that they were doing everything possible to make this restaurant a success.

I arrived first and was seated at a booth near the restrooms.  James arrived shortly thereafter, and we started to decide upon our vittles.  While debating upon our appetizers, we were served our complimentary basket of fresh cut chips with roasted tomatillo salsa.  Although I am partial to red tomato salsa, this tomatillo salsa was far superior to any kind that I had had before, including the apple tomatillo salsa that I had made myself.

We knew that we had to try the table-side guacamole, where the guacamole is concocted right at your table with the option to adjust the ingredients to your preferences.

Making the guac, table-side (pardon James' hand!)

 Neither James nor I are super picky about fresh guacamole - we love every ingredient, so it wasn't as if we wanted anything special.  It was wonderfully fresh (it couldn't BE any fresher!), and the mix of ingredients was perfect, but I would have been just as happy if it had been made in the back; however, if you have special preferences (such as no cilantro, not a lot of lime, no onions, etc.) this would be the perfect way for you to enjoy guacamole the way that you prefer it to be. 

Our guac - the final product

 We also ordered the "Ceviche del Dia", made with barramundi, a fish sometimes referred to as perch.  I was mostly intrigued by the red-ish topping - we thought that they were beets, but our waitress informed us that they were pickled jicama (say that three times fast).

Barramundi Ceviche topped with pickled jicama

I love a good jicama, especially if I get it at a good price.  I wasn't sure how I'd like it pickled, but it was almost like pickled beets.  Regardless, this was great ceviche - fabulous flavor from the lime, onions, peppers, and herbs, plus it wasn't fishy-tasting, proving that it was made well.  It was served with plantain strips, which were perfect planks upon which to perch the perch ceviche (now say that three times fast...)

Barramundi Ceviche & Plantain Strips

Although I need to try many different types of Hispanic/Latino foods, I cannot ever resist the Pollo en Mole Poblano on a menu - and so that is what I ordered; moreover, it came with yucca fries, a staple in my visits to Chicken Latino.  James went with the Chiles Rellenos, since many of his Twitter followers suggested it from their visits to the restaurant during the soft open.

Pollo en Mole Poblano, yucca fries, grilled spring onions

I'm so glad that I chose the Pollo en Mole Poblano, because their version is truly unique.  I commented on the mole at Las Velas (which still holds the ranking as my favorite!), and how bland the mole was at Gran Agave, and how much sweeter and more chocolate-y the mole at the Franklin Inn was - but this mole was unlike any other.  In fact, it did not taste chocolate-y at all - more like nutmeg, or a similar autumnal flavor.  In addition, it was not very spicy, which I can take or leave in a mole.  I'm not saying that the mole wasn't delicious - I definitely enjoyed the flavor of the mole, and James agreed.

Like I've mentioned - different does not equal bad.  Not at all.

The chicken itself was not shredded, as it was in every other chicken mole dish in every other restaurant - it was served as half of a chicken, which also set this apart from the others.  I felt as if I got more chicken than sauce, making this a better value than most dishes, as I'm usually left with a plateful of sauce with nothing else with which to clean it up.

If it were socially acceptable to lick sauce off of a plate, you had better bet that I would.  Fortunately, I didn't have to at Verde with all of that chicken!

The yucca fries and spring onions complemented the dish well.  The fries were as crispy and well-salted like those at Chicken Latino, and the grilled spring onions were cooked well enough to dilute the strong onion-y taste that raw onions have, while maintaining the flavor of a fabulously cooked onion.

Chile Relleno

James' Chile Relleno was quite tasty - it was stuffed with quinoa and a black bean succotash, and covered in queso blanco and chipotle asado sauce.  I only took one bite to try, but I am a fan, based on that bite.  It was quite spicy - spicier than I expected, actually, and spicy enough for James to sweat like a menopausal woman having a hot flash.  Perhaps some of the membrane of the pepper was still intact, or maybe the sauce was spicier than we thought; either way, it was much spicier than the chile rellenos I have tried previously.

I was surprised during our meal when a man came over to our table, looked at me, and said my name, questioningly.  I replied, "Yes?" and he proceeded to introduce himself as Jeff, the owner of the restaurant.  I was in disbelief mostly because this was the first time that any restaurant owner recognized me without me first introducing myself to them or a member of their staff.  He thanked James and I for coming in, and at the end of our meal, returned to ask for feedback.

He wants constructive criticism.  He wants this restaurant to be spectacular.  I love Jeff for that reason.

We commented on the uniqueness of the Pollo en Mole Poblano, mostly, and how much we enjoyed everything else, especially the ceviche.

I'm sure that the menu at Verde will continue to change and evolve as feedback comes in, whether explicit or implied.  Regardless, there are many things on the current menu that are great options for my next visit...which will occur in the near future, hopefully...

Verde Mexican Restaurant & Cantina

5491 Penn Ave.

Pittsburgh, PA 15206 (Garfield, at the Glass Lofts)

Website: http://www.verdepgh.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Verde-Mexican-Kitchen-Cantina/189289264447790

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/VerdePGH

…Las Velas con Burgh Gourmand

I know what I like.

I have been raving about Las Velas for months, since my first visit before the reopening as a guest with my brother, to my second visit for dinner with my brother, through this first quarter of the school year.  I have worn my Las Velas t-shirt to school (and had to correct many people who thought it said “Las Vegas”.  Ay de mí…)  I bought a CBS Local Offer AND a Groupon to ensure that I get back there soon (and save some money).  I even had a Twitter follower, Susan Lee, DONATE a CBS Local Offer to my classes so that one of my own students could experience this restaurant that I love so, so much.

I guess my love for Las Velas shines through with effect, because after our experience at Smoke Taqueria, Burgh Gourmand suggested that we go to Las Velas, since he had never been there, and I talked it up so much.

No hesitation here.  I accepted the invitation.

Photo courtesy of Burgh Gourmand: View of the inside of Las Velas (taken from his perspective, near the windows)

 We arrived and were seated by the windows, which reveal a gorgeous view of Market Square.  It was chilly and gray outside, with a chance of heavier rain, but regardless, people were still socializing and milling about.  The ice skating rink was in the beginning stages of being built a block away, and the barriers for it could be seen in the distance.

Our waiter asked if we wanted chips and salsa, and of course we said yes, but I made sure to add, “And guacamole, too, please!”

I love the guac.

Chips, guacamole, salsa roja

Burgh Gourmand commented on the guac as well, saying that it was “so creamy” (sometimes guacamole is a little chunky when the avocados aren’t mashed too well).  I know that it still gets my vote for “Best Guac”, despite trying it in other restaurants now, too.

Burgh had this to add later:

I did blur Burgh Gourmand's real name to protect the innocent - I promise, though, this was from him!

Although I am partial to the guac, I made sure to have my chips with some salsa, since A.) salsa is fat-free, and guacamole is not, and B.) I love the way the salsa tastes, since it is made with fresh cilantro, and C.) It is not super-chunky, but not super-runny, either.

Burgh Gourmand and I had a hard time deciding upon our main dishes – I wanted to try something off of their “Traditional Mexican” menu, since I hadn’t yet, and I keep touting authenticity.  Back when I started doing this, the owner’s wife, Ginny, replied to my email about my blog with a list of items on the menu that are authentic – and anything on that part is (in addition to others).

I decided to go with “Pollo al cilantro” – basically, you choose your meat and sauce, so I chose chicken with a cilantro sauce (I had to go cilantro!).  Burgh originally decided upon “Mar Y Tierra” (Surf ‘N Turf, to put it simply), but at the last minute changed his mind to the “Pollo en Mole Poblano”, which was my choice on my last visit.

Who doesn’t love a good mole?!

Pollo al cilantro - no leftovers this time (guess I'll have to come back for more...)

Photo courtesy of Burgh Gourmand: Pollo en mole poblano

Neither one of us regretted our choices.  Burgh’s mole exceeded his expectations – I told him that I wouldn’t steer him wrong, and I live up to my promises.  My “Pollo al Cilantro” was what I was hoping for – a delicious, but not overpowering cilantro-flavored sauce encasing shredded chicken, which served as a great filler for my handmade tortillas and veggies.  The sauce was a little salty, but not enough for me to not savor every bite of my meal.

In addition to comida muy rica, the trip to Las Velas included a spectacular view of Market Square, capped off with witnessing a torrential downpour (and pedestrians scattering to avoid it) and helicopters flying dangerously close to skyscrapers around Market Square due to the filming of the Tom Cruise film “One Shot”. 

Even better?  Great conversation with Burgh Gourmand.  It’s nice to converse with someone that A.) has common interests, B.) has intelligence, and C.) can tell you things you never knew before.  If you ever get the opportunity to dine with him – do it.

At the end of my last post about Las Velas, I said:

“I left so, so full, and so, so happy.”  - I did this time, too.

“I will be back, Las Velas.” – Obviously, I came back.  Duh.

“I will try something different next time, although I was completely smitten with the meal that I had chosen.” – Totally tried something new (although Burgh did let me sample his mole poblano!  I couldn’t resist!)

“I will bring friends.” – Done.

“I will encourage others to patronize you, even if I am not with them.” – I do through my blog, Facebook page, Twitter.  I wear my Las Velas shirt to school on Casual Friday when I can.  Not to mention my contest where a student won $30 to spend at your restaurant!

Further proof that I live up to my promises.

Las Velas

21 Market Square

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Web: http://www.lasvelasmex.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf - !/LasVelasMex

Twitter: @lasvelas

Burgh Gourmand

Website: http://www.burghgourmand.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BurghGourmand

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/BurghGourmand

…Mexico City Restaurant (Smithfield Street Location)

What do teachers DO on in-service days?

I get that question a lot, and honestly, there’s no one answer to that question.  It really depends on the needs of the district.  Sometimes we have workshops and meetings.  Sometimes we meet in small groups.  Sometimes we meet as a building.  Sometimes we meet as a district.

It depends.

One in-service day that is always a sure thing is the annual Journey to Learn Day, organized by the Consortium for Public Education.  Districts that are part of the consortium participate and sign up for workshops in other districts to learn from those teachers.  Last year, I led a workshop on Traveling Teachers, and I was really upset that the teachers who participated carried on during my workshop instead of participating.

Teachers are the worst students.

City-County Building

This year, I wanted to DO something on this day, so my first choice was the Strip District Stroll, led by the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation (shocker, since I love The Strip, right?)  My second choice was another tour led by the same group, titled “Downtown Dragons”, which focuses on the architecture in Pittsburgh.

Of course, I got my second choice.

Looking up The Mon

I wasn’t going to complain, though, since at least I didn’t have to sit in a classroom that morning – I got to be outside, looking at things and walking around, which I’d rather do any day.

And you know what?  I learned A LOT.  If you ever get the chance to do a tour through the foundation, DO IT.  I want to do more – the one in The Strip, of course, but they also do one on the Mexican War Streets, and I’ve always wondered what that’s all about.

Fountain at the courthouse 

I also got some great pictures along the way.  My Instagram app helped make them even better.

First Lutheran Church

Another great thing about the tour is that it ended at Wood St., and I had time for lunch, so my brother offered to meet me for lunch.  His suggestion?  Mexico City on Smithfield Street.

Aww, he’s so supportive of my cause!

We got there exactly when they opened – 11:00 AM – and were seated right away, as the only patrons of the restaurant.  It’s not very big, but it is festive. The décor reminded me a lot of a cantina in Merida, Mexico (although this location is BYOB – no bar), and I just had to take pictures of the quotes on the wall:

We were served our one complimentary basket of chips and salsa – it literally states on the menu that you get ONE complimentary basket of chips and salsa, and additional ones are $1.99 each.  That was fine with me, since I tend to fill up on chips and salsa too often – and I could have filled up on a lot more, because they were quite delicioso.  The salsa was also quite flavorful and cilantro-ish – my brother really likes their salsa because it’s not chunky (he hates chunky salsa).

Chips and not-so-chunky salsa

 I had pretty much also decided upon what I wanted to eat ahead of time, as I checked out their menu online the night before.  I was impressed with their “Black & Gold” themed foods – burritos & chimichangas, with a variety of options for fillings: chicken, pork, steak, lamb, tilapia, shrimp, and more.  I thought – what could be better than black & gold-themed Mexican food?  That represents what I’m all about: Pittsburgh + Hispanic/Latino foods.

Black and Gold Burrito

 It was Mexican-Pittsburgh perfection – the “black” is mole sauce (MY NEW FAVORITE SAUCE!) and the “gold” is a mildly spicy cheese sauce:

For my filling, I chose “pollo con rajas” – chicken with poblano pepper (which is quickly becoming my pepper of choice for main dishes – not too hot, not too mild, and lots of flavor):

Chicken with poblano pepper filling (and rice)

 This was definitely the best way to end my tour of Downtown Pittsburgh – I learned about architecture, saw things in the city that I had never seen before (and wouldn’t have noticed, had it not been for this tour), and had lunch that not only fits the theme of the day (Pittsburgh), but also the theme of my blog.

What do teachers do on in-service days?  If done right (as this was), they learn…

Mexico City

111 Smithfield St.

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Website: http://www.mex-city.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mexico-City-Restaurant/343687990784?ref=ts (Wood St. Location)

Additional Locations:

409 Wood St.

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

(this location has a full bar with happy hour and salsa parties)

2212 E. Carson St.

Pittsburgh, PA 15203

(Taqueria)

Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation

100 West Station Square Drive

Suite 450

Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Website: http://www.phlf.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pittsburgh-History-Landmarks-Foundation/371231865486?sk=wall

…Mallorca

I don’t want to be boring anymore.

There are people in this world who do the same thing, day after day, never changing their routine.  How dare you disrupt their regular routine?  How dare you suggest that they try something new?

I used to be one of those people.

I understand that you may know what you like, so why change it?  I’ve been there.  I’ve gone to restaurants and ordered the same meal every time.  I’ve gone to the same place on vacation, maybe not every single year, but most years.  It’s familiar.  It’s comfortable.  It’s safe.

It’s lame.

Sometimes you need to see the world beyond your four walls.  Living in West Mifflin my entire life, with the exception of my 2 years in University Park for college, I know how it feels to have to go beyond the “four walls” of the West Mifflin-Whitaker-Duquesne area.  I know how daunting it may seem to even cross a bridge just to go to a restaurant, or to go shopping, or even to just to visit someone across town (like, in the North Hills – it’s SO FAR!  2 different bridges!), when everything that you could ever need – food, stores, friends – are all within a few miles. 

A prime example of this is my dad.  We (meaning my whole family) love the food at Pido’s Pub in Munhall – but my dad gets the same thing every time: mushroom cheesesteak, no onions, no mayo, and homemade potato chips with Shirley sauce. 

Every.  Time.

This stuck-in-a-rut routine was more obvious when I went on vacation with my parents this past summer to Ocean City, MD - spend the first half of the day on the beach, shower, relax in the condo for a bit, go to dinner, maybe go somewhere else for a bit, sit on the balcony at the condo, go to bed. 

Every.  Day.

I was pretty adamant about breaking this routine at some point.  My mom had wanted to go parasailing last year with my cousin (I wasn’t with them then), but he backed out, so I told my mom that I would go with her this year.  I kept pushing the issue, so my mom told me to just call and book it.  I did, and while I was asking if someone could ride in the boat without parasailing, my dad said that he would parasail, too.

Whoa.

Did he enjoy himself?  Judge for yourself…

So did my mom and I, for that matter…

So when I went to Mallorca on East Carson Street in the South Side this past Wednesday, I told myself to get something other than paella.  I don’t go to Mallorca too often – maybe once a year, if that – mostly because it’s so expensive.  I did have a CBS Local Offer to use, where I paid $15 and received a $30 gift certificate, so that helped with defraying some of the cost of my meal – but I didn’t want to be lame and order the Paella Valenciana like I do every single time I go there, just because I like it.  And it’s familiar.  And it’s comfortable.  And it’s safe.

TF (remember, from our trip to The Strip District?) was my companion for the evening again, since we still had so much to catch up on, now that we don’t teach in the same building.  She was already there when I arrived, and we chose to sit afuera (outside), since it was a nice evening. 

Mallorca has awesome bread - crusty (in a good way) on the outside, soft on the inside.  We tore it up…

After perusing the menu (not like I hadn’t already looked online), she decided on the Camarones Fritos (fried shrimp) and I chose the Mariscada (clams, shrimp, lobster tail, and mussels in a slightly spicy Spanish brandy and wine sauce – for the record, alcohol burns off when it’s cooked, so calm down, kids).

We were first served simple green leaf salads with a dressing that I can’t even describe – it tasted kind of like a Catalina dressing.

When our food arrived, I was given an aluminum pot filled with the seafood, covered with the sauce.  Mmmm, it looked delicious.  The server ladled some into a bowl for me.

Then, more things were laid out in front of me – a bowl for my seafood shells (of course), saffron rice (hey, like in the paella!), vegetables sautéed with garlic, and…whoa…homemade potato chips?!  Like the ones at Pido’s?!

My meal was great, and it was almost just like the Paella Valenciana, minus the chicken and chorizo, but plus the spicy sauce, which made it even better.

Hey, I was adventurous, and it worked out!  My hope is that throughout this project, you have moments like this, too – taking a chance on a new food, or menu item, or restaurant, or even neighborhood, and being pleasantly surprised at how much you enjoyed it. 

Who knows?  Maybe that adventurousness will transfer into other aspects of your life, too…like trying out parasailing…

Mallorca Restaurant

2228 E. Carson Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15203

Website: http://www.mallorcarestaurant.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/MallorcaPittsburgh

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/mallorcapgh

Pido’s Pub

1129 Ravine Street

Munhall, PA 15120

...Las Velas

I’ve missed speaking Spanish. 

Who would’ve thought that was possible?  Unless you speak more than one language and not used one or more in awhile - then used it again - could you even understand the feeling.

Not teaching Spanish for a year wasn’t weird at the time, but it’s weird to me now.  How did I go a year not speaking Spanish, not making sugar skulls for the Day of the Dead, not explaining that “Cinco de Mayo” is NOT Mexico’s Independence Day?  How did I not teach how to conjugate verbs, not talk about cognates and using context to figure out meaning, and not yell at kids for chuckling at “funny sounding” words (like “sacapuntas”)?

Blasphemy.

I will admit that I have had to do some brushing up.  I found myself reading the Spanish on an HP toner box out loud while working at Kennywood this summer to practice my accent once again – and good thing I did.  I was rusty.  I was out of practice.  I sounded so…American. 

I went to Las Velas in Market Square (downtown) tonight with my brother.  I had been there before their recent re-opening for a pre-opening party with him a few weeks ago, since I had heard so much about it from him (he plays softball with the owner, David, and goes there for lunch often since he works in the area).  In my quest for finding authentic Hispanic restaurants in the Pittsburgh area, I thought this would be a good place to start.

I love it when I’m right.

For the pre-opening party on July 16th, we started with the homemade tortilla chips, served with salsa, guacamole, and salsa verde.  The chips were perfectly fried and warm, and the salsa had the BEST cilantro content of any salsa that I have had.  I love cilantro, and I am thoroughly disappointed that my attempt at growing it in my garden this summer failed miserably.  Salsa verde was never my favorite, but tasted much better in comparison to others that I have had.  The guacamole – O.  M.  G.  I am picky about my guac – avocados are a fickle fruit, and a bad avocado can ruin the guac.  No bad avocados here.  It was – no exaggeration – THE best guac I have EVER had.  I know I have a lot more restaurants to try out, but in my experiences so far, this is the standard.

The rest of the meal was served family-style – fajitas, with homemade tortillas, chicken, beef, pico de gallo, peppers, onions, rice, and refried beans with queso fresco, a traditional Mexican cheese.  Having been to Mexico and eaten traditional foods there, this was as close as I have come to having something “authentic” in Da ‘Burgh.

I could not wait to go back and try the traditional menu.  Of course, my brother has been there for lunch on several occasions already, but the dinner menu is a bit different from the lunch menu, so he was eager to try it for dinner.  We started with the delectable chips and salsa (he doesn’t like guac – party pooper).  I honestly think that the chips were even better this time than the first, and I can’t pinpoint why, since I thought they were amazing the first time.  

Then I got to practice my Spanish again.  Briefly.  Ahhhhh.

I ordered the “Pollo en mole poblano” – which, according to the menu, is “Deliciously slow-cooked mole rojo sauce smothered on…chicken…Served with your choice of three sides: rice, beans, lettuce/pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, rajas/crema, papas Laticias, or cheese.  Corn or flour tortillas.”  Yeah, choice?  No.  It came with ALL of that – the only thing that I chose was corn tortillas.  I’m not complaining one bit – it was a lot of food, though, which just means that I brought about half of it home, and I have dinner for tomorrow, too!  

I wanted to try this because I had never had mole sauce.  I know, I know – how could this BE?  I teach about it all of the time, but had never tried it myself.  Mole is actually partially made with chocolate, but doesn’t taste like what you would pour over your ice cream or put in your milk to make chocolate milk.  It is also made with peppers (in this case, poblano peppers, which are not very hot), and it has a unique taste.  See http://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--35996/mole-rojo.asp for a simple explanation.

I loved it.  I’m so glad that I have leftovers.

My brother is also all about dessert, and he wanted to try the dessert at Las Velas, since it is not something that he would normally have with lunch. 

Not to mention that he misses Chi-Chi’s with a passion, and REALLY wanted fried ice cream.

So he ordered his fried ice cream, and I ordered the sopapillas (more Spanish!  Ahhhh…) – tortilla chips, covered with honey and served with ice cream and strawberry sauce.  Who could go wrong with that combination?  

I know I didn’t.

My brother tried my dessert, and when I asked to try his, he said, “It’s just ice cream.”  Riiiiiight.  Hoarder.

I left so, so full, and so, so happy.  I will be back, Las Velas.  I will try something different next time, although I was completely smitten with the meal that I had chosen.  I will bring friends.  I will encourage others to patronize you, even if I am not with them. 

Nos vemos pronto. (Ahhhhh…)

Las Velas

21 Market Square

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Web: http://www.lasvelasmex.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf - !/LasVelasMex

Twitter: @lasvelas

Follow me on Twitter: @senoritacibulka