...PRW: Braddock's American Brasserie Blogger Dinner

I love meeting other bloggers.

I met Food Collage through blogging and Twitter, and going out to eat with her is always a great experience (twice during Pittsburgh Restaurant Week alone!).  Of course, I met James through the same means, and...well, the rest is history :-)

When it was announced that there would be a special dinner during Pittsburgh Restaurant Week, I told James that we HAD to go.  We had to.  I wanted to meet other bloggers, because the first two that I ever met turned out to be so fantastic!  Also, Food Collage raves about Braddock's, and it seemed like a great opportunity to try what they had to offer.

We made our reservations through ShowClix (a great service, by the way - I used them for Savor Pittsburgh, too, without any issues) and had our tickets texted to us - ahhh, the wonders of technology. 

I had actually sampled some food from Braddock's before and was quite impressed.  My first experience was at Savor Pittsburgh, where they offered their Short Rib Pierogi for sampling - and what an impression it left on not just me, but others as well (more on that soon).

I had also sampled their Turkey Wrap at Bakery's Cookin', and I can't think of a better way to use Thanksgiving leftovers!  Usually I end up reheating (and drying out in the process) leftover turkey...then throwing a lot of it away.  I would never, ever throw away turkey if I knew how to make this wrap (and I do, thanks to the program from the event - yay!)

James and I were a little early, but we were led to the seating area right away.  Braddock's is located in the Renaissance Hotel downtown, which is beautiful:

Braddock's, from the upstairs of the Renaissance Hotel

Inside Braddock's

 We sat at a table for six with another couple who had just arrived themselves - only to find out that the gentleman was the writer of the Ya Jagoff blog, posting about people who are...well, jagoffs.  Through our conversation, we discovered that he, too, was at Savor Pittsburgh, and raved about the Short Rib Pierogi (I told you there'd me more about it). 

Also joining us were the couple from the 101 Achievements blog, posting about their adventures in accomplishing things on their to-do list.  All of us spent a lot of time in conversation between our courses!

For Pittsburgh Restaurant Week, Braddock's offered a 3-course pre-fixe menu for $25, including an appetizer, entree, and dessert:

Braddock's American Brasserie PRW Menu

Even before ordering, we were presented with a tasting plate, including that famous Braised Short Rib Pierogi, plus Grilled Strip District Kielbasa and Housemade Potato Gnocchi & Lobster:

Clockwise from bottom: Braised Short Rib Pierogi, Grilled Strip District Kielbasa, Housemade Potato Gnocchi & Lobster

Due to the overwhelming taste of these 3 items, James and I decided to forgo the pre-fixe menu and order directly from the regular menu: Jumbo Lump Crab Cake, Braised Short Rib Pierogies, and Seared Diver Scallops:

Jumbo Lump Crab Cake

Braised Short Rib Pierogi (again!)

Seared Diver Scallops

All were fantastic, but the scallops stood out as the best appetizer (plus, despite being so impressed by the pierogi, it wasn't new to me anymore - the novelty was wearing off, I guess). 

The gnocchi was so phenomenal that we split a full order (which they were kind enough to split up for us into two bowls - how considerate!):

Housemade Potato Gnocchi & Lobster (yes, again!)

Even nicer, Brian Volmrich, Braddock's Chef de Cuisine, came out to talk to each table of bloggers about the food that was prepared for us - we were able to ask questions, learn about how the menu items came about (like the pierogi recipe from his Polish grandmother - I can identify!)  He even honored a request from Ya Jagoff at the end of his video.

Brian Volmrich, Chef de Cuisine (beyond my face)

 There was still room for dessert - Ya Jagoff's wife did not want her cheesecake from the pre-fixe menu, so James willingly accepted her offer of the New York Colossal Cheesecake with Fresh Raspberries.  I haven't had cheesecake in awhile, and this was rich, sweet, and well worth the calories!

New York Colossal Cheesecake with Fresh Raspberries (and a little "PRW" drizzle!)

 We also ordered our own dessert - Profiteroles. Ahhh, flaky, creamy - so indulgent!

Profiteroles

The staff at Braddock's is incomparable to any restaurant staff that I have experienced here in the city - so accommodating, so friendly, and so engaging.  

My only complaint?  During this dinner, I didn't get to meet any of the other bloggers that were not at my table!  Oh, well.  I'm sure we'll cross paths another time.  

Thanks so much to Brian McCollum of the Pittsburgh Taste Buds for planning such a great event for bloggers as part of Pittsburgh Restaurant Week.  I truly hope to be a part of more events like this again soon (perhaps during a future restaurant week...or sooner!)

Braddock's American Brasserie

107 6th St.

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Website: http://www.braddocksrestaurant.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/braddocks.american.brasserie 

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

...Bakery's Cookin'

I have much to be thankful for.

I, of course, am thankful for my family, my health, and the positive changes that have occurred in my life in the past year.  

Most especially, I am thankful that through this blog, in addition to providing information for my students (and anyone else who is interested), that I have made some great friends with common interests.

When Food Collage asked me if I was going to Bakery's Cookin', after she heard about it from Suburghia Foodie and had decided to attend, I was enthralled.  I had read about the event just a day earlier via someone's Twitter post, and I thought, "Nah, nobody would want to go to that," forgetting that now I had friends who wanted to do those kinds of things.  Duh.

Of course, I talked James into going, too.

Tickets for the event were only $10 if purchased ahead of time through ShowClix, an online ticketing service, which I had used before for Savor Pittsburgh.  It is so convenient to purchase the tickets ahead of time - however, I will warn you that there is a $3 "service fee", so really I only saved $1 on two tickets.  

Whatever.  $10 was a STEAL.

Bakery Square

We arrived at Bakery Square and met up with Food Collage in front of the venue - an empty storefront, which, until it has a permanent tenant, will be used for special events.  In fact, "I Made It! Market for the Holidays", another event that I've been itching to attend, will be held there on December 2nd and 3rd.

It was exactly 5:00 PM, and the organizers still seemed to be scrambling to get things set up, something that irks me - if you plan an event, you need to be ready ON TIME.  Either way, we walked in and were the first to check in, get stamped, and receive our books with all of the recipes for the food we would be sampling that evening.  

We wandered around a bit and took advantage of the fruit and cheese trays that were scattered about while the other tables finished getting everything set up.

One of the many fruit and cheese trays - quality cheeses, too!

We made it over to the sampling table for the restaurants that were showing off their famous recipes that evening.  There were samples from Sugar Cafe (in Dormont, where I stopped on my food tour and LOVED the cosmopolitan cupcake), Dozen (about which I wrote when I went to Lawrenceville with my mom), Braddock's American Brasserie, E2, Bella Christie, and Sola Gratia (a private chef service, not a restaurant).

Gingersnap Bread Pudding, Sugar Cafe

Fingerling Potato Salad, Sola Gratia

S'more-Tini, Bella Christie

I believe these were from Bella Christie, but I don't have the info - they were rich and delicious, though!

Foreground: Maple Turkey Wrap & Sweet Potato Mousse Parfait, Braddock's American Brasserie

 Out of everything that I tried (WAY more than $10 worth!), my favorite was the Greens, Butternut Squash, and Faro Salad from E2 (sorry, no picture, I ate it too quickly!), with the Maple Turkey and Stuffing Wraps from Braddock's and the Gingersnap Bread Pudding from Sugar Cafe coming in a very close second and third.  The only thing that did not impress me, unfortunately, were the Chocolate Pear Tarts from Dozen - I think I'll stick with their cupcakes.

Each chef did a demonstration of their dish, using appliances from Perla's Appliances PLUS, where I happened to buy my cooktop a few years ago and use constantly to make my own delicious creations - not to sound like a cheesy ad, but my experience there was great, and I have had no issues with my cooktop since I purchased it!

Kelly James from Sugar Cafe demonstrates

 To make the night even more enjoyable, the entertainment was the Gene Stovall Music Group.  I have no idea who he is, specifically (Gene Stovall, perhaps?), but I swear he is the most talented singer in Pittsburgh.  He can sing any song, in any style, and make it sound like a musical masterpiece - I could have listened to him sing all night, and I hope that I see him at future events!

Most Talented Man in Pittsburgh (IMHO)

It was a fun foodie night with friends, new and old (not super old, but older).  Thanks to James and especially Food Collage for wanting to attend and putting it out there that she was attending.  In addition, it was good to see Rachel from Yelp again, and it was so nice meeting my Twitter friends Suburghia Foodie, her husband, Patrick, and Eventsgeek in person for the first time.

Here's to hoping to see everyone (and more) at future events, foodie-themed or not.

Bakery's Cookin' benefitted the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh.

For more pictures from the event, see WPXI's "Seen and Be Seen" coverage: http://www.wpxi.com/entertainment/entertainment/29815178/detail.html