...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

...Tamari

Fusion.

From dictionary.com: 

adjective 8.(of food or cooking) combining usually widely differing ethnic or regional ingredients, styles, or techniques: a restaurant serving French-Thai fusion cuisine; a fusion menu.

Fusion is a fancier way of saying "combining", but fusion is much more than "combining" - it's more like "melting".  I could take a taco and put it on the same plate as sushi, but in no way would I call that fusion.  The dishes are separate, unique in their own ways.  I could put them on separate plates, and you would feel as if you were eating two totally separate dishes from two totally different cultures - putting them on the same plate masks the cultural differences.

Tamari fuses.  It does not combine.

Thanks to James, who never fails to suggest a restaurant that I will absolutely adore, I was able to have one of the most fantastic meals ever at Tamari.  Their concept is Latin American and Asian fusion - my two favorite ethnic cuisines, fused in culinary heaven.

They did not disappoint.

We decided to go the tapas route, trying to taste many different dishes, as they all sounded so appealing, and James had received so many suggestions via Twitter earlier in the week.  We started with the Ceviche, Chipotle Tuna Tartare, and two selections from their Robata Grill: Hanger Steak and Bacon & Quail Egg.

Ceviche

I was automatically enamored by this restaurant with my first bite of ceviche.

I have had many different types of ceviche from several different restaurants.  Their ceviche is served on a tostone and has a layer of yuzu crème that gives it a taste unlike that of any other ceviche I have ever consumed.  

Chipotle Tuna Tartare

The combination of tuna tartare and chipotle, in addition to yuzu crème fraiche and wasabi tobiko, dressed the tostones with which it is served well.  

Bacon and Quail Egg Robata & Hanger Steak Robata

 The Robata was mouthwateringly incredible, especially the Bacon and Quail Egg (I know, some of you are probably turned off by "quail egg", but believe me, it MELTS in your mouth).  The beef robata was tender and juicy.  At $2 each, they are well worth the price (and if you're old enough - ONLY if you're old enough - they are 1/2 price during happy hour!)

We decided to try more - the lobster macaroni and cheese, and we definitely wanted more of those robata.

Lobster Macaroni & Cheese

 Lobster macaroni and cheese definitely exceeded my expectations.  I love lobster.  I love macaroni and cheese.  Smoked gouda is a huge selling point to me when choosing a dish.  I was entranced by the - wait for it - fusion of flavors.

Sushi & Sashimi Plate

 We also ordered the sushi and sashimi plate, just because James and I are huge aficionados of both.  If you've had sushi at Nakama, or Yokoso, or - I know, convenience is of the essence - Giant Eagle, NONE of those compare to the sushi and sashimi at Tamari.  In no way did I ever question the quality of the seafood used, and the rice was perfectly cooked. 

After all of this savory food, you would think that we couldn't eat another bite - falso!  We had to at least take a peek at the dessert menu - and the thought of a churro with peanut mousse was too tempting to resist.  Of course, James and I shared the dessert instead of each getting our own (just as we did with every other dish, by the way!  That's a lot of calories!).  

Churro with Peanut Mousse & Pineapple Shooter (no alcohol in it! All fruit juices)

 Te amo, postre.  Te amo, Tamari.

As meals go, this definitely is in the top 3 - I love Latin American food, I love Asian food - and the fusion of both is a foodie favorite.  Fusion is genius.  Taking the best parts of ethnic cuisines and fusing them into culinary creations doubles the deliciousness of the cuisine.

When things are fused, they cannot be divided.  When things are combined, they can.  I will still enjoy each cuisine separately, but I will never forget how perfect they are when fused.

I also got a surprise - remember my post on Mexico Lindo, and the picture of the purse that I liked?  I now possess it, thanks to James.  Sorry to anyone who was going to buy it for me for La Navidad.  Muchas gracias, mi amigo bueno :-)

Purse made of gum wrappers from Mexico Lindo!

Tamari Restaurant

3519 Butler St.

Pittsburgh, PA 15201 (Lawrenceville)

Website: http://www.tamaripgh.com

...Chicken Latino

I don’t like crowds.

That’s kind of funny considering that A.) I’m a teacher, who works in a school, which has crowded hallways between classes, and B.) I also work at an amusement park, where crowds are the norm.

Probably the part that I don’t like the most is constantly feeling like I’m in the way.  In a large crowd, if someone needs to get through, you move as far out of the way as possible so that he/she can pass, right?  Well, not everyone does that, and then I feel bad, so I move – so I’m constantly moving!  Does anyone else in the world have that feeling?  Ever?  Or am I just strange?

The other part that bothers me a great deal is waiting because of a crowd.  Waiting in traffic, waiting to get out of a building, or waiting for a table at a restaurant drives me crazy.  If I see a crowd at a restaurant, I immediately think, “No way am I eating here,” or “I should’ve come earlier,” or “I should’ve made a reservation [if possible].”

Check out this picture that I took this morning.  This is the line to get into the famous Pamela’s Diner on 21^st Street in the Strip District this past Sunday morning:

I had no intention of eating at Pamela’s, anyway, so I wasn’t upset by it, but…why would anyone want to wait around?  I guess its breakfast is really delicious and popular, and it was Sunday, and they have “regulars”, but…it was almost noon by this point.  There are so many other places to eat in The Strip, why would anyone want to flock to the SAME place all of the time for the SAME food – and wait around so long for it? 

Luckily, I had other plans – right across the street from Pamela’s:

When I first had the idea for this extra credit project, Chicken Latino was one of the first places that I contacted – and one of the first that contacted me.  In fact, the owner, Shelbin, called me as soon as she got my letter!  I was shocked at her quick response, and she was incredibly nice and supportive.  I knew I had to try Chicken Latino as soon as possible.

I asked my brother if he wanted to come with me to the Strip District, since he’s usually looking for something to do on a Sunday afternoon, and he agreed – although I didn’t tell him about Chicken Latino until we were on our way (oops).  I mean, if he likes Las Velas, he should like Chicken Latino, too, right?

Well, to clarify, Chicken Latino is Peruvian.  Las Velas is Mexican.  There are similarities, though.

When we arrived, we went to the counter and were asked if we wanted our food to go or if we were going to eat in.  Since we were eating in, we were told that we could have a seat, and the waitress would bring us menus (Hey, no waiting!  Hooray!).  

Our waitress, Christy, was very detailed in her explanation of the menu – the weekday menu was on the table, but we were handed the weekend menu, which also had – oh boy – ceviche!  Real ceviche!  The kind that is raw fish cured in lime juice to be “cooked”!  I knew what I was ordering.  My brother ordered a chicken quesadilla.

They also had slushies in mango and wild berry – made with real fruit!  I ordered a mango slushie.  My brother?  Coke.

Appetizers - Yucca fries, a root vegetable, similar to jicama or rutabagas, sounded intriguing…mmmm…but my brother, of course, wanted chips and salsa.  We ordered both. 

Christy brought out our Yucca fries and chips and salsa, and also 5 packets of mayonnaise and a bottle of “green stuff”, as she referred to it.  She said that in Peru, they mix together the green stuff and mayonnaise, and dip their Yucca fries into it like ketchup.  She later explained that the “green stuff” was cilantro, peppers, and bread crumbs, they make it fresh there every day, and they also sell it by the bottle.  Tempting, but it would probably go bad before I would use it all – and I also don’t need to be eating mayonnaise every day.

The chips and salsa weren’t anything spectacular, but I loved, loved…wait for it…LOVED the Yucca fries with the dipping sauce!  So did my brother.

My ceviche was amazing.  After eating all of those fries, having something light and delicious for my main course was refreshing.

And my slushie?  It was great.  It tasted just like a mango…which is also what I had for breakfast that morning.

I like mangoes.  A lot. 

My brother’s quesadilla – it was HUGE!  It also had tons of black beans in it, which he was not expecting, but he ate every last bite of it.  I tried a piece of it, and guess what?  No surprise, it was fantastic!  

I had read on Twitter earlier that morning that it was someone’s birthday there, and that Shelbin had made her a pumpkin sweet bread with melted marshmallows on top (she posted a picture…*drool*).  I noticed that Christy was wearing a “Happy Birthday” ribbon, so I asked her if she was the one they made the bread for that I had seen on Twitter.  She said yes, and without hesitation, offered us a piece. 

I like pumpkin, too.  A lot.

Christy was so nice to share her birthday bread (¡que rico!) with us, to be so friendly in explaining the menu, and to chat with me about the extra credit project – yet another reason to love Chicken Latino!

There are so many other things on their menu that I want to try: the Peruvian-style chicken (which is what I was going to get originally, but then they had ceviche, and all bets were off), plantains, flan, “Inka Kola” (Peruvian pop, essentially), and “chicha morada”, a purple Peruvian corn juice. 

The other great part of Chicken Latino is that their prices are very reasonable.  For as much as we ate, the bill for the two of us was only about $32 – and we could have ordered less and still had a satisfying lunch (although I’m glad we had what we did!)

The people that work in Chicken Latino wear shirts that say “I <3 Chicken Latino” (ok, so the heart isn’t sideways, but you know what I mean).  I understand why completely - fresh, authentic food, great atmosphere, great staff, affordable prices – oh yeah, and no waiting!  I can’t say enough good things about my experience, so I will end with this…

Me encanta Chicken Latino.  Nos vemos otra vez muy, muy pronto.  Gracias por todo.

Chicken Latino

155 21^st Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Web: http://www.chickenlatino.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Chicken-Latino/145153807143

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/chickenlatino