Sunday Brunch, Part 2: Penn Avenue Fish Company

I'll eat anything that comes out of the sea.

Fact.  I have always been a seafood aficionado (in Spanish, "aficionada", as I am a female).  I used to always request that my birthday dinner be held at Red Lobster, so that I could get the Ultimate Feast -- and once, I got a whole lobster (and creeped out my best friend at the time because the lobster was "looking at" her).

I had read about the Penn Avenue Fish Company two years ago in Pittsburgh Magazine and told myself, "I need to go there!"  However, being that they are only open for lunch, it hasn't been easy for me to do so, nor have I made it much of a priority, despite my love of seafood.

Penn Avenue Fish Company

So after our Bar Marco/Lucy's Banh Mi meals, we were on our way back to the car, and James suggested stopping in to check out what their deal was.  I had no problem with it, having wanted to check it out myself, so we walked in and immediately walked to the back to the wholesale fish counter.

Fish for sale!

 We checked out the selection, and James asked some questions to the super-friendly fishmonger who was eager to answer his questions.  He spotted a treasure that we had yet to see in Pittsburgh: Smoked Salmon, cut right off of the fish itself:

The origin of our smoked salmon

 The gentleman cut us a sample, and it was amazing.  James purchased a 1/4 pound (as it sells for $36.99/lb!), and the fishmonger was kind enough to set up a plate for us to enjoy it:

Smoked Salmon with accompaniments

It was just as good as what we had enjoyed at Russ & Daughters (so it was fantastic!).  The fishmonger mentioned that they get sable in around the holidays -- so I will definitely be stalking them until it comes in!

 James was so impressed by the quality of the fish that he could not help ordering the sushi special for the day: Salmon, Avocado, and Yellowtail Roll; Spicy Tuna Tartare; Eel & Avocado Nigiri.

Sushi Special: Salmon, Avocado, Yellowtail Roll; Spicy Tuna Tartare; Eel & Avocado Nigiri

Wow.  Such fresh sushi.  Probably the best I've had -- no exaggeration.  Far better than the quality of sushi at Giant Eagle (although in a pinch, it's satisfactory), and better than that of Nakama, Yokoso, Benichopsticks, Sushi Kim...everywhere I've had sushi.  I normally cannot stand eel - it's the one seafood that I pass on - but to be honest, those pieces were the best on the plate!

Being that it was a Sunday, there were no soups offered, only "brunch".  Everything was pay-at-the-end - order what you want, tell them what you had before you leave, they'll ring it up, you pay -- an honor system that works.  Hopefully, people don't try to ruin that.  

We had to come back.  So we did -- 2 days later.

On our first visit, we noticed that on Tuesdays, they had all-you-can-eat fish tacos for $8.99.  Yes.  That needed to happen.  AND I just happened to have that Tuesday off, so we went to partake in the fish tacos:

Fish Tacos!

They were definitely good, but they needed to use the "double-up" method with their corn tortillas, as they fell apart as you ate them.  No harm in that, but it was pretty messy.

The soups sounded interesting, so James and I first tried the Spicy Seafood Gumbo.  The setup is "serve-yourself", and James was careful not to strain the soup, as the menu warned that if you do -- you get a spanking.  Ouch:

Spicy Seafood Gumbo

Note the soup straining warning

 Spicy seafood is always a good, standard choice, but I really wanted to try the Watermelon Gazpacho, since a woman at the table next to us on our first visit was raving about it to her family (she had had it earlier in the week, apparently):

Watermelon Gazpacho

 What a perfect summer soup.  Although on this particular day it was not sweltering hot, the soup was refreshing, nonetheless.  Spicy, sweet, and savory, all in one bowl.  Ahhhhhh.

We couldn't resist getting more sushi, so James ordered a few things a la carte directly from Pana, the Sushi Chef:

Pana, Sushi Chef at Penn Avenue Fish Company (in focus, not the blurry guy)

Hamachi (yellowtail), Nigiri, and Maguro (Tuna) Nigiri

Maki Roll (Hamachi & Tuna)

Again - best sushi in Pittsburgh!  Confirmed!  Both James and I were largely impressed.

We all know by now that I love the Strip District, but this is probably one of my new favorite spots (on a long list, of course, but this is a gem!).  Fresh fish, awesome sushi, and all-you-can-eat tacos on Tuesdays?  

I'll be back.  Often.

Penn Avenue Fish Company

2208 Penn Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Website: http://www.pennavefishcompany.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Penn-Avenue-Fish-Company/167826429917297

…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