Bit-O-Honey and Beef

Last night I met my dearest friend Sarah for dinner at Pittsburgh Blue in Maple Grove, a restaurant that just opened. (Check out the menu on their website: www.pittsburghbluesteak.com ) That commercial Mecca is an easy place for us to meet after work, although we usually opt for Thai and sushi at Sawatdee, but this time we decided to venture out into the unknown. This steak and seafood restaurant was a pleasant surprise from what one typically finds inMaple Grove--it's not a national chain. It wasn't until we were leaving that I noticed it is Perisole owned (they own Figlio, Chino Latino, Muffuletta's, The Good Earth, and Manny's), which explained the more upscale feel in the chain laden area. I'm not saying I seek upscale---Lord knows it is a rarity-- I love little holes in the wall who use paper napkins and serve cans of soda, and I love their prices too, all providing the food is out of this world! But this just caught me off guard is all...in a good way. The menu explains the name of the restaurant, "It's the way steelworkers used to eat their steak: charred black on the outside, cold and raw on the inside." While I seldom eat red meat anymore--this is precisely how I like it! Bingo! Yes, I know I teach food safety, but my taste buds don't get rocked by well done beef, I'd rather pass--and a steak house is a safer place to order food this way. The menu had seafood and steak entrees all served with fries (didn't care for that choice) and then many side choices to order for the table for an additional charge. I ordered the steak salad and told the waitress "Pittsburgh Blue please". What I really enjoyed about this meal was the simplicity. The dry aged beef was sliced over crunchy romaine, with 2 fat tomato slices and 2 large red onion rings. That was it. The dressing on the side wasn't even needed, as the meat and veggies were juicy enough. The meat indeed melted in my mouth. The serving was large, which I heard was typical for most menu items. Sarah enjoyed the sesame and black pepper crusted tuna--it looked fabulous! The atmosphere and service were top notch. I would for sure go back for another dose of iron, great conversation with a friend, and a Bit-O-Honey served with the bill.