Restaurant Recommendations

Postby **the wicked child** » Fri May 11, 2018 9:55 am

That would be surprising, at least at the Mt. Nebo location.

I think it may have been the North Side location.... Trying to get more info.

Edit: confirmed. The NS location was Gordon Ramsay's nightmare. Doesn't apply to the other two.

Bad news for me since that was the one I always ate at/from... Though it's been quite awhile.

Postby **nocera** » Fri May 11, 2018 9:56 am

So about Nicky's... My sister's friend works for the Health Department and apparently they had to shut them down. Not sure if this was one location or whatnot yet... But apparently it was really bad... Like Gordon Ramsay has a field day bad.

You can find health department inspections here: http://webapps.achd.net/Restaurant/Rest ... earch.aspx

Nicky's on Western in the North Side is currently failing inspection. Some highlights:

Postby **dodint** » Fri May 11, 2018 9:58 am

Neat website.

Mt. Nebo is green; I'm good.

Of all the things on there the mixed chicken and mussels is what got the worst reaction from me.

Postby **slappybrown** » Fri May 11, 2018 10:05 am

New taco place in bloomfield "Baby Loves Tacos" was ok.

I think it's tremendous. What did you get? The brisket and BBQ mushroom are top notch. I've gone probably ten times at this point.

Postby **Troy Loney** » Fri May 11, 2018 10:10 am

New taco place in bloomfield "Baby Loves Tacos" was ok.
I think it's tremendous. What did you get? The brisket and BBQ mushroom are top notch. I've gone probably ten times at this point.

I got a brisket, chicken and chorizo.

Agree on the brisket, so that was the first one I ate and loved it, and then was meh on the next two.

Same thing happened to me at a mexican restaurant in Chicago, in love with the first taco, and then thoroughly unimpressed with the next.

So, not sure how to come away from that encounter, such places are clearly capable of producing an excellent taco, but also capable of serving you a "meh" taco.

Postby **slappybrown** » Fri May 11, 2018 10:11 am

Yea the chicken is fine, nothing special. Get the BBQ mushroom or the cauliflower one next time. Also
Ask for a side of his hot sauce and add some as needed. It's tasty.

Postby **Troy Loney** » Fri May 11, 2018 10:16 am

Pittsburgh also needs a taco place that has a nice outside space. I guess Reyna's is the closest thing, but the strips is too hectic on a weekend afternoon for that to be a good spot to relax, eat and drink.

Postby **slappybrown** » Fri May 11, 2018 11:14 am

Pittsburgh also needs a taco place that has a nice outside space. I guess Reyna's is the closest thing, but the strips is too hectic on a weekend afternoon for that to be a good spot to relax, eat and drink.

Cantina is your answer

Postby **nocera** » Fri May 11, 2018 11:19 am

If I may speak in completely generalities, these upscale taco places are ****. Tako is ****. Smoke is ****. PGH Taco Truck is ****. I haven't had Baby Loves Tacos yet but I'm going to assume it's also ****. If I can't get to Las Palmas, I would rather have any El Campesino or Patron taco over that gourmet taco nonsense.

Postby **slappybrown** » Fri May 11, 2018 11:21 am

Baby loves tacos has no seating, a counter 5 feet wide to eat on, and is 10 bucks for three big tacos. Its also across the street from a tobacco outlet and Howlers. It's not competing with Tako or Smoke in any way.

Postby **nocera** » Fri May 11, 2018 11:24 am

Baby loves tacos has no seating, a counter 5 feet wide to eat on, and is 10 bucks for three big tacos. Its also across the street from a tobacco outlet and Howlers. It's not competing with Tako or Smoke in any way.

I feel like this could be about any business in Bloomfield.

But I'll have to check it out.

Postby **Troy Loney** » Fri May 11, 2018 11:24 am

Patron, lol.

Postby **slappybrown** » Fri May 11, 2018 11:26 am

Baby loves tacos has no seating, a counter 5 feet wide to eat on, and is 10 bucks for three big tacos. Its also across the street from a tobacco outlet and Howlers. It's not competing with Tako or Smoke in any way.
I feel like this could be about any business in Bloomfield.

But I'll have to check it out.

I'll have you know we have vape shops and check cashing joints too a$$hole

Postby **Troy Loney** » Fri May 11, 2018 11:28 am

Have all the Virgin Mary lawn ornament stores closed yet?

Postby **slappybrown** » Fri May 11, 2018 11:30 am

Have all the Virgin Mary lawn ornament stores closed yet?

What do you think used to be at baby loves tacos

Postby **Troy Loney** » Fri May 11, 2018 11:33 am

That was the last one? End of an era, is there a better anecdote for the transition from Italian geriatrics to hipsters?

Postby **nocera** » Fri May 11, 2018 11:36 am

Speaking of Bloomfield, Feng is delicious and much better than Yokoso/Benihana/Ichiban. I do miss the pond and disco lights, though.

Postby **slappybrown** » Fri May 11, 2018 11:40 am

That was the last one? End of an era, is there a better anecdote for the transition from Italian geriatrics to hipsters?

Still another one left staffed by the meanest damn nun you'll ever meet

Postby **LITT** » Fri May 11, 2018 11:49 am

Pittsburgh also needs a taco place that has a nice outside space. I guess Reyna's is the closest thing, but the strips is too hectic on a weekend afternoon for that to be a good spot to relax, eat and drink.
Cantina is your answer

So true. The outdoor area is a true gem

Postby **Jim** » Fri May 11, 2018 12:03 pm

If I may speak in completely generalities, these upscale taco places are ****. Tako is ****. Smoke is ****. PGH Taco Truck is ****. I haven't had Baby Loves Tacos yet but I'm going to assume it's also ****. If I can't get to Las Palmas, I would rather have any El Campesino or Patron taco over that gourmet taco nonsense.

The Las Palmas website is in Romulan or something.

Postby **Dickie Dunn** » Fri May 11, 2018 1:54 pm

If I may speak in completely generalities, these upscale taco places are ****. Tako is ****. Smoke is ****. PGH Taco Truck is ****. I haven't had Baby Loves Tacos yet but I'm going to assume it's also ****. If I can't get to Las Palmas, I would rather have any El Campesino or Patron taco over that gourmet taco nonsense.

This is correct. Bakersfield is good as a sit down place because their tacos are pretty traditional and not this gourmet trash. La Catrina in Beechview is as close to a traditional Mexican restaurant in this city. Otherwise it’s Las Palmas or die.

The Las Palmas website is in Romulan or something.

What the **** do you need a website for? Show up and order. They stick your meat in a tortilla and you put whatever toppings on it you want. Who needs a website for that?

Postby **tifosi77** » Fri May 11, 2018 2:10 pm

Of all the things on there the mixed chicken and mussels is what got the worst reaction from me.

This is why people put waaaaaay too much importance on these health inspector reports and the letter grade in the window. From knowing a number of people in the industry, nearly everything on that report could be described as "Tuesday". The fault is with the operator, because everyone I know in the business says they have 'inspection day procedures' that are...... let's go with a wee bit different than day-to-day ops.

"I'll never eat at a restaurant with a 'C'." To hear some of my friends, nearly every restaurant is a C or lower 364 days a year. They just get their sh|t together on inspection day. Literally, in the case of the rodent droppings.

Postby **dodint** » Fri May 11, 2018 2:16 pm

Of all the things on there the mixed chicken and mussels is what got the worst reaction from me.
This is why people put waaaaaay too much importance on these health inspector reports and the letter grade in the window. From knowing a number of people in the industry, nearly everything on that report could be described as "Tuesday". The fault is with the operator, because everyone I know in the business says they have 'inspection day procedures' that are...... let's go with a wee bit different than day-to-day ops.

"I'll never eat at a restaurant with a 'C'." To hear some of my friends, nearly every restaurant is a C or lower 364 days a year. They just get their sh|t together on inspection day. Literally, in the case of the rodent droppings.

The part about "No hand washing was observed during the inspection" was the killer for me. When I worked in a restaurant and the inspectors were on deck, there was practically a line at the sink.

Postby **tifosi77** » Fri May 11, 2018 2:19 pm

And that's what all my industry friends have said. They'll wash their hands after handling poultry, and that's about it. But on inspection day, they'll wash up between vegetables.

Postby **dodint** » Fri May 11, 2018 2:32 pm

Eat 'N Park piloted a program where the sink would sound an alarm every hour or so. It would require the employees to wash hands and swipe their card. Employees that didn't participate were recorded and the data was made available to managers. The program was discontinued as it was too burdensome to review the data and track down the employees.