I’ll tell you what, for all the customer service and food service that I do complain about… one place stands out as incredible. Every time I’m at a Five Guys Burgers and Fries no matter the location, they are fully staffed… everyone is doing a job & doing it quickly & efficiently with a rather pleasant look on their face. They communicate with each other quite well. The employees seem to be having fun while getting their job done, and they seem to take pride in what they do. I can only assume they pay much better than the average fast food joint, or just know how to delegate responsibilities evenly & know how to treat employees. I was in the one in Robinson when they got SLAMMED at lunch time today, and they put more people on registers, and worked down an ridiculously large amount of people in a short time. It helps that they only have burgers & the occasional hot dog as a menu item I’m sure, but it still is pretty impressive.
I’ll tell you what…
I should take a video of 10 minutes in a Five Guys and 10 minutes in this damn McDonald’s on West Liberty Ave. and compare how they’re run. McDonald’s employees are slow, confused, careless, and sometimes even slovenly. Five Guys employees seem to be the exact opposite on every front.
I’ve been to several locations, the Waterworks, Murrysville, Robinson, and Greensburg… and they’ve all been run with the same efficiency, pleasantness, and extreme cleanliness. I just think it ought to be said that it’s noticed by the customers, and they need to keep doing what they’re doing.
Of course, I’m very aware of food allergies, and peanuts are a big thing at Five Guys. This seems to get a bunch of flack, but they do take allergies seriously. The peanut-allergic have to accept it just like I accept that being allergic to shellfish, I’m not going to get a safe meal at Red Lobster. It’s OK. There are many many places to dine & choices to make. I’m glad that I have Five Guys as a choice. I’ve heard that they are excellent in handling a dairy allergy. Just check out the comments in the image above to the right. I see the allergy warnings on the door as a very responsible thing to do.
Even after all that… the burgers are just absolutely delicious. I tend to get a bacon cheeseburger with A1 and green peppers… sometimes even mushrooms. The french fries are almost as awesome as Kennywood’s Potato Patch fries, and that’s hard to do. The ingredients are always fresh, the burgers always cooked perfectly. One of these days I want to try a hot dog… but I can never get past the burgers. Maybe a little burger & a hot dog will have to do some day? I don’t even know if I can handle that. I’m glad I don’t live too close to one of these places, I’d be there way too often.
I hope to send a link to this to Five Guys, just to tell them that I appreciate what they’re doing, and to keep on doing it. Customers can see and appreciate that the employees are enjoying what they do, and doing it well. It does make a difference.
So, did you read the last post about the Guitalele & Guitar Center’s price match guarantee? The whole thing is pretty awesome, especially if you’re a musician and you actively purchase gear. It’s worth checking out, so click that link.
Once you’ve read that, this will make sense:
Free Stand From Guitar Center! (1)
Free Gig Bag From Guitar Center! (1)
Free Gig Bag From Guitar Center! (2)
Free Stand From Guitar Center! (2)
The gig bag & the stand are a perfect fit! Thanks again to Luke for the excellent customer service, and to YaJagoff for sparking it!
Last night before the band played a show in Bloomfield, my wife & I stopped with some friends at Yinzburg BBQ on Baum Blvd. in Bloomfield. Last time I was in that building it was a Roly Poly, and it’s certainly a different place now.
Yelp | Pittsburgh BBQ
I’m a huge fan of BBQ and I have been reading great reviews about the place online, so I was very anxious to check it out. (Also, I’ve been in a BBQ mood lately.) Of course with the whole shellfish allergy thing, I took a look at the menu online before we went down. My mouth was watering at all of the delicious prospects. Thankfully, there is no deathfish present on the menu. I’ve sadly gone to places before that have had daily specials or menu revamps that aren’t online… so I decided to send them an email. I was met with a quick, friendly & inviting reply from owner & chef Richard. His philosophy seems to be summed up in his email signature:
1. Barbecue is a cuisine; Barbecue sauce is a condiment!
2. The sauce is served on the side.
3. The love is in the rub!
When we walked in we were greeted by a woman with a sweet southern accent who asked us if we had ever been there before. We indicated that we hadn’t & got a lesson in the 4 main & 2 hot barbecue sauces. I liked the vinegar one & the signature red… And, I liked that you could get 2 different ones with your meal. Next time I might get the mustard sauce.
I had the brisket & pulled pork combo with the signature red & vinegar sauces (served on the side, so you can apply or dip however you like), the coleslaw, and a root beer from Natrona. I tried both meats sans sauce, and they were incredible. I found myself having a hard time deciding which sauce I liked better with which meat. The coleslaw was creamy and flavorful. I also had a sample of my wife’s mac n’ cheese (she got a delicious looking half chicken), and our friends’ collard greens. The mac n’ cheese was nice & creamy and the collard greens were delicious. I’ve sadly never had any until now. We even had a very satisfied vegetarian in our midst who seemed to really like the smoked tofu wrap. It’s not every day you find a BBQ place that serves vegan and vegetarian items.
There were two 2-seater tables outside, and 2 tables with standing room only inside. We stood as we dined,negotiating around the mountain of food in front of us. Halfway through the meal, I was already planning what to order for my next visit. Next time it’s chicken & ribs… maybe the black eyed peas on the side. Next time will also be soon! They asked us to tell our friends… and if you’re reading this… you’re my friend, and you need to go check this place out!
I was so enamored with the food… I forgot to take a photo to upload to UrbanSpoon… oh well, maybe next time!
Had a great time last night at Stage AE for the Flogging Molly show! It was a nice evening out, much closer to home than the last Flogging Molly show that we had to drive to Cleveland for, and we didn’t wait too long to buy tickets this time. (Last time, we waited too long & it sold out!) After arriving home from work, Bethany & I headed to Dormont Dogs for a nice quick meal. (I had the Connecticut Ave. dog minus the onions, it was fantastic!) We then battled and easily defeated the tunnel monster on the way to the north shore.
We got there early, because I’m generally OCD about getting to shows early. We lined up outside behind the mob of green & black T-shirts peppered with the occasional tartan patterned kilt or someone who didn’t get the memo about wearing green to a Celtic punk rock show. There were more people than I had expected. It was windy, but not unbearable. We were entertained by the 3 or 4 scalpers passing by asking for extra tickets. One guy had his leg in some sort of brace or cast, and one guy was on a bike. They mustn’t have scored any, because I didn’t see anyone selling them.
This was sadly the first time I’ve seen a show with the big room opened up. I need to get to more shows down there. (The 1st time I was there was to see Dethlehem and they were on the smaller bar stage.) It’s a fantastic venue. You have a nice view all around. The only thing I’d change is having the floor slightly sloped… but then again I’m just short. After getting a superficial pat-down at the door, we stopped & said hi to Jeff who was working & not setting any fires. Then we made our way to the bar where I got a Killian’s Irish Red because I can’t really take too much Guinness. The wife opted for water. At a Flogging Molly show? Water? She must be the more responsible half.
We joined the pack of Yinzers crowding the merch table as we tried to get a look and get up front. It was easy to see that the dude wasn’t taking orders from any other dudes… so my wife ordered our shirts and a patch once we squeezed our way to the front. As I was getting a dollar out of my wallet to pop into the tip bucket, it fell into my beer. So, dude got a soggy dollar & a dry dollar. Sorry. Not that sorry though. You can still spend it. I picked up a Devil Makes Three CD too. I saw them online & liked what I heard. I asked the merch guy which one he suggested. He showed me the 1st album & the live one. He seemed to indicate that the live one was a nice cross-section, so I went with that.
To the floor! It was still relatively easy to make our way to the center & almost front of the floor. Things were starting to pack in as we got there, it was pretty good timing & placement. We thought. Bethany thought she smelled a skunk, and we were too far away from the obligatory dreadlock kid for it to be Patchouli & BO, so it was most likely the extremely pungent weed that we were smelling burning much later. (I bet area Taco Bell locations had a surge of customers after the show.) Our friend Laurel made a last-minute decision to come to the show, so she joined us right as the lights went down…
Brothers of Brazil | Stage AE (Pittsburgh, PA) 05/10/2012
The Brothers of Brazilwere up first. Imagine a young Fred Schneider(or Michale Ian Black) on guitar and Billy Idol(or maybe even Johnny Rotten) on drums. These dudes were quite interesting. The guitar-work was amazing, & the drummer was quite the showman & very entertaining. They had this weird samba punk rock vibe… it was odd. I’d see them again. I dunno if I’d buy an album. It was fantastic that they opened & closed with a theme song. I believe these dudes will do well for themselves. I don’t think Bethany & Laurel were as amused as I was.
The Devil Makes Three | Stage AE (Pittsburgh, PA) 05/10/2012
Up next was The Devil Makes Three. The crowd stated getting a little more packed in, and a drunken kid beside me ruined the first 2 songs by slurredly “singing” loudly & off-key directly into my ear, until he decided that the crowd wasn’t as into it as he was, and muttered something about us being lame & pushing forward. These dudes rocked quietly, but they play really well. They have great melodies & harmonies… even though they were minus their regular bass player. I have no idea what to call it. Is it folk? Alt country? Blues? Punk? It’s close-to-but-not bluegrass or rockabilly. All I know is that I like it. I’m gonna say if you like punk rock, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, or old folk or blues stuff… you ought to check these cats out. They win the award for coolest guitars too. Cooper McBean played a mean-looking old archtop with what I think was a P-90 mounted in it. it looked like it had been left out in a sandstorm after someone dumped some paint-thinner on it. I wanted it. He mainly rocked the banjo & a tenor banjo. The lyrics are great. Check out this comic set to the lyrics of the song “The Bullet”. I will see this band next time they’re in town! Bethany really dug them too, being a country fan and all. I think Laurel was trying to figure them out.
Well, we enjoyed the part of the set that wasn’t ruined by belligerent drunken meat-heads. Starting at about the same time as The Devil Makes Three, the crowd directly behind us was swaying & getting rowdy. Oh well, it’s a concert. We’re in the middle of the floor. That’s what happens. Until these testoster-tools behind us start arguing about something. I heard something about touching or talking to a sister. I’m not sure. Maybe they were bumping into each other, maybe someone was trying to bump uglies. I was trying to pay attention to the blisteringly talented band on stage. There was arguing, shoving, and a guy getting in the middle. Somebody’s “bro” got in the middle and then calmed things down. Security was eying them and pointing flashlights from the ramps on the side, but apparently not responding. Then everything was “cool” and it remained calm, for a song or two anyway. All of a sudden I hear “oh my god!” and my wife is on the floor on her ass. I pulled her up and swung around and yelled something to the effect of “Who the [expletive] knocked my wife on to the [expletive] floor?” Two dudes larger than me in height and girth (one in a kilt as well as a drunken stupor) looked at me with an expression that can only be descried as “oh shit”. I turned around to ask Bethany if she was OK. She nodded. I swung back around to the now large gap in the crowd surrounding the two sweaty ass-clowns and demanded that they apologize to Bethany. They did, looking like a dog that just took a dump on the living room floor, as security arrived to further scold them and ask me if Bethany was OK. Next time how about responding before a bystander gets knocked over? I guess she saw one dingleberry trying to choke the other dingleberry as she got knocked down. I would expect this kind of crap at a metal show, but for folk punk? Way to uphold drunken Irish fighting stereotypes, McPotatoheads. I don’t know if I would have punched those guys, or what… but apparently my tone of voice or the look on my face told them not to mess with me. I thought security was going to drag me into it too as he was asking if Bethany was OK. Later Laurel laughed as she said she thought I was going to swing & she’d end up jumping on the fat guy & throwing punches too. Maybe we’re all a little too violent?
Finally, it was time for Flogging Molly! Despite all of the drunken violence, the smell of burning leaves in the non-smoking venue, the guy in front of me repeatedly backing himself into my junk, getting sweat on me from the shirtless guy, and paying $12 for parking, we were having one hell of a great time!
If you’ve never seen Flogging Molly in action, I’m not sure how to describe it. Seven people come on to the stage and sound like 70. The crowd really started moving so I pushed Bethany & myself forward & off to the side as we lost Laurel with the first wave. She found us not too long after that. Dave King & company ripped through a bunch of hits & some stuff that they don’t regularly do live. I remember it being a long set & how I liked every selection. I could have watched them go for many more songs, even after the encore. I can’t pick a favorite track, I like so many of them. I really enjoyed “What’s Left of the Flag”, “If I Ever Leave This World Alive”, “Float”, & “The Son Never Shines (on Closed Doors)”, & of course “7 Deadly Sins”. The inter-song banter keeps things light with songs that can have such heavy lyrical matter all the while to a happy beat. You get the feeling that they’re all playing right from the heart. You have this killer group of musicians that can probably between them master any instrument you might have lying around. Dennis Casey has his hands full trying to compete with & leave room for all of the other instruments. I was glad he got a spot for a guitar solo of sorts, in with the Guinness chug. Every time I see a Celtic punk band, I get the urge to buy a Telecaster. At any rate, Flogging Molly did not disappoint. We’ll see them next time they’re in the ‘Burgh, Cleveland, or anywhere else nearby. I know Bethany loved it, I think Laurel did too. After the show, we ran into my cousin Patience. Taste in awesome Irish music must run in the family.
Eric’s got a cool blog, a good ear, a great site, and a cool name. Why wouldn’t we value his opinions? Read that, then buy the disc. Buy a download & a CD like me. Buy a copy for a friend.
I’ve been listening today & I really dig it. It’s very Sabbath & Sword-like to my ears… it’s got metal, rock, groove, and a great feel. My head couldn’t decide whether to bob or bang.
Also, they’re all just really cool people. Congratulations to them for crafting such a great disc, & to everyone who helped them get it together & push it out there.
This is the kind of band I’m glad to have represent Pittsburgh, unlike some others I won’t mention. They’re getting mad press lately. Are they the saviors of the Pittsburgh Rock scene? Listen to the album & you decide.
This isn’t all an all-out super in-depth review, but I wanted to post that I really enjoyed the show the other night at Stage AE with Ascend the Fallen, The Bloody Seamen, Lady Beast, & Dethlehem. All of the bands put forth a great effort, and the (giant) crowd was pleased. I managed to take a ridiculous amount of photos, and some of them even turned out pretty cool.
Professor Richard Smallchange (Channeling Lord Bonecrush) & Hairy Valentine
If you’re on the Facebook and know the bands (or anyone else) in the photos, please tag ’em!
Ascend the Fallen
Ascend the Fallen was all over the place… literally. They’re quite the active bunch up on stage. They run n’ jump all over the place & had the crowd all riled up. Those cats can shred. They were a perfect opener for this gig, getting everyone ready for the things to come.
The Bloody Seamen
The Bloody Seamen always blow me away. Their showmanship & dedication to character is unmatched. My wife (who’s not a metal fan by any means) saw them for the first time the other night & became an instant fan. Their catchy choruses, funny tales, and ridiculous stage presence will easily shanghai many a fan. Something about everyone yelling during some of the aforementioned catchy choruses & the melodies have a very Dropkick Murphys/Flogging Molly sort of feel. I’m sure the fife, accordions & bagpipes don’t hurt there either. I’m going to have to try to barter with some doubloons to get my hands on some of their bootleg demos or something to hold me off until they have a proper album out for purchase. Also… where else can you see a guitarist snap all of their strings with a machete at the end of their set, a fire-breathing sea-captain, and a bass player with a really creepy dead eye? The highlight the other night was watching “Filthy” Cheswick Springdale decided to throw his guitar on the ground & assault it with his combo amp head while it squealed, only yo expertly cut it off when the song ended by unplugging the feedbacking beast.
Gunny
Lady Beast
Lady Beast rocked hard. One dude on guitar had a Ravelle and made me extremely jealous. Their singer is one hell of a positive role model for women into metal. There were more ladies packed in front of the stage for their set than I have ever seen at a predominantly metal show in all my years of going to & playing shows combined. It doesn’t hurt that she’s got great pipes and the band has a really heavy attack without sacrificing groove or melody. These cats can play hard. I’ll be anxiously awaiting their album, and I plan to check out more of their gigs!
Deb
Overlord Brom
Dethlehem
Of course, I may have biased opinions on Dethlehem. They are absolutely ridiculous, and no one deserved headline an all-local-acts show at Stage AE more than them. These guys put a crazy amount of effort into not only the performance… but the song-writing, the shredding, the drumming, the singing, the over-all story arc, the costumes, and the entire production. Someone needs to interview them & ask about the stuff they do to constantly take their playing & song-writing to the next level. Trust me, it’s intense. Sometimes people might look over that due to the theatrics.
Dethlehem
It was great to be there for the first full show of the new Brutalitus the Bloodbeard, and it was very cool that Professor Dick Smallchange helped narrate and channeled Lord Bonecrush, joining the apparently chronic self-pleasuring barbarian-turned-blacksmith Sean “Hairy” Valentine for an encore. The troll/ogre being made a eunuch, the birthing & bloody decapitation of said newborn, …both fantastic moments of on-stage debauchery. The music itself was spectacular… with fretboard acrobatics by Bovice and Hildor, a helmeted Brom for nearly the entire show, Davidicus is truly a wizard of the low-end and keeping things going between songs with the interludes. Bloodbeard proves himself to be a mighty vocalist, looking forward to his development with the band.
Headbangin' Hairy
I found a bunch of cool videos of that night online, enjoy!
If you have any links to more photos and/or video, please share!
CHAINS. I wanted to tackle the prominent area pizza chains for part 3. (You read parts 1 & 2, right?) I’m really not supposed to eat pizza right now thanks to recently diagnosed GERD/Acid Reflux/Barret’s Esophagus, but I have eaten many pizzas from these many chains over the years. I’m going to be extra picky about my pizza from now on. I’ll probably stick with Slice on Broadway and Aiello’s. But the event may come up where I need to pick a chain place again, and here’s where they fall…
Fox’s(or Fox’s Pizza Den) is pretty good. The different locations aren’t always consistent, but when you find a good one… stick with it! I really dig the one in Bridgeville as of late, but the one closest to home is the one in Brookline. I grew up on Fox’s in Murrysville, as it was the only place who would deliver to my house out in the boonies. I don’t know if Fox’s recently revamped their UrbanSpoon profiles or what, but I know I’ve reviewed the one in Brookline, but it’s not there. Their pages all seem to have little to no reviews or votes. I remember going on & on about the wedgies. In fact, I found it at another source…
Gimme a Wedgie!
It’s not the sick twisted fantasies of a nerd that likes being dominated by bullies… It’s a call to order the best #%@$ing sandwich you’ve ever had. It’s served up on a pizza crust instead of a bun. How awesome is that? The steak one is my favorite, but I’ve never seen one that doesn’t look appetizing. Just make sure you’ve got plenty of napkins on hand.
Their pizza is pretty damn good too. There was a Fox’s near where I grew up in the suburbs, but they never had a menu this vast. I sometimes end up getting the fried zucchini or the potato wedges… but really can’t ever eat anything after finishing a whole wedgie. In fact, my wife & I even sometimes just split one to avoid over-stuffing. Ordering for delivery is usually the standard half hour to 45 min., and they’re usually there before they said they were going to be… so that’s a plus. You can’t go wrong with Fox’s.
Vocelli Pizzais another one that must have purged old UrbanSpoon reviews. There’s virtually nothing there. I used to love Vocelli’s, even if they’re just named after a made up Italian sounding word. The service at the local one went down hill, and this is what it used to say on UrbanSpoon:
I used to love this place, & would order quite frequently. But, the last time we got a Buffalo chicken pizza, there was hair on it. My wife called & told them, they said they’d send a coupon for a free one next time. We never got any coupons, and were hungry for their food again… so I got a stromboli and the wife got a buffalo chicken pizza… and the pizza had hair on it again. She found it (luckily) on the first bite. So, she called the call center. She of course, didn’t eat any more, so we could show them. The delivery boy showed up… was incredibly rude, didn’t look at the old pizza, and practically threw the new one at my wife.
I don’t know why he took it personally… I was gonna tip him for coming out the 2nd time because he didn’t put hair on the pizza… but with actions/service like that, they can shove it. I always tried to tip well too, as we (used to) get pizza form there all the time. This was enough to end it. There’s plenty of other pizza shops around, apparently they don’t need our business, anyway. Hair in a pizza once? I can see it happening. Twice within the span of a month or two? That’s just absolutely ridiculous.
So… in closing, I’d say what used to be a great place has now sunken to a.) being filthy, and b.) having terrible customer service.
…but in all fairness, after a while we did go back & they seemed to have weeded out the bad employees. I’ve also tried their artery-clogging Alfredo sauce on a pizza, and loved it. My triglycerides did not. I do like Vocelli’s normal sauce, and they generally make a consistent pie & decent subs. If you’re ordering for a crowd, I’d say Vocelli Pizza is an across-the-board crowd-pleaser.
''Vocelli?'' Sure, that sounds Italian enough!
Papa John’srules with their online ordering. The sauce isn’t quite as good as Vocelli’s, but they do always give you the tasty garlic dipping sauce and a Peperoncini. They do rock as far as consistency. You know what you’re getting every time. I wish they had subs, I always like to get subs… especially turkey, or sometimes you’re in the mood for a pizza-shop Italian sub. But then again, maybe they just want to focus on pizza & doing it well. Check out these amusing blog posts about Papa John’s:
Little Caesar’s, what the hell happened? When I was a young lad, we would pickup a pizza after we left Network Video (a place where you rented VHS tapes for the kids out there), we’d pop into Little Caesar’s for what I think was called a Bigfoot… two big-ass square pizzas side by side? I’d always want breadsticks, because I have an unnatural love for carbs. I was sad when Little Caesar’s all but disappeared and was relegated to Kmart stores for some strange reason. When there was a recent resurgence, and a subsequent person paid to stand on West Liberty Ave. and sling a Little Caesar’s sign… I was excited. We tried the new incredibly cheap pies one night… and they were terrible. The sauce is definitely much more bitter than I remember, and perhaps in my old age I forgot about all the grease that adorns (soaks) their crust. I still like the breadsticks, and $5 is pretty good for the amount that they give you, but $5 of crap is still crap. If I’m in the mood for punishment, need an immediate meal, and it’s a week where I need to pay for dinner with couch change, I may go back.
CiCi’s ought to change the name to CaCa’s. I’ve only ever been there once, but that’s all I need. Wow. It was like eating wax & tomato soup spread out over crackers. Who cares if it’s cheap and all-you-can-eat when it’s absolutely terrible nutrition? My high school cafeteria served better pizza, and even better pizza imitation food. I think there was a salad bar, and an unholy “mac n’ cheese” pizza. I don’t remember much other than the dried crusty partial pies getting tanned under the hot lights and maybe even someone shouting a welcome when we walked in. I just wanted to leave but had paid and tried to just stay & eat my few dollars worth. CiCi’s won that day. There’s no way I had eaten more of that crap than hat I paid for.
Pizza Hut causes me great gastrointestinal distress. Every few years, I forget and enter a Pizza Hut thinking “ah, it wasn’t that bad”. Yes, yes it is. Perhaps I hit an age long ago where Pizza Hut was no longer compatible with my intestines. Perhaps I was really slow to learn the pattern. We didn’t do Pizza Hut too much when I was growing up. Maybe I never built up a tolerance/immunity. The pizza itself isn’t bad, I’ve had the personal pan, the normal pies, a few lunch buffets… they generally have a good crust & good flavor… albeit greasy. It’s just that their pie unleashes itself like an assault team on my digestive system. The one in Greentree is the last one that I visited. The service was slow, and I didn’t feel welcomed at all. Hopefully it steels my resolve to skip Pizza Hut in the future.
A letter within a maze, for my pals at Pizza Hut. (They never did write back!)
I know I missed Domino’s, but I was never impressed with their pies… and there’s never one around where I’m ordering. I did like the Noid commercials back in the day though. I haven’t tried their revamped pies. I don’t feel like I’m missing anything.
Did I miss your favorite chain pizza? Did I miss your most reviled?
Appetite for Destruction generally tops my “all time favorites” album lists. I go back to it time and time again, & get lost in between Slash & Izzy’s guitars spiraling around each other.
Of course, when the autobiographies started coming out, I had to read them. I got Slash‘s book, then Duff’s then Steven’s. Slash was a rock n’ roll hero to me when I was in Jr. High & high school, but out of the three books… I think Duff comes off the best and most entertaining. The writing is very fluid. I found it easy to imagine Duff in the early days. The stories are blunt & sincere, and he ties it all back to where it has led him & where he is now in life. Duff seems like a great guy to hang out with.
It's So Easy: and Other Lies
Slash’s book is an easy read, but it jumps around quite a bit. His recollection of events is really questionable. It doesn’t necessarily feel like Slash is remembering things correctly, or even the one telling the story. I might have to give it a re-read after finishing the other two books.
Steven’s book, like Steven, is a mess. I can’t help but feel pity for the guy, mostly because he professes to not have a “poor me” attitude, but every single action the guy takes screams “oh poor me”. This guy just can’t get it right, but he still seems like a likeable guy.
It comes across in all of them that they had fun times in the early days, with a vibe that can never be repeated. Sadly, all these guys seem to have a habit of burning bridges… yet posses a decent history of patching things up. I mean, Slash & Duff have never really stopped working together. Duff has been on-stage with Axl’s band recently. They both patched it up with Weiland recently. Duff, Slash, & Izzy have jammed with Adler’s Appetite.
My Appetite for Destruction: Sex, and Drugs, and Guns N' Roses
One thing is clear from all of these books… Axl is an absolute wild man, and these guys love & fear him. I really hope Axl & Izzy churn out books someday. Maybe somehow all of the events can get plotted out & reconstructed correctly.
I’d love to check out some of the other GN’R biographies (like Reckless Road), but if the guys in the band can’t even get it right… then what hope does an outsider have?
I recently realized that I haven’t blogged yet about one of my favorite local places to eat, so I will now. I have a few reviews & photos on their Urban Spoon page. I really don’t have enough good things to say about the place. Reading my old review, it looks like I went there for the first time in 2008.
They’re tucked away on Glenmore Ave., right off of Potomac, with plenty of parking (for Dormont) in a nearby public metered lot & some metered parking on the nearby streets. It’s a tiny yet incredibly inviting shop. Everyone who has ever waited on us has smiled & said hello, has been polite, welcoming, and a great host or hostess. The place is small, but it’s cozy. Last time we were there, there was three two-person tables inside, and in the warmer months they have two picnic tables outside.
Hot Dog w/ Baked Beans, Cheese, Ketchup, & Mustard. • I get this one even though it's not on the menu. They'll make anything for you!
Dormont Dogs offers hot dogs served up gourmet style on delicious fresh bakery made buns. They’re mostly all named after the neighborhood streets, and they’re all unusual yet delicious combinations. My favorite menu dogs are probably the Reuben Dog (self-explanatory if you’re a Reuben fan) and the Wisconsin Ave. (Swiss, Pepper Jack, Cheddar, & Provolone Cheeses!). A lot of times I order the one above… starting with a “Plane Jane” (a regular dog) & I ask them to add baked beans, cheese, ketchup, & brown mustard. Maybe they should name it after my street? Ha ha. I generally have a side of nachos and cheese. I’ve seen signs for Sloppy Joes, and have seen a delicious-looking taco salad served up, but I’ve never gone in & gotten anything other than a hot dog. I need to just go more often, I guess. I generally wash it all down with some of their excellent sweet tea.
My wife is a fan of the Texas Ave. (Chili sauce, cheddar cheese, sour cream, Fritos), Mississippi Ave. (Chili, Mustard, Coleslaw) minus the mustard, and Bruschetta (tomatoes marinated in olive oil and basil and creamy pesto Parmesan) dogs. I need to muscle up the courage to make my way through the rest of the menu. If you eat ’em all, you get your photo on the wall!
They’re not foot-longs, there’s no natural casings, there not sausages… they’re just hot dogs, done really well. They’re prepared with tasty ingredients, and they always look like little works of art in a basket. You can even get a vegetarian dog if you’d like, in any style on the menu. If you’re near Dormont, and a hot dog fan, you need to check this place out.
Beto’s is another place nearby that is just excellent. They’re the place that you’ve probably heard of that doesn’t cook the cheese & other toppings. You’ll probably either love it or hate it. I dig it, the wife does not. The only thing I’d change is the consistency of the sauce… I’m not a fan of chunks of tomatoes in pizza sauce, but the flavor is excellent. They don’t get all fancy with toppings here either, just simple, straightforward pizza with cheese that’s melting as you eat it. I think my favorite way to eat it is just as plain cheese pizza. Why mess up such a beautiful combination?
Molly’s Pizza is close by too. They have some great pizza, and some really crazy specialty pies like the Ranchero Steak Pizza and the Pierogi Pizza. I personally like to get a pizza with zucchini on top. Excellent stuff! It’s hard to pick a favorite around here.
Foiri’s is a south hills institution. Sorry, I don’t get it. Is it good pizza? Most definitely. Is it overrated? In my humble opinion, yes. Maybe I’m biased because you can get deathfish as a topping there. At any rate, if you’re in the area and a pizza aficionado, it’s worth checking out before you decide that Slice is the best place around.
Il Pizzaiolo isn’t your regular Pittsburgh pizza shop. They’re fancy. They have great pies in a steep Neapolitan tradition. As they say themselves…
…the restaurant has become a vibrant gathering place for lovers of Neapolitan pizza, pasta and Italian wine. Nearly everything on the menu is hand-made. And if it’s not made in-house, it’s imported from the best artisans, cheese-makers and salumeria in the world. Mozzarella di Bufala comes direct from Naples every Thursday and the pizzas are baked at 1000˚ in a handcrafted, wood-fired brick oven for less than 90 seconds. This, along with perfectly leavened dough, San Marzano tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil, produces the most authentic Neapolitan pizza possible.
So obviously, this is no Pizza Hut. They make incredible gourmet pies. Unfortunately it’s entirely not what I’m craving when I “just want a pizza”. This is where you want to go when you’d like a nice evening out to enjoy some of the lightest most delicious pizza you’ve ever eaten.
Italian Village Pizza is all over the place. Both by location and quality. They used to have a killer A1 Steak Sub at the one on Rte. 51, but I don’t think they have that any more. The last one I frequented was the one in McMurray, but I only ever got the pizza once or twice. The steak & Italian subs are incredible, but the sauce was just too bitter for me. It tasted like straight tomato paste with some basil thrown in. Some people love it, but it just wasn’t my thing.
I’m still not sure what the exact dispute is… if there’s still a dispute, and if there are only two Vincent’s involved in this saga. Can anyone fill me in on this? I’ve heard several amalgamated stories over the years. Some credible news even. First, you’ve got to get your head around the locations…
I haven’t been to Vincent’s Pizza Park in Holiday Park in a long long time, but I remember it as the greasiest pizza I have ever had. It was good, but greasy. Some people like that. I’m not the biggest fan of grease, but I remember they had a nice thick crust & a flavorful sauce.
I don’t think I’ve ever been to the Vincent’s in Greentree, but the one in Southpointe has great steak subs, garlic buns, and pretty good pizza. Their “like it” percentage on Urbanspoon is pretty low though. No idea what’s up there.
Which Vincent’s is your favorite? Which Vincent’s location is the best & the original? (I think it’s Vincent’s in Forest Hills)
Please, chime in on any of these locations, any from my previous pizza post, or any that I may have missed. I may dive into pizza chains next. Pizza is always a subject of hot debate (and it goes well with beer).
Little Caesar’s
CiCi’s
Molly’s Pizza
World (and Lunar) Domination 