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Best Italian restaurant in the Pittsburgh area

Italian Days coming up soon in Bloomfield.

Unfortunately, the quality (and quantity) of good Italian food has gone WAY down at this festival. Too many carnival style food outlets now reign the day. There were more Mexican joints there last year than Italian!
 
Old people.
Considering we just topped 1 trillion in credit card debt one would think smart and frugal people...pretty much a synonym for what you said..I do however thank the irresponsible youth in this country for the great credit card rewards I am able to achieve by the graces of their "gotta have it even though I don't have the money for it" debt..
 
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My House……home made sauce. My secret ingredient for all of you Italian wanna be’s

Toss 8-10 fennel seeds in your sauce during the simmering process.

Molto Bello
I usually make my sauce with ground Italian sausage (which as they say with Prego in regards to fennel and sausage "its in there"). I'll toss in a few extra though. Thanks. Great year for sauce here in central PA as my home grown San Marzanos are, much like Terry Hatcher's assets on Seinfeld, real and spectacular.
 
I usually make my sauce with ground Italian sausage (which as they say with Prego in regards to fennel and sausage "its in there"). I'll toss in a few extra though. Thanks. Great year for sauce here in central PA as my home grown San Marzanos are, much like Terry Hatcher's assets on Seinfeld, real and spectacular.
What do you do to get the best yield on your tomatoes? I was too late to start my San Marzano seeds, but I did plant Padano tomato seeds which don’t seem to grow so big.
 
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About Italian restaurants in Pittsburgh, I've had a similar experience. While some places were good, they just couldn't replicate that cozy mama's kitchen vibe. Even when I visited Italy, I found the food to be okay, but it's like searching for a lost treasure, right?
Wait a minute, how does one reactivate a 3 year old thread that hasn't had posts for like 38 months. Why not start a new one??
 
I accept that there are Italian/American aka "red sauce joints" that are most people's idea of Italian. And that's cool. I like it too. I love taking out of towners to these because honestly alot of cities don't have this.

One of my favorite since my childhood is the Villa in tiny Cadogan, PA. Still enjoy taking my mom there. But they like others are guilty of what I said 3 years ago....they cook the pasta until it is basically mush. I believe these places focus so much on say the veal, the meatballs and the sauce, but they forget to treat the pasta with respect.

There's my lesson for the day.
 
What do you do to get the best yield on your tomatoes? I was too late to start my San Marzano seeds, but I did plant Padano tomato seeds which don’t seem to grow so big.
First of all...too lazy for tomato seeds..bought small plants in mid may (probably a week or so earlier than planting in western PA). I just turn some mushroom compost soil into my top layer every year and just go with miracle grow every couple of weeks, nothing fancy. I resisted the urge to over water this year as I think that was an issue in the past. Guessing mostly luck on the yield. .
 
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First of all...too lazy for tomato seeds..bought small plants in mid may (probably a week or so earlier than planting in western PA). I just turn some mushroom compost soil into my top layer every year and just go with miracle grow every couple of weeks, nothing fancy. I resisted the urge to over water this year as I think that was an issue in the past. Guessing mostly luck on the yield. .
My garden is BOOMING!! And I am attributing it to me being restrained with the water once the plants got established.
 
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Leo Greta in Carnegie is great
I did Leo Greta in Carnegie for the very first time last Sunday night. I was impressed! But not overly impressed. Still might be the best Italian in that area my default, unless someone knows any better??
 
First of all...too lazy for tomato seeds..bought small plants in mid may (probably a week or so earlier than planting in western PA). I just turn some mushroom compost soil into my top layer every year and just go with miracle grow every couple of weeks, nothing fancy. I resisted the urge to over water this year as I think that was an issue in the past. Guessing mostly luck on the yield. .
I bought a few tomato plants from the market, but I wasn’t exactly sure what type I bought. But they gave a good amount of tomatoes.

I felt I needed more so I planted Padanos by seed in May. Those are giving some yield but small plants.
 
Wait a minute, how does one reactivate a 3 year old thread that hasn't had posts for like 38 months. Why not start a new one??
What stinks more is that someone also resurrected the New Commit thread earlier this afternoon, raising hopes there had actually been, well, a new commit. But it turned out it was just a rehash of a commit from weeks ago
 
Wait a minute, how does one reactivate a 3 year old thread that hasn't had posts for like 38 months. Why not start a new one??
I actually don't mind because sometimes there are recommended places that I forget about.

I know you're far from it, but you should check out Severina in West View.
 
I don't know if it's considered in the area but Louigi's in Clymer, PA is my favorite. Pleasure Bar is a close 2nd. I may be biased since I live a couple blocks from the PB and my grandpa tended bar at Louigi's.
 
First of all...too lazy for tomato seeds..bought small plants in mid may (probably a week or so earlier than planting in western PA). I just turn some mushroom compost soil into my top layer every year and just go with miracle grow every couple of weeks, nothing fancy. I resisted the urge to over water this year as I think that was an issue in the past. Guessing mostly luck on the yield. .
I have been planting seeds preparing for NZ spring. Planted Roma, Grosse Lisse, Moneymaker and also Sweet 100 cherry tomato seeds. Also planted jalapeno, birdseye and cayenne chili's, and capsicum. Planted cucumbers and beetroot to get a headstart on those. Also planted some flowers for the wife.
We weren't in this place last year at this time, so didn't realise we had probably 50 daffodils coming up between the paddocks. We cleared out a bunch of weeds out of that area and are going to be rewarded for the effort.
 
My family owns Piazza Talarico and Papa Joe’s wine cellar. 39th and Penn in Lawrenceville. We are operating on a limited takeout menu because of covid and being short staffed because of it as well. Monday-Friday 12-8 PM. If you’re looking for a red sauce joint, and authentic Southern Italian food, give us a try. Run by Pitt grads, the Narduzzi’s and Capel’s frequent our place. We also make our own wine and sell it to go.
Hail to Pitt!
I thought the “Covid scare “ was over so..is it that you don’t want to hire more or you can’t get people. There is no reason to be short staffed now other than people don’t want to work
 
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Took my son to Rico’s tonight for his birthday. The past two years there, everything has been outstanding. There was a stretch maybe 10 years ago, when that place went downhill. Rico is 85 now, and is usually in the kitchen, while his son David runs things out front. The Veal Milanese is outstanding, and of course when there you must get the angel hair in a cream sauce with pignoli nuts.
 
Took my son to Rico’s tonight for his birthday. The past two years there, everything has been outstanding. There was a stretch maybe 10 years ago, when that place went downhill. Rico is 85 now, and is usually in the kitchen, while his son David runs things out front. The Veal Milanese is outstanding, and of course when there you must get the angel hair in a cream sauce with pignoli nuts.
When you are at Rico’s you would think you are in a giant treehouse.
The food is very good and the atmosphere is outstanding.
 
Took my son to Rico’s tonight for his birthday. The past two years there, everything has been outstanding. There was a stretch maybe 10 years ago, when that place went downhill. Rico is 85 now, and is usually in the kitchen, while his son David runs things out front. The Veal Milanese is outstanding, and of course when there you must get the angel hair in a cream sauce with pignoli nuts.
Is this the place in the North Hills just off McKnight on the hill side?
 
Quickly scrolled through the 5 pages and found it hard to believe that I didn't notice Tillie's in McKeesport mentioned.

Best Lazagna I have ever had. Huge portion as well. Home made pasta's. Great family run Italian restaurant.

Update/Edit: went to Tillies for our 40th anniversary and we both got the pasta trio, Lazagna, chicken parm, and fettuccine alfredo. Can't believe I ate the whole thing...........
 
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