OT: North Hills restaurant recs

[pitt-girl]

Seriously......I live in restaurant hell. Natrona Heights. Some good pizza spots, really good. Some decent red sauce spots. Some okay bar food (including the legendary AK Valley whole, seasoned wings) but that is it.

I wish I had even the options of the North Hills.

What the North Hills doesn't have, is really good Asian spots. Jimmy Wans sucks. Okay. It is overpriced, average Americanized Chinese food. Yama is okay for sushi. Nakama has opened a spot on 19. But Chinese is mostly Americanized, 1950's A Christmas Story Chinese food. I want real stuff. I make pilgrammage into Squirrel Hill which has a pretty damn good thing going on, a little China Town that has actually started to get nationally recognized.

Same with Thai. Thai Place is okay.....but again, I would like real Thai. Same with Mexican. Actually, I am okay with Tex Mex, I actually really love Tex Mex (which is what a lot of places really are) but the Tex Mex places here are really weak on seafood dishes. Whereas you go to Texas, and they have great seafood dishes. Tex Mex is more than just fajitas. I also hate the Mexican restaurants follow the same formulaic approach as Chinese do, and they dumb down their food for us gringos. Why can't they be more authentic and regional?

The other complaint I have locally and the North Hills, really they don't do wings that well. I don't care if you have 100, 200, 500 combinations of sauces, you got to cook them right and you have to at least start with a good baseline, buffalo hot sauce. Then branch out from their. Wings do not need to be the size of turkey wings. They don't cook that well. They need to be crispy before you put one oz of sauce or seasoning on them. If not, they are worthless and gross.

Actually Recruits, I've linked an excellent Chinese restaurant on McKnight Road. I had driven by it many times until one day I read a review in the P-PG about how it had some of the best (and most authentic Chinese) in the city. It is excellent

http://chinastar-pgh.com

And I think we've touched on the wings discussion here before, but my husband and kids LOVE wings and they think by far Billy's Roadhouse have the best in the North Hills. I hate wings personally so I can't attest, but their other food is very good. Actually I'm adding adding another rec to the OP!

http://www.billysroadhouse.com

 

[FattCatt]

Long time season tix holder from out of town. Will likely stay in the Burgh from L'ville game thru Miami game at in-laws home in far north hills. Mrs. FattCatt and I have been impressed with development of restaurant scene in the city in recent years. Favorites include Smoke BBQ & Taqueria, Everyday Noodles, Pipers Pub and Piccolo Forno, among others. All have good food and/or a good vibe (and are not chains).

We will be marooned in the sea of North Hills chain restaurants, mediocre pizza joints and insipid bulk eating pasta palaces. Since we are so far out we likely won't venture into the city much. Are there any places worth trying that 1) are not chains, 2) are not pizza joints (do people in the Burgh eat pizza about 5 nights a week?), or pasta-centric? We have found a few places we like including the Whisper Pub on Hartwood (great outdoor area where we can bring Fido in good weather) and House of a 1,000 beers in New Ken (OK, not NH) with surprisingly good food.

I am sure that there have to be at least a few decent places somewhere in this wasteland. Would be interested in Lair posters recommendations.

 

[FattCatt]

Long time season tix holder from out of town. Will likely stay in the Burgh from L'ville game thru Miami game at in-laws home in far north hills. Mrs. FattCatt and I have been impressed with development of restaurant scene in the city in recent years. Favorites include Smoke BBQ & Taqueria, Everyday Noodles, Pipers Pub and Piccolo Forno, among others. All have good food and/or a good vibe (and are not chains).

We will be marooned in the sea of North Hills chain restaurants, mediocre pizza joints and insipid bulk eating pasta palaces. Since we are so far out we likely won't venture into the city much. Are there any places worth trying that 1) are not chains, 2) are not pizza joints (do people in the Burgh eat pizza about 5 nights a week?), or pasta-centric? We have found a few places we like including the Whisper Pub on Hartwood (great outdoor area where we can bring Fido in good weather) and House of a 1,000 beers in New Ken (OK, not NH) with surprisingly good food.

I am sure that there have to be at least a few decent places somewhere in this wasteland. Would be interested in Lair posters recommendations.

Thanks to everyone for weighing in with suggestions. I have been to some noted and have passed by a bunch of others and wondered if worth a try. Definitely have a few new ones to try.

 

[pitt-girl]

Thanks to everyone for weighing in with suggestions. I have been to some noted and have passed by a bunch of others and wondered if worth a try. Definitely have a few new ones to try.

Keep coming back. I'm sure there will be more I'll remember.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Do you remember the last time we played @ Boston College, a "notable" Lair poster said they couldn't wait to go so they could go to the famous Boston restaurant Mccormick and Schmick's (I believe it was here or another similar chain) because it had the best seafood they had ever had? Said poster was dead serious.

Yes. That is what I thought of when I made this post.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Actually Recruits, I've linked an excellent Chinese restaurant on McKnight Road. I had driven by it many times until one day I read a review in the P-PG about how it had some of the best (and most authentic Chinese) in the city. It is excellent

http://chinastar-pgh.com

And I think we've touched on the wings discussion here before, but my husband and kids LOVE wings and they think by far Billy's Roadhouse have the best in the North Hills. I hate wings personally so I can't attest, but their other food is very good. Actually I'm adding adding another rec to the OP!

http://www.billysroadhouse.com

Actually, yes I now remember and apologize. I have yet to try ChinaStar. It maybe the same people who run one of the authentic Squirrel Hill Chinese places.

And yeah, Billy's is probably the best for wings in the North Hills, I do agree.

 

[rc79]

Do you remember the last time we played @ Boston College, a "notable" Lair poster said they couldn't wait to go so they could go to the famous Boston restaurant Mccormick and Schmick's (I believe it was here or another similar chain) because it had the best seafood they had ever had? Said poster was dead serious.

I think it was Legal Seafood. I remember it. I remember the poster. Very long winded fellow if I remember correctly. I live on coastal Connecticut. Hilarious.

 

[California Panther]

Seriously......I live in restaurant hell. Natrona Heights.

Natrona Heights huh---ok, what about the Roadside Inn or whatever they call it now in Creighton. Oh if those rooms upstairs could talk, I'd be in deep doo! I'm lucky to have survived my teen years in that place

 

[pitt-girl]

At a quieter time here, I need to start a thread about recommendations for great bars. We stumbled on one a few years back and to this day still talk about it.

 

[magadog]

Seriously......I live in restaurant hell. Natrona Heights. Some good pizza spots, really good. Some decent red sauce spots. Some okay bar food (including the legendary AK Valley whole, seasoned wings) but that is it.

I wish I had even the options of the North Hills.

What the North Hills doesn't have, is really good Asian spots. Jimmy Wans sucks. Okay. It is overpriced, average Americanized Chinese food. Yama is okay for sushi. Nakama has opened a spot on 19. But Chinese is mostly Americanized, 1950's A Christmas Story Chinese food. I want real stuff. I make pilgrammage into Squirrel Hill which has a pretty damn good thing going on, a little China Town that has actually started to get nationally recognized.

Same with Thai. Thai Place is okay.....but again, I would like real Thai. Same with Mexican. Actually, I am okay with Tex Mex, I actually really love Tex Mex (which is what a lot of places really are) but the Tex Mex places here are really weak on seafood dishes. Whereas you go to Texas, and they have great seafood dishes. Tex Mex is more than just fajitas. I also hate the Mexican restaurants follow the same formulaic approach as Chinese do, and they dumb down their food for us gringos. Why can't they be more authentic and regional?

The other complaint I have locally and the North Hills, really they don't do wings that well. I don't care if you have 100, 200, 500 combinations of sauces, you got to cook them right and you have to at least start with a good baseline, buffalo hot sauce. Then branch out from their. Wings do not need to be the size of turkey wings. They don't cook that well. They need to be crispy before you put one oz of sauce or seasoning on them. If not, they are worthless and gross.

Have you tried the Red Orchid on Babcock Blvd for Thai. Their coconut soup was very good.
China Star in McIntyre

Actually, yes I now remember and apologize. I have yet to try ChinaStar. It maybe the same people who run one of the authentic Squirrel Hill Chinese places.

And yeah, Billy's is probably the best for wings in the North Hills, I do agree.

I was going to reply & mention China Star. They have two menus an Americanized Chinese menu & an authentic Chinese menu written in Chinese. It's the only restaurant that our Chinese friends would go to for authentic Chinese food.

 

[JS School]

I think it was Legal Seafood. I remember it. I remember the poster. Very long winded fellow if I remember correctly. I live on coastal Connecticut. Hilarious.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a seafood restaurant in the North Hills, or anywhere in the Pgh area?

 

[pitt-girl]

Two, both in the Strip District:

http://www.pennavefishcompany.com
http://lukewholey.com/wp/

And of course, Off the Hook as has been mentioned here in Warrendale.

 

[PantherO]

A little further north, but I think it is well worth it! It is small, so reservations are needed.

http://cliffordsrestaurant.com/

 

[NTOP]

At a quieter time here, I need to start a thread about recommendations for great bars. We stumbled on one a few years back and to this day still talk about it.

If it's Cole's Tavern in Wexford....you'll be banned.

 

[passedout]

If you're looking for Chinese, none is better than Sesame Inn (the North HIlls location is hands down the best location of their 4 locations). China Stars Americanized food is average, but I've heard their authentic is really good from several folks (never had it myself though). My new favorite place is Hal's on Babcock Blvd in Ross Twp. Real nice craft beer selection and food is really good as well. Also like Off the Hook and for desert or sandwiches/salads, Bartrams Bakery is pretty solid.

 

[pitt-girl]

If you're looking for Chinese, none is better than Sesame Inn (the North HIlls location is hands down the best location of their 4 locations). China Stars Americanized food is average, but I've heard their authentic is really good from several folks (never had it myself though). My new favorite place is Hal's on Babcock Blvd in Ross Twp. Real nice craft beer selection and food is really good as well. Also like Off the Hook and for desert or sandwiches/salads, Bartrams Bakery is pretty solid.

YES! We too love Hal's. Great pizza's, burgers and sweet pea risotto.