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Friday, June 28, 2013

Cattivo

FREE PIZZA = BEST PIZZA
For a really dark bar with no windows that allows smoking, Cattivo churns out some fantastic pizza. If you have never heard of Cattivo, it is tucked away in the heart of Lawrenceville smack dab in the middle of the neighborhood on 44th street. The unassuming facade might lead you to believe that you were entering a foreign legion or a local VFW, but nope, you've just entered one of Pittsburgh's most friendly gay bars.

To quote one of the diners from Urbanspoon.com, "I don't know why the best pizza in Pittsburgh is at a gay bar in Lawrenceville, but life is full of mysteries. The prices are good too." Now, I wouldn't call it the best pizza in Pittsburgh, but the first time I had pizza at Cattivo I was really amazed. I was sitting in a weird ass basement prepared to eat DiGiorno or worse and BAM, delicious pizza right in my face! Great crust, fantastic sauce, a well proportioned cheese to topping ratio and the perfect crisp. With the exception of the cheese blend (which I think is better at Cattivo) I would compare the pizza to Bella Notte in the strip district.

Even when I'm full I always put slices on the bar to hide from the pizza monsters.
For happy hour the bar is pretty dead. It might be the lack of windows or the clientele, I really can't say. The action at Cattivo gets started a bit later in the night with features such as karaoke, burlesque shows, free pool and dance parties. I can't speak highly enough of the management as they offered our group free pizza and delicious homemade potato chips. Additionally, one time I saw one of Shea's friends get whipped in the basement while affixed to a cross -  and I liked it.


Cattivo on Urbanspoon

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Park House


CRISPIER

Park House is apparently Pittsburgh's oldest bar. The place has style and character. It is kind of hard to believe that any one place can be a bar for over one hundred years, but I'm sure it has happened before. Also, I guess it kind of makes sense since they give away popcorn and people love that shit. Oddly enough, they serve middle eastern food.

The middle eastern food scene in Pittsburgh is lackluster at best. I used to rave about Krystal's in the Strip District, but rumor has it that ole' Krystal was down on her luck and had to sell the place. The new owners cut some corners with the food, and now I'd rather eat at Arby's. HORSEY SAUCE BRO.

Now made with real horses!
Anyhow, the food at the park house isn't bad. I really enjoyed the homemade spicy hummus, but the kibbeh was all wrong. I think they used too much bulgar wheat, I absolutely hated the consistency. (You can't feed a Lebanese man bad kibbeh, he will know.)



Additionally, I should add some negative comments. Although all of the beers were discounted $2 for happy hour, they were still very expensive.  I had to order my kibbeh three times as they kept giving it away to strangers for over an hour. However, after noticing their error and my extreme disappointment, they paid for my sandwich! So, hey, not everything is terrible. Be warned though, the small kitchen is very slow at peak hours and this place gets packed.  I recommend this bar over Arby's. Unless you can find an Arby's that is over one hundred years old, then I would go to that Arby's.


Park House on Urbanspoon