Luau at Biergarten - Hotel Monaco

By Guest Author Tuna Salmondarez

Earlier this summer Hotel Monaco's Biergarten put on an awesome Luau to benefit the Ronald McDonald House. If you've never stopped by Biergarten, you've got to check it out. They offer a great beer selection in addition to a wide variety of German food. Biergarten goes out of their way to do a fantastic job with all of the special events they host.

Unfortunately I was away officiating a wedding for the heir to the Coors Light fortune on the weekend of the event, so I sent my good friend Tuna to cover the festivities. According to Tuna the Kalua pork and cabbage were extremely flavorful and had a wonderful texture with a coconut finish. She enjoyed the comedians, music, live art and demonstrations - all of which made the event unique. . 

Although she was not a huge fan of the mahi mahi, Tuna loved the shrimp. She described them as buttery, well seasoned and well sized. (In case you are wondering, tuna actually do eat shrimp as reported by this wonderful maritime blog.)

In general, Tuna said it was a wonderful family friendly event with lots to offer. She also loved the fresh fruit and colorful clothes sported by the entertainers. I cannot come up with a reputable source as to whether or not tuna will eat fruit, so I guess we will just have to roll with it! Be sure to watch out for the third annual Endless Summer Luau for the Ronald McDonald house which should be scheduled in 2018.

Biergarten - Hotel Monaco

Prost

You pay for a nice view, but I have to say that the view at the Biergarten is fantastic. Although the space is very small, it provides an entirely unique view of downtown Pittsburgh. Because our city has so much open space around the edges, most roof top views provide you with the feeling that you are isolated. Biergarten is situated right in the heart of the city so the view actually creates the facade that you are in some type of booming metropolis rather than the 62nd largest city by population in the United States.

Now when I say you pay for it, I mean it. The cheapest beers at Biergarten will cost you around $7 or $8. And don't think you can get off easy ordering a Miller Lite, because there isn't much of a discount. Considering the ABV of many of the German beers, you are better off going with a Spaten Optimator or Paulner Hefewiezen in order to optimize your buck. Also, don't count on happy hour discounts as none exist.

Salad

This cucumber salad with onions and pickled eggs came with a delicious tangy vinegar dressing. It was the perfect dish to stimulate my desire for thick German beer. Also, it was appropriately priced at $5. If you want to sit down and eat at Biergarten, be sure to arrive early. We were the first ones on the roof when it opened and every seat was probably filled within 15 minutes. The cost to reserve a table is exorbitant. I believe they wanted roughly $1000 to reserve a table for 12. OUTRAGEOUS! I could probably buy a liquor license in Homstead for that price.

Sauerbraten

The large tables at Biergarten are shared, similar to what you see at any German beer hall. Some fat hog sat down next to me and ordered the sauerbraten and proceeded to send it back two times because the meat was too fatty. I'm guessing that she was not familiar with brisket. This sauerbraten dish consisted of vinegared beef brisket, mashed potatoes and sauerkraut. I thought it was fantastic. Although fatty (as brisket should be) the meat was extremely tender. The portion was awfully small for the $14 price point, but I've already explained that you will be paying dearly for the wonderful view. 

Currywurst

This is my friend Eric. Eric ordered the Currywurst and smoked mussels. I believe he had a pretty nice evening until he got stuck in one of the Hotel Monaco elevators on his way out of Biergarten and was stranded for almost an hour. (The elevator situation is not ideal.) I have scarcely seen him since and I'm pretty sure he blames me for his misfortune.

Overall, Biergarten is a must visit. Arrive early and enjoy a glass of wine at no charge in the Hotel Monaco lobby from 5-6. This will help defray your beer expenses later in the evening.