The South Paw - Southside

Pizza for days.

I've been hanging around the building that houses the South Paw for at least the last decade. I remember attending an Unlimited Magician show there once when it was a hookah bar called "H-khan" and I spent many blissful evenings there when it came to be known as the Blind Pig.

I was disappointed to hear that the Blind Pig didn't make it, but the South Paw is a worthy successor. Drinks are reasonably priced ($2 draft beers) and the food was great.

I was very impressed by the "Guido Gati" large pizza ($14 pictured above.) It came absolutely piled with toppings and cheese. Hearty heaps of sausage,  peppers, garlic and chopped tomato. I particularly enjoyed that they used a cheese blend as opposed to just mozzarella. As a side not, garlic may be the most underrated pizza topping of all time perhaps only surpassed by bacon.

The Guido Gati is easily one of the better pies on East Carson which myself and food economists have dubbed a recovering pizza desert. ( Google defines a food desert as, "an urban area in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food." A pizza desert is a much more extreme first world problem that the media is afraid to discuss.)

I'M SO HAPPY TO EAT THESE WINGS

In addition to pizza, sandwiches and appetizers, the South Paw also specializes in smoked wings. Old Mendo was having a great time wolfing them down! I tried one myself and although I'm not really a smoked wing guy, I have to say they weren't bad. They even had a good 15 different flavors.

Overall a really great bar with some delicious food. Not much of a crowd though on a Thursday night, so be sure to bring some friends to help you finish the large food portions and listen to your sad stories about how you have been hanging around the same building on East Carson for the better part of a decade.

Archie's

Wingz

Let me tell you something, Archie's has stepped up their wing game. The last time I tried wings at Archie's I was not entirely impressed. I thought the wings were pretty average.

However, upon my last visit I am thrilled to report that the wings were arguably some of the best in the Southside. Some of the flavors I enjoyed included spicy thai, spicy parmesan, cajun, hot and spicy ranch. All were fried to perfection and perfectly sauced!

Archie's real selling point is that you can enjoy 35 cent wings Monday through Thursday. (They jack up the cost on the weekends for all the tourists.) I believe this is what they call a lost leader. Boss man Archy gets you in the door with cheap wings and profits on your need for alcohol. Because, let's be honest, you can't eat chicken wings and not have a beer.


 

The Urban Tap - Southside

THE BEEF

You can tell just by looking at that steak sandwich that it was made with high quality ingredients. Delicious tender steak, pickled onions, lettuce, cheese and fresh crispy bread. One of the ways I judge a steak sandwich is based on how much it drips all over your plate when you try to eat the thing. Granted, this test is not a test of flavor or quality, but rather a test of how much care the restaurant takes in presenting and preparing their food. This sandwich didn't leave the quintessential puddle of gross I commonly associate with steak sandwiches. Great job Urban Tap!

The coleslaw  on the other hand was pretty bland. It was seriously lacking in flavor and I'd guess it was probably prepared several days in advance. (No one is perfect, right?) I think it could have greatly benefited from a little seasoning and perhaps even some jalapeno. It looks nice though.

The Urban Tap is one of many fancy looking establishments that have opened in the last few years in the Southside of Pittsburgh. The decor is very similar to that of Local right down the street. The beer list is extensive, the employees are attractive and the place looks really great. What surprised me about the Urban Tap was the type of food selections they offered and the associated price tags.

When I walk into a bar in the Southside I don't typically expect to be offered the option to purchase a $35 filet. If I was speculating in a vacuum I'd say that Urban Tap might have priced themselves out of the neighborhood. However, the place always seems to draw a strong crowd. Every time I walk by there are people dining - so I guess they might know their demographic better than I do.

The residents of Pittsburgh are starting to expect more from their food. I'd say that if the Urban Tap opened on Carson Street about five years ago they'd be laughed out of town. In this modern era of Pittsburgh dining, maybe it is possible to charge $35 dollars for a filet at a beer bar in a neighborhood that is notorious for public urination citations, crying bridesmaids and dudes named Shawn who all have the same haircut and don't wear winter jackets in January.