If Pittsburgh has a temple of gastronomy, it is called Eleven. This new arrival on our restaurant scene scores top marks in every category. The food is amazing, the presentation is gorgeous, the wine list impressive and the interior classy. It is entirely smoke-free, provides curb-side valet parking for $3 and serves the world's best breads baked by their own intellectual baker.

Alyssa Cwanger, Post-Gazette Jennifer Barozzini serves customers in one of the comfy curved banquettes at the new restaurant Eleven in the Strip District. Click photo for larger image. Eleven 1150 Smallman St. Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412-201-5656 Hours: Lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through Fridays; dinner, 5 to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 5 to 11 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, 5 to 9 p.m., Sundays. Basics: Appetizers, $8-$15; entrees, $18-$39; desserts, $6-$9. Wines by glass: $6-$21. The most creative contemporary American menu in Pittsburgh, serving top-quality food prepared by a team of top chefs in an elegantly casual environment. Intriguing wine list. Attractive bar/lounge. Totally nonsmoking venue. Wheelchair accessible. Valet parking, $3 at dinner, self parking in lot directly across the street also $3 when announcing that you are dining at Eleven. All major credit cards accepted. Reservations recommended. They can be made either by phone or online at www.bigburrito.com/eleven. The Making of a Restaurant Earlier this year the PG's Marlene Parrish took readers behind the busy, sometimes frantic, scenes of the effort to get a new restaurant up and running. Click here to read her three-part series on the launch of Eleven.

E nter the cathedral-like space and you immediately feel the energy emanating from the open kitchen facing you. A flock of chefs are busily preparing the most creative contemporary American food in Pittsburgh.

Executive Chef Greg Alauzen needs no introduction to Pittsburgh diners. Alauzen spent seven years at the Steelhead Grill, Downtown, where his talents as a chef brought numerous awards to the restaurant. At Eleven, Greg has what was previously lacking: a casually elegant dining atmosphere which complements and completes the extraordinary menu he has created.

The base products used in his kitchen as well as his entire team of chefs have roots in the Pittsburgh region. Alauzen is a Pittsburgh native (Bridgeville) who began his kitchen career working as a high school student part-timer at the now defunct Fatigati's Restaurant. Although pastry chef Barbara Ferguson hails from Chicago, she is a graduate of our own Pennsylvania Culinary Academy and is married to a Pittsburgher. The menu is designed to feature the freshest and highest quality ingredients, and most of these are from local farmers. From Elysian Fields in Greene County to Three Sisters Farm in Mercer County to Penn's Corner Farm Alliance in the Pittsburgh region, Eleven is a showcase for Western Pennsylvania products.

One look at the Eleven menu and you know that you are in for a bit of culinary excitement unlike any other in our town. Even old menu standbys have been transformed and given a new angle. The calamari ($8) is crusted in semolina and served with lemon-aioli so tartly delicious that I wanted to eat it with a spoon. A trite shrimp cocktail blazes new ground when it becomes a "Shrimp Bloody Mary Shooter" ($11). Five shrimp stand tail-up in five shot glasses filled with a spicy Bloody Mary mix and drizzled with Level vodka.

The rustic country terrine ($8) brought back distant memories of farmhouse meals in France, but again Alauzen has added an original twist. In addition to the traditional French garnish of cornichons and Dijon mustard, he has included a green tomato chutney that elevates this classic to a new height. Sea scallops in a potato crust with collard greens and smoked ham hock ($11) should not be missed.

The balance of flavors and textures and the unusual combination of ingredients are the signature of this exceptionally talented chef. Another "must try" is the pork appetizer ($9). Showing the humorous side of his creativity, this is the chef's interpretation of a fast food breakfast sandwich. A light buttermilk biscuit is topped with pulled pork and a poached egg and complemented with baby red mustard greens. Again, it is an unusual combination that is more than the sum of its parts.

Entrees offer more original twists on menu staples. Amish Country Chicken ($19) starts out as a whole chicken and ends up as a pan-roasted breast and braised chicken leg risotto served with sauteed spinach. The breast is removed from the whole chicken, and the remainder is braised. The meat taken from the legs and the resulting stock is then used for the risotto. Beef tenderloin ($36) is a thick filet mignon served with Maytag blue cheese bread pudding, baby English peas and a red wine essence, which like all Eleven sauces, underscores the strong competence in their kitchen.

Smoked pork chop ($25) is smoked in-house and served with organic honey-sherry glaze, onion confit and the best Lyonnaise potatoes outside of Lyon. The menu also lists Alaskan halibut, skate wing, king salmon, black grouper and tuna.

In spite of the appeal of the appetizer and entree menus, I strongly urge you to save some appetite for dessert. Pastry chef Ferguson has composed a dessert menu unrivaled in our city. Her "deconstructed carrot cake" ($8) is a perfect example of her originality. A miniature spice cake "iced" with mascarpone is sitting next to a scoop of intensely flavored carrot sorbet formed to resemble a carrot. The whole is complemented with pineapple raisin chutney and walnut brittle. Lemon Almond Tart ($7) is lemon curd and toasted almonds in a shortbread crust with an orange tuille, fresh blackberries and lemon-buttermilk ice cream.

Probably the most original of Ferguson's many marvels is her Maytag blue cheese tart ($9) for diners who prefer savory to sweet endings. This blue cheese filling in a phyllo crust is accompanied by vanilla-poached heirloom tomatoes and grilled almonds. There is also the possibility of ending the meal with a platter of the chef's selection of Farmstead cheeses.

Eleven offers a five-course vegetarian tasting menu ($45) and a five-course chef's tasting menu ($65). These can be paired with wines for each course for an additional $26. For an over-the-top experience, there is the Chef's Table. Seated next to the kitchen, diners partake of 10 courses prepared especially for them by the chef. Alauzen is happy to work with patrons to develop a menu to their liking.

Eleven is open for lunch from Monday to Friday. The menu offers some of the appetizers from the dinner menu and several salads and sandwiches. Grilled chicken sandwich ($9) is served on house-made baguette with mozzarella, oven-roasted tomatoes, arugula and a side of french fries. The portobello wrap ($8) sounds like a perfect vegetarian selection. The mushrooms are joined with tomatoes, pickled red onions, goat cheese, arugula and eggplant aioli in the wrap and served with spiced gaufrette potatoes. More substantial entrees are also available, from crab penne gratin ($18) to king salmon with butternut squash hash ($18).

The bread basket at Eleven consists of three breads that change daily and is worthy of its own stars. Baker Glen Hoover worked with Alauzen at Steelhead. A number of his devotees have been suffering withdrawal symptoms since he left Steelhead and are thrilled to find him back at the ovens and again providing Pittsburghers with his unequalled breads. Glen is a graduate of Pitt with a degree in English literature.

Eleven's wine list is the creation of Mike McCoy. As the kitchen focuses on American cuisine, McCoy's extensive list is weighted on the side of American wines. His selection is interesting and unusual. Even the wines sold by the glass offer opportunities to discover unfamiliar names and varietals. On any day, 35 to 40 wines are available by the glass. Prices range from $6 to $17 for a 6-ounce pour. L'ecole #41 Semillon ($8) from Washington state was a delightful discovery suggested by our waiter, as was Two Tone Farms Merlot ($8.50) from Napa. McCoy does daily tastings with his staff to assure that they are familiar with all the wines sold by the glass. For more serious connoisseurs, McCoy is available to consult on his list. The bar serves an interesting assortment of cocktails, many based on fresh and seasonal juices.

The tasteful interiors of Eleven are comfortable and inviting. Lighting is low. Tables are well spaced and the curved banquettes and chairs are handsome as well as comfortable. The handmade tables inlaid with a geometric floral pattern are works of art. Fresh flowers in oversized vases are spotlighted and provide a spark to the understated design. The restaurant has been constructed to absorb sounds, making the sound level thoroughly comfortable. Although the downstairs dining area is where the action is, the upstairs environment is more private and romantic. The large bar has a delightful lounge area with plush, upholstered furniture. Dining is available in the bar as well.

The bottom line is that Eleven elevates Pittsburgh to a whole new level of dining. It gives me great pleasure to finally award four stars to our home-town team.