Con Alma is about to open in Shadyside
A supper club is about to open in Shadyside from Josh Ross, former chef at the now-closed Pirata in Market Square. Inspired by Dizzy Gillespie’s song, and its translation, “with soul,” Con Alma is billed as the newest venue for Pittsburgh jazz, curated by partner and guitarist John Shannon.
Located at 5884 Ellsworth — former home of La Casa, among others — the 1,900-square-foot restaurant features a menu of snacks, tacos, salads, ceviche and a couple of mains that start at $8 up to $18.
In keeping with the Latin-inspired style at Pirata, Ross offers empanadas and gorditas, along with jackfruit or pork belly tacos. Salads range from tomato and avocado to jicama and mango, while ceviche feature hamachi or a mixed number with octopus and calamari with saffron-clam sauce and squid ink reduction. Mains hit comfort food factors with ropa vieja, served with black beans and rice, along with the chicken, rice and vegetable dish, arroz con pollo.
As far as the music lineup goes, Shannon has revived the name of the Nosmo King Trio (No Smoking), in honor of his grandfather, WTAE’s Paul Shannon, that will serve as the house band weeknights, while weekends will feature a roster of Pittsburgh names. There’s an additional $5 music charge on food and drink bills for live music.
General manager and partner Aimee Marshall oversees the dining room and bar where you’ll find a handful of rum-based drinks, classics like a Sidecar or a daiquiri, and a Sangrita with carrot, tomatillo or tomato with Wahaka Mezcal. Wine and cocktails run from $9 to $12. Happy hour runs from 5 to 7 p.m. weekdays as well as 9 to 11 p.m. Mondays and Saturday, with $6 wine and cocktail deals. Con Alma will be open evenings except for Tuesday as well as for jazz brunch on Sundays.
Two new Chinese restaurants have debuted in Oakland
The super casual, cash-only TW Kitchen, a Taiwanese restaurant, is now open for lunch and dinner at 192 N. Craig St. It’s the newest addition to the growing number of Chinese restaurants around the city.
Look for dishes like salt-and-pepper chicken and shrimp among specialties, as well as pork and Taiwanese sausage with leeks (all $12). Noodles, including Taiwanese beef noodle soup and rice stick noodles, also make an appearance, as well as fried rice dishes with sausage, shrimp or pork. Taiwanese popcorn fried chicken and bento boxes are available, too — each for $10 or less.
Also open with little signage there’s Malaxiangguo, a pay-by-weight hot-pot restaurant at 3608 Fifth Ave. With an array of meats and vegetables, rice cakes, noodles, seasonings and herbs, the spot allows for detailed choose-your-own-adventure eating.
Grab a bowl and fill to your heart’s desire, and anticipate a bill at the register for $12 to $18, depending on weight. The kitchen cooks for each customer and brings out the bowls as they’re ready.
A mother-daughter bar and restaurant is in the works in Shadyside
Look for the soon-to-open Frances along with Frank’s Bar and Grill, a first-floor restaurant and second-floor bar at 728 Copeland St. in Shadyside.
From Susan Wasik and her daughter Franki, the space is opening in what had been Stack’d. In a whitewashed, airy dining room, the ground floor Frances will offer a straightforward menu of deviled eggs, toast and crostini among appetizers ($8-$12), panzanella salad, and pork tenderloin, snapper, along with lamb chops among mains for $16 to $30.
On the second floor now open, Frank's serves casual bar bites like Kentucky-fried cauliflower and queso fundido for under $10. Wings and a selection of burgers are also available, along with sandwiches like a French onion dip, pork banh mi and a fried cod number for $9 to $12. Look for a dozen brews on tap as well as bottle and canned beers; wines from $8 to $14 by the glass; and a short list of cocktails.
Frances will be open 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Frank’s is open 4 to 11 p.m.
New options for coffee and wine to go
Spill Wine Bar has opened at 4800 Liberty Ave. in Bloomfield, with Italian labels like Collefrisio and Casali starting at $6 a glass and $20 to $40 a bottle. There’s a bar as well as a mishmash of tables and chairs — and the option of getting food delivery to the spot.
Over in the Strip, Dave Anoia, co-owner of D'Anoia's Eatery, confirmed that anything on its wine list — and some beer options — is now available to go. And while that means it's a bit steeper in price than your average PLCB store — at $35 and up per bottle — customers are getting special-order Italian wines that you won't find elsewhere. In addition, the liquor license for the newly open Pizzeria Davide has gone through, so you'll find more beer and wine choices, mostly by the can, for your super casual drinking needs.
Also in the Strip, La Prima has an airy new spot in a spiffy corner in the AC Marriott Hotel at 1126 Smallman St. With a lovely interior, it's a fine addition to this stretch.
Check out this Sunday supper
Over in the former Cure space in Lawrenceville, the restaurant will live on for now through Cure’ated events, such as this Sunday’s Cleveland-centric dinner featuring Brett Oliver Sawyer of The Plum and Adam Lambert of Ohio City Provisions — with meats from Wilmot Ohio’s Wholesome Valley Farm. For $125 per person, it’s a single seating featuring a few plated courses including charcuterie and Ohio cheeses, local greens and dishes like grilled beef heart and duck escabeche. Also on the menu: lamb lasagna with peas and asparagus as well as pork, cabbage and smoked potatoes. Tickets are available here. And look out for upcoming dinners like the next one with Pittsburgh’s Apteka folks on June 23.
New chef at or, The Whale, Downtown
After Dennis Marron departed to focus on his Lawrenceville project, Merchant Oyster Bar, Distrikt Hotel’s or, The Whale has recently promoted Eli Decko to executive chef and Tim Kratt as chef de cuisine for a menu that includes fish stew, scallops, pork chops, and crab mac ‘n cheese.
Melissa McCart: mmccart@post-gazette.com
First Published: June 4, 2019, 5:31 p.m.
