There is no better time than the spring for a Pittsburgh City Steps Hike to see several beautiful tile mosaics in Spring Hill. These include a free-standing mosaic wall, mosaic row houses, and whimsical pigeons arrayed along a cliff bottom. And it's thanks to Linda Wallen, a local artist committed to beautifying our communities. Penn Brewery is on the way back down to River Ave, making for a convenient dog-friendly lunch spot. And on Sundays, try stopping by Scratch & Co for a delicious brunch.

In April 2005, we braved a doorway hung with red beads in a rundown building to enjoy the most delicious lunch. Located in the Jewish neighborhood in Rome, Sora Margherita is known for its fried artichokes Carciofo alla Giudia, and every dish was absolutely delicious. For the last 20 years, we have often thought about this tiny restaurant, but did not have a chance to get back until last month. We spent the morning exploring the amazing Villa Farnesina, and met up with friends for lunch. It was so delicious that we decided on the spot to book another reservation for our last evening in Italy. Most excitedly, I got to meet Margherita herself!

Spork on Penn Ave has added a truly stunning option to their elegant and immersive 'One' dinner experience. On Mondays, the entire meal focuses on an amazing array of fresh and fermented vegetables stemming from their kitchen garden, and offered at a lower price point. As with the traditional One by Spork dinner, the vegetarian experience comes with a complement of many unique and highly pleasurable courses -- each including its own amazingly creative drink pairings. The non-alcoholic option is just as exquisitely crafted as the wine or cocktail pairings. The fulfilling flavors and colors of each and every dish, from appetizer bites to dessert and each of the five main courses in between, will certainly keep us coming back for more!  

Take a fun city steps hike in the West End - Elliott area, stopping at the West End Overlook for amazing views of downtown Pittsburgh's rivers and bridges. I designed this route as a Father's Day gift for my husband, who enjoys climbing city steps with our dog. Walk up high along scenic Harker St. and Marlow St., discovering new views at the end of concrete or wooden steps. At the end of the hike, enjoy delicious Uzbek cuisine at Chaykhana on S. Main St. This 3-mile loop features over 700 ft of elevation gain and multiple staircases, with only two uphill stair climbs!

Kerr St. steps

Straight portion of Planet St. steps

View from West End Overlook

Beef Do'ner kebab sandwich in a split round bread

My first time up lower Balfour steps on a snowy March day

Spork on Penn Ave has been a favorite for many years, the kind of place where we celebrated anniversaries and proudly brought out-of-town guests. We were truly stunned by the quality of their new dinner concept, launched less than a month ago. Through a series of carefully orchestrated appetizer bites, multiple small entrées, and desserts, each paired with your choice of alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages, the entire Spork team delivered a unique, elegant and immersive dinner experience. We can hardly wait to see how the chef's tasting menu evolves, especially during the Spork garden season! 

Pittsburgh is known as the City of Bridges, but it also qualifies as the Steps Capital of North America with more than 800 public staircases. Over the past decade, Pittsburgh has become a foodie destination, with its many restaurants and pop-ups. My husband and dog (T&M) have been exploring and mapping out loop hikes of all different lengths and elevations, often walking past fantastic restaurants such as Dish Osteria. One sunny, winter afternoon, it all came together in a 3.3 mile Pittsburgh steps hike ending with amazing pasta, drinks and conversation.

St. Josephat Church on Mission

Discovering the joys of urban hikes

The Farm & Forage Dinners at Lost Creek Farm are truly an unforgettable experience. After bumping and jostling down a narrow gravel road, you emerge into another world -- a gracious warm-white farmhouse, lit by the angled rays of the setting sun that transform into strings of fairy lights. Chef Mike Costello and Chef Amy Dawson and staff work their magic for a seamlessly perfect evening filled with easy-going camaraderie, cultural education, and a series of creatively interpreted dishes based in local traditions and heritage flavors. Not only is each dish delicious, but also each story and each bite form interwoven connections that build in a culinary crescendo before descending gently for a perfect, lightly sweet landing. We are already strategizing our return next year... 

The owners Mandi and Jeff Horn, have also run a CSA from their 270 acre organic farm, since 2007. They recently opened a deli for take-out service, and the restaurant is dog friendly. Whether visiting Bedford or passing through central PA, Horn O Plenty is the perfect place to stop for a refreshing, healthy meal — whether your preference is wood fired pizza or salad, vegan or thick cut bacon!

"This is new on our menu, and it is soooo good!  Try the meat-bread," gushed our server Lana. Having grown up enjoying her cousin Tahmina's fantastic Uzbekistan cooking using fresh ingredients bought and prepared daily, she was eager to share the delightful mixes of flavors and textures at Pittsburgh's only Uzbek Halal restaurant.

A few minutes later, a glorious wreath of fragrant dough arrived at our table. Cutting its crispy crust revealed fluffy layers of bread cradling thin slices of tender beef. I suggested that they should give that scrumptious bread another name, or simply use the Uzbek words for meat-bread. Although food is a universal language, that delightful wreath deserves something more poetic. For example, the name Kavsar refers to a crystal clear, paradise river. According to their website, "Everyone who plunges into this river, will never thirst and will always be healthy."
Interestingly, the inside of the non or bread reminded me of steamed Chinese flower rolls, or Huā Juǎn 花卷, which are traditionally layered with sesame oil and scallions. Perhaps this should not be surprising given that the Silk Roads funneled right through Uzbekistan and neighboring Turkmenistan, linking northern China with Europe. Several types of dumplings also grace the menu -- chuchvara stuffed with ground beef and onion dipped in sour cream, manti stuffed with beef, pumpkin or spinach, vareniki with  sweet cottage cheese or potato-onion fillings -- as well as golden samsas reminiscent of Indian samosas and Greek tiropitas (at least from the outside) and baked piroshkis. Given the time required to prepare manti, we opted for the chuchvara on this trip.

Chuchvara dumplings

Kavsar's spicy cucumber salad ranks as one of the best salads I have had, taking Asian influences of cucumber marinated in soy sauce and garlic to a whole new height with the burst of bright, grassy anise from the abundant dill (a feature of almost every dish). We quickly devoured the julienned cucumbers, onions, red pepper and fried beef, ladling the leftover dressing onto rice. It was not at all spicy "hot", but rather had a rich blend of contrasting flavors reflecting what I have decided to call the original East-West fusion cuisine dating back up to two thousand years before Pacific Rim or California fusion.

Spicy cucumber salad and Beef borsch soup

Beef stroganoff over mashed potatoes

Lagman - pulled noodles, beef (or chicken) and vegetables

Kavsar special chicken

Tips: 
🐾 Kavsar, on the corner of Southern Ave and Shiloh St, has its own parking lot one block down on Southern across from Natchez St. 
🐾 Although not in the heart of the new Shiloh St shopping area off of Grandview Ave, it is definitely worth walking just one block farther down the street.



DID YOU TRY EATING AT KAVSAR?    Tag @love2chowblog and hashtag it #love2chow