Editorial

Summer’s Bounty

Deval (Reshma) PaRanjPe, mD, mBa, FaCs

The middle of summer calls for dining al fresco and discovering new places and revisiting old favorites.

Here are some in-depth reviews of some joyous places you should try around town in your summer travels.

Café Zinho

238 Spahr Street (near the corner of Ellsworth) 412-363-1500 Wed-Sat 5pm-10pm, Closed Sun-Tues Reservations recommended

I broke my in-person dining fast at Café Zinho in late spring when al fresco dining opened. Café Zinho was the natural place to go. The isolation of the pandemic led many people to develop or rekindle friendships through social media, and one of those beautiful pandemic links for me has been Chef Toni Pais.

I knew Toni from his beautiful Tiffany blue Portugese restaurant downtown called Café Zao, nearly 2 decades ago when I moved back to Pittsburgh after fellowship and was exploring the dining scene downtown. He was always so kind and gracious, and taught me about port and Portuguese dishes. I’d treat myself to dinner at the bar now and then because I hadn’t made many friends in those days, and some days Toni would be behind the bar and we’d chat. I knew he was a legend, of course, world-renowned and a Pittsburgh icon. His famed restaurant Baum Vivant was the longstanding epitome of fine dining in Pittsburgh when I was a resident and couldn’t afford it. (Back in those days getting an invite to a pharma dinner at Baum Vivant was a ticket to paradise for a mere trainee.) So, to be on the receiving end of culinary and bartending pearls from such a master, generously dispensed over a beautiful supper at the bar…I literally ate it up.

Fast forward a few years; Toni began to notice uncontrollable shaking of his left arm and was diagnosed with early-stage Parkinson’s disease. He started medical therapy and went back to work, but the symptoms proved to be more than pharmaceuticals alone could control. He was deemed a good candidate for DBS (deep brain stimulation) and underwent electrode placement within the MRI scanner while sedated. A month later, the patient-adjustable pulse generator by his clavicle was activated; he immediately enjoyed significant improvement and was able to work and enjoy life again and titrate pulses to his symptoms.

I made an early reservation to avoid the rush and had dinner at one of Café Zinho’s charming sidewalk tables on a late spring afternoon with a cool breeze blowing. What did I want to order from this exquisite menu? I asked Toni to choose for me. Chef’s choice of rich roasted tomato bisque, his signature Portugese fisherman’s stew and an incredibly indulgent chocolate mousse reminded me that there’s still plenty of joy to be found in life. Toni even joined me briefly before the rush started, like the old days, and we talked about Pittsburgh, food, and his miraculous recovery and his road forward. He’s grateful for everything, makes the most of every day, and celebrates his loyal staff daily.

Toni’s creative process is very much like that of Michelangelo, who saw his David trapped in the block of marble, waiting to be freed. Toni can taste the finished dish in his imagination before he sculpts it out of the finest ingredients and brings it to dazzling life. Try his delicious upscale European/Mediterranean creations and his newest one, which I’m honored to say was born out of our conversation that day: Goan Fish Curry. Inspired by the famous style of fish curry from Goa (an old Portugese colony in India), you’ll not find it in any other restaurant in Pittsburgh. Please go dine at Café Zinho and say hello to Toni Pais, a longstanding Pittsburgh treasure, culinary maestro and medical miracle.

Cash or check only, ATM on premises. BYOB, upscale, reservations recommended.

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Tepache

926 Sheraton Drive, Mars PA 16046 724-553-5307 Open daily M-Th 11AM-10PM, Fri-Sat 11AM-11PM, Sun 11AM-9PM

Named for the famed Southern Mexican fermented pineapple drink, Tepache is sheer perfection in the North Hills. Located off Route 19 at the Cranberry border, Tepache features fresh, authentic and fantastically tasty Mexican delicacies and drinks at a spacious interior/bar and a covered outdoor patio. The owners are brothers from Jalisco and the chefs are from Yucatan and Baja California. The entire service team is gracious, committed and professional.

The eponymous tepache is featured in margarita, mojito and mezcal cocktail format on the drinks menu along with a dizzying array of margaritas, mojitos, cocktails, micheladas, and beers (as well as nonalcoholic options) to sip as you survey the menu.

Start with the excellent freshly made tortilla chips, which set the tone for the meal—you’ll know you’re in for something special. Then opt for the flaming queso fundido because who can resist the spectacle of a tableside tequila flambée? The taste is sublime and sophisticated, but it’s Cheese on Fire, after all. Instant childlike grins appear on all witnesses. Spread some joy.

The menu is a rich and varied treat. I can safely say that it will take me all summer and fall to eat my way through it. The fact that this process will happen is a foregone conclusion. You can find everything from elotes (Mexican street corn) and tamales to jackfruit tacos, pozole verde (hominy and chicken stew), specialty brussel sprouts, squash blossom quesadillas, arroz con pollo and Birria tacos. The expected list of tacos, enchiladas, burritos, chimichangas, fajitas and salads exists but with a delightful and authentic variety of preparations for each format—it’s a tour of Mexico with selections from the Yucatan and Jalisco among other areas. You really can’t go wrong with any of them. Try my favorite so far--the brilliant Choripollo—seasoned marinated chicken topped with chorizo and cheese sauce, served on a nopal (prickly pear) cactus slice with a grilled poblano pepper, beans, and rice for accompaniment. Cap it all off with a lovely selection of desserts including Crepas de Naranja (crepes flambéed with orange liqueur, drizzled in caramel and served with ice cream), elote flan, tres leches cake, and a churro platter. Seriously, why are you still sitting here reading?

Reservations, walk in seating, delivery, and pickup options available. Children’s menu, Happy Hour (4-6pm weekdays), specialty margaritas of the day and weekend brunch.

KIIN Lao and Thai Eatery

5846 Forbes Avenue 2nd floor, Pittsburgh PA 15217 (Squirrel Hill, old Bangkok Balcony) 412-521-0728 Closed Tuesday; open Wed-Mon 11AM-10 PM.

Summer’s heat invites light yet satisfying and cooling foods. Enter KIIN Lao and Thai Eatery, created by the owners of the former Bangkok Balcony in that famous space. The menu explores a range of Lao, Isan, and Thai cuisine and is both delicious (to this reviewer) and authentic (to other reviewers who hail from these areas).

The Thai portion of the menu features dishes familiar to most Pittsburghers (pad thai and other noodle dishes, green curry, pineapple curry, crab fried rice) but also beloved specialties seen in more traditional Thai restaurants on the West Coast and indeed in Thailand. These include pink noodle soup, pink noodles, pad gra prow, and boat noodles, among others.

Lao, Isan and Thai cuisines are related yet distinct, and KIIN offers a window to all of them. Try the Sai Oua, a traditional spicy pork and lemongrass/ ginger/dill/peanut sausage served with a fermented soy-pineapple sauce, or the Naem Khao (crispy coconut rice salad with choice of protein). You must try one of the three refreshing green papaya salads (one of which is naturally gluten free and vegan). Try the Laab (larb), another refreshing dish of minced spiced protein mixed with fragrant herbs, scallions, lime juice and fish sauce and served with sticky rice. Or for a deep dive, try the Mok (your choice of seafood steamed in a banana leaf with red curry and bright accompaniments) or Kua Mee (wok rice noodles with fish sauce caramel, egg, tomato, bean sprout and lime with your choice of protein). I asked my college and medical school friend Andy Shen, now a foodie and an Emergency Medicine doc in LA, to suggest menu items to try. His suggestions (all listed above) followed his initial assessment after reading the menu: “This place looks legit.” After trying it, I can tell you that it is indeed legit delicious, and unlike any other Thai restaurant I’ve tried in the area. Worth a visit, especially on a hot summer day with good company. Mid-afternoon if you want the place to yourself; takeout available.

After your meal, take a stroll down Forbes Avenue, listen to the sweet breezes in the trees and remember that summer is one definition of pure joy. Enjoy.