It's safe to say that the second round of Pittsburgh was food and drink day.
Kicking off the morning was an energetic brunch at Meat & Potatoes, per the request of the Fairmont concierge. Having heard of the gastropub previously, I had no reservations on checking it out and, even though we didn't have reservations, the staff didn't mind finding us a spot at the bar.
"You can't really go wrong with anything on the menu - it's just all about what your palette wants today." I overheard the head bartender express this sentiment to another coworker and I happily shared the same feeling. A popular mid-morning dish there is the huevos rancheros, which I happily took part in.
Meat & Potatoes has an extravagant and creative do-it-yourself Bloody Mary bar. They take the cocktail game up to a whole new level. Equipped with every garnish, sauce and meat under the sun, it's impossible for a person to run out of new concoctions. An intriguing feature was the Bloody Mary's different base options. From bacon infused vodka, to a shrimp infusions, to the wonderful jalapeño-lime tequila, each flavor was as unique as the next.
The majority of the day was spent on the "Paddling Up the River to Helltown Brew Tour." This six-hour long venture takes beer e
nthusiasts to two different breweries and accommodates the travelers well - with a practically endless amount of complimentary samples, take-homes and the option to drink on the bus.
Rivertowne Brewery was first up on the itinerary. They lined up an array of samples before heading through the tour and provided each patron his or her own pint for the adventure. Rivertowne is a bit more advanced in terms of brewing, so exploring how work gets done was quite impressive.
And if you get the opportunity, you have to taste test the Hala Kahiki - Rivertowne's sweet, pineapple beer.
The second stop was a modest, hop-happy brewery called "Helltown." The name derives from the 17th century when the area was deemed "Hell Town" because of the casualties experienced throughout. When zip codes were handed out for the first time, Helltown, by the luck of the draw, snagged the number "15666," so the brewery just rolled with the name.
While Rivertowne ships to a plethora of bars, restaurants and outlets, with keg, can and bottle options, Helltown keeps it simple and relatively local w
ith their draft and growler-only choices.
Another highlight was the trip itself. The breweries were beautiful, generous and informational, but the characters that come out and converse with the community are just as great. By the end of the ride, everybody were buddies because of one solitary bond - beer.
As we hopped off the bus, we asked a few locals were we should eat for a quick stop in the square. The answer was a resounding "Primanti's."
But before eating, we stopped at Wood Street Galleries. The exhibits, La Cour Des Miracles and DSM-VI, both featured robots doing amazing things. Each demonstrated the human ability to create a ficticious lifestyle. The latter of the two showcases touched on mental disorders. The robots involved in the piece acted out various disorders, including neurosis, psychosis, anxiety and paranoia.
It was loud, it was abrupt, but it was incredibly human.
Primanti Brothers is a sandwich shop of colossal proportions. The eatery is armed with award-winning fries and they're not afraid to use them, especially between two pieces of bread with an impressive mound of meat. Besides the Pitts-burger, the Ragin' Cajun chicken sandwich is a must.
As for the rest of the night, we will be enjoying a night out at Grit and Grace and stopping in to hear the sultry jazz sounds of Nola on the Square.
Stay tuned to Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to see how the night goes!
