Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Rivertowne Northshore

This past weekend, Boyfriend and I swapped our usual lazy Sunday with a kayaking adventure courtesy of Kayak Pittsburgh.  We joined our friend K and the married Mr. and Mrs. P in the North Shore to serenely glide along the Allegheny River and enjoy the cityscape, while being sure to avoid the Gateway Clipper Fleet and on-coming Duckie Tours.  It was a great way to spend a bright Sunday and I look forward to future afternoons of kayaking.

   (Boyfriend, K and I floating triumphantly in front of PNC Park during a Pirates game)

After we returned our kayaks, we discussed lunch options that would offer delicious fare and plentiful drafts.  The answer seemed clear: Rivertowne Northshore.

I had never eaten at Rivertowne before, but I am a fan of their beer, especially the pineapple Hala Kahiki.  I assumed that a restaurant linked to such a reputable brewery would have equally as fantastic food.  I assumed incorrectly.

Our group was quickly seated at an outdoor table close to the river and our meal seemed to be heading in the right direction... Until our server arrived.  I have no idea what her name was, but her blank expression may be permanently etched in my brain.  We all ordered water and then Mr. P asked "do you have a drink menu?" She blinked at him, tilted her head to one side and said "yeah... I think so." After a few moments of uneasy silence, Mr. P asked "umm... May we have one?" I also asked her to check the status of my beloved Hala Kahiki on draft, which only seemed to confuse her more.

She vanished for several minutes and reappeared to let us know that no, Hala Kahiki was not available on draft, but was available in a can.  She did not come back with a drink menu.  At this point, we were annoyed and ready to place our food orders.  

Both K and I ordered individual buffalo chicken pizzas, while Boyfriend ordered a standard cheeseburger and fries. Mrs. P got an individual bacon pizza and Mr. P opted for chicken wings.  Our server was incredibly awkward while taking our orders and may have been half asleep during the process.  She skipped K completely and seemed distracted by sudden movements.  We weren't fans, but she did manage to bring our drink orders without disaster: two Hala Kahikis for Boyfriend and me, one Framboise for Mrs. P and a draft for Mr. P. 

Our food was brought to the table in staggering order, which always irritates me as a patron.  There is always one person sitting there empty handed while everyone else has his or her plates, but feels too awkward to eat.  Soon enough, we all had our food and were ready to dig in.


My pizza looked good and I really, really wanted to like it, but one bite told me that if there was menu-promoted "fire sauce" involved, it was a small amount.  Our server had provided a side cup of additional hot sauce,so I poured some directly on to a slice of my pizza, then took a bite.  I thought that the sauce tasted oddly sweet and not at all spicy.  K agreed and Mr. P took the initiative to taste the sauce before proclaiming "this is French dressing."  We laughed about it, then informed our server about the mix-up.  She did not seemed amused, but did bring us actual hot sauce quickly.  Once the correct sauce was brought, the pizza was decent.  It certainly wasn't the best buffalo chicken pizza that I'd ever had and I was annoyed that I had to have extra sauce to even make it the slightest bit spicy.  Fire sauce, indeed.

When Boyfriend's lunch was delivered, I knew that he was excited to have a cheeseburger after a grueling kayak session.  I also knew that after he had one bite, he was disappointed.


To say that his burger and fries were room temperature would be generous.  I tried one of his fries and they were hardly warm; however, Boyfriend sucked it up and did not complain for fear of having to confuse our lackluster server even more.  

Mr. and Mrs. P each enjoyed their respective meals, but did not care for the lacking service provided during our meal.  I have also been blessed with painfully sweet and kind friends, so they would probably highlight positive traits of a meal that included a side of botulism.  

We finished our meals and hightailed it out of there before the impending rainstorm began.  I have full confidence that I will not return to Rivertowne for food, but the shoddy service and food won't stop me from enjoying Rivertowne brews, especially the Hala Kahiki.  

There are some places that should focus solely on what they're best known for and Rivertowne Northshore seems to be one of those.  Come for the beer, stay for the beer, but whatever you do, don't trust the buffalo sauce.  


Rivertowne North Shore on Urbanspoon

Monday, July 7, 2014

I Got 99 Problems, but Beer Ain't One

Independence Day was this past week and in my house, it was celebrated with a day off of work and not much else.  Boyfriend and I hosted a cookout on Saturday, July 5th (you know our founding fathers were still partying it up the next day), but we did not have much to do on actual Independence Day; therefore, I took the opportunity to celebrate my freedom to drink beer at noon by lunching with Stemstar at 99 Bottles in Carnegie.

99 Bottles is a bar, restaurant and bottle shop housed in a former Pizza Hut along Washington Avenue.  While the outside of the restaurant seems like nothing special, the inside is full of 500 types of beer, including 30 on draft, growlers, and liquor options, as well.  

I had visited 99 Bottles once before with co-workers for a happy hour and could tell instantly that this was a great spot for a relaxed drink and above average bar food.  In addition to a dining room, 99 Bottles has a patio and outside bar.  As it is positioned along a busy Carnegie roadway, things can get a little loud on the patio, but music is filtered outside to take away some of that traffic noise.  

On the Fourth of July, Stemstar and I met up at 99 Bottles for lunch and a cold beer.  I arrived a few minutes early and asked the bartender what options on draft could be defined as "summery." She immediately recommended DuClaw Brewing Company's Morgazm, a citrusy blonde ale offering a crisp taste and a smooth finish, with hints of grape fruit.  Her recommendation was fantastic and Morgazm proved to be exactly what I was looking for in a beer.  All of the staff members at 99 Bottles are friendly and eager to assist customers.

99 Bottles is self-seating, so I found a spot on the patio and enjoyed the sunny weather.  Stemstar arrived soon after and we ventured back to the bar to order our meals, as is standard practice.  99 Bottles's menu is full of normal bar fare, including burgers, fried appetizers and wings; however, they also offer BBQ and a glorious little number called the Hibernator, a deep-fried grilled cheese sandwich filled with bacon and (wait for it) macaroni and cheese, instead of sliced cheese.  I had this sandwich on my first visit to 99 Bottles and recommended it highly to Stemstar. 

To start, we ordered fried provolone cheese wedges from the menu's munchies section.  They were deliciously crispy and gooey, served with a side of marinara dipping sauce.  I always think that fried cheese is the perfect way to begin any meal and this appetizer did not disappoint,  


For our meals, Stemstar ordered the famed Hibernator with a side of 99 Bottles's awesomely seasoned French (shall we say Freedom) fries.  Stemstar thoroughly enjoyed his carb coma sandwich, as I had a week prior, and had no issues polishing off his meal.  


While I strongly considered revisiting the Hibernator, I decided that some Independence Day BBQ was in order and I decided upon the Smokehouse Fries.  This dish consisted of 99 Bottles's deliciously seasoned fries covered in your choice of BBQ chicken, pork or brisket.  I opted for the chicken and requested the spicy BBQ sauce smothered with cheddar cheese. 



The basket of fries was more than enough and I took a large portion home with me for munching later. After our meals, Stemstar and I each purchased mix-and-match six packs from the expansive beer cooler inside the restaurant. I opted for several fruity and summery beers to enjoy the remainder of the holiday weekend.

Both Stemstar and I enjoyed our meals immensely and I know that I look forward to making 99 Bottles my go-to for a relaxed drink with friends or for random holiday meals, as with the Fourth of July.  It was a day to celebrate the many perks of being American, like our freedom, our brotherhood as a country, and our repeal of the 18th Amendment.  Go USA. Go beer.

99 Bottles on Urbanspoon