Waffallonia: Not Your Average Waffles

I was never a fan of waffles as a kid. Perhaps that’s because I grew up eating frozen waffle discs compliments of the toaster.  It wasn’t until I went to college that waffles became a staple food item.  Choosing to skip on the daily blasé offerings of cafeteria items only a freshman could love, I spent a quality three minutes at the “Create Your Own Waffle” station more often than not.  On adventurous nights, I’d throw a few scoops of ice cream on top and consider myself a culinary genius.  So when Waffallonia opened up in Squirrel Hill a couple years back, I threw on my freshman 15 jeans and headed on over.  I’ve been indulging on these sinfully authentic Belgian waffles ever since.

If you’re a fan of the Americanized, made-from-batter "Belgian" waffles, then your waffle lovin’ mind will be blown when you sink your teeth into a Liège waffle.  These waffles get their namesake from the Belgian province in which they were created.  Liège waffles are unique in that they are made from yeast dough (an adapted form of brioche dough to be precise).  This is the smell that consumes you when opening the door.  Another difference in comparing Liège waffles with our made in America waffles is that they are sweetened with pearl sugar.  This sugar caramelizes the outside of the waffle, leaving a delicious, crunchy exterior while maintaining a soft, chewy texture on the inside.  Some of the pearl sugar remains intact within the waffle too, providing unexpected little bursts of sweetness as you eat.  In other words, once you taste a Liège waffle you will literally find all other waffles subpar. 

Now, if you were in Wallonia, you’d most likely eat a Liège waffle plain or with a little cinnamon, but thankfully here in Pittsburgh I can still get my fill of waffles a la mode.  There are normally six Dave and Andy’s ice cream flavors to choose from ranging from Vanilla Bean to Speculoos (a European spiced shortbread cookie).  I actually prefer the, dare I say, “boring” Vanilla Bean because it’s yummy and it doesn’t overpower the flavor the of the waffle.  If you’re not in the mood for the cold stuff, you can get a spread of Nutella or maybe some fresh fruit and whipped cream instead…heck, maybe all of the above. 

Liège Waffle with Speculoos Ice Cream

Liège Waffle with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Liège Waffle with Chocolate Ice Cream

The only dilemma one might have when visiting Waffallonia is where to eat your delightful creation.  In the summer, it’s perfect because you can take it to go and eat it outside, maybe sitting on the steps of a neighboring business.  Winter months can be a tad more challenging if you go when it’s busy as the seating is quite limited inside (think 6-8 bar stools in the back).  For me, I could care less if it’s a little crowed.  I will gladly stand elbow to elbow to get my waffle on…or you can always dine in your car. 

Waffallonia is making the best waffles in Pittsburgh.  Treat yourself to an amazing dessert or, if you're like me, a nostalgic college dinner.  Just remember, you’ll never be able to look at other waffles the same way again. 

I give Waffallonia: 4.5/5 forks

Waffallonia

1707 Murray Ave.

Pittsburgh, PA 15217

412-521-4902

Neighborhood: Squirrel Hill

*This review is of the Squirrel Hill location, but there is also a Waffallonia kiosk located in Schenley Plaza (Oakland).

Café Raymond: Overlooked by Those Seeking the Overrated

I always shake my head as I pass the line of tourists who are waiting for their turns to scrounge on greasy plates from a certain local breakfast spot in the strip… no doubt taking their recommendations from a re-run of Man vs. Food.   Apparently many out-of-towners are fans of the overrated.  In fact, they are so blinded by plates covered with entire cans of Reddi Whip, that they are missing out on one of the true “best breakfasts” in town just a few blocks up the strip.  If you prefer quality over excessive quantity, it’s time to skip the line and give Café Raymond the attention it deserves. 

Café Raymond is fittingly named after Raymond Mikesell.  He’s a yinzer from the Northside with some serious food credits.  He’s baked for famous peeps like Cal Ripken Jr. and has lived in romantic places like France…he also lived amongst the dirty birdy fans of Baltimore for a decade, but let’s move on.  He could have opened his café anywhere, but we’re lucky enough to have Chef Raymond back in the ‘Burgh. 

As you approach the café, you’ll see some al fresco tables where patrons are often found freely advertising the fresh, local ingredients to be had.  Once inside, you can peruse the chalkboard menu of breakfast and lunch items.  On Saturdays and Sundays they offer up two breakfast specials, most often a specialty omelet and pancakes, in addition to the regular menu.  A few weeks ago I had the most amazing breakfast sandwich.  It was egg, applewood smoked bacon, mixed greens, tomato, and chipotle mayo on perfectly toasted slices of brioche.  I seriously could’ve eaten an entire loaf of that bread… causing all the gluten heads to cover their eyes and hide their children.  I also love their seasonal pancake specials…the Blueberry Ricotta are deceivingly light and fluffy considering they are made using buckwheat.  I’m looking forward to this fall when I can fulfill my pumpkin pancake cravings. 

Brioche Breakfast Sandwich...yes, I had already eaten half when I remembered to snap a pic.

Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes

The hubby is a fan of omelets and Café Raymond serves them up right…wildly fluffy and filled with savory treats like spinach, fresh mozzarella, and pesto or perhaps some smoked salmon and scallions.  And better yet, omelets are served with oven-roasted potatoes.  When he’s in the mood for a meatier brunch, he orders the Pastrami Sandwich.  While this is technically on the lunch menu, Café Raymond will add an egg to this already behemoth of a sammie if you say, “Please.”  You could easily split this bad boy with a friend.  (While I'm usually there to munch on breakfast goodies, I must note that all of the sandwiches I've tried have been yummy, fresh, and filling.  You can choose from a variety of salads or dine on a daily lunch special as well.)

Spinach Omelet and Oven Roasted Potatoes

Pastrami Sandwich with Egg

Once you’re stuffed and feeling like you need to loosen your belt, there’s only one thing left to do…get dessert of course!  As mentioned, Raymond is a first class baker and his pastries are more than delicious.  My old faithful is the Blueberry Custard Croissant.  The dough is flaky and crisp, making the perfect basket for the creamy custard and perfectly sweetened berries sitting inside.  I’d recommend getting there early because they usually sell out. 

Blueberry Custard Croissant

I am always a fan of eating local, but some local eateries are just better than others.  I can honestly say (without any hoopla) that Café Raymond is doing it right, and you’d be wrong to pass up this gem during your next visit to the Strip. 

I give Café Raymond: 5/5 forks

Café Raymond

2103 Penn Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

412-281-4670

Weekday Lunch Specials

Neighborhood: Strip District

Café Kolache: Putting a Unique Spin on a Czech Tradition

If you’ve ever visited Burleson County, Texas you’ve probably eaten a Kolache.  For those of you who are scratching your heads, Kolache are a favorite dessert for those of Czech heritage. It’s basically a slightly sweetened dough with a tasty dollop of filling (poppyseed, cheese, or fruit is traditional) that nests in the center.  Texas is home to many with Czech roots due to immigration during the 1800s. If you can’t visit Texas any time soon, or Czechoslovakia for that matter, then it’s time to set your GPS for… Beaver, PA?  That’s correct!  Thanks to Kristi Harper, once a resident of Austin, Texas, we only need to take a leisure drive to enjoy sweet and savory treats at Café Kolache.

We arrived to downtown Beaver on a sunny, summer afternoon and were tickled to see such a charming strip of shops and eateries!  While there were several distractions on the way (antiques, jewelry, and shoes oh, my!), we were starving and decided to fill our bellies with Kolache first.  It was of the luncheon hour and Café Kolache was brimming with patrons. 

While anxiously awaiting our turn to order at the counter, we were able to see the offerings of the day in the glass case.  At first, my eyes were drawn to the traditional sweet-filled Kolache.  There were blueberry and cheese still left for the taking.  Next to those were the biggest, most scrumptious-looking cinnamon rolls.  The gentleman at the counter informed me that the cinnamon rolls were made out of Kolache dough as well.  Well, dessert was a no-brainer; we ordered one of each.

With my sweet tooth at bay, we moved onto some unique, savory Kolache.  This is the real reason we had made the trip.  At our arrival, they had Ham and Cheese, Chicken Fajita and Jalapeño, and Sundried Tomato and Artichoke.  They also had a few of their “Lunch Kolache of the Day” left: Balsamic Chicken and Mushroom.   We ended up filling our tray with three different choices to share.  We threw in two freshly brewed iced teas to quench our thirst (they also have an array of coffee choices roasted by Prestogeorge) and made our way outside to grab the last table.  Café Kolache also has a lovely indoor seating area if al fresco dining isn’t in the forecast.

When cutting our savory Kolache into halves, I realized how much they resembled little calzones.  Taking my first bite of the Balsamic Chicken and Mushroom variety, however, I realized that Kolache dough vastly contrasts with pizza dough.  Rather than being dense and chewy, it was soft and delicate.  The pocket was loaded with big chunks of mushrooms and tender chicken, and it oozed a bit of the balsamic sauciness with each cut.  Next up was the Sundried Tomato and Artichoke.  The flavors of sweet and salty were nicely balanced, but the filling was sparse.  I was feeling a tad deflated after the first Kolache was so scrumptious. I was unsure of what to expect from the last of our trio.  Any feelings of doubt completely vanished when I took a bite of the Chicken Fajita and Jalapeño.  Once again tender chicken galore, but this time loaded with a spicy punch of flavor.  It was difficult to share this one! 

Balsamic Chicken and Mushroom

Sundried Tomato and Artichoke

Chicken Fajita and Jalapeño 

After getting a free refill of ice tea, I decided I had to at least try a bite of the cinnamon roll that was beckoning me from its “To-Go” bag.  As mentioned, I have a serious sweet tooth and this was not my first face-to-face encounter with yummy looking cinnamon rolls.  Yummy looking is the key here, though.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve bitten into a picturesque roll that was dry or sweetened beyond palatable judgment.  When peeling off the first layer (yes, I’m one of those people), I could see it was moist and had a nice dusting of cinnamon hidden inside.  But did it taste good?  I here by declare, Café Kolache to have the best cinnamon rolls I have tasted to date.  Not only was it fluffy and perfectly spiced, it had just the right amount of sweetness.  The glaze on top was an excellent decision as well.  I’ve always been a fan of the glaze over the 1-inch spread of frosting kinda girl. 

Cinnamon Roll

My husband ate most of the traditional sweet Kolache before I could snap a picture (sorry!).  I took a bite of each, and both were equally amazing.  The blueberry Kolache was filled with plump, juicy berries and the cheese Kolache was rich and velvety.  With these, the filling sits atop a square-cut of dough, rather than inside like the savory varieties.

Café Kolache is celebrating its 10^th anniversary this year.  If you’ve never been, it’s time for a day trip out of the ‘Burgh.  I’m positive you’ll be smitten with this little town and the friendly folks you’ll meet.  

I give Café Kolache: 4/5 forks

Café Kolache

402 3rd St

Beaver, PA 15009

412.421.6668

Coca Café: Best Brunch in the ‘Burgh

So, when my husband and I moved to Pittsburgh in 2006, our first habitat was a rental in Bloomfield.  What does this have to do with Coca Café you ask?  Sadly, my dearest readers…we had no idea that Coca existed at that time!  It wasn’t until we moved 6 miles down the way in 2008, that we discovered this culinary delight…a haven for all those seeking sanctuary from unimagined “greasy spoons”.  

Coca Café serves up an array of eats.  They have delicious sandwiches for the lunchtime crowd and small plates Thursday through Saturday (from 5-9pm) for the dinner patrons, but I have a dangerous obsession with their Sunday brunch.  Yes, lots of upscale eateries are boasting gourmet weekend brunches these days, but Coca is simply the best.  Coca offers a stellar spread of breakfast items Tuesday through Saturday.  I often get the Pumpkin Pancakes (Fall Menu) or the Lemon Blueberry Pancakes (Summer Menu), and my husband is always up for ordering their fluffy Avocado Omelet on a weekday.  While their “standard” menu items are already plates of perfection, Sunday is a true event.  Don’t believe me?  The line outside the door (which begins forming just before 9am) doesn’t lie.  (Hint: While they do not take reservations, you can call ahead to put your name on the list.  Just make sure you have your entire party present when they call you, or you won’t be seated.) 

Arugula Salad with Beats, Goat Cheese, and Salmon (Lunch and Dinner Menu)

Avocado Omelet with Roasted Potatoes 

Lemon Blueberry Pancakes (Hoping to see these back on the summer menu soon!)

Once inside (and you’re so pumped when they call your name) you are greeted to funky, retro décor and the aroma of freshly brewed La Prima coffee.  The front room has larger tables that can seat relatively large parties quite comfortably.  My favorite spot is the “sun room” in the back.  Here, you can bask in the rays in cozy little booths and tables for two.  The atmosphere is usually quieter back there and the servers can focus more of their attention on you.

The Sunday brunch menu is printed weekly, and it’s clear that careful consideration is put into its creation.  Many of the weekday items are still present, but there is also a list of five to six specials of the day listed at the top.  And man, are they special.  Each Sunday, I struggle to make up my indecisive mind.  I’ve had or tasted (stolen bites off of my dining companions' plates) everything from Braised Short Ribs over Manchego Cheese Grits to Seafood Cakes Eggs Benedict.  As frequently as I go, there are just too many goodies to list here.  It's rather pointless anyways, Coca doesn’t repeat specials too often.   They cook with fresh, seasonal ingredients so each week is a new culinary surprise. 

Chicken Stuffed Banana Peppers with Egg

"Waffle" Challah French Toast with Grilled Peaches and Cardamom Mascarpone Sauce

Don’t be like me and miss out on Coca longer than you need to.  Go this weekend if you can handle waiting for a table or go on your next weekday off (you should be able to get a table quickly).  I’m still mad I’ll never get those two years of Sunday brunches back.


I give Coca Cafe: 5/5 forks

Will I return? Absolutely

Coca Cafe
3811 Butler St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15201

(412) 621-3171