Salt of the Earth Restaurant Review
5523 Penn Ave. (S. Negley Ave.) 
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Pittsburgh, PA 15206
412-441-7258
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Salt of the Earth Restaurant is one of our 2012
Hot 10 Pittsburgh Restaurants | Top 10 Pittsburgh Food Rating Restaurants
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Cuisine
Open
Dinner Mon.-Sat.Features
- Private room(s)
- Full bar
- Reservations suggested for mezzanine
- Casual
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| Salt of the Earth offers genuine fine dining, but in a sleek, contemporary idiom. Chef-owner Kevin Sousa partnered with architects Doug and Liza Cruze to eliminate the usual pretensions and focus on distinctive food in an urbane, energy-charged environment. On the ground floor, the dining room contains three large communal tables, and counter seating along the open kitchen and facing the bar. This is the first come, first served area. The mezzanine offers individual tables, requiring reservations. Sousa is adept at experimental cooking, but flavors here dominate. He does employ cutting-edge techniques---expect a lot of sous vide action and foam, but theatrics recede to the background. Innovative cocktails are a must-try. The menu---not in print but writ on a slate wall---includes core seasonal items supplemented by daily changing dishes. There’s no bread or tea but many dishes to love, like the salad of beets and frisée, with truffle-mustard and poached egg; sweetbreads with potatoes, fenugreek and blue cheese; or 48-hour sous vide short ribs, with Brussels sprouts and wild mushrooms; and salmon with cauliflower, buckwheat and Swiss chard. The limited dessert list presents a choice of a cheese plate or “pudding.” |
RESTAURANT AWARDS
We just published the 2012 edition of our annual restaurant issue, featuring the Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. and much more. Check it out!
