Pistachio: a chic American experience
Alex Wells & Melissa Goldenberg
Issue date: 2/4/10 Section: Life!
This past weekend, we went out to dinner with a group of friends to Pistachio Bar and Grille. This restaurant is located at 341 South Cedar Crest Boulevard only a mile and a half from Campus. It was easy to get to, and it's a quick trip on Shuttle Steve's regular run. The restaurant has an upscale, modern-American feel to it, with chic lighting and interesting artwork, and is perfect for a nice evening out with friends or a significant other.
The seating area is large and accommodating, but we advise that you make a reservation if you're with a larger group.
If you're not hungry before you arrive, don't worry, reading the menu will definitely make you hungry!
The restaurant has an extensive menu with many fish, shellfish, meat, poultry, vegetarian, pizza, pasta, and salad options.
For appetizers, we ordered Tuscan Hummus with fresh baked pita bread, and a bruschetta, caponata, and tapenade trio. The pita was very fresh and warm and was complimented nicely by the hummus, which was made out of a special Tuscan bean-a nice change from the hummus at GQ!
We also ordered a Bruschetta Trio, which consisted of three pieces of bread, one with bruschetta, one with caponata, and the last with tapenade. This appetizer is able to be split by two people, but we advise that these two people are fond of olives. Overall, the appetizers were liked by everyone at the table, and we recommend all of them.
Nearly everyone in our group enjoyed their entrees.
We all tried to order very different things to get a taste of a little bit of everything on the menu. We ordered Sesame Seared Rare Ahi Tuna with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes, Petit Fillet Mignon with a Crab Cake, served with Brussel Sprouts and Potatoes, a Caprese Salad, Penne Gorgonzola, and a Steak Salad.
The seared tuna was cooked perfectly and the wasabi mashed potatoes were fluffy and creamy with a light Asian fusion kick to it. The Ponzu sauce that was served with the vegetables was absolutely delicious. The petit fillet and crab cake were delicious. The fillet mignon was cooked to perfection-medium well-and the crab cake was nicely crisp on the outside, while warm and soft on the inside, and was not too fishy, as many crab cake eaters worry it could be. The Caprese salad had the perfect ratio of cheese to tomato, and was not overwhelmingly cheesy.
The seating area is large and accommodating, but we advise that you make a reservation if you're with a larger group.
If you're not hungry before you arrive, don't worry, reading the menu will definitely make you hungry!
The restaurant has an extensive menu with many fish, shellfish, meat, poultry, vegetarian, pizza, pasta, and salad options.
For appetizers, we ordered Tuscan Hummus with fresh baked pita bread, and a bruschetta, caponata, and tapenade trio. The pita was very fresh and warm and was complimented nicely by the hummus, which was made out of a special Tuscan bean-a nice change from the hummus at GQ!
We also ordered a Bruschetta Trio, which consisted of three pieces of bread, one with bruschetta, one with caponata, and the last with tapenade. This appetizer is able to be split by two people, but we advise that these two people are fond of olives. Overall, the appetizers were liked by everyone at the table, and we recommend all of them.
Nearly everyone in our group enjoyed their entrees.
We all tried to order very different things to get a taste of a little bit of everything on the menu. We ordered Sesame Seared Rare Ahi Tuna with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes, Petit Fillet Mignon with a Crab Cake, served with Brussel Sprouts and Potatoes, a Caprese Salad, Penne Gorgonzola, and a Steak Salad.
The seared tuna was cooked perfectly and the wasabi mashed potatoes were fluffy and creamy with a light Asian fusion kick to it. The Ponzu sauce that was served with the vegetables was absolutely delicious. The petit fillet and crab cake were delicious. The fillet mignon was cooked to perfection-medium well-and the crab cake was nicely crisp on the outside, while warm and soft on the inside, and was not too fishy, as many crab cake eaters worry it could be. The Caprese salad had the perfect ratio of cheese to tomato, and was not overwhelmingly cheesy.