Dude. Pittsburgh. Who knew you had such a refined and sexy dining scene???\n\nWell, your good citizens, that's who. Which is how husband and I were referred to Point Brugge, Salt of the Earth, and lastly Soba Lounge, thanks to the brilliant hostess at our B&B who told us Soba was her favorite spot within walking distance. I don't usually dine without Yelping these days, but I am *so* glad we recklessly heeded her advice. Our meal at Soba was one of the finest, most delicious, and wholly satisfying that I can recall (joining Salt of the Earth, no less, in that prestigious category...).\n\nThe subtle lighting and modern d\u00e9cor of the joint is coolly lovely, setting the mood right away for a relaxed dining experience. Attentive, professional service is provided by servers who explain that most of the produce used in Soba's dishes is locally sourced and are happy to make recommendations. Husband and I started out with an Asparagus Maki Roll appetizer, with tempura asparagus, tamago, roasted local shiitakes, scallion, and a spicy lemon ponzu. The soft, sticky rice didn't overwhelm the crunchy asparagus, earthy 'shroom, and slightly-sweet tamago; the ponzu dip was a pleasantly sour foil. We also had an order of Thai-inspired Blue Bay Mussels with crispy soba and aioli, which were *fab-u-lous.* I eat a lot of mussels, but these were some of the most enjoyable I've ever had.\n\nFor entr\u00e9es, husband and I split the Soba Noodle Scallops -- which arrived at the table with root spinach, cuttlefish, wild mushroom, and fresh wasabi -- and the Seared Tuna -- with a sesame crust, cucumber-red-onion salad, kimchee, ginger fried rice, and peanuts. Both dishes were out of this world. Husband I had trouble cutting ourselves off at half and switching plates, but were both rewarded tenfold for doing so. The scallops had a perfect sear, the soba was fat and chewy, the ponzu wasabi broth was soul-warming. And the tuna was seared expertly, still gorgeously garnet and cool in the middle, complemented by a crunchy, nutty sesame crust and that flavorful rice. I don't think either of us wanted that meal to end. And all things considered, husband and I thought the bill at the end of the night was ridiculously reasonable. Soba FTW.\n\nPittsburgh, I have a crush on you. Your perfectly-priced fine-dining scene makes me want to pull up stakes and move in with you.
places reviews