Top music industry A&R, photographer and culinary expert Lenny S has started a new food column called “The Culinary Converter” where he will profile restaurants from all over the world elaborating on their menu, decor and service. First up is Pamela’s P&G Diner in Pittsburgh, PA. First a brief introduction:
Hello all.. I hope this introduction finds you all well. My name is Lenny S. aka Lenny Santiago aka The Kodak Man aka “The Culinary Converter”. I travel a lot for work for short durations… always been a food aficionado, dabbling in the kitchen… on any given day at home, you’ll find my TV on the various cooking networks… travel guides are hit or miss for me, but the opinions of the locals always seem to be more effective. With that being said, every month I’m going to take you on a journey through tasty treats, delicious diners and exotic restaurants to rave about.
In my travels around the world (several times over..lol), I’ve come across dishes that I just can’t keep to myself. Whether it’s local food from a street fair, a unique dish from a dive bar or diner, or cuisine from the finest of 5 star restaurants, I’m here to guide you to the perfect places to please your palate.
Pamela’s review after the jump.
The City: Steeler Nation (Pittsburgh, PA)
The Area: Strip District
The Place: Pamela’s P&G Diner (6 locations)
The Wait: 45 mins to an hour
The first thing I do when I enter any city is ask, “Where is the BEST place to eat?”. The hotel’s front desk clerk, concierge, bellman and/or cab drivers are all victims to my food fetish interrogation. Clearly, the place with the most recommendations gets the first visit.
In Pittsburgh, all fingers point toward “PAMELA’S,” a comforting diner with great hospitality. You will notice that most of its patrons are dressed in their daily uniform colors ( Black & Yellow). At Pamela’s, crepes replace the common pancake. Being that pancakes are my favorite, I was highly disappointed. Boyyyyy… was I ever WRONG! I went for the “Chocolate Chip Banana Hotcakes,” and was immediately converted. Just imagine: A thin layer of a succulent crepe, wrapped around warm pieces of bananas and chocolate chips melting by the second, and topped with sweet whipped cream. AMAZING! (Note: no syrup needed). If you’re not a fan of bananas or chocolate chip, you’re more than welcome to try the Blueberry or Strawberry Hotcakes. They’re ALL winners.
Another MUST HAVE is the “Croissant French Toast“. A fresh, butter soft croissant soaked in a cinnamon/vanilla egg batter and drenched in a caramel sauce that I like to call a “Brown Sugar Butter Bath”. TO… DIE…FOR…! NO.. seriously. After having this, I suggest you stay away from sweets for the rest of the month, but it’s absolutely worth it.
The confirmation of how great this place is can be reverted back to President Obama’s recent visit to Pamela’s. In fact, the President was so impressed that he actually hired Pamela’s to cater an event at The White House. Need I say more?
So it’s safe to say that every time I visit Pitts, the two guaranteed items on my purchase list are Pam’s Hotcakes and Steeler attire, which is absolutely unavoidable. City pride at it’s finest.
Will you be stopping by for a bite to eat???
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That’s what’s up, My fav breakfast spot to eat! Good review