It was to my embarrassment that my friends and I met for a celebratory meal at Toast! at my suggestion. I visited Toast! about two months prior for a different celebration and had an amazing meal and perfect service. I raved to my dinner companions about my previous experience and all were excited to dig in.
Unfortunately, I have never had such abysmal service. At one point I wanted to ask our waiter if he was really that miserable waiting on us. By the end of the meal he had successfully put all of us in worse moods and put a damper on an otherwise lovely evening. I was really excited about taking my friends there after a previous great experience. Now I very much doubt I will be returning at all.
I ordered the shrimp and grits and was really disappointed to find 4 measly and overcooked shrimp tossed over grits that were swimming in a pond of grease/oil (not sure what it was, just that it was not pleasant looking or tasting). Overall, it was under-seasoned.
I also ordered the mac-n-cheese... which came out lukewarm. Although I am definitely a fan of fried eggs. it didn't work with this dish. The crab meat (that also was a part of the dish) felt out of place.
The baked brie was fine but its pretty hard to mess up melted brie, no?
The panna cotta had a good flavor to it, but had an odd texture and was overly thick.
The waitress did not help improve the experience. She literally rolled her eyes when she was taking our order. However, our water was constantly refilled by another waiter and the ambiance was nice.
I only had some wine and two small dishes so I feel like my review is semi incomplete. I had the sliced beef app that came with bread. It was ok to not good. Very dry and virtually no flavor. The baked brie with lavender honey and apples was awesome. Totally redeemed the flavorless beef appetizer. The wine was great. I had three glasses of Sauvignon blanc. The service was ok not to very good. The waitress had no idea what she was talking about. She must be new. That's fine...I can understand and be ok with that. But it probably would've been better if she just said so. She almost messed up my friend'a order but I quickly realized she was talking about the wrong dish. My friend was asking about the fish sandwich and she was explaining the ceviche. She said it was raw. I said there's no way your fish sandwich is raw. And she insisted the fish was so good it could be served raw. I insisted she was wrong. She checked with the kitchen. Sure enough she was wrong and admitted she was describing the ceviche. Which technically isn't raw since the juices cook the fish but I digress. Anyway, yeah, service not so great. Food not so great minus the brie. Wine good. Will I go back? Doubtful. For paying that much for apps--one of which was flavorless--I doubt I would be willing to pay a lot for a main dish. But I suppose the other dishes might be pretty good.
Review Source:Totally overrated. Â If you want a pretty extensive wine selection and are in the Shadyside/North Oakland area not looking to venture further, then yes, Toast is a nice option for drinks and maybe an app, but while the food is good, the shrimp and grits are tasty, it's also pretty obscenely overpriced for what it is. Â My friend ordered a scallop entree that consisted of four solitary scallops on a small bed of greens and a spoonful of whatever the side dish was. Â As I said, it was an entree dish, and cost almost $30.00, so it's not really worth it to me to come to Toast as far as having a dinner here, especially with some many other more reasonable options (both price and portion wise) nearby.
Review Source:I love the feel of this restaurant, and even the food was quite good. However, it was unfortunate how pretentious our waitress was. Perhaps it was because we came later in the night, but she seemed all about ready to ignore us and close doors for the night.
We had questions about some of the pri-fixe menu options, and when we asked, we literally saw eyes rolling. Pretty sure that's not remotely how patrons should be treated. This attitude continued throughout each course of our dinner, all the way until she handed us the bill, and that's when we saw a smile. Really hope she wasn't expecting a big tip.
Went to Toast for Pittsburgh Restaurant Week. While the service was great I was completely underwhelmed with the Foie Gras Tasting menu.
1) The tasting menu is presented as a his/hers and was under the impression that we were going to be getting a tasting of each - the his and the hers with each course. Instead we were given one tasting (his/hers) for the table. I felt that for the price - $40 per person - Â we should not have shared the collective eight bites of food per course
2) The Foie Gras was largely absent from the menu... yeah, I understand that the foie was infused throughout, but the only time I could taste it was in the first serving...outside of that it felt absent to me. Â If I had been a judge on Chopped I would have sent them packing for not using the main ingredient.
3) The third course - salad - was basically lettuce, and felt like an afterthought. Â A little embarrassing.
Overall it was OK, be definitely not worth $80. Â May be OK regularly, but definitely a pass for RW.
Decor and atmosphere were nice.
Aside from the great service, atmosphere is very relaxing. I had the farm chicken and it was amazing. My hubby got the lamb meatloaf, he told me that he can eat same  potatoes everyday for the rest of his life and he will never complain again :)) One quick note, this is the first restaurant in Pittsburgh that brought the food in the perfect temperature (and we've tried lots of them)! Definitely try.
Review Source:We met some friends for a double date at Toast. Â It was a perfect restaurant to catch up and chat. Â We dined slowly, mostly due to the talking, and the wait staff were fine with this. Â The food was delicious, a bit pricey, but tasted fine. Â The wine list was reasonable. Â I would recommend this place to others.
Review Source:Went here with the hubby the other night for our third wedding anniversary dinner, and from the moment we walked in I knew I was going to love it here! We were greeted right away by the owner, seated promptly and were even treated to a complimentary glass of champagne for the special occasion. I hardly remember mentioning it on the phone when making reservations, but they did, and made the evening special from the get go with this special treat!
We partook in the 3 course menu for $40 and additional wine pairings for each course. With this set menu, you get a warm app, cold app and then your main entree. I had the grilled shrimp and habanero cheddar grits, dried apricot, pecan and goat cheese salad with champagne vinaigrette, and bass with spring vegetables and carrot puree. My hubby had the blue mussels, cheese board, and goat ragu pasta dishes. The salted rosemary bread and whipped butter for the table was also delicious. All courses were fresh, flavorful and filling and absolutely delicious!! Presentation was beautiful - of course I had to instagram every course!
With each wine pairing, we went with the recommended wine, but what was nice is that you can choose the size of glass you have - 2 oz, 4 oz, and full glass. That way, you can get more of the kinds you like, but try a new wine in a small size in case you don't love it. All wines were delicious and went really well with each course. Our waitress was super sweet and knowledgeable about each wine and described their tasting notes when we were unsure of what to choose - also allowing us to try 2 types of white when we initially were going to purchase a bottle before deciding just to do the pairings. We went on a Wednesday and they were having "half off bottles" that night - which was an amazing deal! We'll probably do that next time if there's a type we really love!
For dessert, we were super full but decided on another glass of champagne each and bought a "Round of Beer for the Kitchen" for $10. All members of the kitchen could be heard cheering upon hearing our choice! We just couldn't miss out on the chance to treat them for all of their talents and the restaurant for really providing us with a memorable and enjoyable evening.
Can't wait to go back!!!
Went twice. Â Once to check the place out. Â Discovered it was phenomenal. Â Because it was great, hosted 17 people there for a Duquesne family graduation dinner.
Slight hiccup with the table arrangements (separate rounds instead of one long table) and the staff immediately and flawlessly rearranged the room in about 90 seconds.
Personable and knowledgable staff. Â Phenomenal food. Â Great time.
Wow, we had a great time here last night! We joined some good friends for a relaxed evening of conversation and good times - I read the menu on their site beforehand, and really liked what I saw; a nice smattering of savory appetizers and entrees, just waiting to be tried.
Being able to order wines in three sizes is a nice touch, and encourages sampling of multiple varieties. I liked that the wine list is one page, rather than a 10lb book. While I enjoy wine greatly, I must admit that I am not well-versed in the specifics of vintages and varieties to be able to decipher lists like that. I like simpler lists, and this one was great - it was easy to match our wines with our apps and entrees. (I picked their malbec of the day, and followed this with a pinot noir...)
The food here is absolutely wonderful - all of our dishes came out promptly (even though the place was packed) and were served at the correct temperature. The service last night was incredible as well - our waiter gave us useful tips regarding the dishes on the menu, and I must say that he definitely was on the ball here. Our table had the shrimp and grits, chicken liver pate (best app of the night!), roasted beets and mussels. All of these were just delicious! For the entrees, we went with the braised rabbit and duck breast. Both were insanely delicious, and well-suited for this setting.
The background music was great, and was not distracting, and it was easy to carry on a great conversation throughout our meal without having to strain, a real bonus, since the place is small and intimate. Many places we have been that are like this one are too loud, and miss the whole point of being in a small, intimate place with great food and drink...
Yes, Toast, you get 5 stars from me for providing a wonderful evening with my wife and good friends - the food and drink was delicious, and your staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful.
We will DEFINITELY be back!
My boyfriend and I came here for our anniversary . I had been here once before but did not get to try the food. It was worth the wait! The food was delicious and the server was friendly and helpful when I asked for a wine reccomenedation. The only reason I did not give 5 stars is because the music was of a mixed variety and did not match the "intimate" tone of the restaurant. I will definetly be coming back to Toast! Again!
Review Source:The service was great and the staff very attentive.
The space is very small, cramped, but warm.
The food... good, small portions and overpriced.
Appetizer: Let me preface - I don't have much tolerance for a lot of spice. I was so excited for the shrimp & grits. First, the portion was tiny, second it was way too spicy to be enjoyable  for me at least. I let my husband and brother-in-law have it. My husband agreed it was too hot, but my bother-in-law liked it.
Main course: I ordered the sea scallops for dinner... and thats all I got... 6 sea scallops. Not a single starch or veggie to accompany it.
Everyone else enjoyed their duck, pork and chicken. However, we can all agree the portions were too small and the price was too high.
Overall, I won't be going back.
Huz and I came here with another couple for Friday dinner. I love the inside - reminds me of some of my favorite Philly joints - cozy and intimate with subtle lighting. Our glasses were never empty and our waitress checked in with us regularly. The food was actually really good - seasoned well and portions were good for sharing. And now my reason for the 3 stars: Only complaint is the lack of vegetarian options. Vegetarians eat more than salad and there was only one vegetarian entree. Our waitress also informed us that they do not make any modifications to the menu or prepare a separate dish. Most of my friends are vegetarian which means this place is out as an option for group dining. Unfortunate for Toast.
Review Source:We (wife and I) were part of a wonderful experience here at Toast Kitchen and Wine Bar. Â As part of a small wedding party attending a rehearsal dinner we were seated in the cozy upstairs room. Â The tables were nicely set and our drink orders were taken immediately.
As we chatted and sipped the wait staff brought out various tapas beginning with a small cracker and cheese board. Â The next few plates included small endive leaves with beet, mandarin orange and goat cheese; and my favorite, shrimp with cheese grits.
For a starter I had the seasonal soup, a pumpkin bisque- it was smooth and light with a subtle hint of anise flavor on the back. Â Nice. Â For the Entree I selected the crunchy pulled pork- the flavors were excellent, the meat was moist and finished with tasty outer char crunch. Â Laurie had the scallops, they also received high marks from the folks who ordered them.
For dessert I ordered the pumpkin spiced creme brulee. Â This was a small cream portion in a shallow ramekin with a perfectly caramelized top. Â Just the right amount of food.
My glance at the wine list suggested that they have a fine cellar, Laurie really enjoyed her Chenin Blanc. Â The service was prompt, friendly and accommodating. Â Everyone had a marvelous time, cheers to you Toast!
I've been trying to get to Toast! for a long time and we finally went and were very happy with the experience! Â The only reason I gave 4/5 stars is because I have only been once - but I will definitely go back!
The food was excellent - unique dishes with great flavors, but not too heavy. The scallops were seared perfectly, and the portions were the right size. The ambiance is cozy and you can order taster glasses of the wines! The service was great - not too pushy but always there when we needed something. We'll definitely go back. I think this will be one of our new winter spots!
Not sure why it took me so long to review this place, we've been a dozen times and it improves each and every time.
Went for my birthday. Pretty sure it was the owner waiting on me. Seated right away, got the corner bankette and it was so comfy. And as usual the menu was exceptional. I love that the menu changes whenever they're in the mood. This month's menu had fried green tomatoes ( MMMM) and then my personal favorite shrimp and grits. And the menu always has such fun seasonal stuff. Met the chef he's been there like 7 months, yet the transition is seamless. You'd never know they changed chefs even.
Beverages ( diet soda, I'm so advenurous ) arrived within literally a minute in this beautiful balloon wine glass stem ware. Great stemware. Refilled it 3 times for me, he was on top of it. Even the ice water was perfect!
Food - got the shrimp and grits. SOOO good. Brown butter and a touch of brown sugar, with the PERFECT savory cheesey grits, and the shrimp were sauteed to perfection. Then the bread, some kind of sea salty caraway crisp bread yet soft. Perfect 10 on the bread. Very important to me. Then the entree, hangar steak - the medium rare was textbook, sliced really nicely, and some sort of marscapone cheesy grits type thing to go with, and the vegetables were awesome. Golden beets and ramps. So good. My wife's brussell sprouts were so good I had some, and I hate brussells.
Go. you'll love it.
This is what I've been missing?! Â No one told me how great Toast is WTF? Â Ha. Â Saturday night with a couple yelpies we stopped in here around 10:30ish for a small bite and some wine. Â Small bite turned into a cheese plate and the shrimp and grits. Â I keep thinking about that shrimp and grits dish- fantastic! Â I always picture sloppy breakfast looking grits. Â Is this picture off base? Â YES! Â I also enjoyed how the wine is served with choice of the pour...gives room to sample. Â I tried the chianti and it made me warm right up on a chilly night. Â
Last but not least the chocolate dessert! Â Just magnificent! Â The waiter told our table that peeps come in just for that choc dessert. Â It's that good! Â I'll be back.
I don't think I would ever go back here. It was quite overpriced and the food was strikingly bland.
Also, if you're a caucasian chef, don't try to serve Asian dishes unless you have a clue: It's effing embarrassing.
My risotto was ZzZzZzZzzzzzzzzzzzzz
How hard is it to make good risotto ya dummy?
I visited Toast! for my birthday dinner last night and couldn't be happier with our decision. We had met one of the chefs, Chris, at a pub last weekend and were inspired by his enthusiasm for the ingredients (locally farm-sourced) and passion for his culinary creations. Everything we ate was as delicious as he described, and the wines we tried were excellent!
As others have mentioned, the interior of the restaurant is rustic and inviting - wood beamed ceiling and cranberry colored walls. Tables are situated rather closely, excepting a few areas that are arranged in a more relaxed manner with cushioned benches. There is also a bar with what appeared to be a full liquor selection. Toast's wine list features about twenty five varietals with one choice in each category (plus a few blends).
We are nuts about wine, so we tried everything from sparkling to Zinfandel and were more than pleased with each glass. It is so great to be able to sample a wine as a half-glass or smaller quantity without being charged extra.
Appetizers: Mission figs with goat cheese wrapped in iberico ham. Great, loved the subtle herbal flavor of thyme and lavendar to compliment the drizzle of honey. Loved the cheese plate as well, although I wish we'd been given additional crackers as they are made in house and taste delicious! Â We also ordered the hand-pulled mozzerella caprese salad, in which the balsamic vinegar had been formed rather nontraditionally into little gelatinous cubes - tastier than it may sound - and sprinkled with lemony basil.
Entrees: Crispy pork shoulder over slightly smoky peaches and fried greens. Perfecly crisped with fork-tender meat inside. Outstanding! Husband ordered the lamb meatloaf with herb gravy over roasted root veggies. We couldn't decide which was better. The couple seated beside us were very impressed with the risotto entree and the steak. They also shared with us their creme brulee, which we all agreed was lovely.
We tried three desserts - doughnuts with caramel sauce, strawberry shortcake and chocolate pot de creme. Fabulous - consistency of the pot de creme was every bit as good as my mother's (my personal standard). We paired our sweets with a Sauternes and their lower-priced Portuguese port. By this point I was in heaven.
Our server was sweet and knowledgable. They kept the door open to the kitchen throughout the duration of our meal, giving the impression that the chefs take great pride in their food preparation. A manager/owner stopped by to gauge our satisfaction and thank us for coming. We felt appreciated and pampered. I can't wait to return to Toast! in a few months for fall flavors!
Overall, my experience was good and I will come back to try it again, mainly because there are many other items on the menu I want to try. Our waitress may (or may not) have been new, but she was not well versed in the wines on the list. However, I still managed to choose a wine that I was very pleased with (Tempernillo - Finca Vieja "Crianza", Castilla La Mancha, Spain 2007). I choose the lamb meatloaf at the recommendation of the waitress (because it will only be on the menu for a short while), and it was great. It had the perfect amount of crispiness on the outside without being overcooked on this inside.
The atmosphere is one that is good for many occasions: celebrations, dates, or outings with friends.
They have a chef who really, really gets it. Â The menu can change often, because she? he? only uses the best.
The idea of doing wine taster sizes with along with a large selection is really great too!
Update: Â My wife just went back about a year later, making this the only restaurant I can think of in a different state that we've sought out when back in town. Â Same results: amazing!
Holy crap, this place is goooood, I mean real good.
It was so crazy delicious and the set up is really cute. Great atmosphere, great eats.
I had the chicken with goat cheese mashed potatoes and I had to stop mid meal to weep into my napkin because the food was so good. I basically licked my plate clean.
We also shared the shrimp and grits and cheese curd appetizers and they were amazeballs. The shrimp was kind of sweet and the grits were just the right amount of spicy.
It's not exactly cheap, but for such excellent cuisine and a gastropub-y experience, it's not bad at all.
I think you might need a reservation to go -- so book one. What are you doing? Go book one!
Not bad, but nothing to write home about.
The food was good...it was cooked properly and seasoned well. Â But the variety wasn't exciting. Â There were several steaks and the pork was tough.
The wine list was very nice. Â Great selection and prices. Â I was very disappointed to find out there was no cocktail list. Â I went there because I heard great things about the bar, but I wanted creative choices...not just my normal selections. Â Those bartenders must have some sense of creativity, let them express it with a list so upstairs diners can enjoy.
The service was great. Â Some other guests came and interrupted our server while she was talking with us....exceptionally rude! Â She handled it with grace.
Overall, I can't think of any real reason to go back. Â I recommend trying it for yourself, but Toast! is not on my short list of Pittsburgh favorites.
I've actually been a long fan of Toast's, even though I never put in a formal review. Â But I have to say that despite it having been one of my favorite places to go in town when it first opened, the last three times I've gone, it's been a let down. Â Don't get me wrong - it's not that it's bad. Â It's just that, given some of the other options around Pittsburgh nowadays, I no longer find this acceptable.
The Chef's tasting deal on Tuesdays is a great way to introduce yourself to Toast, if you haven't been.
Last night, we went, and the food was meh. Â Some of us ordered off the main menu, others went with the chef's tasting. Â I got fried rice with escargots as my starter, and it was underwhelming. Â I prefer escargot with tons of butter, and serving an Asian person fried rice is just insulting (I'm actually kidding a bit here, but I'll admit that I'm snobby about the fried rice). Â My next course was salmon on carrot puree, which was excellent, and the highlight of my meal. Â Next up was wild greens, which was a good salad, but nothing special. Â Last course was skirt steak on pureed celery and glazed carrots. Â And that was seriously overcooked. Â As my tablemate said, it tasted like beef jerky.
So, I'll admit that I feel kind of bad, since I should have just sent it back. Â But, I also don't think that the onus should ever be on the customer. Â It's just a bad position to be in.
From now on, I'm taking my business elsewhere. Â Salt is in this same price point, and infinitely more exciting and consistent in terms of quality.
If you want a great meal and are looking for recommendations, do yourself a favor....stop reading right now and go! Why are you still there! Just go!!!!!!
Okay if you must have details, I might as well make it worth your while. (Seriously, just go!)
Oh the joys of restaurant week! Earlier this week, my friend posted an open invite on Facebook to join him for a restaurant week adventure. Boy, am I glad I chimed in with an OOH Pick me!.....We decided to head to toast with our gaggle of friends. We were actually able to get a table for 6 :)
Without actually discussing it, we ended up sharing everything we ordered. Two of the group ordered the tasting menu, but the rest of us ordered off the regular menu. I ordered the organic greens salad. The dressing alone was reason enough. It comes with a very light, but wonderful, blood orange vinaigrette.
My friends who ordered the tasting menu were on to their second course and everyone started passing things around. The broccoli soup was to die for (I love broccoli soup!), and the salad was delicious.
Now we were on to the main course.....I can honestly say I have 1) never heard 6 people simultaneously, audibly say mmmmmmmmmm, and 2) never heard this group SO quiet. I ordered the flank steak, cooked medium. The menu said root veggies and mashed potatoes. What arrived was the most beautiful composition (that included meat) I've ever seen! Â The flank steak was perfectly seasoned and cooked to a perfect pink. The mashed potatoes were also delectable. Â Now, here's the surprise (for anyone that knows me)....the root veggies that were included were sweet potatoes and beets. I have never liked either, but these were absolutely amazing! Sweet, tender, but crispy, and perfectly seasoned.
Now, on to the dessert. Remember when I said I'd never heard my group that quiet? Well, that was until dessert arrived. We ran the gambit on desserts. We had the Blood Orange Hazelnut Creme Brulee, the Sugared Donuts, the Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwich, and the Carrot Cake Bread Pudding. We passed these around so we could all get a taste. My favorite, by a long shot, was actually my own, the Blood Orange Hazelnut Creme Brulee. It was sweet and creamy and just absolutely delicious.
The best part of the night was all the wine. I don't know much about wine, but I know what I like. The GSM was great, the Minervois was fantastic, and we passed around several others that were all tasty.
I was thrilled when I saw that they have ice wines on their dessert wine menu. I was told about 2 years ago that I should try ice wine, but have yet to be presented with the opportunity to do so. Tonight, I was able to try two. I ordered the Pomme deGlace. It was a great combination of tart and sweet. My friend got the Vin de Glaciére Riesling with his tasting menu. It was absolute perfection...for me anyway.
We made our first (but certainly not last) visit to Toast during Pittsburgh Restaurant Week, and all I can say is that we're in love with the place. Â From the moment we walked out of a cold January rain and into a romantic, cozy room dressed in wood and deep reds, I was sold. Â I felt like I had suddenly come into possession of a fabulous log cabin hideaway, and was having dinner with my husband as we holed up against the elements, armed with plenty of wine and good food to protect us from whatever vicious weather lurked outside the door.
We opted for the Restaurant Week special, which was a discounted tasting menu, served with a wine pairing. Â The menu was four courses long, and each of us got a different plate for each round.
What I loved about this was the element of mystery. Â We could hear words being tossed around in the kitchen behind us, which only built up the excitement, but we had no clue what would really be delivered to us until it was in the waiter's hands. Â I tried desperately to guess based on the selection of silverware that was brought out for each round, but I think our waitress started giving us extra pieces to throw us off.
Round one was shrimp and grits for me, and frog legs for my husband. Â I loved both of these dishes (we decided to switch plates halfway through each course so we got to maximize our tastings), and what I loved even more was that without a surprise-filled tasting menu like this, I would probably have never branched out and tried them.
Round two was a cauliflower soup with lump crab and a Caesar salad. Â We also had a basket of warm, soft bread with whipped butter on the side and something sweet baked into each slice.
Our main course was a hangar steak with mashy sweet potatoes and cauliflower in a sweet reduction, and salmon with beans and lentils. Â While I admit that it was hard to swap plates on this one because I was so crazy about the tender, juicy hangar steak, I was also pleased with the salmon.
Dessert brought mini cheesecake bites (imagine that a cheesecake was wrapped inside a crispy funnel cake crust, and you'll understand what this tasted like) and a carrot cake bread pudding. Â It was the perfect thing to top off the meal.
With each course, we got a new glass of wine, paired to the food. Â All in all, since we shared our food, we got to sample eight different courses and eight glasses of wine. Â I was totally enamoured. Â The service was top-notch, good music playing on the overhead speakers, and the atmosphere was perfect. Â Without a doubt, we will return. Â I do recommend getting reservations (you can do it online with OpenTable), because the seating area is small and intimate, and I can imagine they book up early on weekends especially. Â So glad we picked Toast to kick off Restaurant Week!
If you're looking for very good food at very reasonable prices, in an excellent and quaint atmosphere, look no further than Toast. Â Oh, excuse me, I meant Toast!
We enjoyed their 4-course tasting menu, and on Tuesday, it was only $30. Â I'm not sure you could find a much better bargain in Pittsburgh. Â It wasn't a pre-fixe menu, it was just whatever came out of the kitchen. Â So, on the one hand, I was a bit disappointed to not have tried the touted shrimp and grits or bone marrow. Â On the other hand, each diner gets something different, so it was a great way to sample the food.
Oh yeah, the wine comes in a half-glass (4 oz) as well as full pours. Â It's just another great way to sample their wine menu.
The food was very, very good.  I wasn't blown away with the flavors, but there was some creativity, which came off well.  One of the last dishes was basically pulled pork terrine.  It was great.  And again, I think there is great value here, for $18 to $22 entrees, vs the $25 to $32 at  others such as Casbah or Spoon.
Lastly, the environment is fantastic. Â It's set in a house, so there are multiple small rooms. Â It's cozy, romantic, dark, and all with a nice indie music playlist setting the tone.
I'm looking forward to another visit.
I really, really wanted to like this place. Â Our interaction began superlatively when we made the reservation for six on Open Table and then had to change it to eight by phone. Â They were more than accommodating and pleasant. Â Walking in - once we found it, the street is sort of dark and the awning is also dark - we were seated immediately. Â Our food was superb. Â The appetizers were tasty and sufficient. Â And the wine list was great. Â They obviously have an awesome chef because the food quality was superb. Â Both in presentation and culinary art, each plate was very appetizing, from the wonderful rockfish to the steak plates. Â The risotto was also as tender as it could be, deliciously flavored.
The downside came in the service which was at best, passable, at worst, an exercise in a near nervous wrecking ball on the part of the waitress. Â We sat close to 20 minutes to be tended to. Â And when one of our party remarked to the waitress (after being seated) that the home made bread was subject of outstanding reviews, the waitress looked at us with almost a horrified face and told us that it had been a disastrous day and that it had included a breakdown in the bread machine and blah blah blah. Â (Why anyone would greet a full table of eight and set that tone for the rest of the evening is beyond me). Â That was our welcome to the service... Â Uhhmmmm..... Â Then it went downhill from there. Â To make a long story short, I'll paraphrase an old military performance review adagio: Â Sets low standards for him/herself and fails to achieve them... Â That was our service evening.
First impression. Â Totally ooh la la romantical inside. Â I felt like I was meeting a french lover and we would sit closely and feed each other croissants. Â
,
I was, in fact, not meeting my french lover, but some fab yelpers for a new dining experience. Â They did not feed me anything, but I did enjoy some good food and great company!
Being good little foodies, we had researched the menu (thanks Serena!) and decided to go with the food pairing. Â Our waiter was little to no help in actually describing any of the menu items we would receive or up selling the extra $20 wine pairing. Â Strike one.
We decided to not do the wine tasting and just choose 2 half glasses. Â It was really interesting how they break down the wine servings. Â You can buy a 2oz, 4oz, 8oz and bottle. Â I actually like that because it encourages you to try different wines you may not be familiar with. Â Or be too scared to try and not like for fear of blowing $10 a glass! Â
Strike two came as we sat there for a good 20 minutes after our food was ordered waiting for our waiter to come back and ask us what our wine selection would be (hint to business: people who drink spend more money, so hurry it up:). Â
We actually had NO clue what kind of food we would receive for the tasting. Â Not a good choice for a picky eater. Â I applaud those who aren't (and get annoyed at those who are, sorry folks!). Â The first course came and it looked as if two people received one dish and two people received another. Â I had the angel hair crab pasta. Â It was an interesting dish to start with but it was a strong start food wise because the white cream sauce was really tasty. Â
The next dish was trout with greens, or it at least looked like that. Â I could barely understand the food runner as he literally, ran away. Â It was OK. Â Nothing memorable...literally because it's the one dish I struggled to remember as I thought back at the four dishes. Â
Third dish was the spinach salad with goat cheese and blueberry vinaigrette dressing. Â I love when restaurants have interesting salad choices. Â A simple salad is just that, simple. Â You can add flavor, literally, to any salad with an array of toppings and dressings. Â I really enjoyed the uniqueness of this one. Â
My last dish was quail with risotto and spinach. Â Greens were obviously in high quantity in the kitchen tonight! Â I actually thought this was the best dish. Â It surprised me because I'm usually not a fan of "chicken" dishes. Â It was really tender and flavorful with a ginger reduction sauce. Â I also liked the risotto and spinach mix. Â The sauce made it really rich and flavorful as well.
Where's strike three you ask? Â Well, we waited FOREVER for everything! Â Water, wine, meals....Bueller....Bueller?? Â The saving grace was that someone (server, food runner, manager, busboy...no clue) came out and apologized for the slow service and told us desserts would be on the house. Â If you know me, you know a desert can fill a lot of voids in my life. Â Maybe even bad service. Â
We received a peanut butter ice cream sandwich (YUM!), balsamic ice cream (DOUBLE YUM, surprisingly), rhubarb pie (Ew, too tart) and lemon pie (Ew, too sweet). Â The only one on the table left almost in tact was the rhubarb pie. Â
Tasting menu's are usually the way to go when you're at a new restaurant and want to sample a bunch of different items. Â I almost feel like I may have been better off choosing one item (mac n cheese, I'm looking at you!). Â So yes, I'll be back. Â Soon? Â Not so sure. Â And I'll for sure be a one meal kinda woman. Â French lover style.
Showing my age, I can say that I had several dinners in this location when it was Baum Vivant. Â It's great to see such a great use of the space that is the restaurant Toast. Â I went here for a private dinner of about 15 people. Â There was a pre-set menu that had about 4 choices for appetizer, entree, and dessert. Â I went with the asparagus soup, hanger steak, and chocolate mousse. Â All were excellent. Â
Toast has a very extensive list of wines by the glass. Â This is a pretty unusual thing to see around the Burgh (and a common thing to see in SF). Â Each wine glass also comes in 3 different sizes which is great if you want to try a bunch of different wines. Â I thought this was really creative.
Toast is an excellent restaurant for a larger group like ours. Â I definitely plan to come back again to experience the full menu.
The only negative thing I can say about Toast is that for a weeknight, the parking situation sucks. Â There's no lot, no valet, and you have to park on the street. Â I don't know if there's a valet on the weekend or not, but that would greatly help.
Street parking, a nondescript building, and a tagline almost British in its understatement ("kitchen and wine bar") may deceive, but make no mistake: within the walls of Toast! awaits one of the most delightful dining experiences in Pittsburgh.
Stepping into the restaurant reveals an understated atmosphere and delightful quirkiness. For example, opening the front door occludes the Maître d' stand; even after four visits I was surprised by the affable voice of the host coming from behind me after the door closed!
As you walk to your table, you will notice the cozy, warm interior that wraps around you like a blanket. Pleasantly dim light illuminates a main dining room with a low ceiling and exposed beams. A red accent wall with interesting art gives a splash of color to the earth tones of wine bottles and wooden slats from wine crates. black leather couches invite group conversations around an open bottle or three.
If you choose an upstairs table, you will enjoy an even more intimate dining experience; a gas-lit fireplace provides the majority of the light in the room, and the boisterousness and cheer of the downstairs gives way to an atmosphere more conducive to hushed conversations and romantic whispers.
Immediately you will notice the excellent (and constantly rotating) wine list. Of particular note is the multiple-tiered wine pricing structure. Anything from a taste to a full bottle is available, making it easy to adhere to a budget (or a compulsion towards sampling a panoply of vino!). Generous pours increase the value even more. I felt surprised and gratified to note one of the best dessert wine selections that I have encountered in a restaurant. Everything from Muscat to 30-year port makes an appearance in the comprehensive selection.
But we're really here to talk about the food, aren't we? It does not disappoint. On this particular evening (2/23) I chose the four course tasting menu. When traveling for business, why not do it in style?
The opening salvo from the kitchen consisted of Escargot with angel hair pasta, herbs, Parmesan cream, and a crispy slice of bread. Truly excellent. The Parmesan featured strongly in the flavors, unlike many cream sauces, which tend to emphasize too heavily their namesakes. The escargot were perfectly prepared. All in all, an excellent appetizer.
For a second course, I was the lucky recipient of one of the best fish dishes I have had in recent memory. It was a lightly breaded flounder fillet with a scallion pesto cream sauce and sautéed  parsnips. Let me say that I relished every bite of this dish. Flounder is a fairly mild-flavored fish, making a blank canvas for the subtle sweetness of the parsnips and bite of the shallots.
Number three was a red-and-golden beet salad with goat cheese, arugula, black truffle, radish, and an almost diaphanously light vinaigrette. You will not find a better salad this side of the French Laundry. Out of the four times I have been to toast, I had this salad three, and each time I welcomed it like a long lost relative. The mild pungency of the goat cheese and the earthiness of the truffle offset the sweetness of the beets to perfection, while the satisfying snap of the radishes and crunch of the arugula add vital texture. A perfect salad.
Last but certainly not least the server put in front of me a seared flank steak with sautéed snow peas and fingerling potatoes, served along with an absolutely incredible onion cream sauce. Once again the interplay of textures resulted in a wonderful mouth feel; the creaminess of the potatoes, the chewiness of perfectly done flank steak, the satisfying snap of the peas, all bound together by the mortar of the onion sauce. It was absolutely heavenly.
For dessert I enjoyed a glass of port along with the decedent luxury of their french toast with ice cream and apples. A perfect end to a wonderful meal.
All in all Toast!'s attention to detail impressed me most. Their food is not fancy in a haute cuisine way; rather it stands on its own with the natural flavors of each of the ingredients doing the majority of the talking for the dish as a whole. Simple food done superbly.
In addition the service is excellent without being officious or solicitous. Silverware is replaced between courses. Water glasses seem to mysteriously refill. The kitchen churns out new masterpieces  in response to food allergies or preferences. The spotless bathrooms eschew paper towels for neatly-rolled cloth (like the French Laundry). The list goes on.
Despite my loyalty to Austin, TX, experiencing Toast! Made me long, just a little, for a change in lifestyle venue. People of Pittsburgh, let me live vicariously through you! Go early and often.
You would not think this was going to be a good time. Â Toast is strategically located between the Hillman Cancer Center and Cricket's strip club, overlooking the bus highway. Â Parking is on the street. Â The building itself is nondescript. Â Walk in. Â
Inside it is warm, dark and VERY COZY. Â The crowd is laid back and friendly. Â The menu is sophisticated, yet not fussy. Â The restaurant has confidence. Â We went there once with reservations and the manager immediately said, "I have a seat upstairs but no one is up there. Â I'm guessing you want to be downstairs. Â Let me buy you a glass of wine and we'll get you seated when the next table comes up here.' Â That's the kind of smart service you want. Â Loved it.
Overall, Very sexy. Â Bring your spouse. Â Bring a date. Â Bring both. Â They'll thank you for it.
I have to preface this with I REALLY hope this isn't standard here, because I LOVE WINE AND WINE BARS! Although the atmosphere is pleasant and kinda sexy, we did not have the best experience unfortunately.
We were seated upstairs in our own private room, very nice...and our waiter was real and pleasant. Â We started with some wine and an appetizer, which were both delicious. Â Then a large party, (of about 8 people or so) joined us in the private room...fail. Our waiter than politely took our order, and about 7 minutes later took the order from the other party in the room. Â We were enjoying the atmosphere, but after about 25 minutes of being entree-less, we thought something was up. Â The icing on the cake was that the large party received their entrees BEFORE us. Another fail.
At this point I was pissed, but in their defense both the waiter and the manager came up to us and told us that the kitchen had "lost" our ticket and were very apologetic. Â Hmmmm. Whatever, bad things happen to good people. Our main courses FINALLY arrived, and were just OK. Â We were then comped for champagne and dessert, which was a nice gesture, but the whole experience had unfortunately left a bad taste in my mouth.
I'll probably try it again, simply because I love the idea of the place.
3.5 stars. Â I really wanted to absolutely fall in love with Toast. Â I really did, but something just didn't click with me; more on that later.
We ended up going with a party of 6 on a Wednesday night; we scoured yelp to find a place to eat and ended up calling in various restaurants to see if they could squeeze us in (Toast had a time slot open at 8 PM). Â They have a regular menu, but on Tuesdays and Wednesdays they have a chef's tasting menu for $30 w/ an optional $20 wine pairing, so most of us decided upon that option.
Now the chef's tasting menu at Toast is a four course ordeal where it's a grab bag of what you're going to get as opposed to a standard set menu. Â You'll be asked if you have any food allergies or restrictions, and then the chef cooks whatever he likes and it's luck of the draw for what you end up getting served since no two dishes were the same (I told my waiter I was allergic to everything but lobster). Â I have a feeling the waiters were the final deciders of who would get what dish. Â Because of this, there's no real flow to the meal as the flavors of each course might not work well together. Â The progression of courses starts with an appetizer followed by a seafood dish, then a salad of sorts and it ends with a meat dish.
The food was cooked well, but I had issues with the use of "side dishes" by the chef. Â Also, none of the food was really memorable; nor did any of the dishes really strike me as particularly inspired. Â My seafood dish consisted of a small fish fillet complemented with a few strips of roasted potatoes. Â The fish was tender with a perfectly crisped skin; however, I'm not sure roasted potatoes were the best choice to be paired with this fish as it seemed more of an arbitrary "side dish" as opposed to being an actual part of the entree. Â My meat dish was roast duck (medium rare) served with black eyed peas. Â Like with the fish, the black eyed peas seemed to not really fit in with the dish either.
I guess my main gripe is that the dishes would've been better completely decomposed; the sum was less than that of all its parts.
For the purposes of yelp, my review is rounded up to 4 stars b/c the atmosphere and decor were appropriate and they were extremely accommodating even though we lacked formal reservations. Â Also, even though I complained a lot about their dishes, $30 for a four course tasting menu is extremely wallet friendly and definitely a good "deal" for the price.
I really liked Toast. Â My wife and I went with another couple and we all sampled each others orders, so I think I can make a fair number of broad generalizations. Â None of our party eat red meat however, so I can't comment about the lamb, steak, pork etc.
My appetizer of Lobster Mac and Cheese was very good. Â The pasta was al dente (maybe a bit too al dente, but that is a matter of taste). Â The white cheese sauce was creamy without being cloying and the lobster was a nice accoutrement. Â Others in our group ordered a risotto, which was really really great and looked like it had some wild rice in it in addition to the arborio, we also sampled the shrimp and grits. Â My wife thought they were a bit too buttery; personally I think that the term "too buttery" is a metaphysical impossibility. Â The shrimp and grits were really outstanding, perfectly spiced. Â
We also split a couple of salads. Â The vegetarian ceasar was really quite nice. Â It was a departure from a traditional ceasar without the anchovy, and yet still seemed to capture some of the feel of a ceasar. Â I had the endive (I am mentioning all of these names but the menu changes regularly so...) the endive and beet ad goat cheese salad was really nice and the presentation was lovely.
The entrees were something more of a mixed bag. Â I had a very nice Walleye with the skin on (and the skin was quite pleasant and nicely broiled to a crisp). Â Others at the table had scallops which were excellent, and halibut, also good. Â My wife ordered a vegetarian lasagna with tofu, which was a bit of a disappointment. Â It was actually more of a terrine of roasted vegetables with layers of tofu in between than a lasagna. Â With the pesto, it wasn't bad, but I think that it may have been so far from what she thought she was getting that it ended up a bit of a disappointment.
THe desserts were nice/ different. Â My wife had a very nice bread pudding with caramel icecream. Â One person at the table had an apple turnover a la mode, that was also nice but not very different. Â One person had a tapioca creme brulee which was really very original, it was tapioca pearls in a "glob" (it looks nicer than that description sounds). Â In a creamy sauce, coated with sugar that is then caramelized. Â It was a really neat take on a familiar concept. Â I had the chocolate sampler. Â The chocolates presented an interesting "safari" in the world of chocolate that starts in San Francisco and ends in the Mayan jungle. Â By far the most interesting was a dark chocolate with chipotle and pop rocks. Â I really liked the concept here, but the presentation could have been better (chocolate pieces on a blue plate--maybe some berries, color accents etc.).
The service was really very good. Â Initially we were seated downstairs near the bar, but we asked for a room upstairs and got a room practically by ourselves. Â The service was very attentive without being suffocating, and when asking for recommendations we received good and useful information rather than the pat phrases.
The wine selection is fairly extensive with a really great range of options for wines by the glass (hence the name Toast!).
Overall this is a really fantastic new place. Â I predict that it will only get better in terms of the menu option as it falls into more of a rhythm. Â I like the fact that the chef seems to want to use seasonal produce and meats (there was a soft shell crab on the menu from South Carlina). Â
In any case I think that this is a really great dining option for adults for a variety of occasions. Â It can be a stand alone evening dinner event, or a pre-cursor to a show down town (the restaurant is seconds from Bigelow Blvd., which can whisk you down town in 5 minutes. Â It is also a great option for dinner before a movie in the East End. Â
The best part is that the prices are incredibly reasonable for a place of this caliber. Â In addition to reasonably priced entrees, appetizers and salads, there is a Tasting menu for $40/prix fixe with 4 courses. Â This may be one of the "best values" in Pittsburgh.
Our reservation was originally scheduled at 830, though we werent seated until nearly 930. i was an out-of-towner, and felt no need to sugar coat how i felt about being made to wait on a leather couch for an hour after 2 glasses of Piscoe.
when we were seated, our wait staff and the host profusely appologized for the wait. they were very attentive thereafter, and comped our first few rounds (but i think it was because i pushed my boobs up mentioned that they should)
the food presentation was excellent and the taste was slightly above average. the shrimp and grits were subpar. the Frog was more fishy than i think was acceptable, and covered in fava beans. although we ordered no salads, we were comped one of every one on the menu. the duck was excellent. as a main course, i ordered the suckling pig. the meat was tendor, and well executed, though i thought it looked more like mousakka. i was really happy with the presentation.. i thought for sure i was going to be seeing a little Wilber or Babe on my plate after witnessing what the frog legs looked like..
Dessert was great, im a big softy for creme brulee, and they had their own version of tapioca creme brulee. French press to cap off the night after all my free Piscoes was excellent.
All in all, if we hadnt been comped so much, i think our tab would have been close to 4 or 500 for the 3 of us.. our bill ran about $160.. so i was content.
Toast! is an excellent restaurant / Wine bar that opened recently on Baum Blvd. Â This new place has a very creative menu, and an excellent and constantly changing wine menu.
The interior of Toast! is part of what makes it so comfortable. Â It has exposed wood beam ceilings that the owner found when he renovated the property. The walls are painted dark red, and there is a very comfortable lounge area to the right of the bar. Â There is dinner seating in the back, and additional dinner seating / banquet space upstairs. Â Reservations are definitely a good idea, but we haven't had much trouble getting a seat at the bar or lounge area.
The owner, Paul, always makes a point to get to know all of his guests. Â He is a former Big Burrito restaurateur, and he is extremely knowledgeable about the wine and the food on his menu. Every dish and bottle of wine has a story behind it. Â If you tell him what you're in the mood for, he is always happy to bring you something to try; there is more than just the menu.
So far, we've been there for drinks / wine and appetizers. Â We're going to make a point to go for dinner very soon.
Food we've tried so far:
-Lamb Ribs: these were incredible. Tremendous. Â Just try them. Right up there on the addictiveness scale with Red Room's sliders.
-Vegetarian Caesar salad; not your typical Caesar salad, with nuts and strawberries and bagel chips; very fresh and different
-Black Truffle Beets; local beets with black truffles; very good for a snack while trying the wine
-Potato encrusted tuna wraps.
If you know a lot about wine, you'll probably have met your match w/ Paul. Â We're by no means wine experts, so we've just asked for things as vague as "a red wine that has a lot of body to it", and gotten back a great Syrah. Paul also makes arguably one of the best mohito's in town. Yes, I would actually say that the mohitos here unseat those of Tonic. Â
One of the other nice touches that they do also is a give out fresh bread. Â They'll walk around occasionally with a basket full of different kinds of warm bread. Â And for some reason, the butter they give you is an addictive substance of some kind. Â Whatever. Â It's good, and I'm not ashamed to go through multiple ramekins of it during the night. Don't judge.
Even though there's no parking lot, street parking is pretty easy to find on the same side of the street.
And one last thing worth noting. Â This place has one of the neatest bathrooms I've ever seen in a restaurant. Go to the bathroom to the right of the bar, in the back. The bathroom is almost shaped like a pie slice, and the sink is a concrete sink shaped like the room on the right hand side. Â The sink must be 3 feet wide, and maybe 8" wide. Very different.
Overall, I gotta say that I'm very impressed with Toast! as you can tell. Â It's nice to go somewhere in Pittsburgh that's
a.) a wine bar
b.) they make a point to know your name and what you like to eat/drink
c.) is fun to hang out in for a long time
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