Family behind success of Amel's in Baldwin

It's not every day you see a Middle Eastern restaurant run by an Irish-German family, but the Reiland family has been doing just that since 1968 at Amel's Restaurant in Baldwin.

The entire Reiland clan is responsible for the success of the popular, 80-seat establishment on McNeilly Road. Jimmy Reiland is the executive chef and his wife, Lisa Tarasi Reiland, serves as dining room manager and accountant. Their oldest daughter, Sarah, buses tables. Jimmy's brother Michael Reiland is the bar manager, while their parents, Ralph Reiland and Sarah McCarthy Reiland, help out every day in various capacities.

Jimmy Reiland remembers running up and down the carpeted floors as a toddler.

"My grandmother, Virginia Reiland, is the one I thank," he says. "She was a waitress who had the moxie to step up and buy Amel's in 1968 from Amel Amado, who had opened it in 1952. She took a really big chance, and it worked out.

"We're Irish and German, but we love the Mediterranean diet," he says. "It's the healthiest diet you can eat."

His grandmother has since passed away, but the strong work ethic she instilled in her family remains. Jimmy Reiland, a graduate of Baldwin High School, knew he'd come back to the family business after receiving his management degree at Robert Morris University in 1993. He grew up working in the restaurant and couldn't imagine doing anything else.

"I always realized that the kitchen is the place to be," he says. "I learned how to cook on the job -- and I'm still learning. I believe in cooking with the best ingredients you can find, and the less you do to a dish, the better it will be."

Amel's is best known for its lamb specialties, including lamb ravioli, grilled lamb salad, kebabs, lamb scaloppine, braised lamb shank, grilled lamb chops, and gyros.

"We use only Colorado lamb," Reiland says. "I've tried all the other lamb -- New Zealand, Elysian Fields and others -- but there's nothing like Colorado lamb, because their animals are always bred for meat, while others are bred for wool. Colorado lamb is the best in the world."

Reiland describes the menu as "Mediterranean inspired." While they've always offered char-grilled kebabs, hummus, stuffed grape leaves, spanakopita, couscous and other Middle Eastern dishes, the menu has branched out with fresh seafood and fresh pastas. Most produce comes from the Strip District, with tomatoes, corn and peppers from nearby Simmons and Trax Farms when in season. Seafood is provided by Euclid Fish Company, Ohio, and includes walleye from Lake Erie, Maine lobster, Mid-Atlantic scallops and sole, Gulf shrimp, wild salmon and freshly shucked oysters.

Everything, he says, is made to order except for half of the desserts.

"In the late '70s, we were strictly Middle Eastern, but some customers didn't like that kind of cuisine," Reiland says. "Say, if a husband liked it, and his wife didn't, there wasn't much for her to try. We decided to carry fresh seafood and pastas, and I do daily specials based on what's in season and what I get in."

The atmosphere at Amel's is as comfortable as it is classy. Flowered wallpaper, dark green carpeting, lighted ferns above the bar and colorful stained glass chandeliers make diners feel at home in the bar area, but when they enter the dining room, a subtle shift occurs. A lovely "Arabian Nights" mural, painted in 1958 by Pittsburgh artist Ed Koch, covers most of one of the dining room walls. Imported Italian glass chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and the carved divider came from an antique cashier's booth in London.

Ralph Reiland, Jimmy's father, says that while Amel's has some diners who travel a great distance, most of the customers are local. He sees a lot of regulars, at the bar and in the dining room.

"I can tell you who'll be in every seat at the bar at 5 o'clock," says Ralph Reiland, an economics professor at Robert Morris University. "Out of 20 seats, 18 will be the same. This really is a busy neighborhood bar -- we have lively discussions on politics here every day."

Although the restaurant seats just 80 inside, the kitchen crew find themselves serving 300 dinners a night on the weekends and about half that during the week. With warmer weather, the outside patio seats an additional 32 diners.

Jimmy Reiland credits the restaurant's success to hard work, a motivated staff, buying the right products, and simply, "just serving really good food."

"Very few restaurants make it past two or three years," he says. "I have a great group of employees who love coming to work. I think that shows in the cooking. We're not pretentious. We like it relaxed, with really high-quality food. I love it here, and I love this business."

Grilled Lamb Porterhouse with Lamb Glace

Executive chef Jimmy Reiland is sharing his mouthwatering Grilled Lamb Porterhouse Chops with Lamb Glace. He says this would be a wonderful meal for Easter Sunday, or any time you want a hearty, tasty dinner. He suggests serving the lamb chops with mashed potatoes and asparagus.

Mint jelly can be served with this dish.

For the lamb glace:

• 2 pounds lamb bones (from local butcher)
• 1 large carrot, roughly chopped
• 1 rib celery, roughly chopped
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 2 gallons cold water
• 3 tablespoons lamb or beef baste
• 16 ounces tomato paste
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups port wine

For the lamb chops:

• 8 (6-ounce) lamb loin chops
• Montreal Steak Seasoning

To prepare the lamb glace: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the lamb bones in a large roasting pan, and place the chopped carrot, celery and onion on a sheet tray. Roast all in the oven until browned , for about 30 minutes.

Put the bones and vegetables in a 4-gallon stock pot. Add 2 gallons cold water and the remaining glace ingredients . Bring to a boil over high heat, and then turn down to a simmer for 4 or 5 hours . Strain and reserve the liquid for the sauce.

To prepare the lamb chops: Season the lamb porterhouses with the steak seasoning, and grill over high heat to desired doneness .

Serve 2 porterhouses per person, accompanied by the lamb glace.

Makes 4 servings.

Additional Information:

Amel's Restaurant

Cuisine: Mediterranean-inspired

Hours: 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 11:30 a.m.-midnight Fridays and Saturdays, 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays. Bar open until 2 a.m. every day.

Entree price range: $12-$28

Notes: Major credit cards accepted. Handicapped accessible. Reservations recommended for weekends. Full bar, with 100 different beers, including 50 microbrews and 10 drafts. Specializing in Colorado-raised lamb. Seasonal outdoor patio.

Address: 435 McNeilly Road, Baldwin

Details: 412-563-3466 or website