Lunch review: The Hartwood Restaurant
Driving slowly through the wintry wilds in the hills northeast of Pittsburgh, I found myself stranded with that rarest of commodities -- time to think. It's a postcard-perfect afternoon on the serpentine curves of Saxonburg Boulevard, and even the half-disassembled trucks by the side of the road take on a veneer of rustic permanence with the newly fallen snow.
I have found the perfect place to eat, for those in a contemplative frame of mind.
The Hartwood Restaurant -- adjunct to the famous Hartwood Acres park and mansion -- seamlessly folds into a cozy bookstore. Whatever the exact nature of their relationship, books and food go well together.
There's a large coffee bar near the entrance, and opposite it lies a rows of cluttered, sturdy wooden bookshelves. It's the kind of book shop where comfort trumps the particulars of hard-sell merchandising. Shelves separate several semi-enclosed nooks, built around a table or a roaring fireplace. There are other rooms to explore -- colder rooms right now, because of big windows, skylights and the inherent difficulties of keeping heat inside such a strangely shaped building. Stained glass filters in light in the back room, where a live tree seems to grow out of an otherwise stout wooden floor.
Light classical music and white tablecloths seem to beckon toward a less-stressful age of refined gentility and endless leisure. But for those of us living in this world, The Hartwood Restaurant isn't the best place to go if you're lunching in a hurry.
Hartwood's chef apparently has a thing for Hawaiian and Pacific Rim-themed cuisine, which is about as incongruous a juxtaposition as one could ask for. Did I mention that it's cold in thereâ¢
I'll have to come back for dinner for the Pacific flourishes, however. Lunch is based around a small but solid sandwich selection. The Grilled Salmon ($8) is hard to praise enough. Tender on the inside, slightly crisped on the outside, the salmon sits on a substantial Kaiser roll with lettuce, tomato, sweet onion and a lemon caper dill aioli -- adding just a tiny touch of sour, creamy attitude to an already-strong sandwich. On the side, you get an Asian-styled coleslaw, with sesame oil and rice vinegar instead of mayo. The only disappointment is the salty, from-a-bag chips on the side.
Grilled Portobello and Bell Pepper ($6.50) is a nice take on a new standard. It was nicely grilled and not sloppy-juicy, with perfectly grilled bell pepper adding just the right counterpoint of spicy flavor. It didn't need the lettuce, onions and tomatoes, but they didn't hurt, either.
There was an adequate Clam Bisque ($3.50 cup) on the menu, which was thin and light, but didn't aspire any higher than appetizer status.
For dessert, Triple Berry Apple Cobbler ($6) is a knockout. It's served in a small bowl, with fresh raspberries, blueberries and blackberries cooked together. The wonderful crust is formed into three balls that sit on top, and two tiny scoops of rich vanilla ice cream struggle to survive in this fresh-from-the-oven treat. The Dream ($6) doesn't work as well, but only because it's about 50 degrees too cold for ice cream at the moment. Firm vanilla ice cream is covered in a caramel sauce, with fresh melon, strawberries and blueberries surrounding it.
One other note: The starter bread that comes with the meal is irresistible, topped with a little sweet red pepper glaze and oil, garlic and black sesame seeds. This is the bread your mother warned you not to fill up on.
Additional Information:
Details
The Hartwood Restaurant
Hours : 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays; 5:30 to 11 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays
Address: 3400 Harts Run Road, Indiana Township
Phone: (412) 767-3500
