Mogie's in Lower Burrell offers well-made standards
Mogie's in Lower Burrell, an established restaurant along Leechburg Road, offers an upscale ambience for diners.
The Lunch Bunch crew headed out to the classy eatery and settled into a window-side table amid tasteful burgundy and deep green decor. We got right down to business and chose two appetizers.
We started out with the Fried Ravioli ($4.25) and discovered they were spicy like chicken wings. The cheese-filled ravioli had a light breading that was spicy to offer some zip. A thick, chunky marinara came on the side.
The Fried Zucchini ($4.25) offered thin lengths of zucchini in a light, crispy breading. A rich, chunky marinara provided the perfect dipping sauce.
The French Onion Soup ($3.50) had a beefy broth swimming with onions and a thick hunk of French bread under the topping of cheese melted under the broiler.
We also sampled a cup of Wedding Soup ($2.25 cup, $3.50 bowl) that offered the traditional tiny meatballs amid the pastina and greens in chicken stock.
The Eggplant Parmesan ($7.75) lunch choice started with a side salad of greens and veggies and a house Italian dressing and a platter of fried and breaded eggplant covered in a rich sauce and topped with a generous layer of provolone cheese.
The Marinated Steak Salad ($7.75) was a real meat-and-potatoes hearty salad. It was heavy on the steak and potatoes and light on the actual greens. The plate held a generous amount of steak that was marinated in soy sauce and Italian dressing, leaving it savory and tender. The salad featured roasted red potatoes instead of the typical fries -- a nice touch. Three huge onion rings topped off the salad that also featured romaine lettuce and cherry tomatoes.
The Cajun Chicken Salad ($8.50) had lots of tender white chicken strips with a mild Cajun flavor on top of iceberg and romaine lettuce. French fries and shredded cheddar and provolone cheeses were sprinkled on top. Two cherry tomatoes were sliced and decorated the edges of the plate. The creamy ranch dressing went well with the Cajun flavors. We did miss some slices of cucumbers or some black olives (or especially the pecans the menu promised) that would have made this tasty salad worth the price.
The Ham LT ($4.25) featured Virginia baked ham, bacon, cheese, lettuce and tomato on a croissant with Dijonaise dressing. The croissant was rather stale, though, leaving the sandwich lackluster. A large pickle spear was served on the side.
The Hot Turkey Sandwich ($5.95) was a whopper of a sandwich with tender roasted turkey breast slices piled between two fresh-cut slices of Italian bread. We opted for the mashed potatoes -- and plenty of them, with a perfect texture: not too whipped and not too thick -- smothered with a smooth turkey gravy, which really made the platter complete. This choice will satisfy any turkey sandwich fan.
Mogie's also offers dining al fresco on a side patio with umbrella-covered tables.
Compiled by Rebecca Killian and Sis Reola and guests. Meals are paid for by the Valley News Dispatch and are unrelated to advertising.
Additional Information:
Mogie's
Address: 3210 Leechburg Road, Lower Burrell
Phone: 724-339-6904
Hours: Lunch, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tues.-Fri., 1-4 p.m. in pub Sat.; dinner, 4-10 p.m. Mon.-Thurs., 4-10:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; barbecue dinner, 1-7 p.m. Sunday
Credit cards: All major cards are accepted
Smoking: Only in bar or on patio
Handicapped accessible: Yes
Prices: Appetizers, $2.25-$6.25; salads, $7.75-$9.75; sandwiches, $4.25-$7.95
