Nobody talks about Atkins, South Beach and that whole cursed plague of low-carb diets anymore. And to think, there was a time when people were actually talking about the demise of bread in America, as if that were really a possibility.
Nope -- bread is back.
Actually, it never left.
Admittedly, my sample size is rather small. But, after surveying the clamorous din at Pittsburgh's newest bakery/cafe, Rolladin, on a Sunday morning, I'm feeling pretty secure with that sweeping generalization.
Rolladin used to be a tiny kosher bakery across the street, but they have since moved into a massive new space, painted the outside bright orange, and turned the whole thing into a combination coffee shop, bakery and bistro. It seems to have worked, too.
Sunday morning, it was overflowing with yarmulke-topped youth and all kinds of unplaceable Eastern European accents.
Of course, it's best to get there early, while the fresh challah rolls are still warm. If not, try a Ziva ($6.25), a giant, U-shaped pastry on a bed of greens, made of soft phyllo dough. You can get cheese, cheese and olives or mushroom filling; I went with the latter. It was pierogie-like -- a little lighter, perhaps, but greasy and filling. A cup of mild marinara helps cool it down.
The Jerusalem Panini ($6.25) is even better -- a sandwich on thick, grainy bread squashed flat and grilled like a Cuban sandwich. You can pick four items for the inside -- green-olive paste, thin roasted eggplant, red onion and muenster cheese worked for us. Panini sandwiches usually add oil to the bread before they're grilled, but this one is grilled without it, giving it a nice, dry, crunchy consistency.
Looking over the voluminous options in the pastry display case, the Chocolate Roggelah ($1.25) doesn't stick out. But seek it out -- it's a soft, flaky-crusted, football-shaped pastry, wrapped around swirls of chocolate. Some sort of sticky, honey-like substance piles on yet more sweetness. Even though it's good for only a few bites, you probably can't eat it by yourself.
Finally, take a box of homemade cookies to go. We grabbed the Sesame Cookies ($3.50), which taste a lot more like soft crackers than cookies. They're a little dry by themselves -- get some jam or fresh cherries to pile on top.
Additional Information:
Rolladin Bakery & Cafe
Hours: 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun.-Fri. Closed for Passover.Address: 2121 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill.
Phone: 412-521-5555.
