Dozen Cupcakes Opens Downtown

For many weeks, Dozen Bake Shop's Facebook page had set date after date for its Downtown opening, tantalizing its fans with the prospect of freshly baked muffins, cupcakes, and pastries at 807 Liberty Avenue.
 
Now, with a red and navy storefront and a sandwich board outside, the promised cafe is finally here.
 
The 250-square-foot space is a retail location, meaning no baking is done on-site. Instead, the store sells items made in the Dozen Bake Shop in Lawrenceville. But there's no need to worry about freshness, owner James Gray assures. All the items are baked through the night in the Lawrenceville kitchen and delivered daily to each of Dozen's locations.
 
The shop is meant as a to-go breakfast and lunch spot or a quick stop for an indulgent treat, since there's no space for seating. The one-room shop is illuminated by sunlight that pours in from the large front window, basking jars of cookies and slices of banana bread in a warm glow. Menu items are the staples Dozen has become synonymous with: sweets like cinnamon rolls ($3), cupcakes ($2.50), quick breads ($2-$2.50) and granola ($3.50), as well as lunch fare like sandwiches ($7) and soup ($4.25).
 
Gray believes the bakery will do well even in the current economic climate, since Dozen offers affordable luxuries that "don't sting too badly."
 
Plus, Dozen's concept of being Pittsburgh-focused is unique in among bakeries here, he said. Dozen uses locally-sourced fruits, vegetables, and meat whenever possible. For instance, beet salad is composed of produce from Mildred's Daughter's Farm in Stanton Heights, muffins are made with organic strawberries from Kretschmann Farms near Zelienople, and milk comes from Turner Dairy Farms in Penn Hills.
 
That local, home-grown feel is why Gray thinks Dozen has a space in the Downtown market, which is already saturated with coffee and pastry shops.
 
"There are plenty of shops that offer Saran-wrapped Danishes and donuts, but who makes them? Where do they come from?" he said. "With Dozen, people can be certain that everything is made in our kitchen, by our bakers."
 
Gray's ardent pride in his product has driven Dozen's expansion from a single narrow cupcake shop in Squirrel Hill three years ago to its four locations today in Squirrel Hill, Lawrenceville, Downtown and the Cafe at the Warhol on the North Side. As for the future of the seemingly unstoppable Dozen? With a mischievous smile, Gray gives a cryptic answer.
 
"I don't want to say too much, but Dozen is in the process of pursuing one more location," he said. "And I'm also looking at expanding what I do as a chef and baker."

Dozen Bake Shop Downtown will be open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
 
--Liyun Jin

South Side Bruschetta's To Close

John and Ed Lewis today announced the closing of their South Side restaurant Bruschetta's, which has enjoyed considerable popularity during its 14-year life span. While the decision to close wasn't easy, the brothers are ready to move on to something new.

"Fine dining, white tablecloth business has been a little tough over the last couple of years," said John Lewis in a phone interview. As the South Side became the most popular barhopping destination in the city, those seeking quieter evenings at nicer restaurants seem to have grown frustrated with difficult parking and crowds of late-night revelers. Mr. Lewis also cited the many new restaurants in the East End, which he believes have encouraged customers to dine closer to home.

The restaurant will close after dinner on Saturday, August 15 and the Lewis brothers and chef Tom Rebstock encourage fans of the restaurant to come enjoy at least one last meal.

Plans are already underway for a new business to open in the space. Mr. Lewis described it as an upscale bar, with a light food menu. John and Ed will be involved in the business, but will take much more of a backseat, advisory role. Chef Rebstock will likely stay on to help design the new menu, and they will continue to offer private party opportunities in the space.

New Menu, New Flavors at South Side's Yo Rita

Once, the storefront at 1120 East Carson hosted the Iguana. Later, the Iguana became Yo Rita, an average bar serving less-than-impressive Mexican food. The latest incarnation of 1120 East Carson is still Yo Rita, but it's no longer the place you settle for because you're drunk and hungry. Now it’s an actual culinary destination. Under the direction of consulting-chef Kevin Sousa, the restaurant ditched its generic, Mexican-American entrees in favor of a more streamlined menu. Right now there are five Latin-inspired appetizers plus a ceviche of the day and 15 different tacos, available a la carte.

The taco toppings aren't limited to "authentic" Mexican preparations, though many are Latin-inspired. The braised pork taco ($4) with mole and jalapenos is something you might find South of the Border, but the addition of tart apples to offset the spice is a new, tasty twist. Other versions, like the duck taco ($6) topped with a sweet fig chutney, embrace the idea that virtually anything tastes good between fresh tortillas, which are made on site. On a recent visit, a scallop ceviche was served in a deep bowl and topped with radishes, cucumbers, jalapenos and, a surprising but appreciated twist, toasted rice flavored with chili and garlic powder.

The restaurant also offers a few dishes that most Pittsburgh Mexican restaurants would probably deem too daring for Pittsburgh palates, such as lengua (cow’s tongue) and fresh water eel tacos. There are also plenty of options for less adventurous eaters, like a chorizo corn dog made with blue corn batter and tortilla soup ($5). The menu includes a glossary of food terms (because how many people knew that epazote is a Mexican herb with a flavor resembling fennel, anise and tarragon?) and will change through the seasons.

Yo Rita hasn't lost its identity as a bar, either. They now have a list of eight interesting wines by the glass ($5-8), twenty-one different kinds of tequila ($5-30), and seven specialty cocktails, such as a watermelon margarita made with fresh watermelon ($8) and La Diabla, made with El Jimador Reposado Tequila, pineapple, habenero pepper and lime.

-- Moriah Balingit

You can reach Moriah Balingit at 412-263-2533 or mbalingit@post-gazette.com.

Tamari opens (finally!)

There's been web chatter about Tamari since 2007, when a banner promising Latin-Asian cuisine first appeared outside of a storefront on Butler Street.

No one's been more aware of the passing time than restaurant owner Allen Chen. Now, after two years of re-zoning, getting the building up to code and an economic meltdown that could make anyone pause, Tamari is open. Despite the economic climate, he's optimistic that Tamari's unique cuisine, stylish design and welcoming atmosphere will be a draw. "One thing I was taught from a very young age is people will always be hungry," he said.

Executive Chef Roger Li oversees the kitchen at Tamari. He originally moved to Pittsburgh to be the executive chef at New Moon Fusion, an upscale pan-Asian restaurant on the North Side that opened in 2006, but never seemed to find its audience and is now closed. The menu at Tamari is diverse and flexible. Chen and Li want people to be able to choose between getting a snack at the bar or enjoying a five-course meal in the  lounge.

Food options include small plates ($7-9), entrees ($12-16), Robata Grill skewers ($1.50 for a vegetable to $14 for the combination platter), ceviche served on tostone ($3) and a range of nigiri, sashimi and maki. The fusion cuisine that really distinguishes the restaurant from any in PIttsburgh is most evident in the entrees, with dishes like Korean skirt steak fajita with Asian slaw and serrano peppers served with toasted flour tortilla or 16 spice rubbed pork tenderloin with pepper ragout, plantain prosciutto cake and morel reduction.

The multi-level space, by Fukui Architects, Downtown, is designed to be equally flexible. Inside there is a bar area and casual seating on the first floor and a secluded lounge on the second. During warmer months, an outdoor patio and a second floor deck provide ample space for outdoor eating and drinking.

The wine list includes 20 wines for $25 (all available for $7 a glass) and another 10 more expensive (and generally more interesting) bottles. There's also a decent-looking cocktail list of classic tropical drinks such as caipirinhas, as well as fusion-inspired options such as a Green Tea Cosmo and an Asian Pear Sake-tini, all for under $10.

Rather than taxing a small kitchen with dessert prep, Chen is bringing in specially prepared desserts from Dozen Bakeshop, just a few doors down. Tamari is one of several openings in Lawrenceville this summer, include Pusadee's Garden further east on Butler Street, and the Round Corner Cantina, which is expected to open later this summer.