Birthday Weekend Part II!

 We had a super Friday night celebrating my birthday with fun, food, and drinks, so how did we continue the celebration on Saturday? With more food and drinks of course. My sister’s fiancée had never experienced a Primanti's sandwich, so we started the day with lunch at the Primanti’s in Harmarville. I’m definitely a fan of the suburban Primanti’s (plus the Harmarville location is only 2 miles from me) because they’re way less cramped and less crowded. Definitely no lines around the block here. If you are unfamiliar with Primanti’s, it is the historic restaurant that serves sandwiches with fries and coleslaw packed inside. Some Pittsburghers think they’re overrated, but I personally think the sandwiches are delicious.

I began my afternoon with a Monongahela Mary, which is a Bloody Mary made with Absolut Peppar and served with a pickle spear. I LOVE the pickle spear. They make pretty tasty drinks at Primanti’s!

 

The bar side of the restaurant is inviting and spacious. Andy and I have been here a few times on weekend nights for some beers or to watch a game. I really like that it’s never smoky, and there’s always good food available :)

 

Emily and Brian got a corned beef sandwich and a pastrami sandwich and then traded halves. Andy enjoyed the Pittsburgher, which is similar to a cheesesteak, but made with a beef patty. Everyone enjoyed their sandwiches, but Brian said the corned beef was way better than the pastrami.

 

I went with the imported sardine sandwich with the fries on the side. It was amazing! This was definitely my favorite sandwich I’ve ever had there, and I don’t think I’m going to ever be able to order anything else. YUM. The sardines were so delicious. The coleslaw is different that regular coleslaw. It’s all cabbage and had a sweet and sour dressing on it, as opposed to a creamy dressing. I love it.

 

Our next stop was the Penn Brewery. The Penn Brewery is located on the North Side, just across the river from the Strip District. I think their beer is great to drink, but nothing compares to actually drinking it at the brewery. The beer is so fresh, the selection is obviously great, and the atmosphere is wonderful. The restaurant is set up like a German beer hall. The exposed wooden beams, old light fixtures, and long wooden picnic tables almost make you feel like you’re in Germany!

 

We spent a few minutes sampling beers, and the bartender was very friendly and knew a lot of details about each beer. I ended up with a pint of the Allegheny Pale Ale, and everyone else picked the Märzen. I really enjoyed both. In fact, I’d say they were the best beers I’ve ever tasted there.

 

Emily and I (because we were fully committed to this weekend of food) ordered soft pretzels with spicy beer cheese. Delicious! This classic combo was definitely a good choice. The cheese would have been better if it was heated up, but it was still good cold.

 

Our next stop was downtown. We somehow avoided all St. Paddy’s parade traffic and only had a short walk to the Sharp Edge on Penn. While the prices are definitely higher than the four other Sharp Edges, I still really enjoy the atmosphere and the fact that it’s downtown.

 

We snagged the prime real estate: the big comfy leather couches next to the bar and the giant windows. We watched people walk by outside covered in green from head to toe while we sipped our beers. Andy and I enjoyed a mystery beer, Brian had a black and tan, and Emily went with a fresh squeezed limeade.

 

We were getting pretty worn out, so we made a quick trip to Trader Joe’s to pick up stuff to make dinner. We ended up with tons of food, and only spent about $9 a person. Awesome!

I also paused to enjoy the beautiful day…

 

After a well-needed nap, I woke up to dinner being made. My only job was to sit and drink a beer – totally okay with that! Andy made some hamburgers and cooked some chicken sausage with sundried tomato. They smelled amazing.

 

He also made some strange-looking (but apparently delicious) beef bacon.

 

Emily used the cast iron skillet she got me for my birthday (I love it!!) to roast brussel sprouts. These were awesome, and I can’t wait to make more dinners in this skillet! I love how crispy parts of the brussel sprouts got. Mmmmm.

 

She also made cheesy potato wedges. Delicious. We enjoyed our wonderful dinner and also snacked on more cheese and crackers, of course!

We ended our night with a short trip to House of 1000 Beers for a beer and so Brian could pick out some special brews to take home. Oh, and I finally made it to 25 drafts, so I can get my name on the wall :) I bet my parents are so proud!