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AlexEatsTooMuch November 2024 Restaurant, Event and Travel Roundup
AlexEatsTooMuch October 2024 Restaurant, Event and Travel Roundup
AlexEatsTooMuch September 2024 Restaurant, Event and Travel Roundup
An Afternoon at Liberty Pole Spirits
AlexEatsTooMuch August 2024 Restaurant, Event and Travel Roundup

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alexeatstoomuch

📷 Alex | Food Enthusiast & Food PR
Just Another Food Content Creator Since 2017
📍 #Pittsburgh
IRL: @agoodstein
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I partnered with @happyvalleypa to go on a 24 hour

I partnered with @happyvalleypa to go on a 24 hour food tour through Happy Valley to show why it’s a great foodie destination. On this trip to the region, I visited five great establishments, each offering something a little different for foodies.
I started at @tripletts_bar in the @nittanylioninn. The bar and restaurant was recently renovated and was named after the Penn State Football star. They are now serving elevated casual fare. I ordered Triplett’s 8oz Angus Beef Chuck & Brisket Burger.
I filled time at one of the area’s newest breweries, @boalcitybrewing. Just down the road from State College on the edge of Rothrock State Forest, this taphouse and brewery features craft beers overlooking nature. I got a Brown Ale and West Coast IPA.
I went to @pinegrovehall again for dinner and a concert. This time was a Latin salsa band. This farm to table restaurant uses locally sourced ingredients to create fantastic dishes. It is definitely one of the highlights of eating in Happy Valley. We ordered a pizza to share and I got the Meatloaf Sando made with ground chicken and topped with burrata and giardiniera.
I got a nightcap at @therepublicgamblemill in Bellefonte. This speakeasy style establishment mixes an incredibly well crafted cocktail.
I went for Sunday Brunch at @gigissoutherntable with other great creators. This restaurant brings classic and modern Southern cooking to State College. We shared the biscuits and I ordered the pork chops and sausage gravy special.

#happyvalleypa #happyvalley #partner #pennsylvania #visitpa #foodie

#Ad The new Holiday Scratch-Off tickets from the @

#Ad The new Holiday Scratch-Off tickets from the @PALottery are a great way to improve any gift. I wanted to do something creative. I thought what could be a better gift to receive than me, but I added the PA Lottery Holiday Scratch-Off tickets to make my gift over the top amazing. I attached the Holiday Scratch-Off tickets to me so I am more fun! I wrapped myself up in holiday wrapping paper and I was ready to be gifted. Friends and family over 18 had a great time unwrapping me and receiving the PA Lottery Holiday Scratch-Off tickets. Unfortunately, they left the main gift behind.

#PALottery

I got the really cool opportunity to help out past

I got the really cool opportunity to help out pasta content creator and Pittsburgher @ryanpeterspgh crack 1,000 whole eggs and knead pasta dough for a new video. I was off from work and it seemed like a fun activity, but also a good way to learn about setting up and filming a video for YouTube and giving back to a local organization. Cracking all these eggs without breaking yolks so they can be used for the pouring shot is very difficult. These egg yolks have a beautiful orange color. So much staging and planning goes into setting up the yolk pour so it will look good on camera and not spill all over. Lights and camera equipment surround the table and had to be adjusted every time the setup changed a bit. The framing for the pour and having to make sure the eggs don’t go all over is more difficult than it looks. In the end, the final shot turned out amazing, but check out Ryan’s video to see it in all its glory. After the pour, it was time to knead all the pasta dough. Kneading all this dough is quite the workout. It takes a lot of time to get a ball of pasta dough ready for cutting into pasta. It was fun while working on the dough to talk about the Pittsburgh food scene and tips of the trade of content creation. I had a great time helping Ryan for the day, especially since I first met him back when he was still a chef in local restaurants. It’s great to see him a big content creator now. The eggs we cracked were donated by @happyeggcousa. The pasta dough was used to make meals for @outreachedarms, which provides hope to Pittsburgh's inner city homeless and working poor. I was happy to get to help out that day and it gets my mind going wanting to do more videos like this and maybe even try content creation full time eventually.

My November Roundup is now live on the blog. I spe

I can’t believe it took 15 years of living in Pi

I can’t believe it took 15 years of living in Pittsburgh for me to visit @sarriscandies and Ice Cream for the first time. Sarris makes a variety of different chocolates and stocks lots of other candies available at their factory and around Western Pennsylvania. The store at the factory is a dream come true for any lover of chocolate and other sweets. I decided to buy an assortment of chocolate covered espresso beans and chocolate cordials. I was tempted to buy so much more as they have different chocolate gift boxes and packages. Sarris also has impressive chocolate-themed displays and lots of classic artwork and stained glass around the store. I loved the chocolate pretzel arch and the chocolate waterfalls. Sarris also has a classic ice cream shop. I had to finish my visit with a tasty hot fudge sundae. I was told next time I need to get one with a hard cap. They also do milkshakes. I don’t go that far south of the city too often, but I might have to start to more often so I can stop at Sarris.

Sarris Candies & Ice Cream
511 Adams Ave
Canonsburg, PA 15317

My favorite holiday pop-up bar, @miraclepgh is bac

My favorite holiday pop-up bar, @miraclepgh is back in Downtown Pittsburgh. This is one of the original popup bars in Pittsburgh and always returns bigger and better. Open every night through New Year’s Eve, this bar is covered top to bottom in every type of holiday decoration. They have the most unique collection Christmas décor on the walls and they are the only ones with a Hanukkah wall. The Christmas Sweater wall is back too. They feature plenty of tasty holiday themed cocktails like the Snowball Old Fashioned, The Krampus, Christmasaurus and the Yippie Ki Yay Mother F….r!.

Another reason why Miracle is the best of the holiday bars is that a large portion of proceeds are donated to local charities. Each year they partner with different charities that either have a personal connection to the members of the Miracle team or make a significant impact in Pittsburgh. As always, remember don’t be a grinch at these bars. And don’t steal the glassware. Most of it can be purchased. They have to spend a lot on these glasses and if you steal them then others do not get to enjoy drinks in them. Also if you buy one you get a nice clean glass.

📍Miracle on 7th
130 7th Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

I was invited to spend a Tuesday night at Complime

I was invited to spend a Tuesday night at Compliments by @scratchco_pgh in Troy Hill. Every Tuesday, Scratch & Co will transform into a first come first serve lounge-style concept encouraging guests to mingle with new people. There is no set menu, but a choose-your-own-adventure plan for drinks. I chose a dealer’s choice for all my cocktails and all hit the spot. They can either work with a lot of direction like a request for a spicy and savory mezcal drink or very little, like whiskey. They also serve complimentary tapas which this evening was focaccia pizza, popcorn and fried green tomatoes. The tapas will change every week. They also intend on offering special food items some weeks that may support a charity or bring in special entertainment like musicians, comedians and magicians. After a couple of drinks and some delicious food, I was enjoying the vibe and getting to know some new people. I started walking around joining conversations. Some were with people I knew, and some were with new people. I’ll definitely be back to Compliments at Scratch & Co because every visit will be a different adventure.

Scratch & Co is a fantastic neighborhood restaurant in Pittsburgh’s Troy Hill. They feature a great menu of contemporary dishes. They work with local purveyors to source ingredients. They have always seen the restaurant as a community gathering spot. I’ve had a few great meals there including a fantastic smash burger.

I attended Bellefonte Under the Lights and ate som

I attended Bellefonte Under the Lights and ate some of the best bites of Central Pennsylvania as a guest of @happyvalleypa. Bellefonte Under the Lights is a night of communal outdoor dining hosted every year by @downtownbellefonte. It is a progressive style dinner where attendees can select an appetizer, main course, dessert and drink from multiple participating restaurants from Bellefonte and nearby towns. There is also live music all evening and great fun and conversation. It’s Downtown Bellefonte’s biggest fundraiser of the year. It was a great way for me to experience so many of the great restaurants of Central Pennsylvania all at once. This event typically happens in the early Fall. I enjoyed meeting so many people and heard why they love Bellefonte.

I’ve visited Bellefonte several times over the last couple of years. It’s such a cute town in Central PA. Bellefonte has been transitioning into an arts and antiques town with cute shops, restaurants, and bed and breakfasts. Bellefonte is also close to the many other towns in Happy Valley.

#happyvalley #happyvalleypa #partnership #visitpa #pennsylvania

In October, I was invited to attend Milkshake & Co

In October, I was invited to attend Milkshake & Cookies, a tasty event supporting the @midatlanticmilkbank. This event features some of Pittsburgh's best cookie bakers and milkshake makers, all in support of the Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank. Attendees get to visit each of the tables to collect lots of cookies to eat there and build a box to take home. I ate a lot of fantastic cookies. We heard from multiple speakers in support of the organization.

The Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank provides safe and ethically sourced donor milk to medically vulnerable infants and children. The organization has grown over the last few years to cover more territories. They started covering Western Pennsylvania and expanded as more communities were in need. They are funded by foundations and individual contributions. They are led by physicians, lactation consultants, nurses, clinicians, educators, and parents. Their goal is to provide every infant access to human milk. The Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank is in the process of expanding to a new 10,000 sq ft facility with a state of the art milk lab and milk storage. Fundraisers like this help it continue to provide human milk to those in need.

#ad The new Holiday Scratch-Off tickets from the @

#ad The new Holiday Scratch-Off tickets from the @PALottery are back! They make a creative way to decorate your Thanksgiving table by adding a fun and festive activity for after dinner. Kick-off celebrating the holiday season by thanking your friends and family by adding a holiday Scratch-Off ticket to that place setting and they could be thankful for you too.
#PALottery

I had dinner at @teppanyakikyoto, a Japanese izaka

I had dinner at @teppanyakikyoto, a Japanese izakaya style restaurant in Pittsburgh’s Highland Park neighborhood. I was excited to try many authentic Japanese dishes and some modernized features. They offer counter style seating where you can watch your dishes be prepared and talk with the chefs and regular table seating. We ordered a large assortment of items. My favorites were their signature Okonomiyaki Japanese pancake, Dashi maki Japanese pancake, yakisoba noodles with beef, and bacon mochi, but really everything was great.

• Pork Gyoza - pork fried dumplings
• Yasai Kakiage - thinly cut vegetables, deep fried with tempura batter
• Kibinago-Karaage - deep-fried silver-stripe round herring
• Bonito yaki onigiri - grilled rice ball with bonito
• Pork shogayaki - thinly sliced sautéed pork and onion in sweet ginger flavour sauce
• Bacon mochi - grilled bacon-wropped mochi with teriyaki sauce
• Yakisoba with beef - stir fried ramen-style noodles with cabbage, onion, with added beef
• Dashi maki - Japanese rolled omelet made with egg and dashi
Okonomiyaki - Japanese pancake made with wheat flour, egg, cabbage, and topped w/ regular mayonnaise, seaweed powder, and bonito flakes
• Kushi dango - Japanese sweet rice dumplings on skewers
• Matcha mon-buran - soft sponge cake topped with pillowy whipped cream with hidden red bean in the center and covered with tall spaghetti-thin strands of green tea cream
• Kinako mochi puff - crunchy rice puffs flavored with wasanbon or Japanese fine powdered sugar plus kinako or roasted soybean flour
• Sakura mochi - sweet pink mochi filled with sweet red bean paste wrapped in a salty pickled cherry blossom leaf

📍Teppanyaki Kyoto
5808 Bryant St
Pittsburgh, PA 15206

My cocktail was delicious but my hair was a mess.

My cocktail was delicious but my hair was a mess. I was invited to the preview for this year's @wiglewhiskey Wigle Wonderland. I enjoy this popup a lot because Wigle makes a quality cocktail. My favorite cocktails I tried were the Ho! Ho! Cocoa! Old Fashioned and A Very Nice Holiday Drink. There are also several shots and a shot ski available. I also appreciate they changed decorations very little from last year. They are tastefully hung and not over the top. Wigle Wonderland is open Fridays and Saturdays starting Nov 16, but check the Wigle account for any schedule changes.

📍Wigle Whiskey
2401 Smallman St
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

I had an amazing seven course omakase at Umi Japan

I had an amazing seven course omakase at Umi Japanese Restaurant (above @soba_pgh) in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside. I visited before Mr. Shu went on vacation. It had been forever since I last ate at Umi and enjoyed Mr. Shu’s elegantly prepared dishes. I wanted to get there before Mr. Shu went on his vacation. Each course alternated between fresh and decadent cuts of sushi and savory cooked dishes. See all our courses below. I also ordered one of the Japanese whiskey flights and an additional sushi roll. Another impressive part of eating at Umi is the service. Our server Ashley was so friendly and knowledgeable about everything we ate. Umi is a great option for a fantastic meal.

Our courses:

1. Toro Tartare – fatty underbelly bluefin tuna, tsume, yuzu and garlic
2. Sawara Spanish Mackerel seared with hot sesame oil, myoga and soy
3. Red snapper with white truffle oil shitake mushroom puree
4. Miso black cod marinated in miso mirin reduction and broiled
5. White tuna sashimi with a sweet soy and yuzu blend
6. Rock shrimp tempura with tsume ponzu
7. Nigiri sampler
a. Toro – yuzu jelly
b. Red snapper – ume & shiso
c. Salmon – miso cream cheese
d. Tuna – roasted garlic aioli
e. King Mackerel – chopped ginger soy
8. Dessert Truffles

📍Umi Japanese Restaurant
5849 Ellsworth Ave,
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
(3rd floor, above Soba)

@pghsandwichsociety and @bluesparrowpgh teamed up

@pghsandwichsociety and @bluesparrowpgh teamed up at @strangerootsbeer for Pittsburgh Brunch Society this weekend. They offered a menu out of each truck featuring savory brunch items. They occasionally do these brunches with creative menus. I got the Doughnut Boy because I haven’t had fried chicken on a donut in so long. Strange Roots had some special brunch drinks, but I opted for Plague 2024, their stout sour. They brought back these brunches that were a regular occurrence pre-pandemic, back when I could only post photos, not videos, of Pittsburgh’s great food on Instagram. Maybe I’m a little nostalgic right now for those simpler days of Instagram. These have been two of my favorite food trucks since before I was AlexEatsTooMuch and I’m glad I can still enjoy their food, hang out with them, and consider them friends.

PGH Sandwich Society Items
DoughNut Boy
Fried Chicken Patty | Bacon | Dippy Egg | Cheddar Cheese | Maple Drizz | Lola’s Eatery Glazed Doughnut
.
All the Brunch Things (not pictured)
Single Beef Patty | American Cheese | Bacon | Dippy Egg | Hash Brown | Spring Mix | Tomato | PGH Pickles | Society Sauce | Butter Toasted Bun
.
NOW That’s What I Call a Breakfast Sandwich! Vol. 20
Parma Sausage Breakfast Sausage | Dippy Egg | Cheddar Cheese | Yinz Jam | Hot Pepper Ketchup | Willow Bend English Muffin
.
Global Street Tots
Pile of Tots | Red Chile con Queso | Bacon Crumble | Dippy Egg | Candied ‘peño | Pickled Reds | Hot Honey Drizz | Blendi Cheese | Green Onion | Spicy Avo | Crema

Blue Sparrow Items
Sparrow Society Sammich
house maple sausage, cheddar, banana peppers, dippy egg, pretzel bun

Bronco Crunchwrap (not pictured)
bacon, hash brown, egg, queso, bronco berry sauce

What an incredible evening in support of Harris Wa

What an incredible evening in support of Harris Walz 2024!!!

I was lucky enough to be down by the stage for all the amazing speeches and performers in support of @kamalaharris as our next president. This was a rally to remind us there is No Going Back. This was a rally to remind us she wants to protect women's reproductive rights and healthcare, create opportunity for Americans, cut taxes on the middle class, make billionaires pay their fair share, stop price gouging, promote sensible gun legislation and immigration reform. Many of the speeches like from @johnfetterman and @cedtheentertainer were straight and to the point. Performances by @katyperry, @andradaymusic and @thearie_cole were fantastic and got the crowd excited.

I'm so proud of this campaign and to have voted for them! As I'm posting this, there are only a few more hours to vote in Pennsylvania. Polls close at 8 PM and if you are already in line at that time you are allowed to vote. This state may be the most important to win the election. If you still need to vote, please go vote. If you need a voting plan go to iwillvote.com/PA.

@kamalaforpa @creatorsforkamala #kamalaforpa #pittsburghforharriswalz #pittsburgh

ELECTION DAY!!! Pennsylvania please go vote today,

ELECTION DAY!!!
Pennsylvania please go vote today, Tuesday November 5 if you haven't already. We will make the difference in this election. Polls close at 8 PM. Go to iwillvote.com/PA to make a voting plan. Pennsylvania will make the difference in this election!

I was so excited to be in the audience for last night's @kamalaharris in Pittsburgh. So much excitement about the future of our country. Lots of positive messages about wanting to help the American people and a positive future.

@kamalaforpa @creatorsforkamala #kamalaforpa #pittsburghforharriswalz

October 2024 Roundup is now up on the blog! This w

A few weeks ago I went back to @a_slice_of_new_yor

A few weeks ago I went back to @a_slice_of_new_york_pizza in Murrysville after they received an 8.2 One Bite Rating. I said this was my favorite pizza in the area when I visited them for the first time last year. I prefer a New York style pizza and they do a great job with it. A crisp crust with a little char that holds firm. Not too much sauce. Not too much cheese. They have always used high quality ingredients and now they are using a nearly lactose-free cheese from @caputobrotherscreamery. This lactose intolerant foodie can confirm I survived and it was delicious.

📍A Slice of New York
5656 US-22
Murrysville, PA 15632

#pittsburgh #pizza #pittsburghfood #pizzapizzapizza #pizzatime #pizzalover #pizzalovers #food #foodie #onebite #restaurant #pizzeria

I was invited to try out the new @thaitamarindglen

I was invited to try out the new @thaitamarindglenshaw_, north of Pittsburgh. I don’t venture to the North Hills often for dinner, but I wanted to try a local restaurant with these beautifully prepared Thai dishes. They created a showcase of some of their signature dishes and specials. I was impressed by the many savory flavors in our dishes. My favorites were the crab rangoons with a hint of curry, Spider Fried Rice with tempura soft shell crab, Kao Soi Tempura in a delicious curry sauce. I could have handled a little more heat in my dishes, but it was nice trying them for the first time to get the flavors. I was quite full after all these great dishes, but I know I will be back because there were so many more dishes I wanted to try.

Appetizers:
• Crab Rangoons with a hint of curry
• Bang Bang Shrimp
• Crispy Calamari
• Summer Rolls
• Papaya Salad
• Grilled Pork
• Sticky Rice

Entrees
• Chicken Volcano
• Spider Fried Rice with Soft Shell Crab
• Kao Soi Tempura with curry sauce and egg noodles

📍Thai Tamarind Glenshaw
2909 Mt Royal Blvd
Glenshaw, PA 15116

In case you missed it, @governorshapiro was in Pit

In case you missed it, @governorshapiro was in Pittsburgh Friday to announce the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s commitment to revitalizing Downtown Pittsburgh. I was lucky enough to get invited to the press conference. The announcement included many local leaders sharing their enthusiasm. These were some of my favorite clips from Governor Shapiro, Lt. Governor @austindavispa, County Executive Sara Innamorato ace_innamorato, and @mayoredgainey.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is investing more than $62 million behind these local efforts in the first four years — helping spur nearly $600 million in total investment. The City of Pittsburgh is committing $22.1 million through the Urban Redevelopment Authority. Private sector leaders have committed $40 million so far to the initiative. The investment is anticipated to spur another $376 million in investment from developers. The initiative is expected to create 3,500 construction jobs over the next four years.

The revitalization focuses on three goals to improve Downtown Pittsburgh.
1. Building and Renovating Mixed-Use Residential Projects in Downtown Pittsburgh to Attract More People to Live Downtown
2. Breathing New Life into Major Public Spaces Downtown
3. Creating a Cleaner, Safer, and a More Culturally Vibrant Downtown Neighborhood

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