Skip to content
Alex Eats Too Much
Alex Eats Too Much
  • Home
  • Pittsburgh Food Lists
    • Pittsburgh Burger List
    • Pittsburgh Fried Chicken List
    • Pittsburgh Birthday Freebies
  • Monthly Roundups
  • Travel
  • About Me
  • Contact Me / Media Kit
  • Privacy Policy
Alex Eats Too Much
Random Article

Tag Date Night

Categories Alex Eats Too Much

My Favorite Items at Gi-Jin Sushi Bar

  • By Alex Goodstein
  • June 15, 2022

Gi-Jin has become one of my favorite restaurants in Pittsburgh over the last year. It’s funny because I did not like sushi until sometime halfway through college. I wasn’t even getting good sushi then. My common order was spicy tuna from the Panda Express Sushi at The Hub…

Read More

Follow

Follow AlexEatsTooMuch on WordPress.com

Social

Recent Posts

  • AlexEatsTooMuch June 2025 Food, Events and Travel Roundup
  • Tasting the World at the Kennywood Bites and Pints Festival
  • AlexEatsTooMuch May 2025 Food, Events and Travel Roundup
  • AlexEatsTooMuch Attends the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas
  • AlexEatsTooMuch April 2025 Food, Events and Travel Roundup

Categories

  • About Me
  • Alex Eats Too Much
  • Alex Not Eating Too Much
  • Archive
  • Beer
  • Drinks
  • Events
  • Home Cooking
  • In the Restauant Kitchen
  • Monthly Roundup
  • Pittsburgh Food
  • Pittsburgh Food Lists
  • Pizza
  • San Francisco
  • Travel
  • Travel Food
  • Year End Recap

alexeatstoomuch

📷 Alex | Food & Travel Enthusiast
📍Pittsburgh, PA Based
Next Trip: Reading, PA
Email [email protected] to Collab
Established: 2017

Do you think you can eat a whole 18 course omakase Do you think you can eat a whole 18 course omakase? @umi.pgh Japanese Restaurant in Shadyside invited me in to experience the new 18 course omakase and see if I could eat it all. To do the 18 course experience, you sit at the sushi bar where Mr. Shu, the sushi master behind Umi, curates this incredible meal of sashimi and hot courses. This was an incredible dinner, and I would do it again.

Appetizer: Edamame
Omakase courses (in video order, not order served): 
- Salmon tartare with minced sweet onion and garlic, drizzled with yuzu, topped with wasabi, chive, and tsume 
- Sawara (Spanish mackerel) sashimi, lightly seared with hot sesame oil, topped with hot soy sauce and shaved myoga
- Toro tataki (fatty tuna belly) lightly seared, topped with lemon zest 
- Aromatic red snapper drizzled with white truffle oil, topped with Sitka mushroom puree and tsume on the bottom 
- Agedashi tofu, tempura fried with grated daikon and grated scallion from the new vegan menu
- White tuna sashimi or escolar with yuzu, house soy, and a touch of wasabi 
- Torched salmon belly
- Fluke (mild white fish) with lemon, drizzled with sesame oil, with minced sweet onion and chive (known as a good palate cleansing course) 
- Salmon toro
- Sawara with fresh garlic and ponzu sauce
- Toro tartare with quail egg
- Spicy salmon with seaweed tempura
- Roasted black cod aka sablefish, marinated in miso, with caramelized mirin sauce 
- Kobe beef stew 
- Rock shrimp in crispy light tempura batter with Japanese aioli and spicy bean paste, finished with ponzu sauce 
- Surf and turf: lobster and Japanese Kobe beef with foie gras 
- Oyster sashimi 
- Red snapper sashimi
- Kobe beef sushi with foie gras 

Dessert: House made chocolates from Eleven
Mango coconut
Milk chocolate sesame crunch
Chai caramel 
Vietnamese coffee 

📍Umi Japanese Restaurant
5849 Ellsworth Ave,
Pittsburgh, PA 15232

• Sushi Omakase Pittsburgh • Japanese Food Pittsburgh • Pittsburgh Dinner Experience •
Hoppy Valley Brewers Fest should be on your beer f Hoppy Valley Brewers Fest should be on your beer festival list next year. I attended Hoppy Valley Brewers Fest again this year in Happy Valley. The @happyvalleypa Adventure Bureau brought me in as a #happyvalleypartner to experience what has become one of my favorite beer festivals. @antifragilebrewco, based in State College, in collaboration with The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and @happyvalley.sea, brings this festival to life. Hoppy Valley features 70+ breweries from Pennsylvania and surrounding states, great food, and live music. I tasted quite a few great beers, ate a great cheesesteak from @unclejohnsjawns, and listened to some great music by country artist @channingwilson and others. #happyvalleypa #sponsored
#sponsored I had an amazing time at the @sheetz X #sponsored I had an amazing time at the @sheetz X @liquiddeath chainsaw sandwich cutting event. I partnered with Sheetz to attend the event and paired Sheetz MTO sandwiches with Liquid Death drinks. Content creator Chainsaw Jenna and her friends cut our Sheetz MTOs with a special Sheetz chainsaw.

I got three MTOs to cut and then pair.
•	Sheetz Big Mozz Burger with a Liquid Death Mountain Water
•	Sheetz Turkey Sub with Boom Boom Sauce and Liquid Death Severed Lime Water
•	Sheetz Chicken Finger Sub with marinara and Liquid Death Sweet Reaper Sweet Tea

#sheetz #SheetzxLiquidDeath #SheetzLiquidDeath #ChainsawSlicedSandwiches
I was invited to @mixtapepgh to experience their l I was invited to @mixtapepgh to experience their latest installation, Dannyland: An Immersive World of Graffiti & Art from the Mind of Danny Devine. This was installationwas done with help of the @dannydevinestudio honoring his art and accomplishments. I know I've seen his work so many times in the past but never knew by who. This was a really cool evening of art, music and cocktails. I was there for 90s night, so I really appreciated actually knowing most of the songs played over the course of the evening. I got a few great cocktails like the event signature drink "Devine Intervention" made with rum, pineapple, caramel and ginger ale. They also now have a vegan menu and I got a great dairy free milkshake. This immersive installation is at Mixtape thru August.
I can't believe I just saw my @sheetz MTO cut by c I can't believe I just saw my @sheetz MTO cut by chainsaw!!! Thanks to @sheetz and @liquiddeath I was able to see my sandwich get cut with precision with a chainsaw. I was right in the splatter zone as I watched and covered in sandwich bits. Afterwards I was able to enjoy my cut sandwiches with a couple refreshing Liquid Death flavors. 

#sponsored #sheetz #SheetzxLiquidDeath #SheetzLiquidDeath #ChainsawSlicedSandwiches.
One of my favorite special occasion restaurants in One of my favorite special occasion restaurants in Pittsburgh is @allafamiglia. This restaurant in the Allentown neighborhood is a multicourse experience of traditional Italian dishes and exceptional service. We ate so much, including their famous meatball gigante, tableside cacio e pepe, and one of their veal chops. 

Everything we ate:
•	Bread with spicy olive oil
•	Meatball Gigante
•	Beans and Greens
•	Porchetta
•	House Salad
•	Cavatappi alla vodka
•	Cacio e Pepe
•	Ripieno Veal Chop
•	Elysian Farms Braised Lamb Shank
•	Tagliatelle Scoglio Del Mar
•	Seabass special with shrimp and asparagus
•	Veal Medallions Pizzaiola
•	Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
•	Raspberry Crème Brulee

📍Alla Famiglia
804 E Warrington Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15210

• Special Occasion Restaurants Pittsburgh • Italian Restaurants Pittsburgh • Fancy Dinner Pittsburgh •
One of my favorite special occasion restaurants in One of my favorite special occasion restaurants in Pittsburgh is @allafamiglia. This restaurant in the Allentown neighborhood is a multicourse experience of traditional Italian dishes and exceptional service. We ate so much, including their famous meatball gigante, tableside cacio e pepe, and one of their veal chops. 

Everything we ate:
•	Bread with spicy olive oil
•	Meatball Gigante
•	Beans and Greens
•	Porchetta
•	House Salad
•	Cavatappi alla vodka
•	Cacio e Pepe
•	Ripieno Veal Chop
•	Elysian Farms Braised Lamb Shank
•	Tagliatelle Scoglio Del Mar
•	Seabass special with shrimp and asparagus
•	Veal Medallions Pizzaiola
•	Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
•	Raspberry Crème Brulee

📍Alla Famiglia
804 E Warrington Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15210

• Special Occasion Restaurants Pittsburgh • Italian Restaurants Pittsburgh • Fancy Dinner Pittsburgh •
I finally got around to finishing my longer recap I finally got around to finishing my longer recap of the @goodtastepgh Pizza Fest last month. This has become one of my favorite Pittsburgh food events and this past year was the best. The video is now out on YouTube. Check it out!
https://youtu.be/JbhNhrv-il8
I finally made it to @chengdu_gourmet2 in the Pitt I finally made it to @chengdu_gourmet2 in the Pittsburgh North Hills. This is the second restaurant location for James Beard nominated chef Wei Zhu. This location has a lot more seating and some additional items not available at the original restaurant. My favorite of the evening was the Green Peppercorn Whole Fish Filet, which was made with a savory sauce featuring green Sichuan peppercorns that have a numbing effect. Our meal at Chengdu Gourmet 2 was fantastic, and I love having another great Chinese restaurant in Pittsburgh.

Dishes:
·       Sichuan Style Dumpling in Red Chili
·       Chengdu Tianshui Noodles
·       Chongqing Special Noodles App
·       Diced Chicken in Chongqing Style
·       Steamed Egg with Shredded Pork 
·       Mao’s Braised Pork Belly
·       Green Peppercorn Whole Fish Filet
·       Crispy Pickled Cucumber
·       Sautéed Water Spinach 
·       Rice Noodle Dessert

📍Chengdu Gourmet 2
4768 McKnight Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
I was invited to eat at @palmpalmpgh, a new restau I was invited to eat at @palmpalmpgh, a new restaurant in Pittsburgh’s East End featuring West Coast vibes and captivating small plates. This is the latest concept from the team that brought us Ritual House. We got to taste a wide variety of incredible small dishes, cocktails, and desserts. Palm Palm is already up there as one of the best meals I’ve eaten in Pittsburgh this year, and I can’t wait to return to keep working my way through this amazing menu.

Cocktails:
•	Fire and Fresa
•	Ginny in a Bottle
•	Golden Smokeshow
•	Herringbone
•	Frankie Louise
•	Pinky and the Brain
•	No Bad Bananas
•	Can’t Elope

Small Plates:
•	Oysters
•	Seafood Skewers
•	Mini Lobster Rolls
•	Shrimp Ceviche
•	Tuna Sushi Tots
•	Deviled Crab Fritters
•	Artichoke
•	Pommes Frites & Caviar
•	Truffle Spaghettios
•	Bone Marrow Tartare

Large Dish:
•	Whole Branzino

Desserts:
•	Cirtus & Sesame
•	Coconut Mirage
•	Nutty by Nature

📍Palm Palm
5996 Centre Ave — First Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15217

• New Restaurants Pittsburgh • Best Restaurants Pittsburgh • Date Night Pittsburgh •
I got to attend a Romanticize Pittsburgh event hos I got to attend a Romanticize Pittsburgh event hosted by @arjunmanjunath_ at @5801videolounge. Arjun has taken his Romanticize Pittsburgh brand and created awesome events to allow Pittsburghers to network and experience the great things in Pittsburgh. This event was half networking and half deaf show featuring multiple local drag queens. The event was so much fun. Check out Arjun's page to see when other Romanticize Pittsburgh events will be happening.
I got dinner at @avvapgh Modern Mediterranean in A I got dinner at @avvapgh Modern Mediterranean in Aspinwall with a bunch of my longest foodie friends from when I started Alex Eats Too Much. We all wanted to try this new restaurant after seeing their dips getting featured. They were delicious. It was great to get dinner, catch up and have a good time with friends. I’ve made so many friends through Instagram and Avva was a great space with good food for us to get together.

📍Avva Modern Mediterranean
235 Commercial Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15215

•Mediterranean Food in Pittsburgh • New Restaurant in Pittsburgh • Dinner in Pittsburgh •
Pittsburghers love their pickles and Picklesburgh Pittsburghers love their pickles and Picklesburgh is back! Picklesburgh is Pittsburgh’s yearly festival celebrating the pickle and a pickle lover’s dream. I go every year for the great pickle-infused foods and drinks and get lots of fun photos and videos. For 2025, Picklesburgh returned to the Clemente and Warhol bridges, allowing for more space to enjoy your pickles and pickle foods. The festival even expands into downtown this year, where there are more pickles and pickle activities. There is now a mechanical pickle to ride. There is also live entertainment and pickle contests called the Dil-Cathlon, which I caught a bit of the bobbing for pickles. Picklesburgh is an amazing food festival and a joy to attend every year. Picklesburgh is in @downtownpitt and runs through Sunday, July 13 for all your pickle desires.

-	@dianoiaseatery Pickle Meatballs
-	@takopgh Pickled Old Fashioned
-	@wiglewhiskey Bourbon Old Fashioned
-	@thewarrenpgh Pickle Watermelon Margarita

• Best Food Festival • Downtown Pittsburgh Events • Picklesburgh 2025 •
I was invited to my favorite museum, the @rockhall I was invited to my favorite museum, the @rockhall in Cleveland, Ohio, to see the @nbcsnl… Ladies and Gentlemen, 50 Years of Music. This is an amazing featured exhibit showcasing 50 years of music on SNL. I am such a fan of the show, love so many sketches and discovered so many bands and songs from the show. The exhibit has a recreation of the Studio 8H stage, outfits and memorabilia from the sketches and performances, and an archive of every musical performance of the 50 years. This is really a must visit for a SNL and music lover and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is always worth the drive from Pittsburgh.

📍Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
1100 E 9th St.
Cleveland, OH 44114
Celebrate summer and classic Americana with some w Celebrate summer and classic Americana with some whiskey, cocktails and festival foods at @wiglewhiskey Stars, Strips and Spirits popup bar! I was invited to check out the Americana vibes, the cocktails and the festive foods like corn dogs and fried Oreos. There are specialty cocktails only available at the popup. They are also celebrating the launch of their new Americana Rye. I had a great time having refreshing summer cocktails like the Blackberry Halfsies made with the Americana Rye, blackberries, sun tea and lemonade.

Pop-Up Bar Hours 
Thursday 7/3 | 5–11 PM
Saturday 7/5 | 4–11 PM
Friday 7/11 | 5–11 PM
Saturday 7/12 | 4–11 PM
How is it already half way through 2025? My June R How is it already half way through 2025? My June Roundup is now up on the blog. I did some pretty cool things in June. I have lots of videos to finish. 

https://alexeatstoomuch.com/2025/06/alexeatstoomuch-june-2025-food-events-and-travel-roundup
I ate one of my favorite meals of the year so far I ate one of my favorite meals of the year so far at @theanchoragegvl, an eclectic restaurant specializing in small plates in @visitgreenvillesc. They specialize in small plates made using locally and regionally sourced ingredients. They are a 2018 James Beard Foundation Semi-Finalist for Best New Restaurant and have been featured in multiple national publications. When I was there in May, I opted for the tasting dinner and got to try just about the entire menu. 4 courses and 9 dishes later, I was so full from such delicious items.

Dishes:
·       Bread Service
·       Beet Cured Salmon Gravlax
·       Bio Way Farm Skyphos Lettuces
·       Burrata Mozzarella
·       Grilled Monetta Asparagus
·       Braised Lamb Cappelletti
·       Bradford Farm Collard Greens
·       Noonday Farm Duck Confit Thigh Press
·       North Carolina Fluke
·       TB&J (Tahini Butter and Jam Cake)

📍The Anchorage
586 Perry Ave
Greenville, SC 29611

· Great Dinners Greenville South Carolina · Greenville South Carolina Farm to Table · Multi Course Dinner Greenville South Carolina ·
GIVEAWAY CLOSED!!! This summer I'm finally attend GIVEAWAY CLOSED!!!

This summer I'm finally attending the @northcountrybrewing Brew Fest! I've been trying to go for a few years but always had something on the calendar. I'm always told this one is a great time with lots of great beer, food and music.

I’m excited to also be giving away TWO VIP tickets to the @northcountrybrewing Brew Fest

DETAILS 
August 2nd
12-5 (VIP) 1-5 (General Admission)
Slippery Rock, PA
Catered food by @theharmonyinn
Live music

TO ENTER
Follow @northcountrybrewing + @alexeatstoomuch
Tag who you’re bringing! One per comment. Multiple tags = multiple entries
Winner will be selected Monday, June 30

Tickets are available NOW at: northcountrybrewing.com
 
*Must be 21 or older to enter. This giveaway is not associated with Instagram or Facebook. Winner will be announced via my Instagram story only.*

#pittsburghbeer #giveaway #pittsburgh
One of my favorite dishes in Pittsburgh is the 50 One of my favorite dishes in Pittsburgh is the 50 oz Tomahawk Ribeye Steak at @meatandpotatoespgh. I love this dish every time. It was plated beautifully, cooked to perfection, so tender and flavorful, and it was more than enough to feed our whole party.
Food we ordered:
•	50 oz Tomahawk long bone ribeye steak
•	Parkerhouse Rolls
•	Roasted Bone Marrow
•	Mashed Potatoes
•	Fried Brussels
•	Glazed Carrots
•	Coconut Cake

📍Meat & Potatoes
649 Penn Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

• Best Meals in Pittsburgh • Pittsburgh Steakhouse • Downtown Pittsburgh Restaurants •
I was part of a group invited to try out @toppotkb I was part of a group invited to try out @toppotkbbq_pgh, the new hot pot and Korean BBQ in Southside Works. This place has awesome décor and lots of delicious food. Our table got both the hot pot and Korean BBQ. Each person gets their own broth to cook their meat and veggies and the table shares a grill. My favorite items were the beef bulgogi on the grill and the breaded chicken wings on the buffet. I love seeing more hot pot and Korean BBQ restaurants popping up in Pittsburgh.

📍Top Pot Pittsburgh
2829 E Carson St
Pittsburgh, PA 15203

• Hot Pot Pittsburgh • Korean BBQ Pittsburgh • New Restaurants Pittsburgh
Follow on Instagram

Follow

Follow AlexEatsTooMuch on WordPress.com

Follow Me!

Copyright © 2025
 - Powered by Blogprise.
  • Home
  • Pittsburgh Food Lists
    • Pittsburgh Burger List
    • Pittsburgh Fried Chicken List
    • Pittsburgh Birthday Freebies
  • Monthly Roundups
  • Travel
  • About Me
  • Contact Me / Media Kit
  • Privacy Policy