I recently visited The Sonoma Grille on Penn Ave in the cultural district for a sampling of their finest dishes.
Sonoma General Manager Randy Wright was friendly and visibly passionate about his chef’s offerings. The restaurant’s tagline is “a meal without wine is like a day without sunshine” and this statement resonated through out the dining area which made me feel like I was enjoying a Napa Valley sunset.
Our first dish was a moss salad with a 2007 Dry Creek Chenin Blanc. The salad featured lamb lettuce and a yogurt-based poppy seed dressing. The salad was hearty, robust, and not too heavy. It was served with perfectly prepared potato crisps.
Our next taste was a local gold and red beets with fennel salad. The beets and fennel were paired with smooth feta and organic micro greens. Randy told us that they use meat and produce from the Penn’s Corner Farm Alliance as possible. As a locavore, I was pleased to hear this.
Our entree tasting included new potato gnocchi with wild morels, fresh fava beans and roasted pearl onion sorrel pesto. The dense gnocchi left a light lemony after-taste which I enjoyed while getting ready to savor the study of duck, Sonoma’s signature dish. The study of duck included duck con fit in an asparagus puff pastry tart, homemade duck pastrami with pea tendril and a glazing of local honey and thyme vinaigrette, and a tender duck served over wilted greens and roasted chestnuts. This dish was AMAZING and paired perfectly with a Joseph Carr Pinot.
Sonoma opened in 2004 and features hundreds of flavor combinations. The entire staff is incredibly knowledgeable on the topic of wine and can help you chose the best paring for your delectable dish. The 2005 Domanie Gravas Sauternes is the only imported wine on the menu and hails from France.
For dessert, we were treated to the sensational taste of a 20 year tawny and vanilla bean creme brulee served with strawberry-mint salsa and vanilla shortbread and a Gianduja Tartlette- hazelnut brown butter, caramel chocolate ganache, and Frangelico gelato.
The best Pittsburgh happy hour is at The Sonoma Grille. On Monday nights, Sonoma offers half priced bottles of wine in addition to matching specials with their sister restaurant, Seviche: Each weeknight from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. for happy hour, both restaurants feature their signature tastes in $5 tapas, $5 signature cocktails, $4 glasses of wine and $3 beers.
Have you tried The Sonoma Grille? Please leave a comment for the chance to win a $50 gift certificate to The Sonoma Grille- The best Pittsburgh happy hour.
Note: IheartPGH was treated to a complementary tasting at the The Sonoma Grille for this post.
dang, sounds good. thanks for the post, will have to check it aht.
I'm always confused with the extra 'e' on grill; grill is a cooking surface, grille is the part of the car in front of the radiator, right?
One of my favorite restaurants in Pittsburgh on one of my favorite blocks for food! I had a David Bruce Pinot there that was one of the best wines I've tasted ever. A great recommendation by an attentive staff. They have a great menu, that should please almost every taste and budget. Also they have a very nice selection of after dinner drinks to compliment their dessert offerings.
dang, sounds good. thanks for the post, will have to check it aht.
I’m always confused with the extra ‘e’ on grill; grill is a cooking surface, grille is the part of the car in front of the radiator, right?
One of my favorite restaurants in Pittsburgh on one of my favorite blocks for food! I had a David Bruce Pinot there that was one of the best wines I’ve tasted ever. A great recommendation by an attentive staff. They have a great menu, that should please almost every taste and budget. Also they have a very nice selection of after dinner drinks to compliment their dessert offerings.
I have always enjoyed my visits to Sonoma. When I worked downtown, I would have lunch there occasionally, and they hosted events for us several times. The staff was always very professional and accommodating, and the food is outstanding. It's a very refreshing menu, and seems to have something for everyone. The prices are reasonable (especially for a nice downtown restaurant) and the atmosphere is really a joy. I would highly recommend Sonoma Grille!
Thank you for using local food sources! Much appreciated.
I'll be sure to try Sonoma. It sounds delicious!
I am not a fan of the Sonoma Grille. Their food is very good, but I feel like it is the most overpriced place in the city. I am not a portions person, so my opinion isn't that it's not enough food. The food is lovely. I eat there fairly often because of my job and I am always disappointed in the service. Our waitstaff is always slow and always mixes up an order. The service paired with the atmosphere makes it feel like a common cafe. Now, I love Seviche. I love their eclectic bar, their excellent range of food and their service.
The last time I went to Sonoma Grill I got a wonderful appetizer and, of course, some wine. The server knew the exact wine pairing for the appetizer. Yummmy.
The last time I went to Sonoma Grill I got a wonderful appetizer and, of course, some wine. The server knew the exact wine pairing for the appetizer. Yummmy.
The last time I went to Sonoma Grill I got a wonderful appetizer and, of course, some wine. The server knew the exact wine pairing for the appetizer. Yummmy.
Thank you for using local food sources! Much appreciated.
I have always enjoyed my visits to Sonoma. When I worked downtown, I would have lunch there occasionally, and they hosted events for us several times. The staff was always very professional and accommodating, and the food is outstanding. It’s a very refreshing menu, and seems to have something for everyone. The prices are reasonable (especially for a nice downtown restaurant) and the atmosphere is really a joy. I would highly recommend Sonoma Grille!
I have always enjoyed my visits to Sonoma. When I worked downtown, I would have lunch there occasionally, and they hosted events for us several times. The staff was always very professional and accommodating, and the food is outstanding. It’s a very refreshing menu, and seems to have something for everyone. The prices are reasonable (especially for a nice downtown restaurant) and the atmosphere is really a joy. I would highly recommend Sonoma Grille!
Thank you for using local food sources! Much appreciated.
So which happy hour is really better? Sonoma or Seviche? I suppose I'll have to find out.
So which happy hour is really better? Sonoma or Seviche? I suppose I’ll have to find out.
So which happy hour is really better? Sonoma or Seviche? I suppose I’ll have to find out.
I'll be sure to try Sonoma. It sounds delicious!
I’ll be sure to try Sonoma. It sounds delicious!
I am not a fan of the Sonoma Grille. Their food is very good, but I feel like it is the most overpriced place in the city. I am not a portions person, so my opinion isn't that it's not enough food. The food is lovely.nn I eat there fairly often because of my job and I am always disappointed in the service. Our waitstaff is always slow and always mixes up an order. The service paired with the atmosphere makes it feel like a common cafe. nnNow, I love Seviche. I love their eclectic bar, their excellent range of food and their service.
I am not a fan of the Sonoma Grille. Their food is very good, but I feel like it is the most overpriced place in the city. I am not a portions person, so my opinion isn’t that it’s not enough food. The food is lovely.
I eat there fairly often because of my job and I am always disappointed in the service. Our waitstaff is always slow and always mixes up an order. The service paired with the atmosphere makes it feel like a common cafe.
Now, I love Seviche. I love their eclectic bar, their excellent range of food and their service.