Pennies From Heaven!: Ten Penny

Dirty Pickle and Rumble

I recently hit one of downtown's newer spots - the brilliantly tagged Ten Penny! Named not only for its location on the corner of Tenth and Penn, but also for the type of nails found inside of the building during the demo/remodel period. The name just fits! It's a nice upscale restaurant with a large bar area located center stage. They have plenty of seating (but I heard it can get crowded on game night!) and a private dining area in the rear. The decor is chic but cozy. I loved the cocktail menu! Cohort did mention that the drink prices reflect having a mixologist and a craft cocktail list. You should simply expect to pay more. We decided to order a few different appetizers and split everything. This is a cool way to experience several different dishes that a restaurant has to offer without filling up on one entree. I really wanted to try the Steamed PEI Mussels, but they were out. We ended up with Truffled Mac 'n Cheese, Crispy Brussels Sprouts, Crabcake and Chicken Curry. I found the most interesting dish to be the Chicken Curry, a spicy dish with tender pieces of chicken served over forbidden black rice. The broth is light and spicy, but the black rice makes it a hearty, flavorful dish.

Chicken Curry

During another visit, Cohort tried the Ten P Burger. A good burger topped with red onion jam, watercress, cheddar and a fried egg. Things do get a bit messy once the fried egg yoke is broken open. The Crispy Brussels Sprouts were AMAZING. I can eat them all day! They have become my new favorite vegetable! I'm unsure if the taste of brussels sprouts themselves have changed or if my palate has matured. Either way, very tasty and the Jack Daniels' glaze makes them mmm, mmm good! We were fully satisfied...no room for dessert! (unless you count those last few cocktails!) http://tenpennypgh.com/

PROS: One of a kind cocktails. Large appetizers and shareables is always a plus!

CONS: Parking downtown......need I say more?