The front of Pork & Beans‘ menu.
*NOTE*: Neither Richard DeShantz, Keith Fuller, nor Pork & Beans asked me to write this post. I am just a friendly Pittsburgh foodie and yogini, who enjoys sharing her foodie and yoga adventures with others. Photos captured on an iPhone 7s, and edited with Adobe Photoshop CS4 Extended and Instagram.
Pork & Beans (Richard DeShantz’s latest restaurant! This time, he has partnered up with his buddy [and former owner of Root 174] Keith Fuller) opened up in October 2016 in downtown Pittsburgh (not too far from the 6th Street/Roberto Clemente Bridge). Ever since then, I have been WAITING to dine at this restaurant! Luckily, my first opportunity presented itself in late December, when one of my best friends from high school returned home for the holidays. 🙂
First, I must say Richard and Keith created such a cool environment for Pork & Beans. Once you walk in and are seated at your table, you feel as if you have entered into THE best Southern-style picnic!
Meal #1 at Pork & Beans (Clockwise from upper left-hand corner): Collard Greens, Vegan Pulled Pork, and Burnt End Beans (with grilled sourdough bread, picked onions, cabbage and pickles).
This was my first time I tried Collard Greens, and I absolutely LOVED them! I even brought the leftover Collard Greens home, and enjoyed them as part of my dinner the next day. 😉
The Vegan Pulled Pork was pretty darn good! It tasted very similar to regular Pulled Pork. Knowing Keith Fuller had a few Vegan dishes on the menu at Root 174, I had a hunch he added this to the menu (which this particular night, the Vegan Pulled Pork was a special). I really enjoyed spreading the Vegan Pulled Pork on the Sourdough bread, with a few of the pickled vegetables on top.
Last (but certainly not least) THE glorious burnt end beans! Besides my Mom’s baked beans, these were THE best beans I’ve EVER had (and very hot)!
A close-up of the VERY tasty Collard Greens!
In summary: the first visit to Pork & Beans was a MAJOR success! I left absolutely loving the atmosphere, customer service and food! I easily convinced my Mom to go to Pork & Beans in the beginning of May (before the Chris Botti concert).
Meal #2 at Pork & Beans (left to right): Pickled Vegetables, Pulled Pork, and Broccoli Salad!
I absolutely LOVED the Pickled Vegetables (especially taking a fork-full of the Pulled Pork, and adding a few of the pickled vegetables to the bite)!
I must be honest: the Pulled Pork was okay, but I’ve had better Pulled Pork from Whole Foods.
The Broccoli salad was good, but not great (not as good as the broccoli salad my Mom used to buy from Giant Eagle).
So dinner #2 is complete, and I am feeling underwhelmed. Fear not, there’s still hope!
Mom and I both ordered the new dessert: Bourbon Pecan Pie (from Piebird, and up-and-coming business that will be located in the Strip District), with a scoop of Leona‘s Vanilla Ice Cream on top!
Now THIS was really good! The Pecan Pie might just be better than my Mom’s Pecan Pie (sorry Mom), and how can you go wrong with Leona’s Ice Cream? I have enjoyed most of their Ice Cream sandwiches, and the few pint flavors I’ve tried thus far. This was the highlight of dinner!
I’m not sure if my Mom and I just caught the restaurant on an “off-night” or what, but I still have hope and confidence in Pork & Beans. As long as they keep that same quality they had during the first few months they were opened, I know Pork & Beans will be another successful Richard DeShantz restaurant.
Next up: Pittsburgh Restaurant Week Winter 2017 dinner at Avenue B.
-Friendly Pittsburgh Foodie
Mindful Pittsburgh Foodie 