Mighty Oak Barrel
Do you seriously believe in supporting your local economy?
Mighty Oak Barrel definitely does! They support local and fresh as much as possible, which meant it was a must try on my recent visit to Pittsburgh. I never got to recap this visit for you so I thought there is no time like the present! We had high hopes (disclaimer!) for the first visit to Mighty Oak Barrel. We started out with salad and soup and wine, of course.
The salad was interesting with a Pineapple Cilantro dressing, golden raisins and feta. This dressing was a very intriguing Chef creation but the golden raisins were a little dry. I was looking forward to my entree and the owner was able to chat with us as soon as the entree had arrived. Chatting about their business, mission, and meals, she also informed us that my steak had been locally butchered only a few days prior. When I say serious about local and fresh, I mean serious!
My entree was the 16oz. Grilled Porterhouse Steak, rubbed with a house seasoning and served with a vidalia onion & djon jam and smashed picnic potatoes.
My date’s entree was the Chicken Pasta, filled with Amish Chicken Breast, field mushrooms & scallions, a spicy sambal oelek sauce, and a locally made bell pepper fettucine.
We took our dessert home. Molten Chocolate Lava Cake with brandy-soaked cherries. This was by far the most delicious part of our experience. Gooey and warm on the inside, moist cake, and a sweet but tart contrasting sauce. Our server even wrote the instructions on the lid for when we got home, so sweet!
Overall Review:
Mighty Oak Barrel was affordable and offered innovative menu options. The atmosphere is intimate and interesting. You can read that as closely-packed tables but superior service. I would never assume their menu based on their location and atmosphere. The food tasted extremely fresh. The molten cake was to-die-for delicious.
Local food, local real food is the key to our economic crisis the way I see it. Food is central to everything-agriculture, resource management, nutrition, economy, and health. I think by Mighty Oak Barrel supporting local growers, it sends an important message that has just begun to disseminate across the US to other restaurants.
The negative? The food was good but not great. The flavors did not seem to compliment each other well for the salad or entree or appetizer. Creativity was there but execution off slightly. I had high hopes, which could very well have messed with my head and taste buds. Furthermore, I had run in 90+ degree heat for 12+ miles just prior to dinner. I had high hopes for an enormous appetite but that failed to come to fruition also. I cannot give my best gastronomic opinion but rather, must visit Mighty Oak Barrel again in the future….In fact, this lady will be up north very soon!
How do you feel about restaurants that try to go local? 
