Legendary Cheesecakes

If you are looking for a nicer restaurant to go for a special occasion - or you are looking to dive into the best cheesecake outside of New York City, there is no better place then The Cheesecake Factory!

With two locations in our great city of Pittsburgh (Ross Park Mall and South Side Works) you can't go wrong!

Their menu offers appetizers, entrées and desserts (and NOT just cheesecake). And for you 21 year olds, they got a great big menu of tasty drinks just for us (I love being 21!). They make a mean Peach Bellini.

They are a little pricer, so save up or plan a special event when going here. Their food makes up for the price though - so don't feel bad when you spend $20 or more for one dinner.

Eat Fresh!

If you are looking for a quick, inexpensive and healthy lunch - look no further than Subway (Eat Fresh)!

It has the catchy "Five - Five Dollar - Five Dollar Foot long" jingle (and the funny commericial with the construction men trying to remember how it goes) but it goes way farther than just $5 for a foot long. That foot long will be tasty, cheap and healthy too!

My favorite has to be the buffalo chicken (yea, yea - if you know me this isn't something new) on Italian Herbs and Cheese with Provolone cheese (toasted) with tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and just a little Ranch Dressing. Talk about Bon Appétit (watch "Julie & Julia, seriously).

They also do breakfast now (oooo) and pizzas (ahhhhh) and even soup! And please don't forget their meal deals! A 6-inch sub with (choices: yogurt, chips, cookies or apple slices) with a medium drink is only $7! Aren't WE healthy?

Find your Subway Restaurant.

Update on the Dozen!

So I did after writing the post on Dozen Bakery go visit it on Liberty Ave with a friend. It was outstanding - though the downtown shop is much smaller than I assumed. There is no sitting room and they unfortunately can not warm their foods up.

They have such interesting and delicious foods though. From breakfast to dessert you can not go wrong with Dozen!

This is what's up for the Holidays at Dozen!

And their cupcake menu

And here is their daily menu

'Dozens' of Cupcake Dreams

I have heard about this place in reverent whispers through friends in classes. I have also walked past this place on Liberty Ave. numerous times and have drooled at the deliciousness I saw through the windows.

Let's welcome to the center stage: Dozen Bake Shop, cupcake specialists! This place supposedly serves up the best cupcakes in downtown Pittsburgh with their cozy atmosphere calling to weary, chocolate-craving travelers outside on these mean streets of PIttsburgh.

Could a cupcake be all that good? It is the question on my mind when I heard of this place and honestly I can not answer why THEIR cupcakes are the best, it's just what I have heard. Someone want to go and find out? And bring me back a triple chocolate cupcake as well?




"At the Bake Shop we encourage you stay for a bit, enjoy your coffee and pastry. Heck, why not sit all day! Enjoy the company, the free WiFi, and the yummy made-from-scratch desserts. Our kitchen is wide open so you can see all the desserts being made! And who doesn't want to watch a baker frosting cupcakes? And guaranteed, you'll get the friendliest service from our staff."

I wouldn't mind sitting in there with a cup o' joe, chocolate cupcake piled high with icing and use up the free WiFi!

They do other things besides desserts too! Breakfast, brunch and lunch is advertised on their site too! Mmmm next time I walk by I'm going to have to check this place out!

A 21st Birthday Wish

So for all of you who haven't known, I turned 21 yesterday (December 1st)! And where would a 21 year old hit up on a Tuesday night? BAR LOUIE!

I planned a little dinner shin-dig at Bar Louie over in Station Square for me and my friends. Coincidentally it was Dollar Burger night too - so it was so much cheaper and delicious too.

Every Tuesday night from 5 pm till close Bar Louie serves dollar burgers (that includes lettuce) with extras ranging from bacon (yum!), buffalo sauce to fresh jalapenos. The bacon and cheeses and things are only 50 cents extra and the sauces are only 25 cents extra. And you can get a HUGE basket of tater tots or french fries for like a couple of bucks (and share it with the whole table, because we never finished all of ours still).

Also, to inform everyone my first legal alcoholic drink was a S'mores Martini (looks great, very strong though) from my best friend. But I ended up with a Naughty Irish School Girl which is like heaven on earth (thanks to my friend Danielle for getting her's first!)

They're other foods are not badly priced either and taste really good. Watch out for the alcoholic drinks, they are like $9 each - so just be careful you have a big enough budget for multiples (or have a friend with one).

FYI: Bar Loui will be open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!