Bobby “The Best Dressed GM” Enjoys Seviche
A couple of weeks ago my wife and I had tickets to the Pittsburgh Symphony on Saturday night. On our way through downtown we decided to grab a bite to eat beforehand. My wife wanted something on the lighter side preferably with fresh fish and tapas style plates; therefore we decided that Seviche was the perfect choice.
The chances of getting seats at Seviche are slim on a Saturday night because of the large theater crowd that consumes the Cultural District. Thankfully we were able to locate two seats at the tapas bar with a good view of the chefs. As I gazed across the crowded restaurant, I noticed the large canvasses that appeared to depict Cuban life illuminated by the soft glow of neon lights. This gave the atmosphere a distinct south beach feel.
Once in our seats, we watched the chefs toss a variety of raw and blanched seafood in metal bowls with selected marinades and spices. We ordered the Pomegranate Mojito which is Seviche’s house specialty drink. This is a well made cocktail that was refreshing yet not overpowering. Once settled with our drinks, my wife selected a variety of dishes to sample.
We began with “Fire & Ice,” a traditional Seviche recipe prepared with more spice adding habanero peppers and red onion and finished off with cool homemade prickly pear granite. Second we sampled the Asian Tartare seasoned with soy sauce, scallions, sesame oil and capers. This dish is presented on sushi rice with nori rolls, white truffle oil, wasabi mayo and Tobiko caviar.
Our meal continued with an order of the Tiradito, a Peruvian style sashimi cured in a balanced mixture of lemon juice, cilantro, red chili and sea salt. The Walu had a buttery texture with a substantial flavor falling somewhere between a scallop and a snapper. The Tiradito was paired with a jicama and calabaza slaw that added an element of freshness and crunch to the dish.
Finally we concluded our meal with the Ahi Tuna prepared with tomatillo and curried mango. The marinade was comprised of lime, jalapeno scallion, red onion, green curry, fresh mango and a disk of blackened tomatillo. This dish was accompanied by plantains and malanga chips, creating a triumph of sweet, sour and salty flavors all complimenting and heightening one another.
At the conclusion of our meal I realized what many patrons of Seviche assumingly already know: That Latin Tapas does not do justice to what Yves Carrau has created at Seviche. In truth Mr. Carrau has brought an entirely new concept of seafood to Pittsburgh; which is one that I plan to enjoy for years to come.
Seviche is located at 930 Penn Ave in downtown Pittsburgh. It’s owned by Yves Carreau who is also behind the Sonoma Grille.