You Need To Eat This: Pittsburgh Food Gets Fancy

Through this weekend you can try all the Pittsburgh classics, but with a fancier, more modern take.

Chef Dave Racicot at Notion in East Liberty is offering a multi-course dinner through Saturday, featuring Pittsburgh food faves like pierogies, Pittsburgh salad, chipped ham and haluski.

These won't be your average yinzer treats though.

For me personally, I love when chefs have an interesting take on pierogies. Although Chef Racicot describes the pierogies he'll be serving as your familiar potato and cheese pierogies they'll also be served with leeks, a roasted onion bouillon and caviar.

He'll also feature a finger food, amuse-bouche version of the Pittsburgh salad, with fried potatoes, ranch, cheddar cheese and iceberg lettuce.

The six-course meal will end with Racicot's interpretation of a Clark Bar, made with custard, peanut brittle and chocolate, for a tasty, but straightforward dessert.

This might seem like you're shelling out extra money to just feel fancy eating chipped ham n'at, but it's not. Chef Racicot was a semi-finalist for the extremely prestigious James Beard "Rising Star Chef" award and received a five-star rating while at Nemacolin's Lautrec restaurant, so you can be sure this won't be the same as eating pierogies in a church basement (although those church ladies do know what they're doing).

This special menu is being served through Saturday and costs $85 per person, or $121 with wine pairings.

The dining room only holds 26 people, so be sure to make a reservation by calling 412-361-1188.