INGOOD TASTE
Candid conversations with the dining scene’s most engaging chefs
Grainne Trainor, Owner, and Eric Leibering,
Executive Chef, Blue North Restaurant
Blue North Restaurant
1701 Duncan Ave., Allison Park;
412.369.9050, bluenorth1701.com
On the Menu:
This contemporary American cuisine is a
curated menu of seasonal fare beginning
with Starters, such as Filo Wrapped Brie
Cheese featuring a cherry-walnut chutney;
a Fried Catfish Taco of caper-chive tartar
and red cabbage slaw; Strip Steak Rolls
that are thinly sliced N.Y. Strip stuffed with
goat cheese, black olive tapenade in a bal-
samic reduction; a Sweet Potato Agnolotti
made of baby spinach, sage brown butter
and pickled peppers; Kataifi Shrimp with
an apple-walnut salad, celeriac puree,
apple gastrique; a crispy wonton stuffed
with Sesame Seared Tuna served with sri-
racha aioli, sweet soy and cucumber salsa;
Duck Spring Rolls; and the Flatbread of
the Day, grilled and made fresh daily. On
the Soup, Salads and Sandwiches menu,
grilled cheese croutons accompany the
Tomato Bisque; a mix of spinach and kale
with a toss of dried cranberries, almonds,
goat cheese and maple vinaigrette make
up the Roasted Beet Salad; and the Red
Cabbage and Spinach Salad features duck
confit, walnuts, goat cheese and balsamic
vinaigrette. Sandwiches range from a
House Ground Angus Burger topped with
chili, farmhouse cheddar, red cabbage
slaw, yellow mustard and steak fries, to a
Grilled N.Y. Strip Steak Sandwich featuring
caramelized onions, farmhouse cheddar,
horseradish sauce and a side of au jus,
and a Fried Catfish Po Boy of pickled chow
chow, Cajun remoulade and steak fries.
On the main menu, find a Sausage and
Cornbread Stuffed Pork Loin Chop served
with winter greens; an 8-oz. Grilled Filet
Mignon with bacon-wrapped au gratin
potatoes, grilled broccoli and roasted
shallot sauce; a Braised Veal Osso Bucco
served with mashed potatoes, garlic
creamed spinach with a red wine demi
glaze; and a signature dish of Short Rib
Shepherd’s Pie baked in a cast-iron skillet
with Pinot Noir braised short ribs, leeks,
carrots, peas, mashed potatoes and crispy
potato skin—to name a few. A diverse
wine selection and martinis pair well with
any meal. [Note: The menu changes every
three months. Please go to the website or
call for the summer menu.]
Describe Blue North.
G.T.: Innovative and
traditionally presented, our
seasonal American fare is made
with an emphasis on simple,
fresh, local and quality ingredients. The entire
menu is changed every three months. We also
host food and wine tastings twice a month that
sell out, as well as monthly cooking classes.
Our beverage program is as lively and diverse
as our food program, with specialty events
like Bourbon Tastings, private Wine Dinners,
weekly and wine specials, and half-priced wine
nights every Tuesday. Additionally, Chef Eric
has both classic Asian and French training and
I was born and raised in Ireland and bring that
culinary knowledge here.
Q A
What led you to open Blue North?
G.T.: Due to many years in hotel management
throughout the country, I have a wealth of
Grainne Trainor, Owner, and Eric Leibering, Executive
Chef, Blue North Restaurant.
background in classic American cuisine, and
Blue North—just as the United States—is a
classic melting pot of cuisines and cultures. I
became an owner after years in hotels. I worked
for the Ritz Carlton group, Hilton International
and the DoubleTree Group. I co-owned the
Mighty Oak Barrel in Oakmont for 15 years,
and when that sold in 2014, I decided to look
for a bigger space (a space to utilize the vision
and plan of menus, tastings, happy hours, wine
classes, and a host of community-driven charity
events) to be closer to my home in the North
Hills.
Who influenced your cooking?
E.L.: I was influenced by Chef Etienne Jaulin
in classic French fare. I didn’t really learn one
specific dish; there were so many great ones. I
learned mostly techniques that have become
invaluable to me as I work each day in the
kitchen.
What kitchen tool can’t you live without?
E.L.: My chef ’s knife. It becomes an extension
of my hand and I trust it.
What is your favorite go-to ingredient?
E.L.: A simple onion. It’s the start of almost
every dish and it has both great sweetness and
pungency.
What’s the next big food or dining trend?
E.L.: Foraged food appears to be more popular
globally. Also, blends of cuisines, such as Thai,
Chinese and Indian.
Grilled Tuna with crispy black bean cake,
garlic rapini, honeydew salsa with a mojito
vinaigrette.
10
724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE
❘
Roasted Monkfish with red lentils, green
beans, tomatoes, saffron vinaigrette, basil oil
and sweet potato straws.
icmags.com
G.T.: A welcome return to the basics with
simply prepared cuisine. So many restaurants
are producing plates that are so overwrought,
when a simpler preparation would let quality
proteins and vegetables shine; and on the
beverage front: Aperitif—the before-dinner
drink. n
—Reese Randall