INGOOD TASTE
Candid conversations with the dining scene’s most engaging chefs
Sam Sieber, Owner,
Sam’s Tavern in the Wall
Sam’s Tavern in the Wall
211 Commercial Avenue, Aspinwall;
412.782.6542, taverninthewall.com
On the Menu:
Get started with Soups and Starters such
as Chicken Wings, Baked Soft Pretzel
Sticks, Popcorn Shrimp served with
Tiger sauce, Artichoke Flatbread served
on Naan bread, and Fried Lump Crab
Cake—to name a few. Greens and Things
include a Mixed Green Garden Salad, a
Tavern Salad with French fries, a Roasted
Beet Salad and a Fresh Salmon Filet
Grilled Salmon Salad. The Tavern Burgers
include—of course—the Tavern Burger
with bacon, fried egg and smoked Gouda,
a Build Your Own (BYO) Burger, a Grille
Burger and a Veggie Burger. Tavern Sand-
wiches (Sammies) range from a BLT, The
Fish That Fed Pittsburgh (half-pound of
beer-battered fried haddock on a toasted
Kaiser roll), and a Philly Cheese Steak, to
a Turkey Devonshire, a Slow-Roasted Pot
Roast Sandwich, and a Chicken Cordon
Bleu. Entrees (or Full Plates) include
BBQ’d Ribs (half-rack or full rack), Catch
of the Day, Grilled Sirloin Twins (two 5-oz.
steaks), Crab Cake Twins (pan-fried lump
crab meat served with cilantro, lime and
aioli sauce), Steak & Cake (single crab
cake and a single 5-oz. Sirloin steak) and
pasta offerings such as Cheese Ravioli,
Chicken Pappardelle (sautéed chicken,
bacon and peas tossed in an Alfredo sauce
and topped with Asiago cheese), Shrimp
& Grits, and Lamb Bolognese with Penne
Pasta served with a rich tomato, wine and
vegetable sauce. There are daily drink
specials, sports drinks (such as the Pens
Special), specialty cocktails, domestic beer,
wine, premium red wine, imported beer,
draft beer and rotating taps.
Describe Sam’s Tavern
in the Wall.
We serve classic American fare
and we roast all of our meats
on site—including our dressings. Our food is
good, old-fashioned home cooking. I’ve always
liked the tavern feel and Tavern in the Wall
leaves customers feeling good.
Q A
What led you to open the Tavern?
I attended Penn State for Hotel Management
and worked for Houlihan’s after graduation
in Atlanta in 1983. I ended up moving back
to Pittsburgh in 1986. I managed several
local establishments and almost every bar
in Aspinwall, being an almost native to the
neighborhood—I was raised in Aspinwall,
however only moved here when I was 6 from
O’Hara. My interest in the restaurant business
is something that hit me when I was a young
adult. As luck would have it, I opened Tavern in
the spring of 2012.
Sam Sieber, Owner, Sam’s Tavern in the Wall.
What is your favorite dish at the
restaurant?
Our Turkey Devonshire is really great. There’s
also the Reuben and, of course, all of our
Tavern burgers. Our actual Tavern Burger is
served with smoked Gouda, bacon and egg—
and it’s so good. And the Grille Burger with
grilled onions, blackened tomato and Pepper
Jack cheese is awesome, too.
What is your favorite quick meal to
prepare at home?
I haven’t cooked in a while, so I bring
something home from here, like one of our
daily food specials. We have daily specials and
drink specials, too.
What business tool can’t you
live without?
My employees are something I just can’t live
without. Their hard work and their expertise
make work life and the restaurant better.
Other than Tavern in the Wall, where’s
your favorite place to eat in Pittsburgh?
I like takeout from Tai Pei Chinese Restaurant
on Freeport Road in Fox Chapel. I mix up what
I order, but I like the Ta-Chien Chicken and
Vegetables. And, I have to say I like Chipotle.
I’ll usually order the Salad Bowl with chicken.
What advice can you share
with a novice?
It’s important to be consistent. When my
customers order our Turkey Devonshire, it has
to be the same from one day to the other. How
our food is prepared and how our service is
performed is the most important business rule
because it relies on consistent behavior. That’s
the lesson I learned: Consistency.
What’s the next big food or dining trend?
Alcohol-related lower content liquors and
beers. I order seltzers that are lighter in
flavor and alcohol content. That’s definitely
the trend. n
The Reuben Sandwich with
corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and
Thousand Island dressing on grilled Rye.
10
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—Reese Randall