INGOOD TASTE
Candid conversations with the dining scene’s most engaging chefs
Lou Bucci, Owner, Bertrand
Bertrand
1910 Cochran Rd., Manor Oaks Plaza,
Scott Township; 412.819.4417.
On the Menu:
Authentic country French cuisine serving
classic fare. Lunch offerings include vari-
ous Quiches, from Epinards (sautéed spin-
ach, roasted tomato and fresh mozzarella)
and Lorraine (Gruyere cheese, smoked ba-
con lardon) to Chevre (fresh goat cheese,
caramelized leeks) and Cote de Pain,
such as Croque Monsieur (Parisian ham,
Gruyere, Dijon béchamel, marinated to-
mato on grilled bread) and Loire (chicken
salad, marinated tomato and spring mix
on a croissant—to name a few. There are
café specials such as Beouf Bourguignon,
Cassoulet (white beans, sausage, tomato
and mirepoix), Hache de Viande (meat-
loaf, beef glaze and pommes Lyonnaise),
Hache de Brioche (a hamburger with ac-
companiments) and Beouf Pommes Frites
(grilled steak and fries). There are fresh sal-
ads including the Bordeaux (baby spinach,
goat cheese, candied walnuts, marinated
tomatoes with a walnut vinaigrette),
Poulet (poached chicken, herb aioli, dried
cranberries, walnuts, celery, fresh pear and
lettuce) and Nicoise (oil poached tuna,
tomato, haricot vert, boiled egg, nicoise
olives, anchovy and lettuce with a lemon
basil vinaigrette) plus a chilled potato leek
soup, called Vichyssoise. Entrées include
escargot, smoked salmon, scallops, shrimp
cocktail, braised chicken, Frenched pork
chop and lamb. The Carre d’agneau aux
Herbes is a half rack of Australian lamb
wrapped in a Dijon mustard and rose-
mary breadcrumb crust. Steak is also on
the menu with a seared New York Strip,
a pan-seared steak, a glazed ribeye and
beef tenderloin. Classic accompaniments
include French beans, Yukon gold potato
mash, blanched asparagus and thin-cut
French fries, of course.
Describe Bertrand.
A French restaurant with a
romantic ambiance. I opened
Bertrand in July 2018 to fill
a void in the South Hills.
Initially, I wanted to serve lunch only until
we were comfortable enough to serve dinner.
The lunch and dinner menus are distinctly
different and preparation is key. The process
took approximately two to three weeks to
offer both. The restaurant seats 38 inside with
seating for 20 on the patio. And it’s BYOB, so
come prepared.
Q A
What led you to open the French eatery?
I came out of retirement to do this French
concept. I was bored. Actually, Bertrand is
my 45th restaurant. Although I’m a native
Pittsburgher, I worked for many years in
California and Colorado. My first venture was
a chain of 18 restaurants in Los Angeles in the
‘60s. Most recently my 44th restaurant was
Tartine on Main Street in the West End. The
43rd was London Grille (15 years ago) at The
Galleria in Mt. Lebanon for 10 years. I opened
London Grille because no one was specializing
in prime rib and Yorkshire pudding, and I knew
it would be well-received. I researched for two
years to find out where the void was in the
South Hills market and this is why I developed
a French concept.
How do you decide on the menu?
My chef, Vincent Meredeth, curates the menu.
He has been with me for seven years at the
various restaurants.
Cotes de Porc.
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Who has influenced your career the
most?
The business aspect of the restaurant industry
inspires me and if there’s a need for a certain
category. In 1972, I founded the company that
became Quiznos. It was called The Starring
Roll and I sold it to Denver chef Jim Lombatis,
who named it Quiznos. Jim and his partners
icmags.com
The romantic interior of Bertrand—a French
restaurant.
did a fantastic job of taking the franchise
national. He sold it to an investment group
about eight years ago.
What is your favorite quick meal to
prepare at home?
I typically eat a bachelor’s diet. However, when
I cook I like to make a thin pork chop or ribeye
steak with a baked potato. I might get any
cooking ability from my parents—my father
was a baker and my mother cooked traditional
southern Italian food.
What is your favorite go-to ingredient?
I use cinnamon, honey and a touch of vinegar
in the few dishes I make.
What kitchen tool can’t you live without?
A chef ’s knife and a bottle opener. I can’t have
dinner without a bottle of Rolling Rock.
Other than your restaurant, where’s your
favorite place to eat?
One of my hobbies is to travel. When I’m in
Manhattan I enjoy eating at Per Se, a New
American and French restaurant in Columbus
Circle, and The French Laundry in Napa,
both owned by Thomas Keller, a chef and
restaurateur.
What advice can you share with a
novice?
Here’s a few—learn how to cook, learn how to
buy product, and hire a good lawyer and a good
accountant. Basically, go to culinary school and
then get an MBA. “Restaurant Business” is two
words and you can’t do the first one without
the second one. Finally, a chef is an artist.
Never give an artist a checkbook.
What’s the next big food or dining trend?
I follow a market need and that’s the trend.
The South Hills was underserved in terms of
a French restaurant. I would rather be one of
none than one of many. n
—Reese Randall