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EVEREST’S MOMOS WERE FILLED WITH WELL-SEASONED, SLIGHTLY SPICY CHICKEN
A NEIGHBORHOOD DRAW {BY ALEX ZIMMERMAN} When Hemi Braunstein lived in Israel, he hung out in coffee shops where, he says, “You sit and meet people and talk about politics or sports.” But when he moved to the United States in his late 20s, “I was missing that. It seemed like a very closed society, unless it involved alcohol.” That was part of the impetus for opening Make Your Mark Artspace & Coffeehouse, a joint venture with his wife, Amy Siebert, tucked away in a small Point Breeze business district. The décor, like the all-vegetarian menu, is locally sourced. Mosaics and paintings by regional artists line the walls. There’s also an expansive magnetic board lined with sketches, like a community refrigerator door. The menu features a few staples: baked goods in the morning, and hummus, wraps, paninis and salads for lunch. Also featured are a few rotating daily specials, including a vegan soup. A recent panini special featured asparagus, grilled kale, roasted-garlic spread and feta, which balanced well with fresh, juicy tomatoes and the multigrain bread. And while the vegetarian fare is mostly Siebert’s domain, Braunstein prides himself on the fair-trade coffee; he promises all beans are roasted within two weeks of consumption. The iced “dirty chai” (chai with a shot of espresso) is a favorite meant to be sipped on the back patio. And while Braunstein acknowledges that “it might cost a little more, or you might have to wait a little longer,” Make Your Mark doesn’t want to be “just another coffeehouse.” AZIMMERMAN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
6736 Reynolds St., Point Breeze. 412-365-2117
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{PHOTO BY TERRY CLARK}
{BY ANGELIQUE BAMBERG + JASON ROTH}
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MOMOS AND MORE FROM NEPAL
HEN IT RAINS, it pours, and right
now, it’s raining momos, a.k.a. Nepalese dumplings. In the past year, two Nepalese restaurants have opened in and around Pittsburgh, with another soon to follow. Our first Nepalese dining experience taught us about the cuisine’s distinctive amalgam of Chinese and Indian traditions and whetted our appetite for momos, which are filled with assertive flavors and pursed in delicate wrappers. We sought a second momo-licious meal at Everest, in the South Hills. Located in the same mini-strip mall as an established Nepalese grocery, Everest occupies a pretty spare space, with most of the decor provided by a bold swath of red paint and blown-glass pendant lights. An adjacent room with a pool table appeared to
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 07.02/07.09.2014
Momo and chicken tiki masala
be a sort of clubhouse, not part of the public accommodation, supporting the idea of the restaurant as a hub for the nearby Nepalese immigrant community, as much as an entrepreneurial effort.
EVEREST 4042 Saw Mill Run Blvd., Brentwood. 877-650-2694 HOURS: Daily 10 a.m.-10 p.m. PRICES: $2-9 LIQUOR: BYOB
CP APPROVED On the other hand, the fellow in charge on the night we were there — who acted as our host, server and the restaurant’s seeming general manager — wore the many hats of the small businessman. He told us
he’d just hired a new chef and apologetically handed us a handwritten menu of the kitchen’s new Indian specialties, which hadn’t made it onto the printed menu yet. He also warned us that our extensive order might take some time, but assured us he would bring things as they came ready. We were amenable to this, but the 55 minutes that passed from submitting our order to receiving the first dish tested our patience, not to mention our kids’ restaurant manners. Fortunately, the wait was — mostly — worth it. Momos were available in chicken or vegetable — both the Nepalese and the Indian menus contain extensive vegetarian options — and we tried both, steamed. Most dumplings, whether East Asian or Eastern European, tend to rely on mild-tasting