Braddock's Brasserie And Bar- Swank and Upscale Food Without the Pretentiousness

107 6th Street- Pittsburgh

Influenced by a recent Groupon purchase and a raving and tempting blog post from my friend & fellow foodie blogger, Food Collage (click here to see her blog post on Braddock's Food Collage- Braddock's American Brasserie), my husband and I decided to forgo the Pirates game and the sweltering heat and stepped into the lobby of the Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel.  Yes, Braddock's is located just inside and straight back from the lobby of this classy hotel.  The first thing you notice about the place is the atmosphere- swanky and modern. You begin to wonder if you dressed up enough for the joint! ;)  But no worries.  Braddock's caters to all, even those patrons who stop in for a bite to eat before heading to a Pirates game.  Little black dress and heels, or a Pirates jersey and jeans- everyone is welcome & fits right in.

So, let's get to it.

From top to bottom:

• We started out our meal at Braddock's quite simply- with a order of their Frites served with a side of Roasted Garlic Aioli.  The frites were perfectly salted and seasoned with rosemary.  They were light and crisp.  The roasted garlic aioli was creamy, but not heavy- the perfect accompaniment for the frites.
• I ordered one of Braddock's dinner features of the evening as my entree- Filet Mignon served with Lump Crab Meat & a Bearnaise sauce.  The entree was served with a generous side of their Fingerling Mashed potatoes & their fresh vegetable of the day- asparagus.  My filet was grilled to a perfect medium-rare.  I cannot even express how happy this made me.  Lately, my experiences with a steak actually being prepared to a real medium-rare has been few and far between.  The crab meat was actual lumps of crab.  Actual sweet lumps of crab meat.  (You can clearly see that in my photo above. ;) )  The mashed fingerlings were creamy and garlicky.  My one and only complaint was the asparagus.  It had been sliced instead of left in spears, and in the cooking process had lost it's crisp bite.  I am not a fan of mushy asparagus. But the steak, crab, and potatoes were MORE than enough to satisfy me.
• My husband ordered the Braddock's Caesar salad topped with a grilled Gerber Farms Amish chicken breast.  The salad itself consisted of two large and crisp whole Romaine hearts topped with shredded Parmesan cheese, croutons, lemon zest, and a bright Caesar dressing.  We loved the addition of the lemon to the salad.  It really brightened up the entire entree.  The chicken breast was juicy and tender.

What you need to know before you go:

• You will more than likely have to pay for parking.  There is a parking garage that my husband & I always park at for Pirates games directly across the street from Braddock's.  It costs $5 to park there.  Even on game days- it is still only $5. :)
• Most dinner entrees are priced anywhere from $13 to $30.  Lunch at Braddock's is a bit more budget friendly with burger and small plate options available.

For hours, directions, and menus, visit below:

http://www.braddocksrestaurant.com/