Fried Calamari

Since I gave calamari a realistic try about four years ago (as opposed to a kiddish try, trying to gross out my sister, back in the day) I've loved eating it. But here's my confession: I eat calamari primarily for the dipping sauce. Marinara is my favorite (no surprises there!). It wasn't until this appetizer dish that I realized how much I enjoy calamari for itself. What was really unique about these fried calamari is they were in some sort of a light, flavorful, sweet sauce tossed with slices of candied onions, red and green peppers, and chives. The sauce (even though it was light), fried-ness, and calamari itself were also in perfect balance, which I greatly appreciate, and all in all it was a surprisingly hearty appetizer.

Where you can enjoy this:

The Grand Concourse
100 West Station Square Drive
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
http://www.muer.com/

This is an expensive restaurant, but it's worth the money if you have a special occasion, as I did :-) The main dining hall is in a historic, renovated train station (which, as a designer, had me drooling as much as the food did) and the second dining room is right on the river and looks out over downtown Pittsburgh. If you make reservations, be sure to request one of these two main dining rooms.