Roving Pittsburgher Report, Mangiare Bene! PapaGallo Cucina in Bridgeville

Roving Pittsburgher Report, Mangiare Bene! 

PapaGallo Cucina in Bridgeville

When my friend and publisher Joyce Faulkner asked me to meet her at Papa Gallo Cucina in Collier Plaza in Bridgeville,  I was more than delighted always willing to try out a new restaurant especially an Italian one.  Joyce was so excited she said it was truly an experience to experience Chef Len Spampinato's hospitality and the amazing daily specials and the ambiance of the restaurant. 

Well she did not lie about a single thing.

There were so many wonderful things on the menu that I did not know where to start but I settled on one of the daily specials which was a chicken and fresh pear salad with fresh blue cheese.  Wow.  Joyce does not eat carbs and Len accommodated her with a plate of chicken salad smothered in cheese with fresh vegetables.  Also on the specials was chicken with mushroom and blue cheese risotto.  Chef Len's combinations are unique and delicious.

PapaGallo's hours are short during the day

Mon – Fri: 7 AM to 2:30 PM
Sat: 8 AM to 1:30 PM

He rents out the restaurant in the evening for private parties and lends his incomparable gourmet talents to private catering in the evening.

Len's breakfast offerings range from the traditional eggs to the exotic including Huevos Rancheros:  Spiced Black beans topped with two eggs, spicy tomato salsa and melted jack cheese; over warm tortillas.and also Rebecca’s Omelette which is 
Freshly Whipped Eggs with onions, artichokes and melted Feta cheese or Triple Berry Pancakes.

For lunch you can have Fish Tacos, Crab Cakes or Pesto Chicken Panini or a Vine-ripe Vegetable Panini or anyone of the amazing specials that Chef offers daily. 

Cannot wait for my return trip to try many more of his signature dishes.

Now here is something that you won't find a restaurant owner doing.  The atmosphere was so delightful that we stayed way to long and the restaurant was about to close but I wanted to take home some of what looked like and proved to be the most amazing chocolate chunk cookies ever.  Unfortunately as Len said, "They go fast." But he was accommodating and offered to make some for me as we chatted.  What a guy! Should have asked if he had any single brothers. So here are pictures of Len making his amazing cookies and I left with the warm aroma of the cookies tempting me on my drive home.

Did I mention that Chef Len is Sicilian and so am I, so there is a bit of nepotism here.  But truly if you want to try some legendary, unique Sicilian cuisine then this is the place to do it.  But as we say in the Burgh" yunz gotta get up early" because Papa Gallo is only open most days until 2:30 PM.  ""Mangiare bene!

Collier Town Square
1597 Washington Pike
Bridgeville, PA 15017

(c)Joanne Quinn-Smith and PositivelyPittsburghLiveMagazine.com 2014

Joanne Quinn-Smith, Award winning internet radio broadcaster, blogger, author and internet radio and TV network editor and publisher. Joanne is the owner and CEO, Creative Energy Officer, of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates, a successful Pittsburgh-based marketing company. She is a grandmother and great grandmother, an unlikely trendsetter for online journalism and broadcasting. Joanne is internationally known as the “Get Your Google On” Gal. But better known as Techno Granny™ to over one million accumulated online listeners worldwide. Joanne has created a revolutionary online NEW MEDIA platform in Internet broadcasting, blogging and other social media participation that represents the new second generation of World Wide Web interactions, known in technology circles as Web 2.0. JQS is the online publisher of PositivelyPittsburghLiveMagazine.com, an online community magazine to disseminate the Positive News for Positive Pittsburghers. PPL Mag is Pittsburgh’s First Internet radio and TV network with syndicated channels and online radio and TV capabilities. 

Center Plate Restaurant Takes Center Stage

Center Plate Restaurant Takes Center Stage

by JoAnn Forrester

94 Center Church Road, McMurray, PA 15317

724-260-5300

Penny Folino

Penny’s back and are we glad!

This past Saturday, TechnoGranny, Joanne Quinn- Smith and Nano Granny,  JoAnn Forrester, took a ride over the hill and through the woods to Penny Folino’s new restaurant, Center Plate, in McMurray Pa. It is easy to get to, right off Rt. 19 South at 94 Center Church Road.  It was a beautiful fall day and just right for a drive.  And if you had to get lost (and we did, no matter what TechnoGranny says), it was the day for it with a brilliant blue sky, comfortable temperatures and a full tank of gas.

It was a great day to eat at a new restaurant.  I am so glad that Penny opened up shop again.  This lady knows how to make you feel special and serve you scrumptious food.  Hooray for Penny!

 We had a great time talking to Penny Folino and her partner, Lenny, as they told us about opening the new place.  They emphasized how everything is cooked from scratch and everything is fresh and made there under the supervision of Executive Chef Matthew Hellen.  As we talked, we sampled the food.  Oh my!  It was good!  So good that both Joannes stopped talking just to eat for at least 10 minutes.    Now that is some kind of record.   Two Greeks and an Italian not only stopped talking but stopped gesticulating with their hands.

Penny and Lenny, Co-owners

Center Plate is open 7 days a week, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.  We sampled a wide variety of food, from appetizers to soups to dinner to desserts.  Every dish was very satisfying.   Penny and Executive Chef Matthew Heller have put together a menu meant to please - and it certainly does.

For starters you have to try the crab cakes - no breading,  no fillers, just crab cakes deliciously seasoned.  Then the Bougatza Meat Pie, another fantastic item.   The Avolegmo (Lemon soup) has just the right touch of lemon, you gotta try it.

 Sausage Rustica:  Pasta with fresh tomatoes with a vodka sauce, roasted red peppers and onions. A dish you must taste.

Now the main courses.  I went for one of the great dishes on the Mac & Cheese Board, Mac & “Balls:”  Penny’s homemade  meatballs, chopped up and baked macaroni and cheese  with Parmesan cheese and  butter bread crumbs. Better than Mom used to make. I also sampled the Chicken Marsalla.  For those who love Chicken Marsalla it’s a must try. 

After all this food, we tasted a dessert:  Chocolate Pie and Almond Torte.  What can I say?  They were the final touch of a great evening.

The menu is reasonably priced and for those who live in McMurray, I am jealous. For the rest of us its about 6 miles South on Rt. 19 from South Hills Village.  Catering is also available for your special holiday needs..or anytime you  want to serve a special meal.

Oh!  By the way, Penny will be having a wine dinner on November 8 from 6 to 8:30.  A good way to taste wines and the foods that go with them.   Nice treat for special clients and those for whom you wish to do something nice.

In short, folks, make your way out to Center Plate in  McMurray Pa.  It is good to say, “Well, Hello, Penny.”  

She is back where she belongs.

Roving Pittsburgher Good News Reporter, JoAnn Forrester is the Host of "Empress of Biz, Reinvent in Rugged Times," a business Talkcast syndicated on PPLMag, Pittsburgh's First Internet Radio and TV Network.  You can hear JoAnn and Business friends every Thursday at 9 AM on the TalkShoe network or archived later at:  http://pplmag.com  Jo Ann is also a regular business tip columinist at the Pittsburgh Business Times.