Tavern 245 finds niche in Downtown dining scene
In Chip Hamilton's opinion, Downtown Pittsburgh has an abundance of fast-food places, as well as upscale restaurants.
But he believes there is a gap between the two extremes. That's why Hamilton, a former petroleum engineer, opened Tavern 245 on Fourth Avenue.
"We are trying to create a niche that's not being met Downtown," says Hamilton, 42, a Greentree resident. "My vision was of an affordable lunch menu with good food. The most expensive thing here is $12."
Tavern 245 is a welcome addition to the Downtown dining scene. Open for only two months, the casual, two-floor eatery already is making a name for itself. Offering 135 seats upstairs in the main dining room and 30 seats downstairs in the lounge and bar, Tavern 245 is funky yet comforting.
The weekday lunch crowd has been steady, and happy hour, with the half-price drafts, has been hopping, Hamilton says.
"Great service and atmosphere are important, but good food brings someone back," he says. "I have an awesome chef — I give him tons of credit. Jay has great creativity and has put his mark on this place."
Hamilton is talking about executive chef Jay Lewis, a California transplant who worked at Palomino for 11 years, starting in Dallas in 1999 and moving to the Pittsburgh location four years later. When Palomino closed, one of the managers there urged Hamilton to talk with Lewis.
"I met with Jay," Hamilton says, "and I didn't look back."
Lewis is a 35-year-old dynamo with a wide smile who whizzes around the narrow kitchen at a breakneck pace. He has been a chef for 12 years, and likes to blend North American, Latin American and European flavors in his cooking.
"The menu was a challenge, but I did it in three hours," Lewis says. "I'm self-taught, never went to school for this. I had a friend in the chef world who asked if I wanted to work for him. And hey, look where I am today."
The menu focuses on small plates and sandwiches, several salads and homemade desserts. Lewis serves a delicious tomato mushroom basil soup every day, and offers an additional soup of the day as well. Some of his more popular small plates include his homemade guacamole and tortilla chips; soft tacos; seared orange ahi tuna crusted with cracked black pepper; smoked chipotle hummus; and garlic basil calamari.
Sandwiches feature sliders such as pulled pork with fried onions, seared fillet with caramelized onions and roasted red pepper, and grilled chicken with smoky bacon and American cheese. The Tavern Hamburguesa is the restaurant's signature dish, boasting an Angus beef patty seasoned with Mexican spices and topped with homemade guacamole and chipotle mayonnaise, layered with Colby jack cheese.
Diners will find classics with a twist, like a turkey BLT wrap in a whole-wheat tortilla with fresh avocado slices and provolone cheese; caprese chicken with mozzarella and sliced tomatoes on a ciabatta roll; and a blue cheese burger with smoky bacon and crispy fried onions and cheddar cheese.
His homemade desserts sound delicious — seasonal fruits in a graham cracker crust with vanilla bean ice cream and caramel drizzle; creamy chocolate mousse in a graham cracker crust with fresh whipped cream; and strawberry shortcake with fresh whipped cream.
"We get our food from US Foods, and our produce from SunFresh in the Strip District," says Lewis, an Overbrook resident who enjoys mountain biking on his days off. "Everything is made from scratch. There are seven cooks in the kitchen with me, and we put out 175 lunches on a good day."
Hamilton is pleased with how Tavern 245 is being received, and says most of their customers are professionals who work Downtown, and city residents. His goal is to provide the best food around at the most affordable price.
"We are building our happy hour and dinner crowd," says Hamilton, who says he couldn't do it without the support of his wife, Mindy. "Anything that happens after 8 is all gravy."
Caprese Chicken Sandwich
Chef Jay Lewis is sharing his popular open-faced Caprese Chicken Sandwich with Cooking Class. This delectable dish is easy and filling, perfect for a Steelers game.
Lewis suggests serving the sandwich with some tasty parmesan french fries and a glass of East End Big Hop Beer, which is brewed with pepper. For wine lovers, he suggests a nice chardonnay or pinot grigio.
• 1 (6-ounce) chicken breast, sliced lengthwise
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic butter
• 1/2 loaf ciabatta bread, cut in half
• 2 slices fresh mozzarella
• 2 teaspoons red pepper pesto
• 3 slices Roma tomatoes
• 3 fresh basil leaves
• 2 teaspoons balsamic reduction
• 1 teaspoon premium olive oil
Season each side of the breast with kosher salt and pepper. Place on a medium-hot grill and cook for 4 to 5 minutes (see Photo 1 ). Remove to a plate.
Spread the garlic butter on the bread and place on the grill for 1 minute (Photo 2) , then remove to a plate.
Place a fresh mozzarella slice on each side of the warm chicken breast. While the cheese is melting, spread the pesto evenly on the bread (Photo 3) .
Place the chicken on top of the pesto (Photo 4) , followed by the tomatoes.
Place the basil on top of the tomatoes, and drizzle with the balsamic reduction and olive oil.
Serve immediately with your choice of a side dish.
Makes 1 sandwich.
Additional Information:
Tavern 245
Cuisine: Eclectic bar food with a twist
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, noon-10 p.m. Saturdays. Lounge open to 2 a.m.
Entree price range: Small plates and sandwiches are $12 or less
Notes: Major credit cards accepted. Handicapped accessible. Half-price drafts for happy hour Mondays-Fridays.
Address: 245 Fourth Ave., Downtown
Details: 412-281-4345 or www.tavern245.com
