The Porch at Schenley Opens in Oakland

Plus, live coverage of the Whiskey and Fine Spirits Festival and accolades for Salt's Kevin Sousa.

BY PM STAFF

Photo courtesy of The Porch at Schenley

Casual eatery comes to Oakland
 At long last, The Porch at Schenley opened its doors on Monday, just in time for the holidays. The menu features casual food with a fun upscale twist. Think rustic bread salad, smoky chicken wings or pork belly with roasted pumpkin. Also offered are a handful of gourmet pizzas—there’s one with fig jam and goat cheese, and another laden with house-cured meats—and hearty options like rotisserie-cooked prime rib, burgers, pan-seared salmon and grilled rib eye. A kids’ menu and some appealing, easy desserts round out the offerings at this come-as-you-are, no reservations spot. Depending on the weather, you’ll be able to eyeball the cool grass roof (green in more ways than one).

(221 Schenley Drive, Oakland. Hours: Mon.-Fri.,11 a.m.-close; Sat.-Sun., 10 a.m.-close. Reservations not accepted; offers wait-list online. Info: 412/687-6724; theporchatschenley.com)
 -Kate Chynoweth, PM Food Editor

Live coverage of Whiskey Fest
Whether you snagged tickets to tonight's (sold-out) Whiskey & Fine Spirits Festival or not, you can still be a part of the experience: Throughout the event, resident nightlife guru Sean Collier will be live tweeting his picks and documenting the “Mad Men”-inspired festivities. So, be sure to follow him on Twitter (@seancollierpgh) to find out what made the cut—and check back next week for a post-event wrap.
-Kristina Martin, PM Associate Editor

Sousa receives nod from Food & Wine 
Here in Pittsburgh, we understand Kevin Sousa's approach to cooking: He pairs ingredients that are, first and foremost, pleasing to his palate. And it seems to work for him—after all, Sousa and his restaurant, Salt of the Earth, were honored four times in our 2011 Best Restaurants issue. Recently, other people have noticed his talent, too: The editors of Food & Wine magazine have included one of Sousa's creations in their list of top 10 restaurant dishes in the nation. Check out the recognition—along with a photo taken by PM contributing photographer Laura Petrilla. Congrats, Sousa! 
-K.M.

Bocktown caters to early birds 
Since Eat Street will be off next week, we wanted to clue you in on what's happening on Black Friday. Whether you intend to set out at midnight after your Thanksgiving dinner has finally settled or wait 'til the morning (at a sensible hour, when the bargain hunters have gone home to nap), you're certainly going to work up an appetite shopping. Fear not, though, because Bocktown is there for you. Starting at 8 a.m., the much-lauded establishment will open its doors for the annual Kegs 'N Eggs event. Unique breakfast fare and various libations will be on tap—along with tastings from Founders Brewing Co. from 9-11 a.m. But, like the retailers, Bocktown has a doorbuster deal, too: The first 50 patrons will be entered to win $100 in Bocktown Bucks. Happy shopping! 

(Bocktown Beer and Grill, 690 Chauvet Drive, Robinson Township, 412/788-2333; 570 Beaver Valley Mall, Monaca, 724/728-7200, bocktown.com)
-K.M.