Pittsburgh has a lot of unique and great cuisine but has very few options when it comes to Central and Eastern European dishes. At least it did until Brick Shop opened its doors. Located in the TRYP hotel in Lawrenceville, Brick Shop gets its name from the beautiful brick walls and decor.
Served from 6:30 am to noon, the brunch menu has a bunch of unique options. We started off our brunch with the hard-boiled eggs. This might sound like a very simple dish, but I can say with complete confidence these were the most delicious and gorgeous looking eggs I’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying. The egg slices circled the plate and were served with pickles, aioli, and adjika for some additional flavor.
This next dish was a first for me. The creative minds of Brick Shop somehow figured out how to transform borscht into toast. Topped on black bread, the exotic creation combined beet tartare, red onion, sour cream, and dill. The very Instagramable dish had a balanced flavor, thanks to the welcomed sour cream texture that calmed down the beet taste to leave a subtler impression.
Moving on to what has become a staple item at Brick Shop, I grabbed my fork and prepared for the yolk break of the khachapuri. Now there is a right and wrong way to eat this one. First, take your fork and swirl the cheese, milk and yolk combo so it spills over the side of the bread bowl – feel free to have a friend Boomerang this beautiful moment. Next eat from the ends to the inside, dipping the dough in the gooey center until you end with the heart of the bowl. After you take your first bite, you’ll quickly understand what all of the fuss is about.
Once the buttery bread bowl was devoured, we got some vegetables in our lives and shared the breakfast salad. I’m a firm believer that everything is better with an egg on top and that also fits for this salad in addition to the potatoes, radish and lettuce mix.
To end this brunch feast we sampled the Brick Shop breakfast. Two eggs over easy, bacon, kielbasa, fried potatoes and toast. At this point we were stuffed, but how could I say no?
Want to learn more about Brick Shop?
Instagram: @brickshoppgh
Facebook: facebook.com/brickshoppgh
