Monterey Bay Fish Grotto   

Stand on the doorstep of Mt. Washington's Monterey Bay Fish Grotto, and you might suspect you're at wrong address -- surely, the corporate-looking brickwork and simple, squared-off awning couldn't contain one of the city's finest seafood restaurants. Behind that stoic veneer, however, is a chic, lively eatery with a view more stunning than that of almost any spot on Mt. Washington (and competition is stiff). Overlooking South Side, Station Square, Downtown and the bridges over the Monongahela, the Grotto's glassy interior leaves you feeling as though you're savoring scallops on the top of the world. The only thing more impressive is the fresh seafood, which includes barbecued clams, salmon St. Jaques with mushroom Mornay, and scallop-and-shrimp teriyaki brochette. True connoisseurs will delight in the selection of cognacs and cigars -- some of the best available in Pittsburgh. (If you really want to get serious, reserve the back room for a private tasting.) Whatever your occasion for coming, one thing's for sure: At Monterey Bay, you reel in quite an evening.