I've been to Lidia's for both brunch and dinner. It has large portions of food that's more interesting than the average spaghetti-and-meatballs-type Italian restaurant, but it's a wee bit pricey for what it is and nowhere near as good as Felidia's in New York. The restaurant itself is pretty, bright and colorful. Some of the food is excellent (manicotti with spinach and mushrooms, and the pork shank), but some of it is bland or just off. For example, the salmon with lentils had no seasoning on the salmon at all and way too much vinegar in the lentils; and the Caesar's salad, while OK-tasting, was made with so-so-quality lettuce and was more like something you'd expect at a place serving food at a third of the cost. Brunch is a good deal if you like desserts (all you can eat tiramisu, cannoli, cakes and tarts) but the antipasto table is blah and the entrees are less good than at dinner or lunch. Even though it's been open over a year, Lidia's has the feel of a restaurant that's still trying to get its act together. It lacks the bold, cohesive food philosophy that people love about Lidia's books and TV show, and the service falls a bit short, too. (-- The servers seem to be trying hard to be nice but they are all so tense that they screw up a lot. It sort of smacks of a tyrannical or misguided management, but I don't know. ) All in all, I guess Lidia's-Pittsburgh is worth a visit, but Eleven, just up the street , is just a few dollars more expensive, and a world above in quality.
Pros: Some dishes are great, decor is nice
Cons: Inconsistent quality, some real flop-dishes, tense & fumbly waitstaff
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