Cinderlands Warehouse, A Strip Hot Spot; Green Pepper Features Korean BBQ (Sun., 3/1/20)

A tasting array composed of (l. to r.) Tracks Again Unfiltered Pilsner, Grizzled Canary Grisette, Range of Light Double IPA, and Bougie Pajamas Tea Brown Ale.

1) Cinderlands Warehouse opened Tuesday, May 7, 2019 in the old Spaghetti Warehouse on Smallman Street. The remodeled interior reflects a sparse industrial aesthetic. Cinderlands’ beers are divided into dad beer, hop-driven, farmhouse, stout, tea and coffee, and out there. Dad beers are brewed for mass appeal, the joke being even your dad, who drinks only Bud, will like them. (Tracks Again imparts the familiar, bitter taste of Yuengling.) Farmhouse beers are Belgian saisons and grisettes. Out there beers are experimental. The staff helps to pair food with beer. The menu includes snacks, sandwiches, entrées, and desserts, and the restaurant serves lunch and dinner. Validated parking is at the Hub at 3 Crossings parking garage. Joe Kiefer is the executive chef; Paul Schneider is the head brewer. The brothers Jamie and Steve Warden own Cinderlands. “It’s a nod to the city of Pittsburgh and the history of the steel industry here,” Jamie Warden says. Their first location, Cinderlands 3705, opened December 2017 in Lawrenceville. 2601 Smallman St., The Strip District. (CM)

2) Don’t let the name fool you. Green Pepper serves much more than a single vegetable. In fact, this Korean restaurant has a very full menu. Its website describes “garlbee” (marinated beef ribs) as the “signature fine dining item in Korean cuisine,” and Green Pepper’s garlbee is no exception. Bring a date, and get the “sarm gyeob sarl,” which serves two people. If the BBQ-grilled Korean bacon, which you can hand-roll in lettuce, isn’t enough, the entree comes with fresh vegetables and soup. Most entrees hover around $15 with larger items, like the sarm gyeob sarl, costing more. BYOB or purchase alcohol, from Yuengling to wine to cold soju. For $5.61, BYOC (bring your own cake), and the restaurant will provide plates and silverware. You can also purchase slices of cake at Green Pepper from Sumi’s Cakery, another Squirrel Hill business. Screens playing KPop music videos offer something original in the way of background entertainment. Plus, two elegant, spacious rooms. This is more of a dinner spot, but it is open for lunch on weekends. 2020 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill. (CM)

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