My new years resolution to has me hitting the road for a half country drive with my best man, Tomithy and here I find myself neglecting my other resolution – to take this blog more seriously and less seriously. That means blogging more often but without the self-criticism and insecurities that have paralyzed me in the past. So here is my new attempt to take you on my food adventures as I eat myself from Pittsburgh to Austin. Enjoy the ride!

After a comfortable, scenic 7 hour Amtrak ride, I was ready for a bite in a new city. I’m even surprised after living most of my life in Pennsylvania, that this was my first time in Pittsburgh. So as they ask in the Steel City – Do you want fries ON that? Actually, it’s your only option.

Sunday night, Tom and I headed out for a quick beer & dinner at a local joint in the Dormont neighborhood called The Saloon of Mt. Lebanon. Tom ordered some wings with “Licker” sauce, which tastes like a sweet BBQ sauce & buffalo blend. Despite the fact that it’s more of a Louisiana thing, I definitely dug it. I didn’t want anything too heavy so I went with a buffalo chicken salad topped with – you guessed it – fries. Waffle fries to exact. It’s safe to say I’m sold on salads with fries.

Monday morning, Tom & I were ready to get this food tripping show on the road, but not without a stop at Pittsburgh’s famous Primanti Bros. for a sandwich. Tom went for the bartender’s choice of pastrami or corned beef (he got pastrami) and I opted for kielbasa – or as they spell it, kolbassi(?). The sandwich that arrived in front of me was not what I was expecting – I knew it would be topped with fries & slaw but thought it’d come on a hoagie style roll. Nope – instead, the behemoth delivered to me was stacked between 2 delicious, fluffy slices of white Italian bread. BE STILL MY HEART!

Another thing I was surprised by was the coleslaw. It was not mayo based like I’m used to, but rather what seemed like just cabbage and apple cider vinegar. A dash of hot sauce gave it a kimchee flavor and definitely took the sandwich to a new level. My only complaint is that I’m a hardcore kielbasa/kolbassi lover (get your head out of the gutter) and the 3 inches of tomato, slaw & fries overpowered the sandwich.

On a final note, the photos above are via Instagram on my iPhone. We got to Primanti Bros., I turned on my camera, and, well, it didn’t turn on. Dre will be upset with me on this one but I forgot to charge it before I left for my trip. Now I’m charged and ready to go!

iPhone (and now Android) users can follow my adventures in photos on Instagram. @SincereFoodLove