Alchemy N’ Ale

I think it’s a pretty adorable spot and worth a try. Our meals were very good tasting but priced a little too high for what they were. The servers were kind of the aloof hipsters who make you feel stupid for asking questions about the menu, but at least he managed to keep our drinks fresh, the attitude of the staff in general kind of made me feel out of place eating there with my dad, who always asks questions. You know that whole hipster pretension thing that is plaguing a bunch of Lawrenceville at the moment?
I was really impressed with my scallops over this wonderful creamy polenta and then when I returned they changed it to over a red pepper risotto, which really didn’t speak to me the same way but both times the scallops were really well prepared. My dad go the Frito pie when I went with him and that was definitely a heart attack in a bowl, decadent to say the least but probably not priced appropriately for ground beef, cheese and frito chips baked in a crock.
I’d go back again, but there are a lot of other places I want to try first.

I ate here for dinner last night with my girlfriend and parents.
After being seated in the dining room I noticed how dark it was
whenever everyone in my party had a slightly hard time reading the
menu. Our server came over to us shortly afterward to offer us
drinks. He twice had to go back to the bar to see what was on draft
and never mentioned anything in bottles even though they seemed to
have a fair amount. A beer list would have come in handy and I hope
that they make some up in the future. I ended up ordering a draft
Slyfox IPA while everyone else stuck with water whenever we were told
that they were out of iced tea.
Before we ordered our food the server mentioned that they were out of
a few other things: salmon, scallops, the chicken thighs and mixed
greens although they could substitute romaine for the mixed greens.
Our table was disappointed as this eliminated 3 of the 10 entrees that
they had. Even so we decided to order the hummus as an appetizer. It
came out with fried pita circling a large bowl of hummus. While I
really enjoyed the fried pitas, some other members of my party did not
as they thought it was overly fried and thus, too crunchy. The hummus
itself was underwhelming and seemed to have come right out of a
container. For my entrée I decided on the macaroni and cheese with
bacon. It came out with a nice crust on the top and a fair amount of
bacon. The taste was good and cheesy but it was also pretty runny for
mac n cheese as I had a hard time eating it with a fork. I did enjoy
it and it filled me up even though I was worried about that whenever I
had originally ordered it. Both my girlfriend and my mom ordered
different wraps but agreed that they were dry. I also find it comical
that they asked my girlfriend how she would like her steak cooked for
the wrap. The reason for that is that it ended up being what we think
was Steak Ums. The fries that came with her wrap were good and seemed
like they were freshly cut. My father ordered the fish n chips and I
did not hear anything good or bad about it so it must have been ok.
The bottom line for me is that I would probably not head back here to
eat in the future. In general the food seemed to be hit or miss with
half of the components on a dish good with the other half not so good.
I also found it bizarre with how many items they did not have when we
visited. With all of that being said, I still like the idea and
location of it and could see myself going for a drink.

The spinach and artichoke, was very VERY good. Probably my second favorite ever, behind Culpepper’s in my college town of Indiana, PA. I was skeptical about the flimsy pitas that came with, but I think had they been thicker or fried, it would have been such a heavy dish. The small unassuming pitas kept it light, and kept the focus on the dip.
I got the fish and chips, which was also very good. I asked for tartar sauce, and alas, they did not have any. But they had one better — their remoulade — which went very well with the fish.
And they had Arsenal cider on draft. Perfect!
We had a chance to chat with the manager, who is super nice. Great restaurant, will definitely be back.

Have been here twice, great experience both times. Great service and great food. Salmon was delicious, perfectly cooked and the side of cauliflower gratin was crazy good. Boyfriend loved his crab cake over dirty rice. In fact, he said it was the best meal he’s had in awhile, which would be insulting if I had cooked recently. Luckily that’s not the case.
Great live music every Thursday.
Great experience, super confused by all the negative reviews.

I didn’t know what to expect when coming to A n’ A for a drink. I was actually impressed, it was smaller inside than I anticipated, but felt like an intimate place to grab a drink or bite to eat. I liked the décor — it just made me feel comfy.
I had the Circus Boy Magic Hat bottle. It was really good — I like hops and wheat beer and this was a great combo of both.
The waitress was very friendly and it wasn’t overly crowded for a Friday night. While we didn’t order food here, the waitress mentioned that their Shepherd’s pie is a big hit.
I would come here again and this time try out the food.

Place is kind of small, but I’m a fan of the décor & atmosphere. Low-​key, cozy, quaint, dim-​lighting, wood benches and tables, and very friendly & attentive service!
What I liked the most about this place is that the food we tried was definitely better than your-​standard-​gastropub grub and it had a unique flair to each. I mean, if you’re going to go out to eat, you want to eat something that is different from what you can make yourself! And if you’re going to go to a gastropub for some flavor-​packed, calorie-​filled, heavier foods, you’re definitely going to want it to taste DELICIOUS!
We had the Mac N Cheese, Shepherd’s Pie and Fish & Chips. All were yummmmy!
The Mac N Cheese got the seal of approval from the BF, who is a huge Mac N Cheese fan and really wanted to try Alchemy’s version. Very Cheesy, but not too greasy.
The Shepherd’s Pie was pretty good though and, even though I was expecting to taste more truffle, had lots of flavor.
Most impressive was the Fish & Chips. The batter was different from any other I have had before and soooo yummy! I’ll definitely be getting that again next time.

A friend of mine suggested Alchemy ‘N Ale for a nice birthday dinner and I was super excited to accept because I have been waiting to try this place since it opened but haven’t had the chance. There were definitely some hits… and unfortunately some misses.
For starters I ordered the alchemy fries that the whole table shared. The truffle gravy was obviously the highlight of the dish, it was very rich and flavorful. The fries themselves were quite inconsistent, some were cut thinner which resulted in delicious crispy fries but others were cut thick and therefore left a little limp. The crispy kale was a nice addition to the dish.
J and I also split the mac ‘n cheese which has the description of «better than your own». If that’s the case, they haven’t had mine (I don’t mean to toot my own horn, but mine is pretty damn good, if there’s ever a Unilocal potluck i’ll be sure to make it). It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good, just bland. If you’re going to hype something up, you better follow through.
As an entrée I got the beet carpaccio which was absolutely delicious (however, I am slightly biased on this dish seeing as how I have an insatiable appetite for beets) and J ordered the crab cakes. I stole a bite or two of those crabby patties, they were tasty but a bit on the small side. J was really pleased by the rice with bits of pork belly that accompanied the crab cakes. May i add, he wasn’t too keen on the mac ‘n cheese either.
I ordered a bloody mary which was good but by no means great. Blue Dust’s bloody mary blows A&A out of the water. The «ale» selection lacked in quantity but makes up for it in quality… I guess.
To sum it all up, this is a new place that has a lot of kinks to work out, they don’t have heat lamps so food comes out as it is done which resulted in my friend having to sit there and watch us eat for almost 10 minutes before she got her pasta dish (she insisted we didn’t wait) and prices are a bit high for the quality of some of the food. Don’t get me wrong, I do not mind paying a pretty penny for excellence, but A&A just isn’t there yet… I believe they are hoping to cash in on the gastropub trend.

Ugh! I want to LOVE this place.. . but:
This weekend my wife and I went out to eat here for my birthday. I liked the place, having gone there with my Dad a few weeks ago, and wanted her to get to try it. The plus side is, she really liked the food. I did too.. . sorta (explanation follows).
They were out of a few things, but I decided pumpkin pierogies sounded awesome and different. She got steak.. . rare.. . as usual. We got mussels for an appetizer and the sauce was fantastic! I always want to drink what’s left as soup, but I didn’t, cuz I’m klassy.
They brought out my wife’s steak (cooked just the way she likes it, bleeding as if stabbed) and chose that moment to inform me that they were out of the pumpkin pierogies. Now I’m very easy going when I dine out. I’m mostly just excited to have someone cook and clean up and try new things. But if you’re out of something the time to inform them is not as you bring the other person her supper. I stared blankly at the waiter (who seemed sort of «new») and said, «And you’re telling me this now?»
I eventually settled for skillet-​seared scallops with bacon on honey-​siracha polenta. They were good, if somewhat over-​sweet, and we were going to cap the evening with coffee.. . but they were out of it, so we settled for their version of a molten chocolate cake. After a few minutes they stopped over to the table to inform us they were out of that as well. At that point it seemed appropriate to say, «we’ll take our check now».
Although the owner, and both waiters came to the table to apologize for effing up my dinner so spectacularly, when the final check came, there was no «hey, sorry about your dinner, we took one of your cocktails off the check» sort of gesture, and I admit I was thinking they would do that. Not that I expect it, or even ask for it when it’s not given (unless it’s a total debacle) but it’s still something that a «good» gastropub should do.
I was mostly disappointed because I really wanted my wife to have a good experience there so I could convince her to go back, and it was my special magical birthday week dinner.. . and they botched it.. . so I tucked my birthday tail between my legs and we went home.

Haters be damned, Alchemy and Ale impressed me tonight. While dining with a friend yesterday, I was tipped off that my Groupon would be expiring in the next two days. Great, I know that Groupons usually mean long waits and a a certain disdain for the people using them by the time servers are exhausted with the rush of forgetful cheapies near the end of a groupon’s life. Hey, it’s not my fault — if I could use it day of, I would… My mind has wandered by the time they’re active, though.
I arrived at the door to a jovial man who simply asked my name and wrote it down on a notepad — no wait time offered, didn’t even ask how many were in my party (maybe it doesn’t matter). Regardless, he was willing to talk after what I assume to be an influx of people slowed down. The space is small: Upon entering there is a bar with two bar tables to the side on the right, a dividing wall, and a ‘bistro’ area with probably 10 tables or so. The décor is cute, the dividing wall has fake ivy and streetlamps to give an outdoors-​indoors feel. We were seated in about 15 minutes.
We were seated and immediately given glasses of water, and the short black-​haired waitress asked if we had been there before. We told her it was our first time, and she went off on quite an in-​depth speech about her favorite items on the menu and why she enjoyed them, touching on probably 70% of the menu unprompted. When asked about vegetarianism and nut allergies, she was extremely accommodating. This girl provided service that I thought was top notch — slightly informal, but passionate, and a desire to make sure the customer is happy. The line «The chef will do his best to make sure no nuts come anywhere near your plate» shines in comparison to the usual «uh, the chef says he uses nuts, is it like. I mean will it kill you?».
We chose our entrees on her recommendation, and being lovers of the mighty beet, we also chose the Beet Panzella ($ 9) — roasted beets, caramelized goat cheese, chunks of bread, arugula, supposedly new to the menu. The flavors in this dish were excellent, the bread soaking up the beet juice, and the goat cheese was phenomenal. This was my favorite dish of the night.
One complaint I have about the dishes here is that it seems like the chef doesn’t like to use too much salt, which may be good to some, but I like salty food — even though I hate to use a salt shaker when I go out. Regardless, I found it to be a common theme throughout the meal.
Our entrees arrived, my girlfriend getting some sort of mushroom pasta dish ($ 14) and me opting for the shepard’s pie ($ 16) that the server raved over. I don’t eat mushrooms, so I can’t speak for that, but the shepard’s pie was served hot in a decently sized portion. The quantity was not so large, but this was quite heavy and I was hurting by the end of it. The flavors were good, the truffle stood out well in the gravy, the potatoes were extremely smooth and creamy, and the short ribs at the bottom were tender enough to eat with a spoon. When I got to the bottom of my dish, I snuck a couple shakes of salt onto it. Yeah, even better.
My girlfriend took over half of her entrée home, and I finished mine but sit here with quite a lump in my stomach — I could have easily stopped half way through without much regret, so the portion sizes here are large enough to split a starter and an entrée between two if you aren’t super hungry. I thought the service was outstanding and the food was good — including the price of our groupon coming to around $ 40 was a steal.
I was hesitant to come after reading the recent reviews An’A has been getting, but I have to say I would love to come back. Maybe they’re stepping their game back up?

On paper, I really like what Alchemy ‘n’ Ale is trying to do here. But in practice, and I really hate to say it, a lot of things fell apart.
So I got a Groupon for this place when it first opened, and I was super excited about it. Got a little nervous as I noticed more and more mediocre reviews, but we went in for dinner on Friday with an open mind. Easy parking across the street, easy to get a table. Our server strolled by to describe the drafts and give us the bottle list. I got a draft of Michigan Pumpkin Spiced Ale, which I didn’t like very much but that’s my fault for not tasting it. Strong spice flavors, like cinnamon and cloves, and there was a sugary rim around the glass which I didn’t care for. Oops! I’ll taste it next time.
So we drool over the menus before ordering an appetizer of Salt-​Roasted Beets. And let me say — I really need to rake them over the coals for this one. This dish is described thusly: «Chilled, crème fraîche, peppered greens, pickled grapefruit, chives, lemon oil.» In reality? Someone roasted a beet. Then it got cooled down and cut into random size wedges. Someone put the wedges in some salty-​watery liquid, then put them on a plate next to some arugula. No. No. Nothing about this was $ 8. The beets had this sort of filmyness on them from the liquid that was really unappetizing. Nowhere did I get «pickled grapefruit, chives, lemon oil.» or crème fraîche for that matter! I mean, really. This was ridiculous. And I love beets! It’s hard to get me to NOT enjoy beets! But somehow, they succeeded.
So we awaited our dinner, somewhat nervously. So my boyfriend’s «A ‘n’ A» burger arrives — that’s a burger with blue cheese, caramelized onions, port glaze, and probably some other stuff. We are told my food is coming shortly. At LEAST five minutes go by, no sign of my food. My boyfriend shares his fries with me until we finally decide to just start eating his burger. When I took my bite, I took a look to see if it was properly cooked medium-​rare. What I saw on the inside was, frankly, uncooked meat. I am sure of this. I’m not being picky. The texture was different — it was the texture of raw beef. Like a patty that hadn’t been thrown on the grill yet. No. We stopped a server to mention both that my food didn’t yet exist, and that my boyfriend’s food was basically not finished cooking.
The server took it back, and a few minutes later came back to apologize, saying both she and the chef totally agreed that this burger was not currently in a state of being edible. She said, «can I get you a drink on the house? Or a shot?» We said yes, and as she went off to get the shots I thought to myself that I’d rather have been offered, you know, a free burger. Or something. We still had beers to drink and hadn’t really planned on taking shots. In retrospect, I think it’d be better service to take something we had already purchased OFF the bill instead of giving us a free something we weren’t going to get anyway. But we didn’t really feel in a position to negotiate when she suggested shots, so we accepted. My boyfriend got lured in by the word «Jameson,» turns out the shot was something like Jameson + butterscotch schnapps, tasting much more strongly of schnapps than Jameson, with an orange juice chaser. Kind of weird, but okay.
So a little while later, my boyfriend’s burger appears and I am told that my Shepherd’s pie is still cooking and will be out soon. What in the hell? Seriously, 5 minutes later, my food appears. Why is that happening? There are only two of us! I understand when you have large parties, the meals get staggered. But you can’t time a burger and a shepherd’s pie to be done at the same time? Seriously, it kind of sucks. I was starting to believe my shepherd’s pie didn’t really exist, and then it arrived, bubbling super hot from the oven. My boyfriend’s burger was properly cooked this time, so he got to eat it — and quite liked it, I think — and I got to eat my pie. I liked my food too — it was pretty simple and traditional, but rich with meaty gravy and yummy potatoes. If the food had been brought out this way to begin with (and those salt-​roasted beets didn’t exist), this could’ve been a 4-​star review. But alas.
We finished our food, I needed to take some of mine to go since it was humungous, and then we got our check. Now, our server told us later that he was training so I forgive him this, but he put down that I got an $ 11 beer on the bill (when really it was $ 5), which I’m really glad we noticed and brought to his attention. Not down with accidentally paying twice as much! When we left, we pretty much agreed — the servers did their best to make up for our experience, but we’re pretty much scared away from Alchemy ‘n’ Ale. I really wanted to love it, but sadly I didn’t even come close.

The hubby and I stopped by Saturday night for a quick bite and something has changed here. The lovely Brit was still there waiting tables with as big a smile as ever, but she was tending bar as well. Hmmm. Where’s Richie? Oh, he and another bartender are gone and now working the bar at Static in The Strip. The amazing Brit and another waitress handled the bar AND the floor all by themselves and did it well, I might add. So there was some lag time — to be expected when the joint is so understaffed. But why?
I had the scallops atop a delicious polenta, crowned by 2 big slices of bacon. No veggies. The polenta was cold, good, but cold. Three out of the four scallops were sweet and beautifully caramelized. The 4^th was browned well, too, but was just this side of being bad — I pushed that one aside. Why 2 whole slices of bacon? I love bacon, but it wasn’t a Devonshire… perhaps if the bacon had been crumbled and scattered over the tops of the scallops? And why no veg? Had I been aware of that fact, I would have been happy to order a side veggie or a salad. Even a green garnish would have helped the all beige plate!
The hubster had the fried chicken. Meh. Boneless chicken does not qualify as fried chicken. It lacks the depth of flavor and dries out without the bones! He was underwhelmed. Again, no veg. And no bread basket either. ???
The Moscow Mule, as usual, was superb.
What’s going on A & A? Staffing problems, food quality missing the mark, empty tables and spots at the bar are not looking good. Oh… and please hand out fresh, clean, unrumpled menus… the ones handed to us looked waaayyy past their prime and set a bad tone. Print up new ones and, if you have to, laminate them and wipe them off occasionally to keep them clean, please.

For those that may not have time to read the entire review. The food is ghastly, the service is horrid– avoid this place like the plague.
I don’t like to write negative reviews. However, it is what it is. The only thing positive I can say about this place is the décor is pleasant, albeit the size of the dinning area is extremely small. My husband and I actually eat here 2 months ago. I had hoped once time passed, I could be more fair about the experience as I was completely aghast after dining here. I sincerely hope the owner (s) of this place will try to improve the establishment. In restaurants, as in life, you need to be humbly enough to learn from your critics. Else, I would be very surprised if this restaurant will be here even 24 months from now.
When I first heard about this place I was very excited to check it out. What especially caught my attention were the statements that this establishment would have organic beer. However, when we arrived they actually did not yet have organic beer yet. Bummer. They should not be telling people they do, if they do not. Let down number 1 of many.
My husband ordered mushroom soup. It was bland, cold, and the mushrooms hardly looked like the «wild» mushrooms their menu purported them to be. It does not take a genius to figure out the difference between wild and mushroom farm mushrooms. We were speaking about this quietly amongst ourselves when our waitress interrupted us and said she would get a manager. It was a little creepy that our waitress was spying on our conversation but we let it go and waited to see what the manager said. The male that arrived to our table, calling himself the manager was abrasive and rude. Instead of apologizing for the bland, boring, cold soup that was served, he was defensive and the first words out of his mouth were «I hear you don’t like my mushrooms» followed by a self-​righteous snort.
The soup was taken off our bill, which would have left us satisfied enough to not mention a negative word about it– but with a creepy wait staff and buffoon for a manager one must share this experience so that would-​be diners won’t waste their money on this place. The food is terrible and bland while the staff are arrogant and dim-​witted.
I ordered the mussels as an appetizer. It was awful. They were dirty– no one bothered to clean them properly and half of them were completely closed. How does a restaurant serve such a thing? It is a wonder they have not killed anyone. I was honestly so put off at this point I almost canceled our dinner. And I should have.
My husband had the greasy, bland Shepard’s pie. Which does not make sense to me. If they are using fresh ingredients how can they screw up such a simple dish? Has no one told the kitchen staff that salt and pepper are used to season food? Mind boggling, really.
I ordered the A n A burger. It was overcooked and a under-​seasoned greasy mess. One would think with amazing burger establishments nearby such as Burgatory and BRGR — if you dare to serve a burger it should be AT LEAST as good as the competition.
We were excited to finally get the check so we could get out of there. The manager was right outside the door, smoking about 1 foot from their front door. Not that I expected much less.

This place is great. I had brunch here with a few of my girlfriends on a Sunday. We started our brunch with some great drinks: mamosa’s, sangria, and bloody mary’s. The sangria was one of the best I have ever had.
We were seated at a charming table that was meant for a king & queen. The large seats and table were all made of wood and went perfectly with teh brick walls.
We were treated with delicious pastries while looking at our brunch menus. You could tell the pastries were fresh and there were a variety of them.
The menu for brunch had a variety of delicious items such as drunken french toast, chicken and biscuits, crab & shrimp ceviche, and fruit and yogurt. The food was delicious and served timely. The group ordered a variety of things with the drunken french toast as the most popular item. Everyone seem to enjoy their food.
The service was great and the people were very friendly. The bartenders and waitresses seemed to love what they did and created a laid back atmosphere.
One item to note is that there is no air conditioning. It was warm on the day I went and the room was not uncomfortable but it could be if the place was packed.
I would reccomend the brunch to anyone. It is completely worth the $ 20 for the food, friendly service, and décor.

We went in today for Brunch. Without a reservation, we were concerned about a wait. But getting a table was no worry.
We were greeted right away by Brittany. BJ got his favorite Bloody Mary and I got a Mimosa. My drink was one of the best I have ever had. We also loved the pastry basket. My fav was the cute little sweet roll covered with almonds. So good. The spicy jams were also a very nice touch.
BJ had a difficult time with his choice, but ended up picking the Chicken and Biscuits. I was anxious to try that much Unilocaled about Drunken Stuffed French Toast. I have to say, I was very disappointed. I did not like it at all. Not good. Didn’t like the combination of flavors, didn’t like the crispy crap it was dunked in. I couldn’t even eat more than two bits. I believe that even if I was the drunken one, I still would not have liked it. Also, my eggs tasted weird. The sausage was the only edible thing on my plate and even it was a bit hard and not moist at all. Strange. BJ’s meal on the other hand, was good. He finished up every bite. I even had a couple. The chicken was good and so were his potatoes.
The best part of our meal were the drinks and the service. So, we are still on the search for the perfect brunch. Boy, we didn’t find it here!

After seeing the numerous reviews for A N’ A I HAD to give it a try! It was a pleasant Friday August evening, and luckily the rain stayed away since Darren and I had to wait outside for nearly an hour before a table opened up. The owner (?) of the establishment did keep checking on us and gave updates on how much longer he thought we’d have to wait. There is a menu posted outside the restaurant doors and we had plenty of time to mull it over.
Once seated we were happy to already have our mind made up as to what we wanted to eat and wasted no time giving the server our order. We started with the Steak Tartare: «fresh, chopped rare seared fillet, pickled shallot, mustard crème fraîche, garlic brioche toast». This is a first for me so I do not have anything to compare it to, but did enjoy it greatly. Just not sure it was worth $ 14.00.
I then proceeded to order the Crab Pierogies. Lump crab meat, bacon, fresh corn, old bay grilled onions, sour cream. These were rather good as well! I didn’t want to run out of the delicious crab stuffed dough pockets but alas I did!
I also ordered a Moscow Mule, as I saw it mentioned in other reviews and was very curious. Ginger beer never tasted so good! Served in a copper mug! What with the price of copper I teased that I was going to take the mug home. Darren, who isn’t much for booze, even enjoyed this drink! Reminding me a bit of ginger ale (YUM!).
There was no air conditioning and we both were sweating in the tight crowded dinning room before we even got our entrée. The trendy crowd was loud and in no rush to leave A n’ A. I passed the time singing along with the 80’s pop tunes blaring from the speakers. «Set me free why don’t you babe. Get outta my life why don’t you babe…» Gotta love Kim Wilde. Good times! Be warned though, it is a little pricey.

Alchemy ‘N Ale is an establishment that I’d despise if I were in my right mind. The reasons for my mixed feelings are as follows…
*The clientele leans decisively towards the yuppie/​hipster crowd. I genuinely didn’t think people like this existed in Pittsburgh. It was as if a movie was being lensed during our visit and everyone aside from Kay, myself, our server, and a gent we’ll call The Alchemist (a fellow I assume is the owner) were background players. These people were living, breathing stereotypes and were on parade along with their seemingly expensive dates. If you are one of these people, this is the light to which you will fly, the fish bowl in which you will be gawked at. If you’re a working-​class socialist like me, you might feel somewhat out of place, especially if you come here straight from a menial, grimy job like mine.
*AnA is an agent of gentrification; let’s be clear. The prices are not going to agree with everyone’s wallets. Mine felt particularly sore after having had dinner here. An appetizer, two entrees, two desserts, beverages, and one mixed drink cost me nearly $ 80!
*There is no air conditioning. As if it wasn’t awkward enough for me to have come here straight off the clock in my cargo pants and pocket t-​shirt, I was sweating like Phil Knight being held hostage by an anti-​globalization group. Fortunately, we were seated at a table way in the back on really high stools. The Friends, Sex and the City, and MTV reality show cast-​offs were too busy to notice us anyway. That cloak of invisibility works after all.
*On a Friday night, your patience will be tried as you will have oodles of downtime prior to getting a table. Kay and I sat on a bench watching various characters pass by, The Alchemist occasionally coming out to see if we were still there, hunger aches and all.
«Man, you guys are in LOVE,» he commented when he saw us holding hands.
Our most affable host was the only person in the house dressed as casually as I…
This long interval (2 hours!) did give us time to glance over the menu, which was displayed outside. Once I spotted Steak Tartare and Lobster Roll on the yellowed scroll, there was nothing else to consider.
This was my first brush with Steak Tartare, and no I didn’t go Mr. Bean over it.
This filet was chopped into fine chunks of rare filet, involved mustard crème fraîche and pickled shallots, and was ring-​molded for our viewing pleasure. This wasn’t the raw egg-​adorned heap of meat paste I’ve seen on television.
And enjoy it I did. In truth I was surprised at how subtle the flavors were, and that might be my only possible gripe about it. This having been my introduction to steak tartare, I’m not sure whether or not needed more seasoning. In spite of something being marginally, vaguely amiss to my palate, Kay and I ravaged the flesh-​disc like hyenas.
Then came my Lobster Roll, complete with a liberal portion of massive, peeled, thrice-​cooked french fries.
I suppose I’m in the minority about the lobster roll because I relished it for the most part, even if the tryst was fleeting. Is the heaping helping of fries, fantastic as they are, designed to compensate for the less generous lobster roll? I finished it in a trio of bites, but those bites of the cold, burly, «butter-​poached» lobster chunks were astounding, especially when coupled with the kind of thick, sweet, spongy bread that peanut butter and banana sandwiches were made for. The mayonnaise is allegedly, «handmade,» which is partially what caused me to order it. If so, I think that the mayo could have used a splash of citrus to really make it shout. Nonetheless, I was pleased with it overall.
Kay’s Crab pierogi made me green with envy with but a taste. As if lump crabmeat wasn’t enough, bacon, corn, sour cream, and grilled onions dusted with Old Bay crashed the party. Baba’s ‘rogi these aren’t; a tattooed roller derby queen rocking a babushka lovingly invented them.
Dessert for me was a wheel of divinely creamy graham cracker-​crusted Key Lime Cheesecake. Dessert for her was a Triple Berry Crème Brulee (?). Each was a sugary, successful end to a meal made interesting through its minor imperfections.
Beyond genial service was the order of the evening. The Alchemist (my nickname for him is more fun I think) went out of his way to make us feel welcome, patting each of us on the shoulder, checking on us periodically — essentially treating us like old friends. Our waitress treated us in much the same manner, almost doting on us in a cute way. It was as if they sensed my skepticism and wanted very much to win me over, and they did. The prices might keep me from coming to A ‘N A often, but I will surely cast a shadow on their doorstep again sometime, somewhen…
P. S. The Moscow Mule is a plot to turn me into a lush.

I just want to share about what an amazing brunch I had here on Sunday! If you’ve got good french toast, you’re most likely going to win me over. But with the name Drunken Stuffed French Toast, I may just be in love!
The french toast is filled with lemon ricotta and bourbon spiked peach compote. They were everything you’d want them to be and more. Crispy on the outside, creamy dreamy deliciousness on the inside! It comes with eggs your way and sausage or bacon. Another mega plus… it’s a Champagne brunch, YES! You can also get a Bloody Mary… but I’m a fan of the Champage, so this was a no brainer for me!
Did I mention they also serve up some delectable pastries and fresh jam to nosh on before your food comes out. I am ALL ABOUT the complimentary bread baskets.
Slap down 20 bucks and you’re good to go for the rest of the day because believe me, you’ll be stuffed!

I had a great time at Alchemy N’Ale!
What we tried:
Alchemy Fries (sort of the steak fry variety with good flavor, not my favorite but that’s because I prefer thin fries. Definitely a stellar version of the steak fry!)
Broccoli (this was great and the home made cheese crisps tasted like upscale cheetos which may not sound great to everyone, but I loved it!)
Pork Belly Entrée (definitely good if you are sharing because it can be very heavy, but delicious)
Shrimp Boil (another great entrée to share, and there was definitely a lot of food here! The sauces that accompanied were delicious especially the bloody mary cocktail sauce!)
Overall the food was solid, nothing very new or innovative but solid gastropub fair that made me want to come back and try more!
Also the Moscow Mule is TO DIE FOR! It is the perfect cocktail ice cold and not too sweet.

Alchemy N’ Ale is just what «The Other» Lawrenceville needs. Butler St is hot, and the trend is rapidly spreading from LOLA on up. We have been 6 or 7 times since opening night, and have always had an awesome experience. The owner, Dave, is really friendly and actually lives in the neighborhood (props for community commitment). He has staffed his restaurant/​bar with very personable and engaging employees, who welcome and remember you. The atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable, perfect for happy hour or an impromptu bite.
I have to say that we were pleasantly surprised by how delicious the food is… as a constant dieter, I’ll admit to being overly familiar with the house salad; but A N’ A’s salad is something to be remembered. Fresh and local, with house made tortilla strips decorating the top and a lite, summery herb dressing to finish. The bite of my boyfs burger that I tried was deliciousssss too, and their fries with the port gravy superb.
We did brunch once so far and will definitely do it again– the cornflake-​crusted french toast was killer, the complimentary mimosa refreshing.
Only thing I’d say needs work is the lighting at the corner end of the bar, as it seems there isn’t any. But really, NBD. Overall, this place is great. Endearing plus, there is a water bowl for dogs out front.
Check it out, I’ll bet you’ll dig it.

firstly, this place has a great vibe — cool exposed ductwork & brick, reclaimed wood behind the bar, and a clean separation between the bar & main dining area.
secondly, the staff was super-​helpful and nice. richie was totally spot-​on behind the bar and made it a point to introduce himself to us, show us the menus (even though we weren’t eating and just wanted to creep on it), and explain the drinks to us.
thirdly, the joint carries both local & other domestic quality beers on-​tap (bell’s, east end brewery). and, the moscow mule?! goddamn delicious. comes in one of five frigid copper cups (richie told us these are $ 30/​piece — so, if you’re gonna drink one of these at the bar, they want either your CC or driver’s license so they don’t disappear), tastes like ginger, and is full of delicious booze with no taste of it!!!
can’t wait to go back and try the food, including both styles of beets (is that weird?!)…and hopefully give the fifth star!