01/11/2018
Located at 2701 Penn Avenue in the heart of the Strip District, Preeti’s Pit first opened its doors mid-December.
By Shivani Gosai | Opinions Editor
The Strip District’s newest addition, Preeti’s Pitt, is sure to become a local hotspot. Serving up classic American and soul food dishes makes this lounge a step above the rest. However, if they truly want to expand their reach, the owners will have to implement some serious organizational skills.
My first impression wasn’t a great one. It took a few a days for me to actually get to try the food, since their kitchen was never open during the times they claimed to be. It also doesn’t help that their hours are not posted anywhere other than their door, so you have to resort to calling them or simply winging your arrival.
I was pleasantly surprised by the interior of Preeti’s Pitt. The restaurant has a unique layout with a bar and stage, a lounge area and an open kitchen lined by counter seating. The environment was clean and we were greeted right away. My friend and I sat on the counter in front of the kitchen, and made friendly conversation with the cook and owner. Although they treated us like family right away, they didn’t offer us menus or anything to eat until we asked. Their priorities didn’t seem to be the (only) customers sitting right in front of them, which was odd.
Its menu featured items such as wings, fried lobster ($25), burgers ($20), various seafood and cheese steaks ($14). They also offer sides such as linguine, mac ’n’ cheese, corn and green beans. We decided to order the fried shrimp, which was eight pieces, and fried chicken sandwich. Both orders came with fries. The eight piece shrimp was $27 and the chicken sandwich was $14.
It was really cool to see the food cooked right in front of you. The shrimp and chicken were hand-breaded and served to us in a matter of minutes. Imagine hibachi, but for soul food.
The chicken sandwiches are made to order, meaning you can get anything such as jalapeños or pickles on it, as well as pick what type of cheese you’d like. You get a whole chicken breast, so it’s a proper sized sandwich. The breading on the chicken was not too thick, and it had a generous amount of cheese on it. The bun itself was pretty average, but it didn’t take away from the chicken. Out of 10, the sandwich rates at 7 1/2. The shrimp was by far the best out of everything. They were jumbo shrimp breaded and fried, which sounds simple but somehow, it turned out to be extremely flavorful. The shrimp were not overly breaded; they tasted fresh and had the perfect amount of seasoning. Out of 10, the shrimp is rated at an 8.
The fries were pretty spectacular, too. They were thick-cut and resembled Pittsburgh’s favorite fries from Potato Patch at Kennywood Park. I would give 8 out of 10 for the fries as well.
Preeti’s Pitt offers a great late-night hangout for students, although some of the items are pricey. The restaurant does, however, have discount days such as Soul Food Sunday and 60-cent wing night on Mondays. Be on the lookout for DJs and bands that are set to perform in the future as well. The “sports bar” type ambiance is great for a late-night bite or to hang out and watch the game. The food is delicious, but the organization needs some serious work. If you’d like more customers, make yourself available to them! Make yourself, and your hours of operation, known online. Preeti’s food is too good to suffer from such a lack of managerial effort. I hope to try Preeti’s Pitt again soon when they’ve really straightened out all the kinks that come with opening a new restaurant.
