Donatos Fox Chapel is located just off the Waterworks exit, in the Fox Chapel Plaza right off of 28. It is in the same building where Francos used to be. Although Francos didn’t last, Executive Chef Owner and proprietor, Donato Coluccio, has been serving up old world Italian cuisine, fine dining style, since June of 2010.
For those of you that aren’t familiar with Donato Coluccio, he is the former executive chef partner of the Capital Grille Pittsburgh, as well as the Pittsburgh Marriot City Center/Steelhead, and was the corporate executive chef for Shaner Hotel Group. He actively serves on culinary advisory boards around the city, and is a member of the American Culinary Federation Pittsburgh chapter. He has a long list of accolades and awards including, the open tables.com Diner’s Choice Award, and has been listed in numerous Pittsburgh publications. Donato is also extremely involved in community affairs and supports charities such as The American Liver Foundation and March of Dimes, to name a few.
I had the pleasure of attending a tequila and food pairing here a few weeks ago that was nothing short of spectacular, and had vowed to return to see what his daily menu had to offer. It’s a Friday night, and Donatos is hopping. It has a romantically entertaining atmosphere with its open kitchen, immaculate wine menu, and bold colors of red, black, and white. I was enticed upon entry with smells of freshly baked bread.
I was warmly greeted at my table by an older gentleman named Danny. I was very intrigued at how he passionately described the specials of the night, and was knowledgeable in the preparation of each dish. He recommended a crisp German Riesling, or a palate pleasing red blend, which I eagerly opted for both.
For appetizers I chose the crab cake, which paired delightfully with the Riesling. The crab cake was bursting at the seam with lump crabmeat and delicately seasoned which allowed the crab to be the star of the show.
I then feasted on the Donatos Salad which had heirloom lettuce, sweet grape tomatoes, salty olives, and ceci beans with chunks of gorgonzola that seemed to melt as soon as they hit my tongue.
Before I could finish, my entrée, osso bucco arrived. The veal shank, was nestled upon a bed of parmesan risotto, and garnished with grilled asparagus. The gravy was mouthwatering and it was apparent that it had been traditionally slow cooked, judging by how tender and savory the meat was, it was also a spot on pairing with the red wine that Danny had suggested with its warm, and subtle chocolate notes.
By this time I was stuffed, however Danny insisted that I try the house made lemon sorbet, and let me tell you, I was not at all let down with its sweet, refreshing, and velvety smooth taste. It was the perfect ending to the meal.
Bottom Line, I give Donatos Fox Chapel 4 stars for Atmosphere, 4 stars for Service, and 4 stars for Food
Key: Superlative 5 stars , Excellent 4 stars, Very Good 3 stars, Good 2 stars, Promising 1 star
Donatos Fox Chapel
46 Fox Chapel Rd
Pittsburgh Pa 15238
(412) 781-3700 Email: info@donatosrestaurant.com
LUNCH
Monday – Friday: 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday: Reserved for private lunch parties or groups
DINNER
Monday – Thursday: 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Friday & Saturday: 4:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Sunday: 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
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