Primo Reviews
Manases Yatnalkar
I remember when Market Square consisted of not much more than Chipotle, Starbucks, and PPG Place. Luckily things have dramatically changed for the better with the gradual addition of great restaurants.
On a recent visit we decided to visit Pizzaiolo Primo to check out their Neapolitan style pizzas made with an authentic wood-fired oven, as well as their incredible pastas that ended up being the biggest surprise of the night.
We made a reservation in advance and were seated in the downstairs area close to the wood-fired oven. The aromas of the pizzas moving swiftly in and out of the oven wafted over towards us, increasing the anticipation for what was to come.
We perused the cocktail and beer menu but knew we had to go with wine. As is common in Europe, Pizzaiolo Primo offers quarter-liters, half-liters, and full liters of their house wines, which were a montepulciano and a pinot grigio during our visit.
The house wine options are an economical way to enjoy some decent Italian wine with your dinner, as most of the beverages here are quite expensive. We opted for the montepulciano and enjoyed its mild acidity and fruitiness; it was also a great complement to the pizza.
Pizza options here are simple and very traditional Italian combinations that include margherita, prosciutto and arugula, spicy sausage, or mushrooms, for example. We decided to try the margherita DOC with tomato sauce, mozzarella di bufala, and basil.
The tomato sauce had the brightness of fresh tomatoes, and it perfectly accompanied the melty mozzarella and anise notes of the basil. I have definitely never seen a pizza crust this thin in Pittsburgh, that's for sure.
The crust had some nice black spots on the underside and had a good depth of flavor. One thing is for certain- eat your pizza as soon as it arrives at your table. Otherwise the sauce will turn the delicate crust into a soggy mess (a tasty mess, though), just as it does in Italy.
Deliciously al dente pappardelle soaked up an earthy, slightly creamy mushroom sauce while bits of crispy pancetta and flakes of buttery pecorino were dotted on top. The mushrooms on top of the pasta were perfect, but what was impressive was that the woodsy mushroom flavor permeated the whole dish.
For more restaurants in Market Square, check out Revel and Roost or The Original Oyster House. Or, for more reviews of Pittsburgh restaurants, click the previous link to be taken to our directory of every review on Discover the Burgh!
I may be wrong, but I believe the company that owns the downtown location is still loosely affiliated with the Mount Lebanon one. I recall reading at some point that the original owner is still involved even if just on a financial/small ownership basis. This is good to point out though as they may not be run the same anymore like most dual location restaurants are.
Ceramic grills are all the rage these days and for good reason. They give users the ability to both grill and smoke without the need for more than one cooker. Prices range from a few hundred dollars on the very low-end to over $1000 for a premier unit. I consider the Primo Oval XL a premier unit. Below are my unbiased primo 400 XL review.
The oval-shape of the Primo Oval provides ample space inside the firebox to place the hot coals on one side (the left side near the bottom vent is recommended), leaving the other side void of a heat source. This setup creates two truly distinct zones of heat, a key part of many outdoor cooking recipes.
Finally, this cooker is efficient. When I say efficient I mean that I tested it with a full load of quality lump charcoal, adjusted the vents to 225 degrees, and let it run. The outside air temperature during the test ranged from 12 degrees to 23 degrees and the XL 400 maintained its temperature for 17-plus hours! Considering the frigid temperatures at the time of my test, I would say this is more than acceptable.
As good as this cooker is, it could be better with a couple of tweaks. First, the lid on the XL 400 is extremely heavy and the hinge does very little to assist in lifting it. I would love to see a newly designed hinge that implemented some lift assistance.
The XL 400 is prone to have the inner ceramic housing crack and eventually need replacing. Primo has been good in replacing under warranty. The new ceramic comes with a new design a factory stress reliever pre-cut. However same problem has come back to haunt me. Now looking to have it replaced. Maybe a flaw in the manufacture?
Macade: Never tried Macade but their stuff looks really nice.
Primo: Have a few pairs of the primo joggers, they're decent but nothing special. Leaves a lot to be desired. Their sizing is very inconsistent (and they just got rid of free shipping and free returns which is now a deal breaker for me)
Greyson: Have a Q-zip and joggers. Price is silly. Overpriced for sure (quality is not what i was expecting for paying that much)
I found another brand called that you might want to check out:
Avalon Golf: Joggers, shorts and tops. They are by far the most reasonable as far as pricing and quality (material too) products are very good. The fit is also very good (if looking for a more modern type fit).
Avalon Golf: Joggers, shorts and tops. They are by far the most reasonable as far as pricing and quality (material too) products are very good. The fit is also very good (if looking for a more modern type fit).
I have 2 pairs of the primo joggers. They are pretty nice I guess but haven't really put them in to play much. They are really thin and not really enough for colder weather golf and there just isn't all that many days wear I need a thin pant. Usually it's thicker pants or shorts for me so the primo joggers have a tough time finding a place to fit in. However they are functional off the course so I guess that's a plus for some. I like that there is a zipper at the ankles so that they don't ride up too high.
Fit for me was much better (i prefer a more tailored golf pant and avalon joggers fit the bill). The primo fit was pretty weird in the hips and thighs IMO. As far as waist size, i had a hard time with this with primo joggers - one pair waist was too tight so had to exchange for larger size. THen on my next purchase from primo, the waist size was too large, and had to exchange for a smaller size. So now i have a size 32 and size 34 primo pant - that are almost the same waist size.
Id say the Avalon waist is true to size - aligns with my jeans waist sizes. i own 5 pairs of their joggers now - 3 pairs of the players joggers and 2 of the tour joggers. Slight differences in the two - main one being the material, if looking for a stretchy(er) and thicker material the Tour Joggers will be best. Their Players joggers are thinner (although they dont seem as thin as the primo jogger). The Players are also sized a bit different than the Tour Joggers with the Tour Joggers being a bit tighter overall (more slim fitting).
in my opinion their players joggers are most similar to primo in terms of material/sizing. although i personally like the material on the Tour Jogger the most, and i prefer the fit (bit more slim) on the tour ones too
I bought some UNRL hoodies and Primo hoodies last week. The Primo one is nice and fits well but it's a thin material. Since it fits pretty well you can't really later underneath, at least not a long sleeve. The hoodie laces also could get in the way while swinging if you don't tuck in. Ialso got primo joggers and they fit well and comfy. Ordered a little taller size and it worked out. I would not wear either of these on the course if it's less than 50 deg though.
I got the avalon players joggers in today. I like the material, but the fit is too big. Going to exchange for the Tour in the 32. I had ordered the Players in 34, but I'm swimming in the waist. Length was good.
I reached out to Avalon, they sent me the size 32 in both the Tour and Players to try. Both fit great, the tour is the winner, although I'm keeping both. The tour if more fitted and more stretchy, while the Players is stil fitted, but a tad looser and the material is thicker. I'm actually buying 2 more pair. For the price, Avalon is hard to beat. They are miles better than primo.
interesting! IMO I would say the sizing is on par with most pants/brands (although looking at your first question, its hard to compare 1 to 1 with primo as i had consistency issues with their sizing). did you try a different size or just return them?
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