As the various neighborhoods of Pittsburgh become more and more gentrified, it’s only inevitable that the hipster vibe that inhabits Lawrenceville will make its way to other parts of the city. One of these areas is Bloomfield, where Bread and Salt Bakery has taken up business in what seems to be a back alley. Replete with a man in cutoff shorts and pizza that is charged by the pound (because obviously everyone knows how much a pound of pizza looks like), the place has become popular for its bread. Which is good, because up until recently that was about all they had to offer on their menu.
The pizza did look good, but what looked even better were a couple of other dishes. To begin with, the wife and I split some toast topped with olive oil, chocolate and salt. As a man with no real love for chocolate, I must admit that this toast was amazing. The toast simply finds the perfect balance of sweet, salty, savory and sour (from the sourdough bread). And this bread, by the way, is nothing like your typical sourdough bread. The crust is crazy hard, while the interior is soft and delicate, making the bread stand out on its own even without any toppings.
On top of the toast, I ordered one of their grilled cheeses. There were only two options, so I chose the one that had something called Nduja in it. The hipster man explained to me that this was like a spicy spreadable sausage, so I obviously wanted it. It took a shockingly long time to make the grilled cheese, but when it was done I have to admit it was a bit disappointing. There didn’t seem to be too much cheese in it and the cheese it did have was pretty flavorless. The nduja was pretty good, but lackadaisically placed in the sandwich so that not nearly every bite had a taste of the stuff.
Of course, the saving grace was the delicious bread, and I can understand how Bread and Salt didn’t want to overwhelm the bread with too strong of flavors in the sandwich. Nonetheless, I have had some amazing sandwiches with insides that complement their breads and I am sure that it is only a matter of time until Bread and Salt finds its mix. Until then I will happily return for toast, bread and perhaps a taste of the pizza by the pound.
