California Kitchen... in Pittsburgh!

"A few years ago, we did a complete guy remodel of our kitchen. During construction, we were forced to eat out. We started to explore the city and found towns of places with fantastic food, some just little holes in the wall. We were just blown away by the quality, atmosphere and energy in these places." Matt says.

Here are a few of the San Fran crowd's favorite eateries:

• Tram's - Lawrenceville. The pho is to die for. It's a Vietnamese soup served in giant bowls with rice noodles, diced green onion and slices of chicken or beef.
• The Noodle Hut/Green Mango in Regent Square. The Green Curry rivals that of any Thai restaurant in San Franciso.
• Chaya Japanese Cuisine in Squirrel Hill. The place to go for sushi, sashimi, or rolls.
• Rose Tea Café in Squirell Hill. You must try their tea concoctions like lychee and "bubble tea" a green or black tea drink with tiny, black tapioca balls on the bottom.
• Coca Café in Lawrenceville. A very cool spot for Sunday breakfast, and Piccolo Forno for dinner.
• Point Brugge Café in Point Breeze. We love this place!
• Abay in East Liberty/Shadyside. They have great Ethiopian, especially try the chicken sambussa appetizer, bite-sized pastries filled with chicken, onion and exotic spices.
• II Pizzaiola in Mt. Lebanon. We swear you'll feel like you were in Naples with the Neapolitian-style pizza baked in the trattoria's wood-fired oven.
• Hip picks include… South Side's Dish, Soba, and Girasole in Shadyside.

Matt and April enjoy creating meals together. He mans the grill, while she slices and dices for the stir-fry. Their gourmet kitchen, which April designed to compliment their home's Tudor heritage, features a mixture of stained and painted cherry cabinetry, granite and marble counter tops, bronze tiles and gleaming stainless steel appliances from Wolf and Sub-Zero.

On Wine

These connoisseurs of wine incorporated a Sub-Zero beverage station into their kitchen to hold chilled wine, beer and soft drinks. Matt and April are big fans of Flowers Vineyard and Winery on the Sonoma coast. Owned by Bucks County, PA natives Walt and Joan Flowers, this winery is known for its chardonnays and pinot noirs - handcrafted in small batches using age-old techniques. They also recommend Merry Edwards Wines - Sonoma Russian River Valley. And for a great cab, try Lewis Cellars in Napa Valley.

On Beer

Matt and April always have some frosty CA beer on hand, including Sierra Nevada and Anchor Steam. Now that they have moved east, they've discovered Victory beers, brewed near Philly. As for summer cookouts, their choice is Hoegaarden, a Belgium white beer, garnished with a slice of lemon.

On Markets

For Asian ingredients - red bean pasta, tofu and dried seaweed, Matt heads to Young's Oriental Grocery Store in Squirrel Hill, Seoul Mart in Oakland, or Tokyo Japanese Food Store in Shadyside for soba noodles. For fresh, locally grown and organic ingredients - Whole Foods, Market District, Trader Joe's and Shadyside Market on Walnut Street.

On Dessert

No matter if you're in Pittsburgh or California, cupcake bakeries are popping up all over. Pittsburgh boasts two such sweet shops: Dozen in Squirrel Hill and Coco's Cupcake Café in Shadyside. Both are great, and where they go to find some of their favorite treats.

On the Views

"Coming out of the Fort Pitt tunnels and seeing the skyline lit up at night is phenomenal," said Matt. "It's as dramatic as the view of San Francisco from the tunnel entrance that leads onto the Golden Gate Bridge."

On the City

"The diversity of the people…the eclectic neighborhoods…it reminds us of home," says Amy. "But the pace of life here is so much more relaxed. Pittsburgh feels like a big, cosmopolitan city, but it's so easy to get around. And the people are so friendly. We're very happy here."