On opening day at El Diablo Brewing Co. & Wood-Fired Kitchen in Greensburg, Sierra Barner had a build-your-own pizza with white sauce, pineapple and sausage.
She proclaimed it “fantastic.”
The Greensburg resident had been watching signs of progress at the site for months when she visited the nearby Aerobic Center at Lynch Field.
“I’ve been watching and waiting patiently for it to open,” she said while dining with her partner, Bradley Pastucha.
The restaurant at 503 New Alexandria Road, which opened to the public Oct. 26, is the new venture of Ray and Rachel Flowers, who also own Sun Dawg Cafe in downtown Greensburg.
As the name suggests, the new American-style menu features pizzas baked in a wood-fired oven and meats and vegetables prepared on a wood-fired grill.
“It’s just like being at camp, except you don’t have to go outside to use the bathroom,” Ray Flowers quipped.
“We want to be as well-rounded as we can be,” Rachel Flowers said. “The menu is as casual as you want to be with pizza, or as delectable as you want to be with the grilled lamb chops. Then you can get straight-up grilled veggies for a vegan option.
“Everything is fresh and well-balanced,” she said.
Apps and entrees
Current appetizer selections start at $6 for Gochujang chicken legs with Asian red cabbage and top out at $18 for fire-roasted lamb chops with charred pineapple salsa.
Pizzas baked in the 700-degree oven start with classic margarita for $22. Brisket with house-made kimchi and a fire pie with spicy sauce and a trio of hot peppers round out the price list at $23 each.
Build-your-own pies start at $16. All pizzas and many other menu items can be ordered gluten-free.
Entrees served with a starch and seasonal grilled vegetables range from buttermilk-fried chicken legs for $17 to grilled flank steak and Atlantic salmon for $24 each.
A burger, assorted tacos and sandwiches also are available. Poke and ramen bowls at market price are made with ingredients available weekly.
‘Smells good’
The Flowerses purchased the El Diablo property early in the year and originally hoped for a late-spring opening. The date was pushed back by delays in completing renovations and obtaining the liquor license.
The couple had considered transferring the Sun Dawg license to the new eatery but ultimately decided to seek a new one.
“(Transferring the license) would limit what we could do at Sun Dawg, and we’ve built up such a great business there that I didn’t want to change it,” Rachel Flowers said. “It takes time to get the license approved, and we didn’t want to open without it.”
The name also points to plans for an on-site nano brewery, which has also been delayed for a while.
“Fortunately and unfortunately, Ray and I work right along with our staff; so if someone calls off, we have to step in,” she said. “Brewing beer takes some time; so once we get situated, then we’ll brew.”
Plans are for four of the restaurant’s 10 taps to carry the nano brews. Currently El Diablo carries a mix of local, national and international beers, including seasonal selections.
In addition to the full bar and beers, there are 10 wines on tap – six reds and four whites – including one of each from Bella Terra Vineyards in Hunker.
“We definitely want to support the locals,” Flowers said.
Diners are seated in two spacious rooms with natural wood, leather and metal accents. A slight smoky aroma from the kitchen permeates the dining areas.
“We heard from someone who lives nearby — his kids were outside playing and they asked, ‘Dad, what smells so good?’” Flowers said.
An outdoor patio is ready for diners, but may not open until spring.
“We’re not opposed to opening it this year, weather permitting, but it’s not likely,” Flowers said.
Parking spaces are limited on the restaurant property, but Flowers noted that parking is available nearby at Blue Sky Sign Co. and Lynch Field, both off of New Alexandria Road, and at the American Red Cross, 351 Harvey Ave.
