Q: Help! I’m going to a concert at PNC Pavilion tonight and the only restaurants I see nearby is Wendy’s. Any thoughts?
Kristen: Sure! If you’re coming from Uptown, you could stop at Passage to India on the way. I’m also a fan of Le Kebab Mediterranean Grill. There’s a small Salvadorian spot that’s really awesome and quick, too, called Pupusa 503. There aren’t many great well-known restaurants that way, but plenty of great international spots!

Pupusa 503 is a short drive from PNC Pavilion. Kristen Wile/UP

Q: Who is doing latco-ferment? Chard pickles, secret sauce on their menus?
Kristen: Very few restaurants do lacto-fermentation in-house, and mostly because it’s difficult to get approval to do so. Any form of fermentation requires a HAACP (hazard analysis and critical control points) plan to be completed and submitted to the state for approval. However, the process is pretty time-consuming. The only restaurant I know of to do so was Haymaker, and then-owner chef William Dissen shared what the process was like. The restaurant is now in the hands of Chris Coleman and Built on Hospitality, but that approval stays with the restaurant, and they’ll be able to continue canning and pickling legally.