Blame Them For The Bossa Nova

PITTSBURGH

73000 ISSUE FEATURING GREAT GIFTS, PLANNING TIPS, DECORATING IDEAS AND MORE

Chris Fennimore cooks the Feast of the Seven Fishes Update on the region's construction boom obin Fernandez, his brother Eric and Michael Schumacher couldn't find the kind of bar they were looking for. So they opened their own. Bossa Nova, a chic Latin-flavored watering hole, is the latest offering from the folks who brought nightspots Confetti, Metropol, Rosebud and Heaven to Pitts- burgh-this time settling in the Cultural District.

"This will be all the things that I've wanted to do, but just didn't fit into the clubs before," says Fernandez. "I wanted a more intimate place for people to meet, share a few drinks and some good food, and hang out in a sophisticated place--something I think Pittsburgh has been missing."

One of the highlights of the space is a bar-height. community table, where 28 people can sit and get to know each other over drinks and tapas-the appetizer-style portions that the kitchen that remains open till midnight turns out. "It's designed so that you may order three or four [tapas] selections," Fernandez notes. Although there's a Latin feel to the club, tapas run the gamut of cuisines-sushis, Thai rolls, imported olives and cheeses. Libations include martinis, the house mojito (a mix of rums, soda and mint) and specialty wines.

An imported cedar humidor houses fine cigars. Designed by architect Ross Bianco, Bossa Nova is a feast for the eyes as well. "Our goal," says Fernandez, "was to create a sophisticated, diverse 'comfort lounge' that would appeal to theater-goers, tourists and Pittsburghs looking for an alternative to the typical bar scene." -Christopher Fletcher

DETAILS: Bossa Nova, 123 Seventh St., downtown. Open Monday-Friday, 4 p.m.-2 a.m.; Saturday. 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Tapas ($3.95-$9.95). Full bar. Most major credit cards. 412/232-3030; fax 412/232-6683: bossanova.club BLAINE STIGER