PHOTOS BY KRISTY GRAVER

I’ve been stewed at 212 Oakland Ave. numerous times, but never like this. 

The former Fuel and Fuddle space — my favorite bar where I was a card-carrying member of the Beer Cult  — reopened Dec. 11 as Stew Wood Fire Fusion. It’s open daily from 11 a.m. to midnight.

I was the first customer. 

Upon my arrival, I took a seat at a table instead of my usual bar stool. Although it was surreal sitting in a familiar place that looks nothing like it did on May 26 (Fuel’s last day of service), I felt right at home. 

After quarantining for over a week with Covid, it was nice to shake off the winter chill with a hearty bowl of beef stew. The smoked meat and vegetables are simmered in a red wine reduction with herbs. I sopped up the liquid with soft, chewy Balkan bread made on site. (Stew really takes advantage of Fuel’s old brick oven.)

There’s more to the menu than stew. Owners Karen Perdomo and John Ortiz, who also run The Colombian Spot restaurants in Oakland and on the South Side, bring a fusion of flavors to the melting pot neighborhood. 

I started my meal with yuca bites. Yuca, or cassava, is a long, slender root veggie that looks like a cross between a potato and a carrot. The appetizers are crispy on the outside with a creamy consistency inside and are accompanied by a side of homemade smoked paprika sauce. There are six in an order, which was not enough for me; I could’ve devoured 100.  Maybe they should start a Yuca Bites Cult. 

 Other items include Argentinian empanadas, Mediterranean citrus salad, pan-fried chicken thigh, smoked baby back ribs, NY strip steak and an assortment of sandwiches including hand-breaded and fried eggplant with mixed greens, caramelized onions, mozzarella and paprika sauce. 

Fuel fans will be happy to see sweet potato fries are still on the menu, along with a wide selection of whiskey and bottled and draft beers that you can now order in a pitcher

Perdomo and Ortiz, a married couple with a young daughter, are well aware of Fuel and Fuddle’s place in the hearts of many University of Pittsburgh grads. Many bar regulars bemoaned the new business on social media before Stew even had a chance to simmer.

I wore a Fuel and Fuddle shirt to my inaugural lunch, but came in with an open mind.

They’ve overhauled the interior with fresh paint and a new floor, tables, high-back chairs and bartop. A staircase near the main entrance is now open to the public, making it easier to head to the basement dining area and restrooms, which also received a makeover.

The shelves above the original bar have been removed, opening up the space. It might take me a while to reclaim my bar stool, but I will definitely visit Stew again to fill up on some comfort food to help heal my broken heart. OK, maybe I’ll get a pitcher of beer, too. 

Fun Fact: Before exiting the restaurant business, Fuel and Fuddle owner Brandon Smith also had a hand in running the Korner Pub, an 80-year-old Mt. Lebanon landmark that closed in 2022.

That watering hole at 4 Bower Hill Road reopened Dec. 8 as Arthur’s Korner Pub. Galley Group, a Pittsburgh-based food hall and development and management company, purchased the pub last year. Hours are 3 to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 3 p.m. to midnight Friday, noon to midnight Saturday and noon to 11 p.m. Sunday.

There are 10 craft beer taps and a large canned and bottled beer selection. For the first time in its history, the 1,500-square-foot pub will serve liquor and wine. I recommend the Arthur’s Old Fashioned.

There’s no kitchen, so the food will be limited to frozen pizzas made by Driven at Federal Galley, prepackaged snacks and free popcorn. Customers are welcome to order food from nearby restaurants.

The space has seating for about 50 patrons, a pool table, dart boards and TVs.  It’s named after Galley Group District Manager Alex DeConciliis’s dad, whose advice, he believes, helped the company grow. 

Founded in 2015, the restaurant incubator gives aspiring chefs the opportunity to execute their culinary concept with minimal upfront costs, maximum brand exposure and ongoing support. Company locations include Federal Galley at Nova Place on the North Side, North Loop Galley in Minneapolis and Kentucky’s The Galley on the Levee. 

Taylor Blocksom, Galley Group’s director of marketing, says Arthur’s will carry on The Korner Pub traditions such as Stout Month, Boxing Day and Swayze Day, a party celebrating the life of late “Dirty Dancing” actor Patrick Swayze.

I don’t think Baby would mind being put in this Korner.