by ANGELIQUE BAMBERG & JASON ROTH... The Cultural District may be Downtown’s crown jewel, but in our experience, the restaurants in this gleaming, twinkling part of Pittsburgh have largely not lived up to the world-class caliber of its performance venues. We’ve had some enjoyable meals within walking distance of the theaters, but perhaps the pressure of seating, feeding and then ushering out patrons in time for curtain call has simply been too much for Cultural District’s venues to achieve while still serving up a top-notch feast. With the opening of Six Penn, catty-corner from Heinz Hall, the people who brought you the smiley-face cookie have taken on this formidable challenge. We were frankly skeptical when we learned that Eat’n Park would be opening a high-end restaurant in the heart of the Cultural District. After all, we asked ourselves, how can a menu built on midnight milkshakes and breakfast buffets satisfy Gold Circle donors, young professionals and theater buffs alike? Let’s just say that there’s a lot more to Six Penn than mere parking and eating. The sophisticated menu betrayed not a hint of its provenance in the corporate headquarters of a family-friendly chain, but perhaps the seamless operation that we enjoyed indicates the professionalism that Eat’n Park brings to the table. Service was prompt and friendly, someone was always on hand with water or coffee, and, although we ate after the final bow was taken, the efficient -- but not hurried -- pace indicated that the kitchen can handle a crush. Most importantly, the food earned our ovations for both appeal and satisfaction. Six Penn is, at last, the artful restaurant the Cultural District deserves. READ MORE OF THIS REVIEW ON THE PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER WEBSITE: http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/archive.cfm?type=Food%20Reviews&action=getComplete&ref=5535