Special event food is generally a mixed bag. It's overpriced, tends to spend too much time under heat lamps, and it's likely to induce feelings of dietary guilt by the next morning. It does, of course, have one major thing going for it -- proximity.

So how does the food at PNC Park's new all-you-can-eat section stack up? There were highs and there were lows, but all-in-all, it hovered right around the middle.

The hot dogs are a solid choice, especially with the addition of mustard and pickled jalapenos. The hamburgers were less appealing. At the ballpark, your only option is well-done, and while the Allegheny County Health Department is nodding with approval, I'd rather skip them altogether.

After a tentative foray into the nachos (sorry, fake cheese is where I draw the line), I started to consider my drink options. I was relieved to learn that while bottled water must be purchased, a cup of water is yours for the asking.

As I noticed the chocolate "flavored" wafers on the ice cream sandwiches sticking to my fingers, it took me right back to middle-school ice cream sales. There's really no such thing as a "bad" ice cream sandwich.

The biggest surprise? I'd have to say the salads. A nice mix of fresh, crisp romaine and iceberg lettuce, with cucumbers, grape tomatoes and shredded carrots; it paired quite nicely with the aforementioned hot dog.

As for the rest of my dining experience, whether you choose to eat at a table overlooking the river or at your seat looking down on the green, the ballpark provides fabulous, festive atmosphere for a night on the town. Go Bucs.