Red Orchid (West View)

The past few months have been some of the busiest I have ever been, as can be seen by the dwindling number of posts since August!  I have had little time to try out new recipes at home, and at times, I have even resorted to takeout.  But...my aversion to Americanized Chinese food makes the most obvious takeout option out of the question.  As luck would have it, I had recently heard of the opening of Red Orchid, so I figured I might as well get my takeout there.

I have since ordered takeout from Red Orchid a few times.  This means I have had the opportunity to try a number of their dishes, and they are all excellent, with hotness levels measured on a scale that is a bit spicier than one might expect.  I share below photos of just a few of the dishes I've had, but the dishes I did not photograph - Pineapple Fried Rice with Pork, Duck Curry, Wild Curry with Beef, Lad Nah, Pumpkin Curry with Tofu - were also very good.

While I can't comment on the service, the food at Red Orchid certainly makes it great addition to the North Hills; it is the kind of quality Thai restaurant that has been sorely missing in the neighborhood.  I'm looking forward to dining in sometime!

Red Curry Land

Penang Curry Tofu

Drunken Noodles with Pork

Spicy Basil Fried Rice with Beef

Black Sticky Rice with Pumpkin

Restaurant info:
Red Orchid
5439 Babcock Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15237
(412)837-2527
Bonus: BYOB


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Green Mango (Monroeville)

I am crazy about Thai food, so it is rather outrageous that it had taken me so long to visit Green Mango.  But that we finally did when we were looking for a place in Monroeville to meet up with some of R.'s colleagues, and Green Mango was the perfect choice.  (The Monroeville location is now the only one remaining; the Regent Square location closed in September due to family health reasons.)

I am a huge fan of taro, a starchy root vegetable with a hint of sweetness and is used often in Asian desserts.  Luckily, R. loves it too, so we started our meal with a delicious Taro Bubble Drink to share which I didn't get a good shot of, but it was tasty.

For my entree, as per usual, I selected a curry.  This time, I decided to try the Penang Curry with Pork.  It was rich and flavorful and everything a girl could hope for in a curry.

Penang Curry with Pork ($11.95)

R. went for the Queen Tilapia, served with mangos, Thai basil, green bell peppers, an onions, in a sweet and sour sauce.  Even though I really like curry, and the Penang Curry was excellent, I'd have to concede that R. made the better choice.  Everything was just perfect about this dish: the fish perfectly cooked, the sauce perfectly balanced between sweet and sour.  I can't believe what I'm about to say, but I actually liked the Queen Tilapia better than curry!

Queen Tilapia ($13.95)

We saved room for dessert, of course.  My memory is a bit fuzzy now, as I'm not quite sure who ordered the Coconut Mango Ice Cream.  I do remember ordering the Taro Custard (because I just had to have everything taro on the menu!), and it was excellent, even if it was more like a cake than a custard consistency.

Coconut Mango Ice Cream ($4.50)

Taro Custard ($4.50)

We all thoroughly enjoyed our meal.  Green Mango is truly a great spot for Thai food out in the eastern suburbs!

Restaurant info:
Green Mango
3462 William Penn Hwy, Pittsburgh, PA 15235
(412)824-9500
On the web: http://thegreenmango.com
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Green-Mango/243630822831


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Smiling Banana Leaf (Highland Park)

I've been really impressed by the quality of the Thai food in Pittsburgh.  Not to knock on Columbus, Ohio, because I do love the city, but during the six years I lived there, I never was able to find satisfying Thai food.  Before moving to Pittsburgh, I had assumed that Pittsburgh would be similar to Columbus, but its solid offerings of ethnic foods have been a wonderful and pleasant surprise to me.

One Thai restaurant I had heard plenty of nice things about is Smiling Banana Leaf in Highland Park.  I finally made it out there a couple of weeks ago on an invitation by Burgh Gourmand, who had recently befriended the owner, Tookie.  The six of us in the group came on a Wednesday night and sat out on the patio, thanks to which I was able to get some nice photos of the food.  Since we're not particularly picky eaters, we let the chef choose for us.  The food came fast and furious, and I will just let the photos do the talking, but trust that everything was just absolutely delicious and I'd most definitely come back again in a heartbeat.

Crispy Calamari
"Fried to crispy golden brown perfection served with sweet chili sauce"

Fresh Spring Roll
"In a rice paper hand roll of rice noodles, lettuce, carrot, & basil leaves served with
special brown sauce & crushed peanut"

Thai Samosa
"Lightly fried pastry stuffed with potatoes, carrot & green peas; served with Thai
special cucumber sauce"

Som Tom
"Shredded green papaya mixed with fresh garlic, chili pepper, green bean, tomato,
ground peanut juice"

Steamed Dumplings
"Thai-style pork & shrimp steamed dumpling; served with sweet & sour black soy sauce"

Mango Chicken Salad
"Marinated grilled chicken mixed with mango, cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, carrots;
served with spicy chili lime sauce"

Chicken Satay
"Grilled and marinated chicken on skewers; served with peanut sauce & cucumber salad"

Spicy Green Bean with Tilapia

Pumpkin Curry

Pad Kee Mow (Spicy Noodle)
"Wide rice noodles stir-fried with Napa cabbage and choice of meat in a spicy basil sauce"

Curry Fried Rice
Thai curry fried rice mixed with green peas, onion and egg

Sweet Mango with Sticky Rice

Fried Smiling Banana with Ice Cream
The fried bananas had hints of coconut, perfect when paired with coconut ice cream

I'm really glad to have had the opportunity to enjoy Smiling Banana Leaf this way.  Those who have read my previous posts on Thai food may remember that I'm a sucker for curry and that is pretty much all I ever order at a Thai restaurant.  This family-style meal allowed me to sample a wide variety of the menu items at Smiling Banana Leaf, some of which I would not have otherwise ever ordered myself.  Aside from the curry, I was especially pleased with the Pad Kee Mow, but I would highly recommend everything we were served that night.

A couple final observations:  Smiling Banana Leaf occupies a small white building at the northeast corner of Bryant Street and N Euclid Avenue.  There is really not much of a sign out front so it helps to know what you're looking for.  I didn't get a picture of the outside of the restaurant, but here's one provided by the restaurant itself. The interior of the restaurant is quite small, with seating for maybe two dozen or so customers.

Finally, when you go to Smiling Banana Leaf, DO NOT park illegally on N Euclid just north of Bryant where the yellow paint marks the curb - even if you're just popping in to get takeout.  Cars are not allowed there for a reason:  Buses that run along Bryant Street turn onto N Euclid and may ding your car if it's in the way.  Twice during our meal someone parked illegally in that spot to pick up their take-out order, and both times, within a minute, a bus needed to get through.  I'll just say that there were some close calls.

Restaurant info:
Smiling Banana Leaf
5901 Bryant St, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
(412) 362-3200
On the web: http://www.smilingbananaleaf.com
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Smiling-Banana-Leaf/186209418056787
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/Smiling_Banana
Bonus: BYOB



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Curry Away (Edgewood)

To be honest, I would have never known about Curry Away in Edgewood if it weren't for a LivingSocial deal that arrived in my inbox one day back in July.  The amusing name caught my attention immediately, and because both R. and I love Thai food, I figured I'd get the deal so we could go check out this place some time.

This little unassuming joint is located a bit off the beaten path in a little strip mall that's easy to miss.  (Thank goodness for Garmin!)  The inside of the restaurant is tiny with only 14 seats total.  The walls are decorated with photography that customers can purchase.

Inside Curry Away

Inside Curry Away

We went on a Sunday night, so the restaurant wasn't busy aside from some take-out customers.  They seem a bit short-staffed nonetheless, as our server, who is from northern Thailand, seemed to be needed in the kitchen quite a bit.  He was nice, in any case.  For our meal, we started with the appetizer special, the Curry Puffs, with a choice of either chicken or taro filling.  Being a huge fan of taro, we naturally picked taro as our option.  I liked these - the mashed taro filling is sweet but not overly so.

Taro Curry Puffs ($5.95)

Taro Curry Puff

As for the main course, it is pretty much a rule that I must order curry when I'm at a Thai restaurant.  I can't help it.  I am a curry fiend.  I can seriously eat curry every day and not be sick of it.  Of the ten or so curry options, I decided on the Duck Curry, described as roasted duck, tomatoes, pineapple, peas, carrots, and coconut milk.  It was tasty, and there was so much that I got an extra two meals out of it.

Duck Curry ($12.95)

Duck Curry

Luckily, R. did not order curry, so at least I get to share a photo of something other than curry. :)  R.'s entree was the Chicken Cashew Nut, with crispy chicken sauteed with chili, pineapple chunks, scallions, and cashew nuts, in a homemade sweet and sour sauce.  I had a bite of it and can attest to its deliciousness!

Chicken Cashew Nut ($10.95)

We followed up our entrees with a shared dessert:  Black Sticky Rice with Taro in Coconut Milk, which we enjoyed.  I so love taro. :)

Black Sticky Rice with Taro in Coconut Milk ($3.95)

We both enjoyed Curry Away a lot.  It's a nice, casual neighborhood joint that serves great Thai food at great prices.  They offer weekday lunch specials for under $7 and free delivery as well.  I highly recommend it!

Restaurant info:
Curry Away
247 Edgewood Avenue,Pittsburgh, PA 15218
(412)731-0740
On the web:  http://www.curryaway.com
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Curry-Away/107044832694608


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Little Bangkok In the Strip (Strip District)

On a recent trip to the Strip District I noticed that a Thai restaurant had just opened on Penn Avenue between 19th and 20th Streets.  Yippee!  I was just thinking that I need more Thai food in my life!  So when R.'s mom came to town last weekend for a visit and to do some Strip District shopping, we thought Little Bangkok In the Strip would be the perfect place to lunch.

The restaurant occupies a space that's narrow but deep, with brick walls, exposed pipes, and a very high ceiling.  The decor is simple, yet cozy.  It definitely has a contemporary look and feel.  I'll admit that the atmosphere got me a little concerned that the food wouldn't be very authentic, but it turns out I really shouldn't have judged this book by its cover!

After we placed our orders, we were surprised with bowls of Daikon Radish Soup, compliments of the chef simply because it was a cold day out.   How nice!  The soup is a seasoned light broth with slices of daikon radish, and is very well done.

Daikon Radish Soup

Because I can never resist curry, I ordered the Green Curry, and selected duck as my meat of choice.  This coconut milk-based curry comes with Thai eggplants, bamboo shoots, bell peppers, and Thai basil.  While the duck was a tad overcooked in some spots, it was overall a very, very good curry.  It is flavorful and packs just the right amount of heat.  While the price is a bit high, the portion is also very large.  I actually took a whole half of this home, so I got two meals out of $15.  Not bad.  Not pictured is the rice that came with the curry, and diners have the choice of white, brown, sticky rice, and more.

Green Curry with Duck ($15)

R. ordered the Thai Rama Chicken.  The chicken is cooked in yellow curry and is served with veggies and a homemade peanut sauce.  The peanut sauce, in particular, was great!

Thai Rama Chicken ($13)

R. had also ordered a Ginger Tea, of which I do not have a photo, but I had a taste of it and it was really delicious, chock full of fresh ginger taste though sweeter than expected.  I would think it is possible to ask for an unsweetened version though. I hope so anyway.

R.'s mom had ordered the Sweet and Sour with vegetables.  The sweet and sour sauce is homemade, and the veggies included tomatoes, onions, pineapple, cucumbers, and bell peppers.  R.'s mom kept commenting on how the veggies were cooked to perfection - that is, cooked but still crunchy.

We all loved the food.  I later discovered from Pop City Media's write-up that Little Bangkok's chef, Pornpen Thammasaroret, moved to the US from Thailand not too long ago, and what she serves is what she grew up learning to cook.  Not that I'm in any way an authority of authentic Thai cuisine, but I'm really not surprised by this after enjoying our delicious meal at Little Bangkok.  What a great addition to the Strip District!

Restaurant info:
Little Bangkok In the Strip
1906 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(412)586-4107


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Thai Suan Thip (Bellevue)

I had wanted to try Thai Suan Thip in Bellevue ever since I read about it on FoodBurgh last fall, when I was still very new to the city, so I was particularly excited when I finally got the chance to check out this place recently.

I was pleasantly surprised by how cute the restaurant is on the outside, and the decor inside the cozy space is comfortable and inviting.  Being pretty much a curry fiend, my attention was immediately drawn to the curry section of the menu.  The Pumpkin Curry - a red curry with coconut milk, bell peppers, and basil - came highly recommended, so I went for it, with tofu as my choice of protein.  It was highly satisfying.  I particularly liked the fact that, unlike some other restaurants, the tofu isn't deep fried.

Pumpkin Curry with Tofu

While rice was included, there wasn't a lot of it for the fairly sizable bowl of curry, so I only ate about half of the curry and took the rest home.  I wanted to save room for dessert anyway!

Sticky Rice with Mango

Sticky Rice with Mango is pretty much my go-to Thai dessert, probably thanks to my parents' influence as it is something they always order at Thai restaurants.  The dessert really hit the spot and I was happy.

I was very pleased with my experience at Thai Suan Thip and am glad I finally got to try it out!

Restaurant info:
Thai Suan Thip
172 Lincoln Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15202
(412)766-1899


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Pusadee's Garden (Lawrenceville)

My flight back from Kansas City arrived on Easter Sunday right around dinner time.  I didn't have any food at home, so I thought this would be a good excuse to go try another restaurant.  Problem is, many restaurants aren't open on Sundays!  Tipped off by Rodzilla, I was going to try Tamari in Lawrenceville, which is on my wish list and normally open on Sundays, but alas, it was not open that day.  Luckily, I know of another great restaurant in Lawrenceville just a little ways down the street from Tamari, and so I headed for the little family-run Pusadee's Garden.

Pusadee's Garden was actually the second restaurant in Pittsburgh I had ever been to since moving here last August when my friend and his girlfriend suggested to meet here for dinner.  The inside of the restaurant is pretty minimalistic - white/beige walls with few decorations, and in fact, the interior space feels to me to be a bit small and crowded - and mind you I am no claustrophobe.  But head out to the courtyard, and it is a completely different atmosphere: cute, charming, yet down-to-earth.  It feels just like you're in someone's backyard garden.  (Actually, it is Pusadee's backyard garden as fresh herbs are grown here.)  On this visit, I specifically requested patio seating, which was surprisingly empty on this day - I'm guessing because it had rained earlier.

The patio at Pusadee's Garden

Last time here I had tried the Pumpkin Curry which I liked a lot, and this time I decided to go with a different curry: Pineapple Curry with Tofu. (Yeah, I got curry again, surprise, surprise!)

Pineapple Curry with Tofu

You can't tell too well from the photo, but I actually really appreciated that the tofu isn't deep fried, which is how many restaurants do it.  The curry also comes with bell peppers and pineapples, and there was so much sauce that after finishing the rice I still had half the sauce left to take home.  It was one delightful meal turned into two!  The service was also very pleasant.  What a nice welcome back to Pittsburgh!


Restaurant info:
Pusadee's Garden
5321 Butler St, Pittsburgh, PA 15201
(412)781-8724
On the web: http://www.pusadeesgarden.com

Silk Elephant Thai Tapas and Wine Bar (Squirrel Hill)

FamJam in Pittsburgh 2011

Stop #5 (Saturday Dinner): Silk Elephant in Squirrel Hill

This is the sixth in a series of posts on my family's first visit to Pittsburgh.  To start from the beginning with Friday's lunch, click here.

My whole family loves Thai food, so I thought they might like that for Saturday's dinner.  My parents can get a bit snobby when it comes to Thai food and my brother spent four whole months in Thailand last year, so there was a lot of pressure in selecting a Thai restaurant that would be of high quality to satisfy my family's lofty standards.  Luckily, I had been to Silk Elephant in Squirrel Hill before and knew the food to be excellent.  And even though tapas is not traditionally Thai, I thought it would add a unique element to one of our favorite cuisines.

(Update 3/27/2011: Silk Elephant has just received an award from the Thai government as serving authentic Thai cuisine. Just the second in Pittsburgh to receive the honor! Click here to read more.)

We each made some selections and dined family-style like real Asians do.  My camera was snapping away as the dishes were brought out, so I will let the photos do the talking.

The six of us shared...

...one soup:

Tom Yum Soup
A very spicy hot and sour soup with shrimp, mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers.

...one salad:

Mango Salad
They don't skimp on the shredded mango in this one!

...five tapas:

Taro Crunch
Taro dipped in a black sesame batter and deep fried - take a wild guess on who picked this one! ;)

Thai Crab Crowns
Crab with cream cheese inside a crispy wonton wrap.

Salmon Dumplings
Topped with wasabi sauce.

Siam Paragon
According to my brother, Siam Paragon is the name of a famous shopping mall in Bangkok. Not sure why this dish is called that, but it is delicious and is a signature item at Silk Elephant, with shrimp and crab wrapped in crunchy egg noodles and served with a curry sauce.

Seaweed Duck Roll
This was on the specials menu, with duck wrapped in a seaweed and deep fried, topped with bean sprouts.

...and four entrees:

Pad See Ew
Thick noodles with broccoli and a brown sauce, and we ordered it with chicken.  My brother was very impressed with this one, noting that it tastes just like how they make it in Thailand.

Duck Curry
A very good duck curry dish with grapes, pineapples, and tomatoes, reminiscent of the duck curry I had in Thailand last year.  Oh Thailand, how I miss you!

Sea Bass with Papaya Salad
This one is off the specials menu, and pretty self-explanatory.  Unfortunately, the sea bass is hidden underneath the salad so you can't really see it, but really, it's there and it's good.

Pumpkin Curry
Another great curry dish also off the specials menu. We ordered it with chicken.

This was entirely too much food for us, but we nonetheless enjoyed every last bite.  I also wanted to commend the service at Silk Elephant as everything was impeccably timed.  On a more general note, I also like that Silk Elephant has a nice atmosphere and is very spacious.  There are other excellent Thai restaurants in Pittsburgh that I would love to try, but I stuck with Silk Elephant this time around because I knew their space would be comfortable for a group, not to mention that it is conveniently located right across the street from the best frozen yogurt in town! ;)


Next up:  Saturday night's post-dinner dessert at Razzy Fresh.

Restaurant info:

Silk Elephant Thai Tapas and Wine Bar

1712 Murray Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217 

Phone: (412)421-8801

Web: http://www.silkelephant.net