I am spending the week visiting friends in Pennsylvania. Last friday till tomorrow in Pittsburgh, followed by a few days in philly. I have been really impressed with the quality if some of the dishes I have had the chance to try while I've been here in Pittsburgh, some quite unique.
One evening for dinner we went to Bangkok Balcony (I can't find a website, but you can read reviews and get directions on google). Service and decor were very appealing, but the food is what's most important to me.
The coconut milk soup was excellent. If you have never had a coconut milk soup, you really should try it. It has a flavor that is very difficult to describe, slightly sour and slightly spicy, if it is done right. (Feel free to try to describe it better than I did in the comments). The thai iced tea was very good, as was the dessert of fried bananas.
The highlight, though, was the pumpkin curry. An extremely rich red curry with fresh basil, red peppers, chicken (by my request; beef, seafood, or tofu also avalable), and chunks of thai pumpkin. The pumpkin was extremely tender, with an incredibly smooth, almost mashed potato-like texture. The flavor of pumpkin, basil, and red peppers mixed perfectly. This was something unlike anything else I have tried before, and I strongly recommend it to anyone living in or visiting the pittsburgh area.
Another excellent restaurant we visited was Kiku Japanese Restaurant (Kiku is Japanese for Chrysanthemum). The fish was unbelievably fresh, service was excellent, and the overall quality of food was stellar. This was the best sushi I have ever had the pleasure of eating.
A few items were just great. The salmon and avacado roll is an absolute must try. The tuna was also excellent, as were the yellowail and flounder. Kiku's homemade soy sauce, which is less salty than most, and slightly sweet, is a perfect complement to fresh, raw fish. The green tea ice cream was an excellent dessert choice. If no one in the comments can give me a better idea for where to go for dinner tonight, my last inght in pitt, I may well go to Kiku again. It was that good.
So, sorry for the lack of recipe this week. I've never been to pittsburgh before, and my friends, knowing the foodie that I am, made a point to take me out for great food, and I wanted to share that with you other foodie Kossacks.
Anyway, tomorrow its off to philly. Any ideas for restaurants I should visit? I think that Positano Coast and Django (can't find a website) are on the list of places to visit, but who knows. I would love to try something new.
So, for the comments: Where should I go for my last night in Pittsburgh? Where should I go in Philly? What's the best unique dish you have had recently? How do you describe coconut milk soup to someone who has never tried it?
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Next week is Food Tuesday: St. Patrick's Day. Get excited.