I’m currently traveling for a week in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and I am excited to share some local flavors! The first bit of Pittsburgh I got seriously excited about is Thai restaurant, Curry on Murray. It’s appropriately located on Murray Ave. in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh. (Which came first: the name, or the real estate?) I was planning a trip to Curry on Murray even before I knew about any the famous landmarks of the city (The name is so catchy!) . My boyfriend is living in Pittsburgh for the summer and it was one of the first places he told me about after moving there. The official Grand Opening for the restaurant is July 12-14, but they’re open with a sample menu up until then. Read on to see what we got for lunch yesterday, and what we thought!

Appetizer: Tofu Fresh Rolls

I love spring rolls, but jumped at the chance to sample their healthier, fresh alternatives. You can get them stuffed with either fried tofu or shrimp. I’m a vegetarian, so I got the tofu version which was bursting with thin clear rice noodles, carrots, basil, and lettuce. They’re rolled in rice paper, which I’ve only ever seen used for Korean dishes. The rolls are served with thick Thai peanut sauce. At first, I thought I would have preferred the plum sauce that usually comes with spring rolls, but I found that the rich peanut sauce added great contrasting flavors to the savory herbs. These are probably super easy to recreate at home, if you have access to a good Asian grocery for the rice papers.

Entree: Tofu Panang Curry

I usually like to judge a Thai place on their Pad Thai, but there was no way I was going to a place named Curry and not sample their specialty.  A chalkboard sign outside the restaurant beckoned us in to try their Panang Curry, which happens to be my favorite. I was surprised to see my plate put down in front of me, as every other time I’ve had Panang Curry, it’s been pale orange or yellow in color. (It’s a regular curry toned down a bit with yummy coconut milk.) Curry on Murray’s version featured their house curry, made spicy to taste (I ordered mine “Spicy,” the third hottest on the spice range, and it packed a perfect punch of heat.) I loved that it was served on a heaping bed of broccoli and featured a substantial amount of tofu: definitely not chintzy on the proteins, here! The curry itself was so tasty that I’m sure even a tofu-phobe would love the dish! (Of course, you could get it with any meat or seafood on the menu.)

Entree: Brocolli & Tofu Pad See Euw

My boyfriend ordered the Pad See Euw and I sampled more than a bit for myself! You can also customize your spice preferences on the noodle dishes, and I found that “Mild” is substantially lighter than “Spicy.” Once again, we were impressed by the amount of tofu: so many noodle dishes skimp out in favor of cheaper fillers. The veggies were crisp and refreshing, but the noodles were what really carried the dish. As a noodle dish should be.

Overall, Curry on Murray lived up to its fun name: we had a great time and a great meal. Even though we went at an off hour for lunch, the place was still bustling with people. Clearly word of mouth has already gone about about this new place! If you’re in the Pittsburgh area and you’re looking to try out a new place, check it out for the grand opening. Or, be on the lookout for the next big hit restaurant opening to your area.