Author Archives: pghguy

Sree’s Indian Cuisine

Having worked on the CMU Campus for 5 years now I don’t believe I should do any further food reviews until mentioning Sree’s Indian Food. While Sree’s does have a small take-out location in Squirrel Hill I highly recommend coming to his vending truck on Margaret Morrison Street to not only chat with Mr. Sree but to enjoy the college atmosphere while eating your food at the various outside areas on or around campus.

Sree’s food is cooked by him and his wife and the menu generally changes daily. Typically 4 vegan items are offered along with a chicken dish. I usually just get the “3 veggie” selection. The main choices are served with rice and nan (Indian flatbread). I am especially fond of the grape leaves which are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and are extremely spicy and flavorful. The chickpea potato is also delightful with just enough curry and seasonings that it doesn’t override the flavor of the vegetables. I also highly recommend the menthi carrots. If you are really looking to spice things up, I would suggest adding a touch of the tomato chutney-and note that I’ve italicized touch here!

Sree’s food is entirely pure and is probably the most unique and authentic Indian food you’ll find in Pittsburgh…served out of a food truck and in a styrofoam box! This is one huge reason why I Heart Pittsburgh (and carry a plastic container around campus)!

Sree’s at Carnegie Mellon University is available Monday through Friday, 11:00AM – 3:00PM.

Sree’s Squirrel Hill location on 2103 Murray Avenue is open Monday through Friday 11:30AM – 2:30PM and then 5:00PM – 9:00PM

Sree’s Website

Regent Square Yard Sale

The annual spring Regent Square Yard Sale will occur on Saturday, May 20th from 8AM to 1PM. The entire ‘Square gets involved and this is a great chance to walk around the neighborhood and see what people are offering that might find a great home with you! In addition the Wilkins School on Charleston Street will be having a used book and herb sale. Bags of books will be sold for $3.00. Refreshments will also be available and a fun time strolling around the area is assured! A map of participating houses and their “top 3 items” will be available at the Regent Square Theater.

ed. note: I am a member of the Regent Square Civic Association; if you stop by East End Avenue be sure to say hi!

The RSCA website and additional details can be found here.

Taqueria Mi Mexico

Ed. note: We’ve had reports from a couple of sources that Taqueria Mi Mexico has closed! Anyone have any details?! 🙁

Today for lunch we headed from Oakland into Squirrel Hill to Taqueria Mi Mexico. It’s a small, unassuming place on Murray Avenue that is sparsely decorated, but you’re here to eat the authentic Mexican food. Our server brought us a small tray of homemade tortillas for starters. The tortillas were accompanied by 2 salsas and a bowl of jalapeno peppers. I especially loved the green salsa.

I ordered the carne torta. The torta is like a sandwich, with the bread being flat and round. The sandwich was overflowing with pork, jalapeno, avocado, lettuce and tomato. My friend ordered some tacos which caught her by surprise of how they were served. These aren’t Taco Bell tacos! These tacos are very small, served on double soft tortillas with your choice of fillings. The presentation of the tacos was very nice, with wedges of lime and cilantro. One of my friends also had an Jarritos, which I suppose is the flavorful equivelant of American sodas, except with a fruity twist.
I should also mention how inexpensive the food is here. My torta was $5.95 and the tacos were a $1.50 each. None of us left this place hungry either. I am very glad to see another authentic ethnic restaurant open it’s doors in Pittsburgh. I should also mention that also serve Mexican breakfast items and I’ll be sure to try that next time I’m there!
Taqueria Mi Mexico is open 11am to 9pm daily, and is located at 2109 Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill.

Bloomfield Bridge Tavern

Friday evening I visited the Bloomfield Bridge Tavern with some friends. This was my first time there, and I took some ribbing from people who said “and you’re from Pittsburgh?!” The place was very easy to find coming from Oakland. I don’t think I would have found the parking lot for the place though, as you need to pass the Tavern and then turn through a neighborhood street.

So onto the review. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the place was empty when we arrived around 5PM. It was a warm day so they had the entire front of the Tavern opened up to the outside. It made for a very nice light and airy atmosphere. The beer selection was pretty impressive, from a large selection of bottles to drafts. I sampled some Polish beers and found them quite unique (unfortunately I don’t recall the names, as I could barely pronounce them anyways!)

But the reason I wanted to visit this place is the Polish food. I played it brave and ordered the Czarnina for starters. Czarnina is duck blood soup. I overlooked the color and aroma of the soup when it arrived. Needless to say the flavor of the soup is obviously an acquired taste because I couldn’t bring myself to finish it! Next I ordered the sampler platter which included kielbasa, pierogies, haluska and golabkis. I was very impressed by the food, and let’s just say that these pierogies were not the frozen Mrs. T’s!! They literally melted in my mouth. The food was also served piping hot. I will definitely go back again. Lastly, the service was outstanding and our server was very friendly and prompt, and had no objections to breaking the bill apart for everyone.

The Bloomfield Bridge Tavern is open from 11am to 2am and is located at 4412 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield.

Pedal Pittsburgh

The last 3 years I have done the bicycle tour called Pedal Pittsburgh. It’s a huge event with thousands of bicyclists of every level particpating. First off, it’s not a race so don’t feel you need to be an avid cyclist to do this event. There is everything from a 15 mile ride to a 60 mile ride with rest areas and free food and drinks provided along the route(s). You’ll also get a Pedal Pittsburgh t-shirt along with some goodies. Last year I did the 25 mile ride that took me through the South Side, North Side, through Oakland and back to the South Side. It’s an incredibly scenic tour and I’ve seen parts of the city I would not normally have experienced in every day life. And let me tell you that Troy Hill seriously kicked my butt on the 25 mile tour!

After the ride you’ll be provided a very nice lunch and entertainment. If you know how to ride a bike you’ve got no excuse, so sign up today! The event is on Sunday, May 21st. You’ll also be benefiting The Community Design Center of Pittsburgh, which is a non-profit organization helping to improve the quality of life in Pittsburgh.

(Ed. note: This year Pedal Pittsburgh is Sunday, May 21. Click on the link above to register!)