Hot Love

Last night Sarah and I had a hankering for something to eat. We pondered and pondered whilst our tummies told our brains to hurry it on up. With a little time in between to-do's we decided to go to Squirrel Hill. As she drove down Murray Ave. Sarah called out restaurants, "Murray Avenue Grill, Smallman Street Deli, Panera Bread." Nothing caught my fancy.

"What about Forbes?" I asked.

After we parked, we sauntered down Forbes, and decided that we were in the mood for Asian food of some sort. We stopped and menu-browsed at The Rose Tea Cafe, which has most excellent Vietnamese Food and they serve bubble tea, (one of my favorites) but we opted no and headed down the street. Then we crossed the street to Sun Penang and I tried to convince Sarah of the food's mighty goodness; however, we headed to our staple place: Bangkok Balcony, but not without first passing it (as always). The doorway is wedged between buildings and easy to over-look.

I am in love with Bangkok Balcony. I love walking up the stairs, and breathing in the waft of spice that works its way like a seductive finger calling, "come here." I love the ambiance: rich maroon walls, even richer yellow-gold walls, sparse, but intricate Thai decor. I love the window-view that overlooks the avenue: the passing cars, passing people; it's like watching a city street move in a snow globe or looking through a view finder, the scene is clicked and changed every few seconds.

I couldn't help but be tempted by the cocktail list. It's easy to scrunch your nose at the $7 price, but when summer is leaving and fall has interrupted the party, it's best to indulge, sip by sip. I ordered a Mango Metropolitan, which consists of Absolute Mango, Triple Sec, cranberry juice, and fresh squeezed lime-- I took notes to remember the ingredients and Sarah joked that I should make it more apparent that I was taking notes so that I might be mistaken for an undercover food critic from a magazine, that we might get free food.

We both went for a chicken curry dish. Sarah was brave and went for a 10 on the spice scale, but I could not be so brave and I went for a 7. Sarah had a pineapple chicken curry and I went for the chicken curry fried rice. Contrary to numbers mine was spicier. Hers had coconut milk, which might have put a hand over the spice's mouth. This has happened to me on more than one occasion at B.B. (once we went with a group of 8 people and everyone ordered a 10 except for me-- who's dish was spiciest, but mine.)

I have the tendency to subconsciously order dishes with big red pepper chunks in them, but I am a fan so I cannot complain. My dish was fairly good: a dry yellow curry with lightly marinated chicken, onions, tomatoes, peas, and those lovely flecks of hot pepper. My pores opened, my nose ran, and I told Sarah of my spice experiences from the year that I lived in South Korea: how it is unfashionably rude to blow your nose in public there, no matter how much it might be running due to the pepper's affect. I had to dab the red napkin on my nose at Bangkok Balcony even if I did feel bad about it.

I waited until I was halfway through the meal to have that cocktail: it was just the right blend between sweet and sour; the Triple Sec walked through the glass like it owned the drink, and the lime juice said, "hey-hey" as it went down my throat. In other words: it was a surprise taste, but it was good.

The affairs that I have with spicy Asian food insist that I invite alcohol along for the soiree. The drunkenness of hot food and liquor is one that I shamelessly (or maybe not so shamelessly) think of shacking up with nearly every night.

Location:

5846 Forbes Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA 15217

Tid Bits:

On weekdays Bangkok Balcony has 1/2 price entrees for lunch!

For an afternoon refresher try the coconut water.