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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E2 (Highland Park)

E² (That's right, it's "E-Squared," not "E-Two") is one of those restaurants that people are always shocked to hear I hadn't been to.  I finally had my opportunity back in September when I was fortunate enough to be a guest of a private party down in E²'s new basement "party dungeon."  I felt so honored to be one of the first people to check out the new space, and I was even more excited to finally experience Chef Kate Romane's culinary expertise.

E²'s Party Dungeon

E²'s Party Dungeon

The party dungeon decor is spacious, simple, yet modern.  Though our group had about a dozen or so guests, the space can certainly accommodate a gathering of a much larger size.  Our meal was a set eight-course menu, consisting of a generous variety of anti-pasta, two different salads, two small bites, two main courses, and a dessert, each of which was a flavorful and undoubtedly thoughtful creation.

Although all of the anti-pasta items were fabulous, the clear favorite among our group was the Gorgonzola Mess.  Lucky for me, as a supporter of E²'s Kickstarter project on the party dungeon, I had been gifted the recipe for this dish.  I haven't tried making it yet, but when I do, I know it'll be a crowd-pleaser.

Anti-pasta

Anti-pasta

Anti-pasta

After some anti-pasta, BYOB wine, and general mingling, we were seated for dinner.  I loved both our salad courses.  Salads can so often be mediocre; the Big Fat Salad - a perfect balance of fresh greens, gorgonzola cheese, walnuts, and balsamic vinegar - was anything but.  The Heirloom Caprese Salad, likewise, was a tasty twist to the typical caprese salad.

Big Fat Salad

Heirloom Caprese Salad

Our small bites consisted of Arancini with Marinara, which were essentially deep fried rice balls served with a marinara sauce and shaved cheese, and Beans and Greens with Sausage, which was lovely, and I'm not even a big fan of beans.

Arancini with Marinara

Beans and Greens with Sausage

Then came our main courses.  I was very intrigued by the Rabbit Ragu, served with grilled baguette, Saint-andre cheese, and a light tomato broth, as I'm not sure I've had rabbits before and I'm (almost) always up for trying something new and different.  Though the Rabbit Ragu was delicious, I'd have to say my favorite course of the evening was the Tortellini with Chive Butter, Pine Nuts, and Chiles, which was absolutely heavenly, and I say this as someone who's generally not into stuffed pastas.

Rabbit Ragu

Tortellini with Chive Butter, Pine Nuts, and Chiles

We rounded out the meal with a decadent Chocolate Bread Pudding: a perfect end to a perfect dinner.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

To sum up, I think it is safe to say that our entire party was hugely impressed by the quality of our dinner at E²; it was an exceptional meal and a fabulous celebration to remember.  For more perspective on this meal, check out SaborPgh's post.

Restaurant info:
E²
5904 Bryant St, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
(412)441-1200
On the web: htttp://e2pgh.com
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/e2pgh
On twitter: https://twitter.com/e2pgh
Bonus: BYOB


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