A la Food Carte

Chana Bhatura

If you’re torn among the many carts offering lunchtime fare, Chana… Chana Bhatura

If you’re torn among the many carts offering lunchtime fare, Chana Bhatura’s shiny, silver truck might stand out from the other white trucks and vans just enough to catch your eye. We all flock toward shiny objects, sometimes.

Your flocking will not be wasted if you’re looking for a large selection of Indian dishes. Stick with classics like chicken or lamb curry, or biryani, a traditional, seasoned-rice dish. If you want to live dangerously, you can try mango curry instead.

Vegetarians may also rejoice, as nearly half of the items on the menu contain no meat, and many satisfy the needs of vegans.

Stylish diners seeking a multiple-course meal will not be disappointed. You can choose from a variety of inexpensive appetizers, and all non-appetizer dishes are served with your choice of rice or roti, an Indian bread that puts standard white bread and rolls to shame.

– J. Elizabeth Strohm

Kashmiri

Those with a hankering for Indian food may not always have the time to journey to Atwood Street or Fifth Avenue. Situated in the heart of campus is Kashmiri, one of the previously endangered food carts.

Chicken, lamb, shrimp and vegetarian dishes are served with rice, fresh veggies and signature Indian spices. Like other Indian eateries, you can order your meal as spicy or mild as you prefer, though you don’t have to fear that your “two” will come out as spicy as a “seven.”

The prices are low, the service is fast, and the perfect place to eat is near the steps of Hillman Library – at least until winter unleashes its wrath on us.

– Katie Mavrich

Leena’s Food

If the Pan-Asian selection available at many carts isn’t for you, visit the van closest to the Cathedral for a variety of Greek foods.

Stop by to test the vendor’s boast that the cart offers the “best gyros in Pittsburgh.” Or, if sliced meat wrapped in thick, warm bread isn’t your thing, check out the falafel – fried chick peas formed into balls that are a little bigger than bite-sized.

Whether you’re looking for a meaty meal or vegetarian fare, Leena’s adds a splash of Mediterranean flavor to the selection of largely Asian-influenced carts.

– J. Elizabeth Strohm

Moonlight

New among dining carts at Pitt, the Moonlight cart is located across the grass, between Hillman Library and the line where the bigger trucks park. The name might sound familiar for culinary travelers – the larger Moonlight “mother truck” has been selling Pan-Asian cuisine on Carnegie Mellon University’s campus for nearly 20 years.

Although the well-decorated, banner-strewn cart is much smaller than most, its menu offers dishes with influences from all over Asia. Whether you’re looking for Chinese – the cart’s specialty – or you want to sample Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean, Cambodian or Indian fare, your desires will be satisfied at Moonlight.

Some dishes, such as ginger chicken and curry chicken – which you can also get with a pineapple flavor – are pretty standard. The menu ranges from the simple, like beef stew and pork chops, to the downright mysterious, like a dish simply described as “Bhudda D Lite.” If you prefer a meal that requires no plate, you can also get chicken on a stick.

The prices are slightly lower than most carts, and you can look forward to specialties each week. If you’ve ever craved Pan-Asian food but were afraid to venture onto CMU’s campus for it, your wait is over.

– J. Elizabeth Strohm

Namsai Express

One of the first carts you’ll reach after crossing Forbes from the Cathedral, Namsai Express offers a variety of Thai and Chinese cuisine, ranging from standard favorites to odd specialties. The unadventurous can rely on the folks at Namsai to serve staples like chicken teriyaki, chicken fried rice or General Tso’s chicken. More daring diners can sample dishes like chicken or tofu cooked in basil leaves or fried string beans with tofu.

Too many options? Your servers will encourage you to split your plate among any combination of dishes for the same price as a single dish.

– J Elizabeth Strohm

O’Cha Catering

At the end of Schenley Plaza, right across from the Frick Fine Arts Building, some of the best bargains for Thai food in the city are available from the back of a truck. O’Cha Catering uses Thai spices unabashedly, cooking up dishes, like their fish ball with bamboo shoots, that will set your taste buds on fire. For the faint of heart, there are just as many options, such as the pad Thai, which are not as spicy but just as flavorful.

With a large dish costing just $4.50, O’Cha brings quality Thai food to campus at a price that even college budgets can afford.

– Greg Heller-LaBelle

Scotty’s Hot Dog Stand

From its location in front of Hillman Library, the plume of smoke coming from Scotty’s Hot Dog Stand can be seen from as far away as Fifth Avenue, and the enticing aroma of the meats Scotty is cooking up can be smelled from just as far away.

One of the many carts occupying the Forbes and Bigelow corridor, Scotty’s offers hungry people a selection of food different from the other nearby carts: grilled hot dogs, chicken and sausage. And Scotty’s cart can be found on his part of the sidewalk well after the sun goes down during weekdays to satisfy those late-evening cravings.

Be patient, though, when getting lunch or dinner from Scotty’s. Thanks to his selection of grilled meats in an area with little to no other grilled foods, many people line the sidewalk waiting to order their food.

– Dante A. Ciampaglia

Thai Grill

Separated from the main group of carts and sitting across Bigelow Boulevard from Hillman Library, the Thai Grill brings a fresh taste to the spices of Thai cuisine. Try the king chicken for a tangy change from your typical, curry-doused Thai-style dishes. Also, go for their chicken on a stick, which they tout as the best in the city – be warned, it’s not always served on a stick.

The Thai Grill also makes a point of promoting its bubble drinks, sweetly delicious concoctions to go along with their flavorful meals. If you’re in the mood for some Thai flavor with a little flair, the Thai Grill is your place.

– Greg Heller-LaBelle