eating on Craig St

[gusl]

At first, I ate at Subway everyday. Now, the idea of it makes me slightly nauseous, so I don't go anymore. It has been mostly replaced by the pasta place across the street, which is staffed by a different (but overlapping) set of Russians. I like their music, constantly tuned to BOB FM.

Kiva Han is so-so, the place is too noisy, and the lines are always long. I really like that sort of place, otherwise.

Eat Unique is nice. I should go there more.

I recently discovered Crepes Parisiennes. It's a bit pricey. The atmosphere is very nice and the food is delicious, if a bit small.

Quiznos opened recently. It's not much cheaper, and not much faster than the Crepes, and the lines are long. The atmosphere is pretty "nice" for a fast-food place, and it's physically the same building where I work. In fact, I met the friendly chatty owner on my 3rd visit, who told me he rents it from CMU, and that he got a very nice location to move away from the location he was supposed to get, in the Google building.

I mostly eat alone, partly because my lunch hours are haphazard, partly because I don't have a "social group" at work. But last week Thursday or Friday, I quickly ate with wjl, as he walked into Quiznos.

I've been eating out about twice a day which, as I recently realized, is a strain on my budget. Living closer to campus might have paid off in terms of saving on food. Having Internet at home will probably save me money for the same reason.

What I miss:
From Brazil, I miss the wide selection of fruit juices (although the Quiznos on Craig and Bruegger's Bagels on Murray have pretty good selection), and black beans (which can be had in Mexican places). From Amsterdam, I miss Shoarma... I didn't realize it wasn't more common until I left. I have never seen Shoarma anywhere else, except one place in Munich (see this article. about variations by country). From Munich, I miss "Tomatenstange".

At home, I've been cooking lots of tomatoes & mushrooms & cheese (no oil, no butter, just the tomatoes' "juice"): I always make too little and end up having to cook a second portion. Maybe I should add some veggies to this: any suggestions?

Where do you go for lunch?

Comments

[gregh1983]

I'm a big fan of the trucks over on Margaret Morrison Street, specifically Sree's (the red one). It's good food, and lots of it, for $4 even though it would be a bit of a walk from Craig Street. I usually manage to make it up there from Newell-Simon about twice a week. Otherwise, the Asiana place right in Newell-Simon is not bad for when I need to grab something quickly.

[xuande.livejournal.com]

Are there no döner kebab or gyro places there? The meats used in those sandwiches can be pretty close to shawarma.

[gregh1983]

Oh! Are you talking about shawarma the Middle Eastern thing? You can get it at Aladdin's on Forbes in Squirrel Hill. Chicken shawarma rolled on a pita, with a pot of English Tea Time tea, is what I get almost every time I go there.

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

Shawarma = Shoarma

Thanks for the Aladdin tip!

[en-ki.livejournal.com]

Should you find your way up here, in Boston it goes by "Shawarma" and is very common in Cambridge and Brookline.

[bhudson.livejournal.com]

uberdorq runs Stuff Near CMU, which details a bunch of places (it's not just food, either).

[bhudson.livejournal.com]

Also, email me if you want to get lunch sometime. I'm usually hungry post-lunch-rush (sometime like 1pm or 2pm), so the lines are short.

[bhudson.livejournal.com]

There's Leena's in Oakland, closer than squill and cheaper to boot. He used to run a truck out of which he dispensed the very same falafel he currently serves (and meat, too, I gather). They're the best in town, except maybe for Kassab's, which is a bit far for lunch.

Between 5th and Forbes on Oakland, Atwood, or the next street -- I can never remember exactly.

[bhudson.livejournal.com]

Ali Baba (on Craig) is also good, if you avoid the meat items like the plague.

Veracruz (on Forbes between Atwood and Oakland, across from Qdoba). $5 for food & horchata with the student ID 10% discount.

[bhudson.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I also respect most of the opinions of Pittsburgh Restaurant Micro-reviews.