Oakland is filled with several restaurants serving delicious Indian cuisine. Nothing can beat one of the countless buffets that offer a whole array of scrumptious Indian dishes and delicacies, especially when establishments offer a discount for students with a Pitt ID. Students on a budget are always looking for a great deal, and a reasonable buffet is usually a great route to go down if you do not want to cook and in the mood for a big meal. I did not think I needed to leave Oakland to find good Indian food, and I still do not have to. However, a new establishment in East Liberty introduced me to an entirely new kind of Indian experience.
Choolah Indian BBQ is located on Centre Avenue in the heart of East Liberty, just yards away from Target. The Pittsburgh location is one of just five in existence. As a lover of Indian food, I had been wanting to try the restaurant since it opened earlier this year. A weekend outing to an art event in East Liberty gave me the perfect opportunity. Upon entering the restaurant, I was amazed at its modern vibe. Large windows gave it plenty of natural light. Everything was spotless. The gentleman who took our order was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. He explained the different meal options and let us sample the five masalas and two specialty lemonades they were serving that day.
The menu contained several different options diners can choose from: a Choolah bowl with rice, a BBQ option, and masala (or rice and greens, a protein, and masala); wraps; street snacks; salads; specialty drinks; and desserts. Patrons can choose from chicken, lamb, salmon, paneer cheese, veggie croquette, or tofu and veggie BBQ to put in either a bowl, salad, or wrap. White and brown rice are both available. After sampling the masalas, which were all delicious, I decided to try a Choolah Bowl with white rice, chicken BBQ, and tikka masala. For a small upcharge I added a piece of naan bread. An order of samosas completed my first Choolah purchase.
My food was ready in less than five minutes. The Choolah Bowl was served in a large paper bowl and was a more than generous portion. Everything was piping hot when I began to dig in. The chicken was freshly grilled. The rice was cooked perfectly al dente. The tikka masala was luscious and had the perfect among of spice. The naan was the ideal accompaniment and dipping it into the masala made an already delicious dish even better. Three samosas came with the order. I decided to dip them in the house made spicy mango and tamarind apple sauces. The meal was the epitome of perfect, though it was a bit pricey. The Choolah Bowl meal (which included the naan) cost $10.25. The samosas set me back $2.49, though they were large enough to share with my girlfriend. After tax my total came out to $13.63.
Choolah is certainly not something I will be able to afford to indulge in frequently. However, I found that it was well worth the price. The bowl was enormous and left me full well into the evening. The fried, crunchy samosas were the perfect accompaniment to both of our dishes. The service was impeccable, and everyone was very friendly. I loved everything about my experience at Choolah and I cannot wait to return.
Panther Eats 
I passed by this place last week, and totally wanted to try it. It’s good to know it was well worth it, and LOLing at the empty bowl as proof. Awesome post!
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