Thai restaurants! Thai restaurants! Thai restaurants! Whether you're a new student or a returning resident, you've probably noticed that the area around Carnegie Mellon abounds with Thai restaurants. So why venture out to Swissvale (or is it Edgewood?) for more of the same?

My thoughts exactly. But the Green Mango Noodle Hut came highly recommended by a good friend, and that's the way I usually find out about the best restaurants. This is especially true with ethnic eateries: the best ones are little huts far away that have been owned by the same family for years, right? Apparently not, in this case.

My companions and I took Forbes east almost to its end, turned right on Braddock, and found ourselves on the borderline between Swissvale and Edgewood. The west side of the street (the Swissvale side) was lined with bars and beer distributors; the east side had none. The Green Mango Noodle Hut was on the east side, and accordingly, I didn't notice any alcohol on the menu. That's fine with me; if you're over 21 and want something to drink, there are plenty of options within two blocks.

But, when I go to a Thai restaurant, I'm looking for Thai food, not alcohol. At Green Mango Noodle Hut, Thai food is what I got. Specifically, a large plate of "Drunken Noodles." They were certainly nothing to write home about. The texture was gummy and it had only soggy cabbage and a few shrimp to accompany it. The overall flavor was spicy, but boring. Fortunately, my friends' dishes were much better. One friend ordered another wide noodle dish with more interesting ingredients, while the other tried the red curry. The curry sauce was particularly pleasing, thanks to its rich, creamy texture and appealing flavor.

The portions were certainly large enough; my friends and I all had enough to take home leftovers. The prices weren't bad, but they weren't great. Entrees ran about $10-12, which is comparable to the prices at some of Squirrel Hill's better Thai restaurants.

The service was particularly noteworthy. The staff made no attempt to hurry us, despite us arriving about 15 minutes before they closed. The waitress kept our water glasses full, which was nice, given that we were the only ones there. She was also quick to respond to our request for chopsticks. She didn't even laugh at our attempt to eat the wide noodles with chopsticks, a folly we discovered as soon as we tried it.

The atmosphere, though, is where the Green Mango Noodle Hut suffers. Its only wall decorations are Thailand tourist posters. They're nice pictures, but each comes with a little quote about how great Thailand is. I felt like I was surrounded by those Successories motivational posters – you know, the ones with something like a bald eagle and a quote saying, "Dare to Soar! Your attitude almost always determines your altitude in life!" – except the quotes all sounded like excerpts from a "Visit Thailand" brochure. The dining room was small, which is usually fine, but the cash register and kitchen jutted out into the room. I'll give them credit for trying the bamboo placemats, but mine was falling apart.

Give the Green Mango Noodle Hut a try if you've eaten at the Bangkok Balcony and Sweet Basil too many times and are desperate for a new Thai outlet. Otherwise, skip it, not because it's bad, but because there's a lot better closer to campus.

Restaurant type: small Thai joint
Website: http://www.thegreenmango.com (Note: this is the website for its sister restaurant, the Green Mango, also in Edgewood. The menus differ substantially: the Green Mango Noodle Hut has a wider selection, but higher prices)
How to get there: A car is ideal. Otherwise, take the 61B down Forbes to Braddock and get off about 5 blocks after it turns onto Braddock.
Price for an entrée: $10-12
Rating: 4.7

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