Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to check out Pittsburgh’s new Choolaah, located in Robinson Township. And it was tasty!

What is Choolaah?

Think Chipotle, but Indian food. I’ve only eaten Indian a handful of times but each time, I’ve loved it. There are several Indian restaurants in the Pittsburgh area, but none that I know of that are more fast-casual. Choolaah is on trend with the likes of fast-but-healthy options popping up over the area (think So Fresh, Freshii, and Core Life Eatery). These kinds of restaurants are the best for healthier and quicker options for lunch or dinner.

Choolaah is great because you have the option to build your own bowl. Bases include rice or greens, then you add your protein (chicken, salmon, veggies, tofu, lamb, paneer, or veggie croquettes). I didn’t build my own but chose to get the salad directly off the menu instead because it looked so good — and it was!

I chose salmon as my protein and it was topped off with naan chips. Delish! The salad comes with greens, cauliflower, pickled onions, cucumbers, raisins, tomatoes, chickpeas, shredded paneer and naan chips. It barely needed dressing because it was so flavorful. I also had the mint ginger lemonade, which was super refreshing on a hot summer day.

They also have wraps, sides, and street snacks. I need to try the samosa next, as well as the Pav Bhaji — which on their website says it’s the Indian version of veggie sloppy joes — yes, please! Another perk is Choolaah is super vegetarian friendly. Everything looked amazingly fresh and healthy.

I also loved that they were following safety protocols with mask requirements (every staff member was wearing a mask, and no noses were seen) and they had signage for staying six feet apart. I also took my lunch outside and ate, which is what I am choosing to do right now with restaurants. And they had a hand wash station right inside.

While I don’t live super close to Robinson, I can definitely see this as an option for when I come home from work trips to pick up dinner on the way home from the airport (whenever that happens again!) and I am hoping they add another location in the North Hills (the first Pittsburgh location is in East Liberty). But in the meantime, when I need to make a trip to IKEA or do shopping out that way (which I do from time to time), this is a fantastic option.

 

Thank you, Choolaah team for having me! You can download the app here and get $10 off your first order.