Grapow — Restaurant in Pittsburgh

Bottom Line: If you're looking to scratch that Japanese or Korean curry itch, this isn’t the place. A disappointing experience all around.

Recently back from a trip to Japan, we’ve been craving Korean and Japanese curries—and this place’s menu looked promising, with dishes similar to what we enjoyed abroad. We ordered the Green Curry, Kao Soi, and Korean Chicken Bites.

Korean Chicken Bites: Korean fried chicken is often considered the gold standard—crispy on top of crispy. Unfortunately, this missed the mark. The chicken was stringy and gristly, the breading was mushy, and the sauce, advertised as “spicy,” tasted like a generic jarred General Tso’s sauce. It lacked heat, depth, and any housemade quality.

Green Curry: The presentation was nice, with large chunks of eggplant and broccoli, and added-for-cost chicken. However, the flavor was extremely underwhelming. The curry was flat and watery, lacking the richness typically brought by coconut milk. The chicken tasted pre-cooked and reheated, and the quality was poor—bony, gristly, and not well butchered. Without the (unlabeled) tableside togarashi, this would have been nearly inedible.

Kao Soi: Another visually appealing dish, with noodles and large tofu pieces in a deep red broth. Unfortunately, the flavor fell flat again. The broth had a one-note anise taste, and the chili oil didn’t add much. The noodles were overcooked and mushy, while the “fried” tofu was limp and chewy. It seemed like they used firm tofu without pressing out excess moisture, resulting in a soggy dredge with no crisp. A lazy preparation that did nothing for the dish.

Additional Notes:

Most curry spots offer a renge (ramen spoon) for broth-based dishes; here, only shallow spoons, forks, and chopsticks were provided—odd, though not a deal breaker.

Ordering was simple via a kiosk, and they accept both cash and credit cards.

For two people, the bill came to $40—and we both left still hungry, without the comforting “soup belly” you’d expect from...

Amazing potential, but the dishes are just too expensive for students. Basically everything is $15, and that's just too much for lunch. I think people would rather have half the portion, but for $9. They could even reduce the menu and just be constantly slinging out the same 5 delicious dishes to reduce costs (scoop, scoop, done). At $15, it's pretty much the most expensive option on Craig St. for lunch. Rose Tea is biggest competition, and most of their lunch menu items are under $10. Indian grocery's lunches are

I have been in Pittsburgh for several days, needing to eat out. I am staying near UPMC in Oakland and tried a few of the fast food restaurants, catering to students. They are generally just ok, with a couple of exceptions. I found Crapow while searching for a burger. Their Wagyu burger came up as number 1. It didn’t disappoint - great smash burger with a kick. Fries were amazing. Came back a second time and had the Crapow, a nice, simple and flavorful version. The owner is Nepalese and dishes draw from several Asian cuisines. I love the place, best quick food around here, and plan to return soon. Highly recommend especially to fans of...