by nate.cielieska on October 27, 2011
Its interesting how people approach various parts of modern western life In thinking of being an effective Taoist. We have an Eastern Religion that has been around since before Christianity that Is shrouded In mystery which In my mind makes It a bit more endearing. So the question becomes how does one translate a highly subjective philosophy to be as effective as It can be without having the protection of hard coded, highly scrutinized tomes and dogma like many other religions. I think In most things that have to do with Taoism the “KISS” method applies.
I’ll come clean a bit here. I’m a 35 year old adult, who is overweight and like many other people have tried every diet under the sun. I have tried The Zone, Atkins, Keto, Fat Flush, Lemonade Diet, and many others with the same results. I have seen successes and failures and have gained and lost significant weight during various points In my life. Looking back at these times with a Taoist view I can say that I had good intentions in attempts to drop weight but my Ideals were also paradoxical. Taoism claims that the more you “push” or “force” a situation or event to occur the higher the chances the opposite will occur. As I’ve spent more time meditating and reading and being more active with Taoism the more you appreciate this fact. Diets deal with deficiencies, and those deficiencies start to define a person on a diet. Think about it, I am doing the Atkins diet.. what do I secretly crave? Carbohydrates and Sugar. Why do I crave those? Because I’m trying to not have those. Eventually all diets like this fail because you are “forcing” yourself to partake of these things rarely If at all. Eventually the rubber meets the road and like a rubber band a person Is flung back Into the thing that they are trying to rid themselves of. Hence the diet fails and people find themselves back at square one.
Once again putting your ear close to the ground and not thinking so much creates an answer right in front of someone. Look no further than Taoism to determine the right way to eat. Taoism teaches one to follow their Inner nature and eliminate the mind from the equation. This can be done In deciding what and when to eat as well. Your body Innately tells a person when and how much to eat. Listening to that body language creates the correct way to eat and maintain weight. For weeks I have tried to eat only when my body was telling me too. I would wait until I had a physiological hunger reaction as my guide on when to eat. Saliva increase, small stomach discomfort, and strong sense of hunger were the indicators. On top of that I would eat very slowly, trying to listen to when those symptoms would stop. At that point I would stop eating. What ended up happening in my instance was that I started to eat a great deal less and I had an inner feeling that the way I was eating was “right” and “balanced”. I started to lose weight and If I had just been honest with myself Instead of overanalyzing my weight problems, things would have been better a long time ago. I don’t watch what I eat, I don’t restrict myself, I just work with my partner.. my body.. to tell me when to eat and how much. Following this methodology leads someone exactly where they should be in regards to physical and mental health. You can stop questioning If your too fat or too skinny. Your just right.. and following your nature had led the way.
Be Cool…
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by nate.cielieska on March 30, 2011
4050 Penn Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
(412) 682-2688
Tram’s has been a staple of mine for a better part of a decade but for the longest time I hadn’t reviewed it because I wasn’t sure If it was the quality of the food or the lack of traditional Cambodian/Vietnamese cuisine in the the Pittsburgh area. I’m still not convinced but I thought it was probably time to throw down some direction on a restaurant I am very intimate with.
Tram’s is unexciting in every way possible. It truly is a typical Pittsburgh hole in the wall restaurant. Small storefront, unassuming tables, a few awards on the walls scattered with some Asian art. Almost stereotypically plain. I typically say that the best food Pittsburgh has to offer is in hole in the wall joints and this is one of those places which conjures up those thoughts. I think people that open restaurants almost daring customers to leave but knowing they can’t because the food is so good is about as concrete an endorsement you can have for your own abilities as a restaurant owner. Tram’s sits on Penn Ave. a little up from the strip. Parking is right in front on the street or pick a side street and you will usually find a spot. The place can get busy on the weekends but they only have 6 or 7 tables. On the weekdays they get a good deal of lunch traffic from Children’s Hospital up the road. Either way, if there is a wait its never that long. Heads up though, they are closed every Monday.
The atmosphere is that of something I would imagine in Cambodia/Vietnam. Busy service, quick order taking and not much chit chat. If you start to frequent the place you can develop a relationship with Tram, who also tends to be the restaurants only waiter. The dress code is a strange mix of incredibly informal, to very stuffy. I have seen what looked to be homeless people sitting at one table with what looked like an executive business meeting at another table. The funny thing is that with the way the place is no one cares. Long story short is you can wear whatever you want and be ok.
The food is good overall. Its borderline great but as I had suggested earlier in the review I wonder if the reason people think the food is great is that we have little to go one with Cambodian/Vietnamese cuisine. Its like giving a guy a cracker who hasn’t eaten in a week. Its going to be a pretty darn good cracker. With that said the food is the best in Pittsburgh on the Cambodian/Vietnamese front. The vegetarian options are flat awesome. If you are a vegetarian you should have this place on speed dial. If you have had the opportunity to try some of the food in the Asian sections of New York or San Jose this will appear to be nothing special but for Pittsburgh Tram’s provides a respectable, much needed gateway to this off the beaten path cuisine. The main attraction here is the “Spring Roll” ($1.95/ea) which if you get the classic version is a mix of Asian noodle, Beef and Shrimp with some fresh greens mixed in. The spring rolls are a truly special dish and the diamond on the menu. The menu is comprised of either soup (Pho – $6.95/$7.95) or dry noodle (Vermicelli – $6.95/$7.95) dishes. If you haven’t had it before, the Pho is a fantastic introduction into the world of Cambodian/Vietnamese cuisine so I would start there. It is like Ramen Noodles on crack. Good fresh vegetables and spices, great consistency of noodle and a broth that has hints of beef bone and mint (which i think Tram’s uses exclusively and superbly). Its everything a soup should be. One thing about Tram’s is everything is fresh. The one thing that detracts about Tram’s in my mind is that the food is heavily infused with mint, which some would say is different from many other Pho places. It is a small detraction but could be a detraction nonetheless. As in typical Cambodian/Vietnamese restaurants the unusual drinks are interesting if you’ve never tried (Fresh Lemon, Special Coffee).
The price is great for the fresh ingredients you receive and the craft to which its prepared. With a hefty bowl of soup and a spring roll or two you can walk out of there for under $30 for two people. Tram’s should be the go to place for anyone wanting for Cambodian/Vietnamese food in Pittsburgh. It truly is the best the city has to offer.
Be Cool…
Food and Presentation : 
(4.5/5)
Ambience and Decor : 
(3/5)
Quality of Service : (3/5)
Favorite Menu Item : Fresh Spring Rolls ($1.95/ea)
Cost Range : up to $30
Best Suited For : Any
Kid Friendly : Not Really
Vegetarian Friendly : Very Much So
Overall Rating : (4/5)
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