A & E

You know you're a true Pittsburgher when you give people directions based on things that used to be there, instead of things that are there now. It's not like it was a landmark or anything, but Pi by Valozzi in Squirrel Hill had great gourmet pizza, outdoor dining and a truly weird interior design -- blank white walls with a giant nose, ear and lips protruding outward.

Luckily, its replacement, Sun Penang, is just unique enough to distinguish itself, and, hopefully, stick around a little longer.

With Pittsburgh choking on a heat wave of equatorial proportions, we passed the lone palm tree standing sentry at the door and entered a cool, dim, green-walled sanctuary, free from the soul-scalding heat. The restaurant itself is kind of a featureless, green-walled nowhere space -- stark, minimal, easy on the senses.

Sun Penang runs the gamut of Southeast Asian flavors (Thai, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Southeastern Chinese), with a number of dishes you can't find right around the corner -- which is saying something, considering the number of Asian restaurants in Squirrel Hill. Most of this stuff is not the usual Americanized fare we're used to at the better local Asian establishments.

A good example was the Basil Eggplant ($9.95), found under the menu heading "Vegetables." My lunch companion, a vegetarian, was dismayed to find her eggplant dish reeking of pungent fish sauce. I helped out, although I had to add a lot of rice to dilute the supremely strong fishy, pepper, onion and chili flavors.

Adventurous palates will be rewarded at Sun Penang, however; vegetarians just have to be careful. Sarang Burong ($12.95), for example, is a shaped, fried bowl made of taro -- a starchy, sweet, light-purple potato-like vegetable. The bowl is stuffed with grilled shrimp, chicken, corn, snowpeas, cashews and several types of mushroom. Despite all this, the taro bowl somehow stays soft and light.

The appetizers include a few winners, like the Home Made Roti Canai ($4.50) -- a thin "pancake" served with a spicy chicken broth dipping sauce.

And, to placate my vegetarian companion, the Achat ($5.95) was wonderful -- a deliciously simple pickled vegetable salad in a tangy peanut sauce.

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