Cholada Thai Beach Cuisine

We weren't quite sure what to expect from a restaurant that labels itself "Thai Beach Cuisine." And while it definitely bears a resemblance to a surf shack, the cooks there do not take their cooking casually. The food at Cholada is fresh and flavorful; all of the vegetables had a pleasant crunch; and the seafood was plump and plentiful. We started off with beef salad - grilled beef over cucumbers and red onions and lots of fresh mint leaves. We moved on to a green papaya salad whose spicy garlic sauce had just the right amount of kick for us. We washed all of that down with sticky iced coffees and fresh coconut juice served in the husk. We followed that up with pad thai, brown sticky rice, and - the dish that eclipsed them all as my favorite of the day - sapalod, an exotic red pineapple curry made with shrimp, basil, tomatoes and coconut milk. Everything was a treat.

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It bears the visage of the classic crab shack, and the flavor of an authentic, powerful Thai menu. Cleverly placed on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, stepping into Cholada is like stepping out of California and into Thai heaven. Wooden tables are soon filled with family-style rice, noodles, and curries that make the mouth water—and then catch fire, if that's your taste. A brilliant Thai iced tea blends tea with coconut milk to make a thick, sweet beverage that complements any meal. And the people-watching sadist can look on in pleasure as unsuspecting tourists sample a ginger beer for the first time. All the while, waves break on the shorefront just steps away, a white-capped reminder of the larger paradise that this little nirvana calls home.

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