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26 | September 8, 2016 | Malibu surfside news Dining Out
malibusurfsidenews.com
The Dish
Cholada Thai Beach Cuisine serves up authentic local favorites
Barbara Burke
Freelance Reporter
For some 15 years, the
owner of Cholada Thai
Beach Cuisine, 18763
Pacific Coast Highway,
a small beach-hut-type
restaurant scrunched up
against the mountains
across from Topanga
Beach, has served up authentic
Thai food to hungry
beachgoers and passersby.
“Our out-of-town foodie
friends go out of their way
to come back here,” said
Mike Minky, a Malibu local.
This Thai food is so good
that back in the day when
controversy arose concerning
what to do with the land
near the old Topanga Ranch
Motel, there were fears that
Cholada would be another
victim of the clearing of the
state-owned parcel.
However, Cholada’s local
fans would have none
of it.
“There was a big petition
to save the restaurant,”
Minky recounted. “Even
the owner was surprised
that she prevailed.”
This is a “soup to peanuts”
type of place, offering
everything from appetizers
to dessert and sake as
well as beer and wine.
However, for a great experience,
make sure to note
the few items listed on the
“other menu” on the board,
which features a newer dish
at the establishment: pumpkin
curry, served with sole.
Huge pieces of it-musthave-been-just
picked fresh
basil are one of the keys
to this very flavorful, filling
dish. Large chunks of
pumpkin infused with curry
combine with the accompanying
fresh, locally sourced
Malibu restaurant Cholada Thai Beach Cuisine offers
Golden Bags, crispy wontons filled with ground chicken
and shrimp served alongside a sweet sauce.
Cholada Thai Beach Cuisine
18763 Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu
Hours
• 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily
For more information ...
Web: choladathaicuisine.com
Phone: (310) 317-0025
sole to make a hearty,
healthy meal that is meaty
yet incongruously light.
This dish leaves you full,
but not stuffed. It is generally
served with a red curry
sauce, although you can
order various types of curries
and calibrate the levels
of heat to suit your palate.
Chiles and bell peppers
merge with the curry for a
not-too-spicy meal that has
just a bit of kick.
“I keep coming back
for this dish,” local Susie
Schneider said. “I’m
not a meat eater and this
dish tastes substantial if it
is served vegan style. We
come here quite often because
the food is delicious,
the staff is friendly, and it
is a comfortable place for
good food.”
Generally, folks order a
side of the steamed brown
sticky rice with the dish.
The Thai Iced Tea is also
a good accompaniment to
this meal.
“I enjoy the atmosphere
here near the beach. There
is an excellent view and the
food is good,” said Asim Hamid
as he and other sighing,
satiated customers sauntered
out of the restaurant.
Other dishes not to miss
• Golden Bags - Crispy
wontons filled with ground
Pictured is the pumpin curry with sole, a new dish at Cholada Thai Beach Cuisine,
located at 18763 Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu.
Photos by Barbara Burke/22nd Century Media
Cholada Thai Beach Cuisine’s Nam Sod Kaw Tod is a crispy rice salad that is very
refreshing in the summer.
chicken and shrimp served
with sweet sauce. This dish
features Pandan leaves,
indigenous spices from
Southeast Asia that are used
to tie the Golden Bags.
• Nam Sod Kaw Tod –
A crispy rice salad mixed
with chicken, ginger, mints,
red onion, shredded carrots
and peanuts served with
sliced cucumbers.