Pad See Ew in my Face: Review: Cholada

The greatest thing about Cholada is that you would never expect to find amazing Thai food behind a neon blue shack on PCH facing some of Malibu's prettiest beaches. Are you kidding me? It's a blue shack named after a blended pineapple-coconut drink with a dirt parking lot you expect to find only in the Central Valley. Yet, the place is amazing.

The first time I came here was at night and the place was packed. As soon as you open the door to the restaurant that fits no more than 30 people, the strong smell of delicious Thai everything hits you in the face. The atmosphere in this little place is really great. Lots of character and situated just across the PCH from the beach.

I'll get to the Pad See Ew in a second, but no post about Cholada is worth mentioning without the note of their Golden Bags appetizer. Wonton skin is filled with a finely chopped shrimp/chicken mixture and tied into little Robin Hood-esque pouches, fried and served with a delicious tangy honey sauce. Although the plate holds 7 for $8.50, they're totally worth it for what might seem like a hefty price.

The Pad See Ew is one of the best I've had. The noodles are cooked to a delicate brown, but not to the point of utter mushy disaster. The overall dish is a wetter than Noodle Planet's, but not to the point where the noodles don't stick together. The sauce is noticeably sweet and hints of garlic stand out in every bite.

The beef is a little bit overcooked and slightly tough, but I like my beef thinner and able to fall apart in your mouth. Cholada's beef is a bit thick for my liking.

My other rant about this Pad See Ew is the lack of Chinese broccoli and the use of regular, ol' American broccoli. I'm a big fan of traditional ingredients and, although the broccoli in this dish was cooked very nicely (not too crispy and not too limp), the dish gets a mark down for not sticking to its roots.