Thai Beach

Don't be fooled by the blue-painted beach shack while driving along Pacific Coast Highway. I understand it looks a little "out of place" compared to other restaurants planted along the coastal stretch. Cholada? A Mexican restaurant perhaps... Nope! Don't you all want to know what is under the roof of this over sized hut-like structure? Step inside and you will be blown away by the fresh, flavorful authentically prepared Thai cuisine. 

I cannot believe I didn't know about this place until my junior year at Pepperdine! I had been missing out... My good friend Lauren kept on raving about the "golden bags" that I must try at Cholada, and that is what first lured me in. Golden bags are now a permanent appetizer on my Cholada order. Just pop the mini dumplings dipped in Thai sweet chili into your mouth and you will see why. 

There is no special dress code at Cholada, the entire place is very down-to-earth in decor and atmosphere. This family-run restaurant has lots of loyal diners who frequently come back for more fragrant, sweet and spicy flavors. Since it is a bit of a tiny space (read: living room size), the tables are close in proximity and occasionally there's a wait at peak-hour dinner times. The tasty food and unbeatable prices will make up for it, I promise. This is not your typical Malibu priced restaurant by any means. The food comes pretty quickly, however sometimes it's annoying when the servers rush you and your party out in order to accommodate more customers. With that being said, the local charm of the Thai staff always puts a smile on my face. It reminds me of family vacations in Thailand... Cholada does the trick for now.

Golden Bags - crispy wontons stuffed with ground chicken served with thai sweet chili

Thai Brown Rice - fried rice with eggs, onions, tomatoes, celery and cucumbers

Chicken Pad Thai - rice noodles with bean sprouts, green onions, ground peanuts and chicken

Drunken Noodles - rice noodles with mint leaves, onions, mushrooms, carrots and bell peppers

Kio Wan - green curry made with coconut milk, green beans, basil and red peppers

Cholada Pumpkin - stir fried pumpkin & eggplant in thai chili sauce with bell peppers and basil