"This pink-hued Belmont Thai restaurant serves flower-topped cocktails and pad thai tangled with soft-shell crab, but Rukdiew’s khao soi — a Northern Thai coconut-based soup with an earthy spice blend, plenty of shallots, and a crown of fried noodles — has leapt in front of the pack when it comes to some of the city’s great versions of the dish. It’s the balanced nature of the broth that really sets it apart, chiles intermingling with turmeric and coriander, accentuated by the recurring note of alliums. It’s best to order it with the whole chicken leg, fall-apart tender chicken floating among egg noodles and cilantro, though Rukdiew also offers versions with sliced chicken breast, pork, tofu, and even soy curls." - Rebecca Roland, Nick Woo, Brooke Jackson-Glidden
