Rukdiew Cafe

"This millennial pink Thai restaurant, serving pomegranate-lychee juice alongside bowls of pineapple fried rice and boat noodles, is far more than its aesthetics. The dishes here are dialed-in interpretations of Thai standards like saucy kana moo grob with hunks of pork belly, or guay tiew tom yum, a sour-savory noodle soup piled high with springy fish meatballs and ground pork. The restaurant’s khao soi may be one of the best in town, bolstered with chiles and aromatics." - Krista Garcia

"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

"This Southeast Belmont Thai restaurant is a cheery spot for a mid-week lunch, with plush, rose-pink bar stools and robin’s egg blue booths. The food matches the decor — dishes here are colorful and bright, crunchy salad rolls followed by a lime-laden larb. Rukdiew also serves some of the finest khao soi in the city, with a brick-red slick of chile oil floating above a nuanced broth teeming with cinnamon and coriander. It’s best paired with a Cherry Blossom, a nonalcoholic cocktail made with pomegranate juice and lychee." - Rebecca Roland, Brooke Jackson-Glidden

"The millennial pink color palate and cotton candy-topped cocktails of this new-ish Thai restaurant exude a playfulness that may indicate a lack of seriousness in the kitchen. This assumption is far from accurate. Rukdiew’s approach to Thai food is bright and precise, packed with fresh vegetables and layered with spice and aromatics. Rich boat noodles and chile-laden khao soi are smart choices on cold days, though curry aficionados will be pleased with Rukdiew’s take on green, red, and massaman curries. The soft shell crab pad Thai is another standout." - Katrina Yentch

"This Southeast Belmont Thai restaurant is a cheery spot for a mid-week lunch, with plush, rose-pink bar stools and robin’s egg blue booths. The food matches the decor — dishes here are colorful and bright, crunchy salad rolls followed by a lime-laden larb. Rukdiew also serves some of the finest khao soi in the city, with a brick-red slick of chile oil floating above a nuanced broth teeming with cinnamon and coriander. It’s best paired with a Cherry Blossom, a nonalcoholic cocktail made with pomegranate juice and lychee." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden