The celebration rice — sweet pineapple, raisins and cashews tumbled through egg-laced grains.
$15
Where it comes from
Khao pad sapparot is Thai fried rice in its party dress — famously served in a hollowed pineapple when there is something to celebrate. The idea is old Thai wisdom: fruit belongs in savory food, and pineapple's sweet acidity wakes up wok-fried rice the way lime wakes up a curry. Raisins, tomato and buttery cashews finish a plate that has converted more skeptics than any dish we know.
Not sure how to judge a plate like this? Read our field guide to the best Thai food in Orange County — five signs of a real Thai kitchen, and what to order once you’re in one.
