Branches Book

BRANCHES

Finally, the very sticky, sticky rice arrives. It comes in a small tinfoil wrapped ball. It honestly does not look very appealing. It looks like a sticky ball that will never come apart, and it really doesn’t come apart very easily. But, once you take a bite you can’t stop. The rice is so perfectly cooked, and it is fun to eat because of how sticky it is. You really will love the sticky rice. The food is now all here so you continue to dig in. The food could not be more delicious. It is so sweet and flavorful. It tastes like a party in your mouth. You eat and eat and eat. You are so full, but you keep eating. You eat until there isn’t any food left on anyone’s plates. Then you all slouch into your chairs and lean back because you are so full. You are so full that you can’t get up. You continue to just sit there, trying to laugh but you are too full to do so. You decide to ask for the check. But, you are so happy sitting with all of your friends, you don’t want to leave the restaurant. Then you cross the street to the beach. You sit and watch the waves crash and you talk with your friends. You watch the cars on the Pacific Coast Highway buzz by you. The sun is fully set and it is almost completely dark. The moon is beginning to shine bright in the sky and a cool breeze is brushing up against your skin. You all then take your shoes off and put your feet in the water. It is so cold and you regret it immediately, but you also are all enjoying the moment. Everyone is together laughing and just enjoying the others’ company. It really makes you so happy. You don’t want this moment to end, it was a wonderful night. So, this concludes your night at Cholada, don’t you see how great is it? Don’t you want to go now? I would after reading this. I have always loved food. Having a food writer as a father has made food an essential part of my life and what makes me, me. From a young age, I would go and explore new restaurants. I would watch him take notes on what he was eating, and what made the meal compelling. This is how my strong opinions on food and restaurants developed, and what inspired me to write about Cholada Thai Beach Cuisine. It is a restaurant I go to fairly often and writing about it has really opened my eyes to how much I know and have noticed about Cholada; it’s a really special place. I wanted to share my love for this restaurant and my essay is meant to show how wonderful this restaurant is, and why I believe everyone must go eat there. I decided to write in second person because I wanted the reader to feel like they were going to Cholada along with me, or as if I was talking to them. I wanted my reader to fall in love with Cholada as I was describing an Author’s Statement: Sarah Shindler

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