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A traditional Thai Tom Yum hot pot filled with spicy reddish broth, corn, and tomatoes served on a wooden table at Red Chili restaurant in San Jose, with a vermicelli bowl and spring rolls in the background

Tom Yum Soup Explained: Thai Comfort Food’s Spicy-Sour Classic

Quick Answer: Tom Yum soup is one of the most well-known dishes in Thai cuisine, recognized for its bold spicy, sour, and aromatic flavor. It’s built around fresh Thai herbs like lemongrass and lime, which give the broth its signature bright taste. Depending on the recipe, Tom Yum can include shrimp, chicken, seafood, mushrooms, or

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Assorted Thai and Vietnamese appetizers at Red Chili including fresh shrimp rolls, fried spring rolls, and chicken satay served table-side

Our Story: How Red Chili Brought Thai & Vietnamese Flavors to the Bay Area

A lot of people search for “Red Chili” and want to know the same things: who started it, when it opened, and what makes it different from every other Thai restaurant in the Bay Area. Here’s the short version, with links if you want the full story. How It Started, Hayward, 2004 Twenty years ago,

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Thai and Vietnamese corporate catering spread with vegan egg rolls, papaya salad, and noodles set up in a San Jose office

Catering for Parties & Corporate Events in the Bay Area: Thai & Vietnamese Menu

Thai and Vietnamese catering brings bold, fresh flavors to any Bay Area event, from office lunches to birthday parties. A menu that mixes curries, noodles, fried rice, and Vietnamese specialties gives every guest something to enjoy, including vegetarian and gluten-conscious eaters. Professional catering also means your food arrives on time, at the right temperature, and

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Thai restaurant San Jose, CA dining area with wooden tables and Thai wall art at Red Chili

Thai Restaurant San Jose, CA: What Makes Red Chili a Local Favorite

Since 2004, one family has been serving the same authentic Thai and Vietnamese recipes they grew up with, first in Hayward, and now right here in San Jose. That family runs Red Chili Thai & Vietnamese, and their Berryessa Road location has quietly become one of the city’s most trusted spots for fresh, bold, home-style

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Bowl of Thai panang curry with coconut milk, green beans, kaffir lime leaves, and red chili oil, served in a black bowl

Best Panang Curry Near San Jose & Hayward: What Makes Red Chili’s Recipe Different

If you’ve searched “panang curry near me” in the Bay Area, chances are you’ve driven past Red Chili, the family-owned Thai & Vietnamese restaurant that’s been serving San Jose and Hayward since 2004. Panang curry is one of the most requested dishes on our menu, and it’s also one of the most misunderstood Thai curries.

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A blog post titled Grocery Store Fire Leaves Restaurant In Limbo showing dark smoke and flames billowing from a strip mall storefront while a firefighter stands nearby

Grocery Store Fire Leaves Restaurant In Limbo

Grocery Store Fire Leaves Restaurant in Limbo as a fire at the Great Indian Grocery Market forced the long-time local Thai and Vietnamese restaurant next door to temporarily shut down. The incident has left the Red Chili team facing uncertainty while working through the recovery process and receiving support from the local community. Last Wednesday,

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Interior dining area of Red Chili Thai and Vietnamese Restaurant featuring wooden tables and chairs, a service counter, and traditional cultural artwork on the walls

The Story of a Family’s Two-Decade Journey Blending Thai and Vietnamese Flavors in Hayward

Twenty years ago, in the heart of Hayward, a young couple took a chance on a dream. Sunny and Lulu Ho—he, a Vietnamese refugee who had worked every odd job imaginable, and she, a Thai immigrant who had once been a waitress and a bank teller—decided to open a restaurant together. They called it Red

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