"The owners of Pusadee’s Garden took a big risk when they closed their beloved, homestyle Thai restaurant for a few years to renovate the space from the ground up. The bet paid off — it’s been more than three years since the relaunch, and reservations can still be hard to come by (tip: they hold space for walk-ins; put your name on the waitlist, and you’ll likely get a table). This year, primary chef Bootsaba “Gik” Tongdee earned her first James Beard Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic semifinalist spot for her menu of multiregional Thai dishes. Pittsburgh architecture firm MossArchitects turned the multi-building space into a visual stunner, and the interior garden is now maturing into an escapist destination dining location." - Melissa McCart, Hal B. Klein
