Garlic Shrimp with XO Sauce

Originally from Thailand, Chef Wedchayan "Deau" Arpapornnopparat is one of two chefs behind the popular takeout spot Holy Basil. Arpapornnopparat and his partner Tongkamal "Joy" Yuon opened Holy Basil in the up-and-coming downtown Los Angeles food hall Santee Passage earlier this year. Holy Basil focuses on central Thai street food, and has amassed a bevy of critical praise and attention from all strata of food media from the Los Angeles Times to Eater to The Infatuation. While Los Angeles is a hot bed for Thai food, Arpapornnopparat focuses on his favorite Thai dishes while utilizing the incredible local produce found at various farmers markets, as well as quality meat and fish purveyors. Arpapornnopparat and Yuon are also behind The_Base, a line of hand-crafted drink starters featuring flavors ranging from Gooseberry Marigold to Blackberry Charcoal to seasonal specials like Lychee and Blood Orange Elderflower. The_Base has built up a sizable fan base over the years and can currently be found at Smorgasburg and the-base.co. In addition to these projects, Arpapornnoppara also hosts a pop-up called YUM, which features a menu of intensely-flavored dishes that encapsulate his signature balance of spicy, sweet, and savory.

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