Photo: E+
Harjasleen Walia went to dine with a friend at Coup de Thai in Los Gatos in 2021, and had no idea of the misfortune that would soon plague her days. According to Hoodline, Walia sat down to order food and decided on the Dragon Balls; an appetizer made with "spicy chicken, mint, shallot, green onion, cilantro, kaffir lime leaf, and chili." The $11 dish was previously advertised as spicy, but Walia asked the server to make the dish mild because she does not do well with spicy foods.
When the dish arrived at her table, Walia consumed the Dragon Balls and "immediately felt an intense burning sensation in her mouth, throat, and nose." The lawsuit claimed that the chilis from the appetizer were so spicy that they caused internal chemical burns requiring medical attention. Hoodline mentioned that this was the first ever Los Gatos patron to complain about the spiciness of the Dragon Balls to such extent. While the dish is labeled spicy, it had never been spicy enough to send a restaurant patron to the hospital.
Coup de Thai supervisor Luck Pryer assured that the appetizer does not "use excessive chili spice." Though the server agreed to bring Walia back a mild version of the dish, Pryer shared that reducing the spice was never possible. As part of the lawsuit, Walia is seeking payment for medical expenses and unspecified damages on the grounds that the restaurant staff should have taken greater precaution when serving the spicy menu item. The disgruntled restaurant patron also detailed that the server did not offer her a cold beverage to ease the burning sensation in her throat while she experienced a coughing fit. Walia claimed that the injuries to her vocal chords are permanent, and that she will be "forever damaged."