Thai Village - Mililani

It's been so long that I've had Thai food in Mililani - so long that I didn't even realize Thai Village was in the Town Center of Mililani and Phuket Thai is no longer there. 

I've been to the Waipahu Thai Village location and liked it, so I was looking forward to trying out the Mililani location.

Chicken Fried Rice

Spring Rolls

Fried Chicken

Chicken Panang Curry

Eggplant with Tofu Stir-Fry

Everything was tasty.  I especially enjoyed the Pad Kee Mao.  I love thick noodles!  The Eggplant was tender and delicious as well.  

As I mentioned previously - it's been so long that I've had Thai food, that I forgot to order sticky rice!

Thai Village
Town Center of Mililani
95-1249 Meheula Pkwy APT 151

Mililani, HI 96789

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Red Elephant Thai Cuisine

It's been a while since I've had Thai food, and I've been wanting to try Red Elephant ever since my Aunt recommended it about a year ago.   Big thanks to a friend who was willing to try it with me! 

It's pretty easy to find the restaurant - just look for a red-colored house on Waialae Avenue, between McDonald's and St. Louis School.  There's a small parking lot in the back of the house, and they have a sign outside indicating where to turn for the parking lot - it's right before the restaurant if you're heading East on Waialae Ave.  

The inside of the restaurant is very colorful and decorating with items from Thailand.  Why is there a piano? They have someone playing the piano a few nights a week. 

The food and service here is excellent. The two of us shared three dishes for lunch:

Fried Chicken Appetizer

Pad Thai with Shrimp

Mixed Vegetables with Chicken

The food came out quickly and the guy who served us was friendly.  I liked everything we ordered - the fried chicken came out hot and crispy. The Pad Thai was moist and noodles were soft. I really liked the gravy that the mixed veggies were prepared with. I wish I had ordered rice to soak up the sauce...

The place was empty when he dined here for lunch, but I'm thinking maybe it's more popular for dinner, so you may want to consider making a reservation for dinner just in case. There were a few customers who came in to pick up their takeout orders while we were here.  

I'd say this is one of the better places for Thai Food on Oahu.

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RED ELEPHANT
3196 WAIALAE AVENUE
808-732-5461

 

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Affordable Takeout from Bangkok Chef

Before we got married, my husband lived in Nuuanu, a few blocks away from the original Bangkok Chef location. We used to get takeout from there often, since it was so convenient.  Since those days (that was over 10 years ago!), Bangkok Chef has opened three more locations in Kalihi (near Costco), Manoa, and Moiliili! 

I recently picked up takeout from the Nuuanu location for my mom. I forgot how good their food is, and how reasonable the prices are! 

Pad Thai with Chicken ($11.45)

Shrimp with Snow Peas ($13.45)

Spring Rolls (not pictured: lettuce, mint, house-made dipping sauce) ($11.95)

Taro Chip - garlic salt flavor ($4.75)

Now that Bangkok Chef is back on my radar, I'll be getting take out from the Manoa or Moiliili locations since it's so close to my workplace.

All locations have different hours, so be sure to call or check their website for their hours before heading to your desired location.

BANGKOK CHEF
808-585-8839
1627 Nuuanu Ave

 

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Visit Hilo: Naung Mai Thai Kitchen

There is an abundance of Thai restaurants in Hilo, and I was eager to try one that I heard good things about - Naung Mai Thai Kitchen.

I ordered some of my usual faves at Thai restaurants:

Panang Chicken Curry

Tofu Basil Eggplant

I loved the tender eggplant and the soft tofu in this dish, both of which soaked up all the flavors and spices. 

Green Papaya Salad

Thai Spring Rolls

The Thai Spring Rolls had no meat in it, just mung bean noodles and veggies - I loved them!  The Spring Rolls were fried golden, and the filling was flavorful.

Pad Kee Mau

I love the large, flat noodles in Pad Kee Mau (aka Drunken Noodles).  I ordered it mild, and it was actually a lot hotter than I expected it to be (and I like spicy!).  It was quite tasty and filling, with chicken and a lot of veggies.

Overall I thought the food was good, and I wouldn't hesitate to order take-out again.

Naung Mai Thai Cuisine
86 Kilauea Avenue
Hilo, Hawaii 96720

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Phuket Thai Express

Phuket Thai, a popular Thai restaurant located in the Ward area, recently opened an "express" location near the University of Hawaii, where Ezogiku once was. At this location, you can still get the great tasting Thai cuisine that Phuket Thai is known for, in a casual setting and at affordable prices.  

What I love about this location is the plate lunch menu - choose from one of three different combos, for only $11.95: fried chicken with veggies, fried chicken with pad thai (my fave!), or fried chicken with papaya salad. 

Also on the menu are a variety of soups, salads, appetizers, curries, noodles, fried rice, desserts, and beverages.  

Note - everything is served in Styrofoam containers, which worked out well for me, because I ended up taking half of my plate lunch home because of the generous portions.

PHUKET THAI EXPRESS

1010 UNIVERSITY AVENUE

(808) 942-8194

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Thai Village - Waipahu

One of my favorite Thai restaurants is Thai Village.

A few months ago I met up with Dara for dinner there. 

Pho

Spring Rolls

I wasn't too hungry, so I just ordered Spring Rolls. The spring rolls never disappoint - they are so tasty (you can order them with pork or veggies).

Dara had a generous bowl of Pho.

The service was great, and Thai Village remains one of my Top 10 Thai restaurants on the island!

Thai Village
94-1040 Waipio Uka St #15
Waipahu, HI 96797
(808) 678-2878

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The Elephant Shack

Thai food is one of my faves, so I was eager to try out The Elephant Shack in Haleiwa.

Chicken Pad Thai

Classic Chicken Fried Rice

Chicken Panang Curry

Chicken Spring Roll

I thought the flavors of almost everything we ordered were good.  My faves were the Pad Thai and Spring Rolls.  My kids loved the fried rice, which I actually thought was underseasoned.

Although there is a lot of space in the restaurant, there are very few tables inside.  There are a lot of tables outside, and several benches inside to sit, but I just thought it was strange how the interior was set up.  The doors were also left wide open, so flies were abuzz everywhere.  

Also, everything is served in take-out containers - no plates (not even paper ones), so we had to tear apart the containers to make "plates" for the kids.

The employees were very friendly, and although in general the food was good, the overall concept just didn't quite fit.  I'd be willing to do take-out from The Elephant Shack in the future though!

The Elephant Shack
66-145 Kamehameha Hwy
Haleiwa, HI 96712
(808) 638-1854

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Sweet and Sour Dishes at Thai Lao

Thai Lao is currently my favorite Thai restaurant.  I recently went there to celebrate a couple of birthdays, where the hosts ordered a number of dishes, such as Spring Rolls, Pad-Ki Mao, Pineapple Fried Rice with Chicken, and more.

Two of my favorite dishes turned out to be on opposite ends of the flavor spectrum.

Spicy Lemon Grass Soup

I never had Spicy Lemon Grass Soup (Tom Yum) until a little over a year ago, and it's absolutely delicious.  The herbs and spices give this aromatic soup so much flavor.  It's a nice, comforting mixture of sour and savory.

Mango with Sticky Rice

I don't really care for the types of desserts served at Thai restaurants, but one of my sons wanted the Mango with Sticky Rice.

Wow - it sure was a beautiful dessert, and it turned out to be very delicious and refreshing.  It had just enough sweetness, ending the meal on such a pleasant note.

All of the food was great, and the service was great as well.

Whatever flavors you crave, you very well may be able to find it at Thai Lao!

Thai Lao
803 Kamehameha Hwy
Ste 203
Pearl City, HI 96782
(808) 456-8088

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Orchid Thai Restaurant - Revisited

At the end of last year I visited Orchid Thai Restaurant for the first time, and had a really nice dinner with some friends.  I recently went back with the family to try out even more dishes.

Sa-Teh Chicken

Look Fun Pad Thai

Chicken Panang Curry

Pork Spring Rolls

Chicken Fried Rice

Everything we ordered was delicious.  In fact - the kids could not stop eating the food, and for the first time, we had no leftovers after dining at a Thai restaurant!

The Spring Rolls did not disappoint, and neither did the Fried Rice, which was very flavorful and full of eggs, onion, chicken, and tomato.

My fave was the Look Fun Pad Thai.  I loved the thick noodles mixed in with the chicken, eggs, tofu, and a special sauce.

The Sa-Teh Chicken was tasty, and perfect with the accompanying peanut sauce.

The food came out quite quickly, and service was excellent.  

Although the restaurant was not too crowded, there were many people picking up take-out orders, and the servers were always friendly.

After such a great dining experience, I think Orchid Thai Restaurant has moved up a few places on my Top 10 Thai Restaurants list!

Orchid Thai Restaurant
98-1277 Kaahumanu St, 

Aiea, HI 96701
(808) 832-6999

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Top 10: My Favorite Thai Restaurants

The first time I tried Thai food, I wasn't a fan, but now I love it! Here are my top 10 favorite Thai restaurants:

1. Thai Lao Pearl City - This new location (first one in Kapolei) serves up great Thai food - everything we ordered was delicious.  I especially enjoyed the Pad Ki-Mao with Chicken.

2. Noi Thai Cuisine - Pricey, but excellent food and service, with amazing presentations!

3. Rajanee Thai Haleiwa - Great addition to Haleiwa Store Lots!

4. Thai Village Waipahu - Tasty food and friendly service.  My favorites include the Chicken Pad Thai, Sa-Teh Chicken, and Pork Spring Rolls.

5. Phuket Thai Mililani - The second place I've ever tried Thai food, and the first place I ever enjoyed it.  Love their Chicken Paht Thai and Spring Rolls!

6. Bangkok Chef Ewa Beach - Great food, and yummy dessert!

7. Orchid Thai Restaurant - A great option for Thai in the Aiea area.

8. Opal Thai - We tried dishes we normally wouldn't order thanks to the personalized experience.  You just have to go to find out what I'm talking about.

9. Thai Kitchen - Flavorful dishes, and my kids loved the garlic chicken! 

10. Siam Garden Cafe - Service could have been better, but the food was good.

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