Orchid Thai Cuisine is a family-owned and operated restaurant in a small strip mall in Kailua-Kona. But don’t let its humble facade and the seedy neighborhood scare you away. Inside, you’ll find an inviting ambiance, warm and caring staff, and fresh, delicious food. The interior of Orchid Thai Cuisine has plenty of space for tables that comfortably seat four. The furnishings are a step above what you find at lesser-quality restaurants. Artwork, flowers, and Asian artwork add warmth and authenticity to the room without being tacky or overpowering the senses.
Being a family business, customers say that often the owner will be your server. And all guests agree that everyone at Orchid Thai Cuisine works hard. A frequent observation by diners is that it took a long time before their meals arrived. One reason for this is that the food at Orchid Thai Cuisine is cooked to order. Factor this into your dining, especially if you’re short on time.
Let’s peruse their menu and discuss some of their mouth-watering selections.
Fresh Summer Rolls
You get three rolls sliced into 12 pieces containing lettuce, mint leaf, bean sprouts, cucumber, carrot, cilantro, and somen noodles wrapped in rice paper. It comes with sweet chili garlic sauce and is topped with peanuts.
Chicken Satay
This appetizer has four skewers of grilled marinated chicken with peanut sauce and a cucumber pickle.
Deep-Fried Stuffed Squid
Squid tubes are filled with long rice noodles, vegetables, and ground chicken. It’s then breaded and then deep-fried. Served with sweet & sour garlic chili sauce and topped with peanuts.
Co Co Soup
Chicken is cooked in coconut milk and has lemongrass, galangal, kefir lime leaf, straw mushrooms, white onion, tomato, bamboo shoot, and napa cabbage. Cilantro and green onions top this succulent dish.
Hot & Spicy Shrimp Soup
Shrimp is cooked in chicken broth and has shrimp paste with lemongrass, galangal, kefir lime leaf, straw mushroom, white onion, tomato, napa cabbage, and green beans. All of which are topped with cilantro and green onions.
Papaya Salad
Shredded green papaya is mixed with tomatoes, string beans, and ground peanuts. A dressing of lime juice, fish sauce, and garlic is poured over the salad and garnished with peanuts.
Thai Larb
You choose your protein of either ground chicken, beef, pork, or tofu. Your selection is mixed with green lettuce, cilantro, bean sprouts, red and green onions, mint leaf, and ground roasted uncooked rice. The salad is served on shredded cabbage drizzled with lime juice and fish sauce.
Stir-Fry Mix Vegetables
Diners first select either chicken, beef, pork, or tofu. Next, it’s stir-fried with garlic, white onions, zucchini, carrots, cabbage, green beans, celery, straw mushroom, and broccoli.
Volcano Chicken
The chicken is breaded and then deep-fried and served on a bed of shredded cabbage. Served with straw mushrooms, carrots, white onions, shredded ginger, and cooked in a homemade sweet and sour sauce.
Basil Eggplant
You select either ground chick, beef, pork, or tofu, and then it’s stir-fried with garlic, homemade oyster sauce, Thai eggplant, and basil.
Although the exterior and location may be questionable, we believe that you’ll find kind servers, delicious meals, and reasonable prices once you step inside Orchid Thai Cuisine.
Insider Tip:
Orchid Thai Cuisine doesn’t have a beer or liquor license. However, you can bring your wine or beer to the restaurant, and they’ll supply you with the glasses.