Kona, HI: Original Thai

Original Thai is such an odd name for a restaurant. Makes you a bit hesitant to dine in, but I’ll say give it a shot. I dined here with 3 other people and we had quite a feast for under $90. I’ll also had we had a native Thai person with us to make the call if Original Thai was a fitting name.

The Coconut lemongrass soup is a cup of goodness. Perfect consistency, and the flavors meshed well. I was tempted to order another cup, but we ordered a bunch of entrees, so I had to control myself.

Som Tom (Thai Green Papaya Salad) – green papaya salad tossed with fresh chilies, peppers, carrots, tomatoes, lime, and roasted peanuts – is one of the best green papaya salads I’ve ever eaten.

Kaeng Phed (Thai Red Curry) and the Kaeng Mussaman (Thai peanut curry) were both very delicious and authentic.

Since they don’t serve alcohol in the restaurant, we had to drink the typical Thai drinks – Thai Iced Tea and Thai Iced Coffee. Both were delicious, and not overly sweet.

Overall the food was pretty good, and I would recommend you try it out if you are in the area. The prices are reasonable, especially for its location (in the touristy Kona area). The staff is friendly, and they don’t rush you, even if you are taking your time enjoying your meal (or like me, taking photos of the food).

Original Thai
75-5629 Kuakini Hwy
Ilima Court Shopping Center, at the back of the center
Kailua Kona, HI 96740