February 14, 2013
Happy Valentines Day, Honeybun!
My sweet Honeybun and I decided to avoid the busy restaurants in Hilo to experience the ambiance of Historic 1920's Pahoa Village. We drove 20 miles outside of our comfort zone to this historical landscape of weathered wooden structures and board-walk. It was no surprise that we discovered an oasis for diners to enjoy a food palate of spices and flavors from around the globe!
The 2-way village road was heavily lined with cars and the parking grew scarce in nearby parking lots. People began arriving in large numbers. Restaurants' sitting was at 95 percent occupancy! There were people standing, waiting patiently for their tables at many of the village's bustling, prosperous eateries.
We were so delighted to be seated at a table for 2 and near the window at Ning's Thai Restaurant. The restaurant was fully staffed with Ning orchestrating the symphony of orders to the tables already seated.
One of the hidden treasures at Ning's Thai Restaurant is not only in their menu, but also in their owner, Ning. She prepares dishes on her menu with the authentic spices and flavors of Thailand. The dishes are made fresh to order from mild to medium to hot to hotter.
Ning's Thai Restaurant allows you to "byob" (bring your own booze) which we did. It was shortly after being seated that our waiter warmly greeted us with 2 chilled glasses of water flavored with freshly sliced, squeezed lemon wedges and dinner menus.
In minutes, our waiter returned to take our orders. We ordered Pad Thai with chicken, Spring Rolls with veggies, Eggplant with tofu, Massaman Curry with fish, and Thai brown rice.
First, our appetizer of deep fried Spring Rolls with tangy sweet sour sauce arrived on a bed of crispy lettuce and slices of crunchy cucumbers. The finger foods and long neck Coors Light quenched our hunger and thirst while we relaxed in bamboo pillars decor depicting Thailand.
Next, the steaming entree of colorful Pad Thai rice noodles with bite-sized saute'ed chicken, garnishes of freshly picked cilantro, crunchy beans sprouts, slivered green onions, and topped with chunks of chopped peanuts was delivered to our table. Shortly after, a plateful of locally grown Eggplant with island fresh tofu was served in Ning's signature blended house sauce of basil, garlic and soybeans. Lastly, Thai brown rice cooked to perfection accompanied our final entree | |
