LIHU‘E — Gingbua Thai Restaurant is tucked away at the end of Harbor Mall’s second story in Lihu‘e, across the street from Kalapaki Beach. The moment you step inside, a friendly lady greets you and sits you wherever you want
LIHU‘E — Gingbua Thai Restaurant is tucked away at the end of Harbor Mall’s second story in Lihu‘e, across the street from Kalapaki Beach.
The moment you step inside, a friendly lady greets you and sits you wherever you want as long as it is on a chair at a table. The aromatic air wafting around perfectly blends with the decor.
With a Thai chef running the kitchen, Gingbua clearly has authentic flavors to offer. They have gone as far as growing their own herbs on the terrace.
For the occasion, I sat on the lanai with a view of Nawiliwili Bay to my left and the Hule‘ia mountain range to my right.
I started with the summer rolls. They came bursting with colorful shreds of various fresh vegetables. The mint inside added a refreshing nuance to the many flavors.
While the red chili sauce was hot enough without overpowering the fresh rolls’ delicate flavors, the peanut sauce was a bit too watery and lacked the usual garlic aroma that goes so well with cayenne pepper.
Then came the green curry tofu, medium heat. The combination of chili peppers, garlic, lemon grass and coconut milk among other essential herbs and spices usually calls for a sweet accompaniment. I chose the jasmine rice, which was steamed and had preserved its unique nutty flavor.
The fresh vegetables, the generous portion of tofu and the curry sauce were perfectly seasoned. It was a good dish, although the lime kafir hint that makes for a very flavorful dish was lacking. The steamed rice noodles accompanied the meal nicely.
Afterwards came the most common dish in Thai cuisine, the pad thai. I ordered it with pork. It tasted way too fishy for my tastebuds.
I then tried the chicken yellow curry, medium heat. The dish’s main aroma exuded from a homemade infusion of turmeric that pairs wonderfully with white fish or poultry.
The rich curry was bold yet sweet and the subtle hints of spices delivered many excellent flavors, although the medium heat took away from some. The chicken was lean and tender.
My recommendation is order this dish with little heat if you want to enjoy all the flavors fully.
I finally ordered the bowl of noodle soup with scallops, medium heat. The scallops were perfectly cooked, firm yet tender, and without that gritty fishy flavor that can ruin a whole meal. The noodles were tender and the broth was light yet flavorful.
All in all, not bad a place that is reasonably priced with a great variety of dishes for the spice and non-spicy lovers.
The restaurant does not serve alcohol so bring your own. Best of all, there is no corkage.
Gingbua Thai Restaurant is located at 3501 Rice St., Ste. 207 in Lihu‘e. For more information call 245-9350.
