Karin Thai Restaurant — Restaurant in Auburn

My wife and I ate lunch at Karin Thai today for the first time and were very impressed. It's a small hole in the wall restaurant in a strip mall and from the outside appearance you'd probably drive by and not give it another thought. That would be a mistake and a bad decision on your part if your looking for really good Thai food. The decor inside is simple, but the food is complex, rich, and full of flavor. The menu is diverse offering many of your typical Thai dishes, but then surprises you with items like rib eye steak, Thai Pork Spare Ribs, Spicy Chili Catfish, and Salmon Red Curry to mention a few. Most of the menu items have a vegetarian option.

Service was excellent, and the hostess/waitress was friendly and attentive. My wife ordered the Panang Curry, and I ordered the Green Avocado Curry. Both were ordered with chicken and medium heat. Both dishes came out in a reasonable amount of time, piping hot, and freshly made. We could smell the wonderful aroma drifting off both dishes. Both dishes were beautifully plated. My Green Avocado Curry had what appeared to be a whole avocado in the dish and was loaded with chicken. My wife's Panang Curry was loaded with chicken as well. We shared both dishes, and the heat was perfect for us. Too many times I've had Thai food where the heat either overwhelmed the flavor of the dish, or the chef just plain substituted heat for flavor. Not here. Both dishes were full of flavor, and the heat accentuated what were already extremely delicious entrees.

We compare Karin Thai very favorably to Auburn Thai Garden which is our go to Thai restaurant in Auburn. However, Karin Thai has just earned it's place along side our favorite, and we look forward to trying many of the other dishes on the menu. I don't give out five star's easily, but Karin Thai earned it....

Went to Karin Thai while we visited Auburn as the reviews by others noted they offer vegan options.

We ordered four entrees between the four of us to be able to try different items: Pumpkin curry with veggies Green curry with veggies Cashew Nut with Tofu Pad Kee Mow with Tofu

We substituted brown rice for the standard white rice.

My personal favorite was the Cashew Nut- it was one of the best I've ever had anywhere. The flavors were strong which was a delight as usually this dish is lighter in flavor and requires chili sauce (sambal) to enhance the flavor. No need here!

My son's love the pumpkin curry. Again, hard to find pumpkin curry at most Thai restaurants in the US and this was so delicious and they didn't skimp on the pumpkin.

In fact, the same was true for all of our entrees as you can see from the overflowing plates and bowls.

So glad we came to this Thai restaurant while we...

Just wanted to share this incredibly amazing food experience I had. 😋 It's something that has been etching in my mind since I last had it, and not a single soul knows how much I have been craving for it. OMG, it was simply beyond words! So delectable that I have been yearning for it for a year, yes, a whole year!!! 🤤 it was not just about the taste but the feel, the texture, the magic of ingredients melting in the mouth... everything was just top-notch! ✨💯

And no, it's not just the food but also the warm hospitality of the owner. Her smile brightened up the entire serving experience, making it all even more memorable. 😊

Can't believe I have to wait till July! Going there and feasting on that fried rice again... it's going to be an absolute treat for my taste buds! 🎉 All set to rush there and make my pallette happy once...