Kao Thai Cuisine — Restaurant in Columbia

6/14/24 Returned to Kai Thai Restaurant and brought a friend along. They tried the Pad Thai but weren’t a big fan of the special sauce. We shared our concern with the manager, who immediately offered to make something else. My friend tried the Pad Woon Sen with glass noodles, which was very good and delivered to the table quickly. It’s probably my new favorite dish now. Highly recommend Kai Thai for a nice dinner. I really appreciated the management and our waitress for their prompt attention to our concerns. Great customer service and delicious food! ** Kao Thai Cuisine never fails to impress, and our recent visit was no exception! The Pineapple Fried Rice was a standout dish, beautifully presented and bursting with a perfect blend of sweet and savory flavors. The combination of pineapple chunks, aromatic spices, and expertly cooked rice created a dish that was both satisfying and unique. Equally delightful was the Lychee Duck Curry – a true testament to Kao Thai Cuisine's culinary expertise. The tender duck, bathed in a rich lychee-infused curry sauce, was a symphony of flavors that left us craving more. The balance of heat and sweetness was spot-on, making it a memorable dish.

Our server, Riley, was a gem yet again! Her attentiveness and warm demeanor added to the overall positive experience. Riley went above and beyond, offering excellent meal recommendations and ensuring our dining experience was nothing short of exceptional.

Kao Thai Cuisine continues to be our go-to for delicious Thai food, and it's easy to see why. From the delightful ambiance to the impeccable service and, of course, the mouthwatering dishes, this restaurant consistently exceeds expectations. A big shoutout to Riley for making our evening even more enjoyable. We'll be back for more culinary adventures at Kao...

Where to start. Not only was the parking accessible and the general location low key, but this hidden gym of Thai cuisine is a must visit. We started our visit going on a Tuesday during happy hour (4-7pm). There we had the Mai oh My (bourbon based) and Pattaya Sunrise. The cocktails were refreshing and stuck true to the usual sweet taste one would expect from cocktails with Asian roots. The apps were special priced and I’ll tell you, I would pay full price. The Shrimp Shuami (fried steamed) were pretty chill and the real winner was those crispy Brussels sprouts. Usually Brussel sprouts are tangy and soft but these were sweet and had a good crunch. Next we had our entrees and let me tell you, the umami was bursting from the seams. Pictures is the Chicken Pad Thai and the Lychee Duck Curry. They were so kind to let me add shiitake mushrooms and the duck literally pulled off the bone. The curry came with a side spice options and I normally don’t get to have the chance to add what I want. As someone who looks aimlessly for curry that balances the nasal cleaning powers with the sweet and tangy coconut, this was the motherload. We finished with the molten chocolate cake (I’m told it was great but wasn’t allowed a bite) and the matcha cheesecake was similar to that of of making a green tea cheese cake shake. The beer selection was great and to find a place with LoaBeer is extremely difficult. Lastly, the service was top notch. Nicole not only participated in our banter and kept the service coming, but helped us with varying decisions and was cheerful. Nicole made the overall experience amazing and I would make sure to come here anytime I come back into town. 5/5 recommend for lite fare, drinks, and dinner. Make sure to tip...

You ever had one of those bad food experiences where you drop $20 on what you think is about to be a delicious meal but it turns out to be terrible and now you’re mad at yourself for burning $20? Yeah....I’m there...two hours later. The overall experience was so bad that I was inspired to be a total Karen and leave a scathing review...and now I’m even more mad at myself. Let me start off by saying that the experience was half of the issue. Now, I got my food to-go, so don’t let this reflect on the dine in service. However, somehow, whoever put together my order back in the kitchen managed to not fasten a single lid on ANY of my to-go containers. Literally every soup, sauce, and drink spilled in my car on the way home...even with the proper restraints. When I opened the wings at home, the Thai chili sauce had spilled all over the wings etc, which FORTUNATELY did not affect the quality of the wings...they were delicious...but unfortunately created a heck of a mess. On to the food...the WINGS were SOLID. Crispy, crunchy, mild spice...8/10. The SALAD...was abysmal. I got the Thai chili/lime dressing which literally smelled like dirty laundry after a two-a-day workout. I’m not picky about food or food smells, I am very familiar with Thai foods...no dressing should smell or taste the way this dressing did. DISGUSTING. Finally the TOM YUM SOUP...BLAND teetering on gross. Giant portobello mushroom slices and cherry tomatoes overwhelmed the soup, and gave it the predominant flavor...mild, sweaty, funk. I got through 3 sips and called it a day. The Thai Tea was aight... Seriously...I would not give this already overpriced place your hard earned money...spend it at Duke’s Pad Thai on Knox Abbot Dr. or Bangkok on...