I think I’ve had some sort of mental block. When anyone says to me “Hey, want to go for Thai food?” I think back to this tiny hole in the wall in Fairfax, California where Ken and I would sneak off to once a week to get our fix. Or the restaurant we would wander up to on chilly Seattle evenings when spicy soups were the spice of life on Capital Hill.

I should have known – from all of our time seriously savoring great food in unexpected places – that the unassuming nature of Kinaree in downtown Courtenay would be the mark of serious foodie greatness.

But, it took my pal Pam to finally get my brain unblocked and now Kinaree is one of our favorite girl’s night haunts for yummy food, great drinks and flavor, flavor, flavor! She introduced me to their Five Flavoured Chicken and lettuce wraps. I am totally hooked.

At the corner of Eighth (Cumberland Road) and Fitzgerald, Kinaree’s biggest issue is parking. Finding a space is a bit of a challenge during the lunch or dinner hour. But, it’s well worth the work of finding a spot.

The menu is lengthy, with all sorts of options from basic vegetarian dishes to total wow spiciness. I was grateful to have a seasoned Kinaree veteran with me my first time, as Pam had vetted some of the best dishes.

But, having been back there on my own, it seems that the menu has no lack of goodness. We may even have to have the “Try everything at Kinaree” challenge - yum. Their Tom Yum soup is one of my faves. There are some great curries at every temperature and – for the adults in the group – the beverage menu is tasty.

The food is mid-range in terms of price with starters in the $7-$10 range and the dinners in the $10-$15 range. With drinks, it’s about a $50 dinner for a couple. I find the food quite family friendly for adventurous young eaters. There are good soups, rolls and other appetizers that are fun and good eating.

The atmosphere is simple yet warm and the service has always been quite good, even when we get in there at 7:45p.m and they close at 9p.m. You know that’s trouble with two women who could talk the paint off a wall get together!

I’ve even done take-away at lunch time, which – when you call ahead (you can look at their menu online) – is fast and easy. I love fast and easy.

Ken and I are headed there for date night and a musical at the Sid very soon. Looking forward to a spicy Thai meal amidst flashbacks of those early days of coupledom.

Have a great day!

Images courtesy of Kinaree Thai Cuisine.