Thai restaurant for Hilo Lunch recommendation?

[terracore]

I'm looking for any recommendation for a good Thai restaurant that is open in Hilo for lunch during this covid.  For weekday.

[kalianna]

New Chiang Mai. Best Thai around IMHO and open for lunch.

[RoGo]

My vote is for New Chiang Mai.  They even have the coldest $5 beers in town to go with your meal!

[leilanidude]

New Chiang Mai!

[fishnchamp1]

New Chiang Mai is very good; Hilo Siam is my go to... Can't tell you if it's open for certain (I don't get into town that often) and it's ambiance definitely needs help but I still think the food is top notch.

[eightfingers2.0]

Is Sombats closed permanently?

[TomK]

Sombat's and Hilo Rice Noodle have been my go-to places in the past, although the latter isn't strictly Thai. Another place that I love is Tina's Garden Cafe on the bayfront - really good food. The service is slow but you don't go there for fast food, you go there for the wonderful people and food.

As far as I know, all these places are still open but are doing take-out. Sombat's does take-out in the evening, not sure if the other places are open for lunch but according to Google they are open for take-out.

Personally, I would not eat-in at a restaurant right now, I'm even wary of take-out. A restaurant can do all they can to keep the place safe, but they cannot control who comes into the place. Infection rates in Hilo are increasing and as much as I want businesses to do well, at the very least I would suggest take-out rather than sitting inside a restaurant.

[terracore]

Sombats is take-out only. Must call ahead and order/pay. No cash/checks, credit/debit only. They have been closed for lunch for at least a year that I'm aware of, their reduced hours pre-dated covid. I think being a family-run restaurant they didn't want to work the long hours of lunch and dinner.

I ate at a restaurant for the first time since COVID a few days ago. Went to Kens. They had a reduced menu (1 page, double sided). Every other table was blocked off from being used in a manner such that there was nobody at the table in front of, behind, or across from the one we were seated at. They were using their banquet room to help spread people out. As people left their table area was sanitized. All the staff were wearing masks. There were signs saying masks had to be worn unless one was actively eating/drinking, but nobody was following the rule and it was not being enforced.

[birdmove]

New Chiang Mai. My absolute favorite meal right now is the Buddha Rama curry fish there. Tuesday's lunch special is that meal. So, it's Buddha Rama Tuesday to me. The dinner version has enough for two meals. I always Have brown rice with it, and it it with a spoon. That way I get every drop. Nice people and great food.

[TomK]

Why not use chopsticks? For me, it makes a meal last all day...