picture of orange Thai Ice Tea — Thai Ice Tea

I love Thai food, and I mean really love it. I crave the aromatic, spicy dishes at least once a week. The notes of lemongrass and ginger linger in almost every bite, and nothing makes me giddier than when the plate is topped with crushed peanuts. My favorite place to enjoy Thai food in Monmouth County is Kunya Siam in Atlantic Highlands! Kunya Siam has harder-to-find Thai dishes like Khao Soi that I have yet to find in other places in MoCo. Everyone who works at the restaurant and the owner is lovely, and the service is always excellent. The atmosphere inside the restaurant is quaint and comforting, preparing you to indulge in a warm bowl of creamy, spicy curry. Their outside dining is downright adorable and a little quirky with their faux grass patio and garden furniture. It feels like you're at a tea party, except instead of having delicate finger sandwiches, you're enjoying a hearty chicken pad thai. In a perfect world, I get to order everything off this list and enjoy it at once, taking little bites of everything as I go. It is torture to just pick one thing! I suggest you go here with a group of your favorite people who know how to eat and order one of everything. Share the love!

Here is the list of my favorite dishes on the menu, but you won't be disappointed with anything from Kunya Siam. They are bringing the heat and well-balanced flavors to everything they make.

Panang Curry Chicken

My number one go-to order at Kunya Siam is the Panang Curry Chicken. I go back and forth between ordering it medium or hot, depending on how much I respect myself that day, lol. The 'hot' heat level at Kunya is not for the weak. You've been warned! Sometimes I genuinely enjoy sweating my ass off while eating my dinner and frantically shoving food in my mouth as the heat builds. Other times I just want to relax and enjoy my meal without my life flashing before my eyes. It's a coin toss, honestly! Their medium spice level is perfect for me, with a slight but present tingle. The curry has a slight nuttiness as ground peanuts are used in the curry paste and is thick and creamy from coconut milk. There are also notes of tomato from the tomato paste, which yields a soft pink color. Sometimes it reminds me of a smooth bowl of tomato bisque, except this is a thousand times better. The chicken is thinly sliced and floats around the curry with string beans and bell peppers, which are my favorite vegetables. This is in my top 10 favorite things to eat, ever.

Pak Mor

Pak Mor is a crave-worthy appetizer that I never fail to order. If you love dumplings, then you'll love Pak Mor. These incredibly soft and chewy steamed dumplings are stuffed with ground chicken, peanuts, shallots, and garlic. They are a delicate parcel of deliciousness that prepare you for the rest of your meal. These are must add to any meal, trust me. You'll be fighting over who gets to have the last one!

Green Curry Shrimp

When I'm not craving Panang Curry, my second choice is always the Green Curry Shrimp. It is light, zesty, and perfectly spicy. I love how heavy the notes of Makrut Limes, ginger, lemongrass, and garlic are in this curry. You can taste the green chilis peeking through, and depending on the spice level you order, it can get real serious. I go back and forth between medium or hot as usual, but the medium is a safer bet for most palettes. This dish has tender shrimp, eggplant, bamboo shoot, and bell peppers that perfectly compliment the shrimp. The Thai basil it's topped with really seals the deal of this being a bright, aromatic, refreshing dish that will convert any curry skeptic.

Gu-Chai Todd

Gu-Chai Todd is another appetizer that I always have to get. It was removed from the regular menu a while ago and now only makes guest appearances on the specials menu. If they have it, order it. These crispy little vegetable cakes are deep-fried perfection. It's a mixture of minced veggies formed into small "cakes" fried and served with a spicy soy sauce. Yum!

Khao Soi

Khao Soi is a rich yellow curry soup with lots of fun toppings. The soup has long, thin egg noodles and tender chicken. It is then topped with finely diced red onion, pickled green mustard, bean sprouts, and fried noodles. The red onion gives a perfect pop of acidity that cuts through the creamy, coconutty curry. I don't order the Khao Soi often, but I am so happy with my meal every time.

Chicken Pad Thai

The Chicken Pad Thai (or you can order with shrimp or tofu) is probably one of the most popular dishes at Kunya Siam. This quintessential Thai dish always hits the spot and Kunya Siam’s is one of the best I've ever had. The perfectly cooked rice noodles are mixed with thin slices of chicken, bean sprouts, scrambled egg, diced tofu, scallions, and LOTS of chopped peanuts. The crunchy peanuts throughout the dish are what makes it so addicting. A pro tip is to ask for a side of peanut sauce and add that into the noodles, taking the salty peanut level up another notch. It is hard not to eat the whole bowl all in one sitting because it is so damn good. But the serving size is so generous that I recommend not overdoing it. Plus, who doesn't love leftovers?

Kee-Mao Beef

Kee-Mao Beef is another noodle dish that I am always craving. What I love about it is that the noodles are sauteed flat rice noodles. You know the big, thick, flat noodles that are so fun to eat? Yup, those! It's mixed with salty cuts of beef, bell peppers, string beans, onions, chilis, and Thai basil. Now a fair warning on this dish, it can get really spicy, really quick. Only order it Hot if you know what you're doing because it is more pungent than other things on the menu. I love getting the Kee-Mao Beef for the kick-ass heat and the chewy noodles.

Thai Ice Tea

If I am dining in at Kunya Siam, you better believe I am ordering a Thai ice tea. It is sweet, creamy, and oh so decadent. It is a strong black tea with notes of star anise, cardamom, and tamarind, making it a slightly "spicy" tea mellowed with sugar. It is then mixed with sweetened condensed milk and served over ice. Thai ice tea is the perfect accompaniment to your spicy meal as it cools down your mouth which each refreshing sip.

Let me know if you end up trying Kunya Siam after reading this review in the comments below. I can't wait to hear from you!

Kunya Siam is located at 99 First Ave Atlantic Highlands, NJ 07716. Their hours are Tuesday - Sunday 11:30 am to 9:00 pm.

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