Years ago, I drove out to Haleiwa on Oahu’s North Shore for what I had heard was the best Thai food on the island.
And it came from a food truck.
Opal Thai Food was a wildly popular food truck parked in a little gulch across the street from McDonald’s in historic Haleiwa town. The owner, a friendly guy named Opel Sirichandhra, would chat up customers and often customize their orders.
I never ever got what I wanted. Opel always knew better.
Opel sold his food truck two years ago and opened his own brick-and-mortar restaurant in Haleiwa in October 2011. He’s got a few employees and a full menu boasting Thai hot and sour soup, drunken noodles, crab stir-fried noodles, duck curry and sauteed eggplant, among other things.
And it’s still as delicious as I remember.
And yes, Opel still bosses me around.
Here’s what my recent visit to his restaurant — my first time! — was like:
Opal Thai Food
Opal Thai Food, 66-197 C Kamehameha Hwy in Haleiwa. Hours: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Phone: (808) 381-8091
Too bad it is so far away… gotta fly 11 hours, drive another 1.5 hours traffic depending to get there. Lucky you live Hawaii. Congrats to Opel for mastering the art of bossing you around. Makes good food and bosses you around, must be an interesting fellow indeed. LOL.
Add another to the growing list.
I’m not kidding about being bossed around. I seriously never got what I’ve ordered. He’s the master.
Hello Cat!
The next time I’m out that way, I’m going to eat there for sure.
Happy Fuud Pixs Friday!
YES, do! Well, unless you don’t like Thai food. Because that’s all he’s got! LOL
CAT: Aaaiiiyyyaaahhh! Fuud Pix! Tenks! As advertised, Opal is the bomb. I made the mistake of going on a Monday holiday earlier this year and waited for it to open. They don’t have a sign to tell you the daily schedule in the window.
Yikes. Did you get to eat?
Hey Cat … I love Thai food!!! … but too bad for me … don’t think I can be making 25 minutes drives for lunch or dinner … *sigh* …
… my go to place right now for Thai is Siam Garden Cafe on Nimitz … and I also like Phuket Thai (McCully) but not the Ward one … same restaurant different location and a whole world of difference in taste and quality …
I do like Phucket Thai, too. But the food at Opal’s is different. You won’t find the crispy noodles (LOVE THAT) here.
I was just in the area about lunchtime yesterday. Had to go to Long’s next door and Opel’s occupies the space that used to be an okazuya. No okazuya but there was Opel’s. If I wasn’t alone, I probably would have tried it.
It’s only 20 min from my house so maybe sometime in the near future. Yes, I know they’ve been there for a while now.
I’ll be adding this restaurant to my bucket list. Thank you for the review!