Kinn Thai Wollongong NSW

Look up at the ceiling as well.

Keen on Thai.  I loved the grilled southern styled chicken thigh fillets. They are not over oily but full of flavour!  Tables were filled up even on a week night.  The lemon grass squash I chose was a bit under and I then reckoned I should have had a beer like Michael.

Curries were restricted to green, red and Massaman, the troika of best known Thai curries to Aussies.  Entrees had variety of choice from curry puffs to chic wings but not the desserts.  Staff members were quick on the go and friendly.  Next I may try the Pad Thai.  On the most recent visit, with the Campbell family,  I sampled the grilled pork ribs, a must have I say.

I reckon bookings are essential.  There are both indoor and outdoor seats, but for the latter, you can be right in the face with possibly busy vehicular traffic on Keira Street, depending on the time of day or evening.  The restaurant is located as part of the revamped GPT shopping centre, sited in the midst of different restaurants and cafes.  In the middle of Wollongong city centre, Kim Thai is easily accessible after some shopping.  Every time I am there, the kitchen staff (mainly male) are often as busy as the (mainly female) wait staff.  There is a prominently placed bar counter for the cocktails and grog to accompany our palate with all these spicy stuff - it is easy to recall memories of Phuket or Bangkok.

Sumptuously prepared crab and prawn rolls.

The Kinn Thai outlet in Wollongong is one of a chain, with other restaurants in NSW (Kotara and Castle Towers), Queensland (Westfields in Upper Mount Gravatt and North Lake) and the Canberra Centre.

The menu is comparable to Thai restaurants in the Big Smoke (aka Sydney) and there is the familiar Tom Yum soup, grilled meat satay sticks, salt and pepper squid, Massaman beef curry, stir fried Pad Thai noodles, red duck curry, basil flavoured chicken and the popular soft shell crab with papaya salad.  Michael tells me he likes the stir fried spicy noodles and I can understand why, it is yummy, though different from the Pad Thai.

There are also suggested set menus to ease the selection process but I prefer ordering ala carte.  Less spicy variations include the crispy pork belly, duck pancake and seared scallops (all more Chinese I must say). On the other end of the scale is the Crying Tiger Salad.  Vegetarians are recommended to try the pumpkin for mild preferences or for more spicy, the stir fry with green peppercorns.

Generous serves of grilled pork ribs.

There are hidden gems offered though like the Miang Kam, a kind of entree salad, consisting of betel leaf holding some crunchy and flavourful bits like nuts, dried shrimps and more.  As can be expected, the drinks have fascinating names like  Rambutan Mule, One Night in Patong Beach and Sugar Daddy.

Birthday celebrations seem to be the forte at this Wollongong outlet and the staff know how to churn up a celebratory mood with sparklers and music, often  with diners at other tables joining in to cheer the birthday person.


Kinn Thai Wollongong is located along the Keira Street frontage of the GPT shopping centre in Wollongong City Centre, with neighbours like Coco Cubano and Grill'ed.  Access can also be made from Coles supermarket down one floor in the centre.  Kinn Thai is a stone's throw from the start of upper Crown Street Mall.

Address:  200 Crown Street, Wollongong - this reflects more of the address of the GPT Shopping Centre, of which Kinn Thai is part.
Telephone: 02 4229 3407 and 02 4229 4417

All hands on deck!