I’m going to try to assemble a list of restaurants that server kai kua. These will be places where I’ve eaten it myself, and can therefore attest reliably to it’s uber-deliciousness, or places that I have heard from unimpeachable sources serve it.
This kai kua map will make it easier for others like me, singleminded in their pursuit of the kai kua holy grail.
East Coast:
SriPraPhair, Woodside Queens, NY – I have had the kai kua here, which appears in their menu under the name Gai-kua, and I can verify that it is indeed the bees knees. Could have used a bit more chx and squid, but otherwise was as close to my archetype as I have found. Interestingly, this restaurant did not have the same chili garlic sauce commonly found in Thai restaurants. They had Sriracha, and they had mashed and diced chilis. Despite this anomoly (I am but a poor white boy, what do I know of Thai?), I trust this place, as my Thai friend who took me there said they had many authentic Thai dishes on their menu (You don’t even have to demand in Thai that they give you the “real stuff”!
Taste of Thai Express, Ithaca NY – Holy grail. My first Kai Kua experience, unbeatable, never repeatable, delicious, huge portion, lots of squid, chix, saucy noodles, on a bed of happy crisp lettuce… Madre de Dios I wish I was there right now.
Thai Corner, Amherst, MA – I have had this. It’s on the menu as “guay tiew kua”, and it didn’t come with squiddy, but they added it for a fee, and it was then a decently honorable, though a bit dry, representation of the TRUE ONE.
Midwest:
Cool Basil, Clive Iowa – Have not been. However, I’ll be four hours East of Clive in a couple of weeks, and I’m just tempted enough to try to make the drive if I can get there before they close for the evening.
West Coast:
Thai Boom, Los Angeles, CA – Have not been, but have heard from a reliable source that their kai kua is top tip.