If you stand in one spot in Cincinnati I assure you there is a Thai restaurant or Sushi joint within 5 miles. With so many places offering "half price happy hour" every hour it can often be a question of cost over quality when choosing a restaurant.
Green Papaya will provide you with dinner for two under $20 with authentic, delicious cuisine that will keep you coming back.
The Green Papaya soup is a must - a combination of sweet and spice that will widen your eyes more with ever sip, here's a tip - don't bother trying to share.
The Crispy Pad Thai is my favorite of all the dishes. The sauce covers the crispy but delicious noodles and the flavor is hard to describe. Every bite just gets better and though you're full by the end, you'll be wishing you could have another.
The ambiance is fantastic for those who wish to have a romantic dinner during the week or a group of friends daring to tackle the giant sushi boat.
Everyone has their opinion of the "best thai in Cincinnati" - if you haven't tried Green Papaya you may want to hold your tongue until you do.
Been here several times and have always been satisfied.
I came here once for lunch and ordered a Lunch Box ($9.95) which comes with soup, appetizer, fruit, rice, and your choice of two dishes from their lunch list. I happened to choose the Mango Curry and the Pad thai. Absolutely delicious and the portion was large! I had to box some of it to take home with me. Â Other times, I've ordered their curry entrees for dinner. Â Also very good. Â Very flavorful and rich. Â Not to mention, the service is great, the waitresses are always so attentive.
One thing that could use some work though is their bubble tea. I ordered the blended taro bubble tea with boba. The actual drink itself was much too sweet. There was also still a lot of ice left in it which left less room for the drink. In addition, the boba balls were bland and rubbery, the opposite of what they should be.
Overall, skip the bubble tea and just go with their food items!
I was in Hyde Park and had a mighty hankering for some sushi, but as it was 3 pm on a Friday, nobody that I knew (Dancing Wasabi, Cloud Nine) were open. I did some yelping, and this place had some loyal fans, so I thought I'd expand my Cincy sushi repertoire.
Interestingly enough, I think they recently changed their hours, because they were supposed to be closed midway between lunch and dinner, but they were open at 3!
Inside is very serene and zen'd out, which earned some stars with me alone.
I got the Jasmine Lime tea to drink and it was tangy, sour, and refreshing. I saw the Green Papya Roll, so interested in their specialty, I had to see what it was about. Minutes later, out came an impressive bright green dish stacked high with crab stick and shrimp. There was a lot in this roll, so it's a tad difficult to give a defined flavor profile. It was definitely good, but at 14 bucks, I don't think I could justify doing it again. We asked for some more wasabi to add a little more kick, so I'm not sure if that was a good or bad sign. I shared the roll with my friend as well as a spicy tuna - which was A-OK, definitely nothing special.
Our server was quick and attentive, but gave me the impression that we were more of a bother to her rather than actual customers during the slow point of the day (usually good news to a server).
I originally had 4 stars up, but as I wrote this review, the more 3 sounded solid for GP - I just know I could have gotten much better sushi down the street at Dancing Wasabi or Cloud 9 for much cheaper, and the service certainly could have been better. With that said, there's definitely chance that we caught them on an off day, considering their apparent faithful following from other Yelpers. It had a lot of potential, so I'll try them again and hopefully post a better update.
Came back here a couple days ago and tried the Siam fried rice with tofu. There was quick service on a Friday night, which isn't an easy feat for many places. The portion size was good, and most importantly, so was the food! It didn't blow me away or anything, but it was a satisfying meal that wasn't too tough on my wallet. I prefer Green Papaya to Blue Elephant, which is just a couple blocks down the street but pricier for basically the same thing.
Review Source:This is our favorite Thai place in the Oakley/Hyde Park area. We have been multiple times, and have tried many of the items on the menu. Â The sushi is decent, but we prefer the main dishes. Â Some of our favorites include: pad Thai, crazy noodle, basil pasta, and the pad woonsen. Â The heat ranges from 1-4, 3 is spicy, but not overwhelming. Â However, the heat varies from time to time depending on the chilies in-house. Â We did enjoy the cozy atmosphere before they expanded.
Review Source:A few weeks ago, I tried Green Papaya again for the first time in about 4 years. Service is faster than it used to be, which is great, because that's what always kept me and my coworkers from going to lunch here. Still has a tiny parking lot, though -- made worse by traffic and construction in the area that particular day -- but the food was good and reasonably priced, so I was happy. And there's a decent amount of variety, which is perfect for large groups. I also like the expansion -- makes the place seem more open, brighter and quieter.
Note: I'll have to go back and try the bubble tea again. When I had it 5 years ago, the boba was clearly old (i.e., hard). It would be great to have another option besides Tea N Bowl, which has really good bubble tea, but I'm more often in the Hyde Park area than Clifton.
I loved it! Â
Walking in the door the place is very nice. Â The walls were covered with wall hanging I had seen in markets in Thailand. Â The food is not to expensive, but I did expect a bit more food. Â To start we had the coconut soup and the Satay. Â The soup was exactly how I remember it in Thailand only better because of all the mushrooms. Â The satay's sauces were so good, we got them to go. Â
I can't remember the day of my main dish, it started with an "L" and was on the noodle list. Â It came with chicken and shrimp, they would not let me replace the shrimp but they did give me extra chicken. Â The spice at an 8 was just right. Â
Sadly my friend's pat thai was not like we remembered it on the streets of Bangkok, but seemed to be pretty standard in Thai restaurants in the Cincinnati area. Â
Definitely check this place out, but beware of the small parking lot. Â You way want to park on the street.
I was shocked anyone could give this place bad reviews. Then again, many people probably aren't used to authentic Thai cuisine and possibly used to more of the strip mall variety Americanized Thai. That's not an insult, but it's true. I went to another Thai restaurant with family earlier this week that didn't taste authentically Thai at all. It was really good...but it wasn't Thai. I have traveled to Thailand and lived in Japan for three years and absolutely recommend this restaurant after my experience there this afternoon.
I went with my husband and my daughter as we stopped through Cincinnati, visiting my family. We ordered the chicken satay, THRILLED to see it on the menu considering many Thai restaurants we've tried in the area don't even feature this popular appetizer which comes with peanut sauce and a cooler sauce with cucumber bits. It was excellent as was the papaya salad, which they gave us a choice of spice levels (1-4). I had papaya salad in Thailand and it was insanely hot so I chose a level 3 which was good for lovers of spicy foods, but not painfully hot. Again, I was absolutely thrilled to find papaya salad on the menu. I couldn't get it after I got back to Japan. At the Thai restaurants we frequented in Japan, either papaya was hard to get their hands on or they didn't serve it whatsoever. Who knew I'd find the BEST papaya salad since staying in Thailand here in Cincinnati? Crazy!
For a main course, I had the chicken pad Thai which was excellent and very authentically Thai. It also came with a spice level from 1-4. I was so impressed. Most of the staff that worked there seemed to be of Thai descent and answered my greeting of "Sawatdee ka!" in kind. The decor was quaint and relaxing with a fountain tinkling softly near our table.
It was a little odd seeing so much sushi on the menu. I wasn't expecting so much sushi at a Thai place, but my sushi-loving daughter didn't complain and ate a whole order by herself.
The waitress we had was fantastic. She doted on my 5 year-old daughter and even gave her some modified chopsticks for child usage, which she was thrilled with. We never ran out of drinks (important when you are eating spicy Thai cuisine!), and the waitress seemed genuinely concerned in hoping we enjoyed our meal. We absolutely did and plan on coming back again before we leave Cincinnati. This place is a hidden gem. I never would have known about it had my husband not wanted to cruise Hyde Park to see how many joggers we could count. : )
Came here for a dinner with a date. Â I didn't have the sushi, but the Thai was just ok. Â Fortunately, we are in Cincinnati, and have great Thai options. Â If you're not afraid to walk a block from your car, I'd hit up Teak in Mt. Adams. Â
Bottom Line: I'd probably opt for another of Cincinnati's great Thai offering.
As a sushi bar... This place might get 4 stars.
As a thai restaurant, they're a solid 3 stars.
The tempura shrimp roll was good and tasted fresh. The Thai food was a mixed bag. Panang curry, one of my staple Thai dishes, was somewhat bland, overly sweet, and not nearly thick (read: coconut-ty) enough. The lad na, on the other hand, was very good, perfectly spicy, and appropriately portioned. The noodles in the lad na were crispy and chewy at the same time, almost like the divine crust of A Tavola's pizza.
Our waitress was... ummm... well, she showed up at work that day. I'll give her that. She wasn't slow or particularly difficult to find, but there was definitely something off about her. Maybe a long night out, maybe a rough break-up, who knows.
Anyways, the location is easy to find but tough to park, as there are barely a dozen spots for the three shops in their strip. The restaurant is very large inside and has a nice feel. If I go back, it would be for the sushi and sake.... not the Thai food. Oh well.
I had the pleasure of trying Green Papaya this past weekend at the Asian Food Festival and now I see why my friends rave so much. Â I had the veggie pad thai and the summer rolls. Â OMG those summer rolls.... delicious! Â It was hot, crispy, and everything you want in an egg roll. Â It was stuffed with crab, avocado, and cream cheese and served with a sweet chili sauce. Â The pad thai was solid. Â I could have taken a little more spice, but it was still tasty. Â I also sample the California roll, which had been tempura battered and fried and that was good too.
Review Source:Sushi me! Sushi you! Sushi all around.
Green Papaya is a good place to go for Thai food fans, and a great place to go for sushi lovers, both reserved and adventurous. The house sushi roll is wonderful with lots of different flavors and textures, and somehow, when it's served on a little bamboo boat, it tastes even better.
In the past there might have been a long wait to be seated on a busy night, but they expanded their seating, so that's a plus. They also take reservations for those that plan ahead. The parking lot is about as big as a matchbox, but there's street parking as well.
Green Papaya is my go to Thai in the Oakley area for dine in & carry out.
Their staff is always very friendly, food is served quickly and presented well.
Chicken Thai Spicy is my favorite with mushrooms and level three spicy.
Everything I've tried on the menu is fresh & flavorful. Once you try & Green Papaya will become your favorite Thai in town.
Disappointed in the curry...
I am a life-long thai food fan. The rich creamy hotness of the thai curry is something that i crave. This place is very close to where i live, and was in the top 3 as per citybeat. Me and wifey went here last week after a big shopping spree. We got an appetizer dine-in and main dish to go.
The decor is kitsch, with a giant cutlery pieces on the wall and a green paint which gives a welcome feel.
We had a "golden bag" for appetizer which is basically meat/fish/spices bagged in a breading and made into a bag, and deep fried. Was not very flavourful, but the sauce saved the day. For main dish we got a panang curry and crazy fried rice. Once i got home i digged into the curry, but was greeted by something which looked like a diluted curry. It seemed like a water bowl fell in the dish. Also the chicken pieces felt raw. Do they make it sush-style? I am not sure.
Wifey's crazy fried rice was better, but just decent. As far as first impressions go, this was not good. Â We both like spicy food, and had expressly asked for it. But the food was not very spicy.It was just so-so.
I went to the Green Papaya the other night with a friend for dinner. Â It was wonderful!!! Â The parking is a little difficult--but well worth it! Â Our waiter was very prompt and friendly. Â The inside is very quaint and comfortable and much bigger than it looks. Â
We started off with a bowl of coconut soup with tofu which was addictive. Â Savory but a little sweet from the coconut milk. Â All it had in it were mushrooms and maybe scallions but it honestly didn't need anything else. Â Then we had the Green Papaya sushi roll which was also amazing. Â The pieces were plated nicely--stacked up on top of each other and topped with panko and spicy mayo. Â But I wouldn't care how they gave them to me I would just be happy to be eating them! Â Lastly, we had mango curry with mixed seafood (shrimp, scallops, and squid). Â
This is the only thing I would complain about--the squid was overcooked. Â It was so rubbery you could barely bite through it and we chose not to--the squid pieces were the only things left on our plates the whole evening. Â Other than that, the mango curry was to die for. Â It was served in half a pineapple which was cute but not worth the extra two dollars they charge you for it. Â
I would totally recommend it and I look forward to many trips of my own in the future!
Hi, my name is Mari and I'm addicted to Thai food and sushi.
Green Papaya is my restaurant of choice to feed my addiction. The Pad see you is incredible. I love the big thick noodles... Yum.
The one downside to this place is the parking.... It sucks, Â a lot. Be prepared to circle the neighborhood for 30 minutes looking for a spot. Alternately, you can get takeout (reserved parking for takeout customers), or if you are up for walking, the Hyde Park kroger is just across the street.
The decor is appealing and friendly, but the parking needs work.
OK, mundane stuff out of the way, what about the food?
I ordered the Shrimp Pad Thai, Hot. Â There were only 3 heat levels, which greatly simplifies ordering. Â The heat level for hot was acceptable. Â
The portion sizes were somewhat on the smaller side, but not out of line for the area's eateries. Â Prices were also very appropriately set. Â There is an extensive menu, so I'll have to go back and try some other dishes (mango curry caught my eye...) Â I've been by this place when the parking lot was packed, so off times may be best. Â There did seem to be more space inside than the parking outside would indicate, so don't let a full parking lot necessarily drive you away. Â The wait staff was friendly and attentive.
In all, I really enjoyed the meal and will be back.
It's easy to get lost in the midst of an almost unbelievable amount of Thai food restaurants in the Mt. Lookout / Hyde Park / Oakley area, but look no further. Â Green Papaya is definitely top tier for Thai food in the area. Â If they would go back to BYO (obviously that won't happen), I would probably exclusively get my Thai fix here. Â
I've eaten and gotten take out numerous times, but my most recent experience is about last Friday. Â 6 of us ordered out here - and none of us were disappointed. Â We ordered both Sushi and "other" dishes. Â The spicy ones were REALLY spicy, which is great - if you order it that way, you want it spicy. Â
If you want Thai food, definitely check this place out.
On our first visit, my wife and I ordered Lunch Boxes whereby we were allowed to pick two Thai dishes, their accompanying chicken/tofu/vegetables, and either brown rice, jasmine rice or steamed noodles.  We were not allowed to choose the type of soup, appetizer, or fruit.  I was so impressed with the appearance of my lunch box, that I took a picture of it, and posted it  here.  The entrees I chose were were the Pad Thai (top, middle) and a stir fry with Basil Sauce (top, left), both with fried tofu. Â
The food even tasted great. Â Imagine that! Â I cannot, however, give this restaurant 4 stars (I am presently saving my right to give any restaurant 5 stars) because of the unfavorable ratio between price and quantity.
I've only been to Green Papaya once. The service was just okay. Our waitress was very inattentive. I ordered the Pad Thai and it too, was just okay. I've had many Pad Thai dishes and this dish came in second, but it was far from 1st place (only because I've had the best Pad Thai in the city, second to none). The sauce was thick and sweet which is not how I prefer my Pad Thai. The presentation was nice, their plain white dishes were simple and made the food look amazing.
I would go again to try some other dishes. They also have a nice lunch special, which looked like too much food for me at the time, but at a good price.
You can't really miss this place, with its bright green awning and portal-like tent entryway. Inside, the restaurant is bright and spacious, with teakwood furniture and an open sushi bar where you can watch the chef cook.
My favorite go-to item here is the Green Papaya Roll (spicy tuna, mango, cucumber, in a green soy wrap topped with spicy mayo, shredded crab, and shrimp tempura.) Recently, it seemed like the portion became smaller. The usual order has huge 10 piece rolls. On my last visit, there were still 10 rolls, but they all looked like they had been cut in half: half-inch rolls rather than being a full inch in diameter. Nonetheless, it was still delicious.
Green Papaya also has bubble tea. They carry the basic flavors: black tea, green tea, and Taro. The latter being my favorite, I get a glass every time. Unlike the traditional bubble tea, this is served as shaved ice rather than the milk-based beverage. Also, they recently changed the kind of bubbles: no longer the classic black bubbles, they have replaced them with passion fruit flavored ones which are green. Good, but chewier than the old bubbles.
Of course, restaurants change recipes for the times, but I definitely preferred the old Green Papaya's ways of bountiful sushi and creamy bubble tea.
Price per person: $15.00
A group of six of us decided to give Green Papaya a try. I had very high hopes. For several reasons, they were dashed.
We had reservations and were seated promptly. The waiter was very friendly, but service was sloooooooow.
I was anxious to try the Golden Bag - ground shrimp, black mushrooms and spices wrapped in tofu skin and fried. They were tasty, but didn't really taste like shrimp. The Shu-Mai, fried shrimp dumpling, was delicious.
I ordered several sushi rolls to share and the sashimi deluxe for dinner. The rolls were very good, The Green Papaya roll was outstanding. The sashimi was quite fresh and melted in my mouth the way I expect, but the tuna was not up to par. It was grainy rather than velvety. I had saved it and the salmon for last and I was so disappointed. Still, I'd say the sushi / sashimi was above average.
My friends enjoyed the other dishes at the table.The Pasta Basil, served with medium heat, was incredible. Â
I started to rate the restaurant with two stars until I wrote  my review. I realized the food really was quite good with a few exceptions. I almost wrote minor exceptions, but the tuna sashimi was a major faux pas.
What cinched the three star rating was the temperature. It was miserably hot in the restaurant. It wasn't warm... it was HOT. I don't know if the A/C was broken or if they always keep it HOT, but it made the dining experience extremely uncomfortable.
The food really was very good. I will definitely return to give it another try, but I think I'll wait until winter.
The Green Papaya is wonderful for both dine-in or carry-out.
It's a favorite for me because they offer multiple vegetarian dishes, and I love so many of them.
If you go for lunch, you can't go wrong with the lunch box. You get miso soup, a little salad with amazing ginger dressing, sushi, a little pad thai, and usually an orange slice.
Also, I recommend the Green Papaya Garden with steamed tofu. It's a favorite of mine when I'm not feeling like sushi or pad thai.
The servers are really nice, and the dining area has a cozy, relaxing atmosphere even when it's packed.
My one complaint is the parking lot. It's too small, and chock full of SUVs at any given time. Â My advice is to keep circling the block until you find a spot. Â With patience, it'll happen. The food is worth it.
The past few visits I've made to Cincinnati, my friends have suggested we go to Green Papaya for dinner. Â Both times we waited less than ten minutes for a table and the servers were with us quickly and attentive for the entire meal. Â On my first visit I devoured the Green Papaya mango fried rice. Â I don't typically order rice dishes, but it was fantastic. Â The other Thai dishes on the menu sounded delicious, I will definitely return to test their pad Thai.
On my second visit, my friend and I ordered a whole boat of sushi. Â We enjoyed the crunchy, the tri-state, the red roll, and a few other from their long list of options. Â Of course we ordered more than two could eat, but I really enjoyed each roll except the red roll. Â I enjoy spice, but this one was a bit too much for me to handle - more than just a dash of hot sauce. Â Overall, the sushi was prepared beautifully and plated on a wooden bridge that overwhelmed our two person table.
The sushi was a touch expensive, but a great place to go out with a large group of friends or for a more intimate dinner. Â Service was great, my water glass was always full (how I typically judge a server). Â Parking was difficult, the lot is tiny so both times we've had to find parking on adjacent streets. Â Not sure if you need a reservation, both Friday and Saturday when I went there was room for two (bigger parties most likely need a reservation).
Solid Thai restaurant that has excellent flavors. I've been here a few times and I've liked the food each time. When I ordered spicy food, it was spicy. When I expected some subtlety in flavor, there it was. A novel concept.
The only real concern is possibly their portion size for the price but I'm a huge eater so that might just be me.
I've been to Green Papaya several times and they do overall a really good job. Â Since there are many Thai places around the area, I tend to go to different places depending on what I want. Â
The particularly good menu items: Â Green Papaya Roll, Thai Red Curry
I've found better: Â Most other sushi, crispy pad thai.
Atmosphere is fine and service is pretty good. Â Sometimes hard to find a parking spot. Â
We've had many get togethers here and it is a pretty good place for that, although not outstanding.
I went here for lunch today and felt very... Â mediocre about my experience. Â Our waitress seemed very un-enthused about serving us, which didn't really help. Â
I ordered the "sushi lunch box", which comes with soup, salad, spring roll, fruit, sushi, and your choice of pad Thai or fried rice. Â Now, I know that sounds like a ridiculous amount of food, especially for lunch. Â I was extremely hungry (enough to perhaps eat the table) when I ordered, but everything was well proportioned. Â Also, all of that for under ten dollars? Â Great deal! Â
All the food was status quo, but I can say I've had better sushi. Â The spicy tuna roll just had spicy sauce on top, not even inside the roll. Â The fish did seem fresh though. Â I opted for the pad Thai, and that was very good. Â
I wasn't super impressed by my lunch, but would like to come back.  It seems to be hit or miss, maybe this time was just  a miss.
After a client suggested we try this place out, I thought Thai restaurant in trendy Cincy area? Â Show me the way, o' wise one. Â And I regret I did. Â We ended up at Green Papaya during lunch and I ordered the safe stand-by dishes that you can't mess up, or so I thought. Â The tom yum soup was watered down, bland and had raw mushrooms floating on the top, and two small morsels of chicken. Â Really? Â For almost $4 of soup, you're going to give me some unseasoned broth? Â nothankyou.
After that, I didn't have such high expectations for the green papaya salad (som tum) - another traditional dish. Â And I'm glad I set the bar low because I wasn't underwhelmed when I got the shredded papaya with no flavor, no thai spiciness (even though I ordered it medium spicy). Â
This place also serves sushi, but c'mon we're in Cincy. Â I don't think the fish was going to fresh and since the Thai people couldn't deliver on Thai food, I highly doubt the sushi was going to win any awards either. Â Pass on this place and take your Thai-craving appetite elsewhere. Â I sure wished I had!
If you don't pay attention, you're more than likely to drive past one of the city's best-kept secrets. Located in a mini "strip mall," caddy-corner from the Hyde Park Kroger, in the old Bebe Kitchen's space, is Green Papaya, probably the best Thai restaurant Cincy has to offer.
The décor isn't kitschy like other ethnic restaurants and is sleek and modern. The dining room isn't that big, but instead of feeling cramped and crowded, a sense of intimacy is created, a perfect place for a first date or you and a friend to catch up.
Depending on your degree of veganism, whether you are strict or vary your commitment when you go out to eat, you have to be careful eating at Thai restaurants, because they use honey as a sweetener in a lot of their dishes and sauces. I always double-check with the servers and management, to make sure something is not tainted with honey. Also, make sure that fish sauce is not used in any of your dishes, since it is the base of many sauces.
Green Papaya has a lot of menu options that comes with tofu as the main protein, but you can order any other dish with animal protein and substitute it with tofu. Don't be afraid to take a dish that looks interesting and tasty and veganizing it.
Picks:
Sushi: I usually get the avocado roll, usually six pieces for $4. The ingredients are always fresh and crisp.
Appetizer: The Siam Roll, order of three miniature rolls for $3.95, is filled with vegetables and served with a sweet and sour sauce, which I don't get because it has honey in it.
Soup: Try the Tom-Yum (Hot and Sour) ($3.95). I get mine with steamed tofu and vegetables in a hot and sour soup, spiced with exotic Thai herbs, lemongrass, mushroom and limejuice.
Entrée: I love the Green Papaya Mango Fried Rice ($8.95), spiced hot (scale is mild, medium, hot or 1-4). Fried rice mixed with chicken, shrimp, egg, fresh mango pieces, onion, snow peas and tomato is the original menu offering, but I get my order free of all animal products (make sure to request that the fish sauce is omitted) and with steamed tofu. Definitely the best-fried rice I've had and the mango adds the perfect blend of sweetness and tang that is truly unexpected.
Highlights: Green Papaya is unlike other Thai restaurants by offering truly authentic and unique Thai cuisine, when you go, you will want to order more than just the pad Thai.
Management at Green Papaya is very understanding and willing to meet my vegan needs. By just making sure you reiterate that you want no meat, dairy, fish or egg in your dishes, you will definitely get your vegan Thai fix there as well.
Try the jasmine lime tea ($1.95), it's a great refreshing twist on the usual limeade or lemonade.
Gripes: When Green Papaya first opened back in September of 2006, the portion sizes were hearty enough to have leftovers, but nowadays, the portions have become smaller and smaller, as if management decided to downscale portion size in order to downscale operating costs. Please bring back the hearty portions! At least they haven't downscaled on their quality, service, atmosphere or taste.
They don't have a liquor license, and generally, that would put a damper on things; but people don't seem to mind bringing their own libations of choice, especially since there isn't a corkage fee, but it's going to be almost a year and they still haven't secured a liquor license. Sometimes, when I've forgotten to BYOB and I really need a drink, I would like to order it in house.
Green Papaya is one of what seems like a superfluous number of nearly interchangeable Thai/sushi restaurants within about a one-mile radius around Hyde Park. Â (Can't we close down the subpar ones and open good Vietnamese and Korean spots in their places? Â Or, hell, good Chinese or Mexican or Italian or Med restaurants, for that matter....)
Green Papaya is probably a bit better than the average of these. Â The restaurant scores extra points for presentation: Â the food looks beautiful when it arrives at the table. Â And Green Papaya seems to use fresh ingredients dependably. Â
But like some of the other Thai restaurants in the area, the food can be surprisingly bland, which is an absurd shortcoming in a cuisine that theoretically uses so many herbs & spices. Â
The dining area is pleasantly and plainly decorated in earth tones and is spacious, especially compared to the cramped quarters of some of its local competition. Â The restaurant often plays serene New Age-y quasi-Asian music that I would never listen to at home but seems appropriate here. Â
Green Papaya is yet one more local Thai restaurant that has subscribed to the rampant and bizarre trend of serving sushi. Â (God knows why these food items have been so ubiquitously linked.) Â Nonetheless, we've ordered sushi as an appetizer a couple of times, and it seems better than the Cincinnati average.
It is quite odd, but Green Papaya is that rare restaurant that, at least in my experience, seems to turn out better food at lunchtime than at dinner. Â It is worth noting that G.P. offers its lower-priced lunch menu even on Saturdays.
Overall, an agreeable, competent restaurant. Â But somehow I come away feeling that the elements don't add up and that it should be better.
Green Papaya is situated in, quite frankly, an odd location. Â The outside decor leaves one wondering where you might have stumbled, and the inside decor is no improvement. Â Although, I have noticed that Thai restaurants in Cincinnati do not generally have fabulous interior decor.
The food at Green Papaya used to be extremely good when they first opened, and the portions never left me wanting for more. Â Recently, the portion sizes seem to have decayed in size. Â
Anyhow, the food is very enjoyable. Â The pad thai is delightful and both the green and red curries have the right amount of spice - I love the level 2 myself, but the brave among ye might try level 3. Â The vegetables on weekends are definitely fresh, but I have questioned on slower nights whether I might be getting frozen vegetables - as they are rubbery like a frozen veg sometimes.
The sushi is excellent and they offer a nice variety of fish, sushi, sashimi, and nigiri.
Also, about 50% of the staff doesn't speak English terribly well. Â But, at least that means the food is authentic.
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