Smile Elephant Thai Restaurant

About Smile Elephant Thai Restaurant

Smile Elephant is a Thai restaurant located at 149 Jackson Street, Petone, Lower Hutt, bringing Thai cuisine to the heart of Petone. The restaurant focuses on quality ingredients, aiming to deliver amazing taste and flavours that keep customers coming back.

A wide variety of choices are available to cater to many dietary requirements, with dishes incorporating beef, chicken, pork, lamb, duck and a mix of seafood. Smile Elephant is also fully licensed, serving a range of wine, beer, spirits and non-alcoholic drinks to accompany a meal.

Whether guests are booking a table to relax with family and friends or looking for takeout, Smile Elephant caters to both dine-in and online ordering. The restaurant also welcomes bookings for events, functions, birthdays and gatherings.

Smile Elephant: Thai Restaurant in Petone, Lower Hutt

Smile Elephant is a Thai restaurant located at 149 Jackson Street, Petone, Lower Hutt, bringing the flavours of Thai cuisine to the heart of Petone.

Quality Ingredients, Big Flavours

Smile Elephant aims to provide quality ingredients in its food, delivering the kind of taste and flavour that leaves customers wanting more. A wide variety of choices are available to cater to many dietary requirements, with dishes built around beef, chicken, pork, lamb, duck and a mix of seafood.

A Menu Built Around Choice

From appetisers such as Chicken Satay, Spring Rolls, Curry Puffs, Fish Cakes and the shareable Mixed Entree, through to a wide range of stir fries, rice and noodle dishes, curries, soups, sizzling hotplates and Thai salads, Smile Elephant's menu offers something for most tastes. Diners can choose their preferred protein across many of the dishes, from Pad Thai and Spicy Basil to Red, Green, Panang and Massman Curry.

Sizzling Hotplates and Signature Dishes

For something a little more special, Smile Elephant's dine-in hot plates include a Seafood Hotplate combining prawns, scallops, mussels, squid and fish, alongside Tamarind Duck, Honey Duck, Tamarind Steak served medium rare, and Grilled Chicken with a choice of tamarind or satay sauce — all served sizzling straight to the table.

Fully Licensed

Smile Elephant is fully licensed, serving a range of wine, beer, spirits and non-alcoholic drinks, so guests can enjoy a meal paired with their drink of choice.

A Place to Relax with Family and Friends

Whether guests want to book a table to relax, chat and enjoy the evening, or are simply looking for takeout, Smile Elephant caters to both dine-in bookings and online ordering. The restaurant also welcomes bookings for events, functions, birthdays and gatherings.

Opening Hours

Smile Elephant is closed on Mondays. On Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday, the restaurant is open from 11:30am to 2:30pm and again from 5:00pm to 9:00pm. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, dinner service runs later, from 5:00pm to 10:00pm, alongside the same lunch hours.

Getting in Touch

Smile Elephant is located at 149 Jackson Street, Petone, Lower Hutt 5012. The restaurant can be reached by phone on (04) 568 2825, by text on 022 0739 655, or by email at [email protected].

Signature items

• Pad Thai
• Massman Curry
• Seafood Hotplate
• Tamarind Duck
• Mixed Entree
• Fully Licensed Bar

Menu

Appetisers

• Chicken Satay — Grilled, marinated chicken skewers, served with satay sauce.
• Spring Roll — Pastry filled with vermicelli, carrots and cabbage, served with sweet chilli sauce.
• Prawn Spring Roll — Marinated chicken mince with a whole prawn, wrapped in pastry and deep fried, served with sweet chilli sauce.
• Curry Puff — Puff pastry filled with sweet potato, curry and chicken mince, served with sweet chilli sauce.
• Prawn In Bed — Marinated minced prawn on bread and deep fried, served with sweet chilli sauce.
• Mixed Entree — Selected entrées: Chicken Satay, Spring Roll, Curry Puff, Money Bag, Prawn in Bed and Thai Fish Cake.
• Fish Cakes — Thai fish cakes with red curry paste, eggs, makrut leaves and lemongrass, served with sweet chilli sauce.
• Money Bag — Deep fried pastry filled with kumara, potato and chicken mince, served with sweet chilli sauce.
• Roti — Grilled roti bread served with satay sauce.

Main Salads

• Crispy Pork Salad — Crispy pork tossed in a Thai salad dressing with tomatoes, red onions, carrots, salad mix, celery and fresh herbs.
• Thai Beef Salad — Grilled beef tossed in a Thai salad dressing with tomatoes, red onions, carrots, salad mix, celery and fresh herbs.
• Crispy Chicken Salad — Lightly battered chicken tossed in a Thai salad dressing with tomatoes, red onions, carrots, salad mix, celery and fresh herbs.
• Larb Chicken or Grilled Beef — Minced chicken or grilled beef with lemon juice, fish sauce, ground roasted rice, makrut leaves, lemongrass, red onions and herbs.

Main Stir Fry

• Spicy Basil — Your choice of protein stir fried with thai basil, onions, chillies, bamboo and vegetables (medium spice).
• Oyster — Your choice of protein stir fried with oyster sauce, onions, mushroom, soy sauce and vegetables.
• Cashew Nut — Your choice of protein stir fried with cashews, onions, mushroom, vegetables and house made mild thai sauce.
• Sweet And Sour — Your choice of protein stir fried with pineapple, onions, tomatoes, vegetables and sweet and sour sauce.
• Ginger Stir Fry — Your choice of protein stir fried with fresh ginger, onions, garlic, mushrooms, vegetables and house made thai sauce.
• Spicy Red Curry — Your choice of protein, stir fried with thai herbs, red curry paste, vegetables and bamboo.
• Satay — Your choice of protein stir fried with satay sauce and vegetables.
• Garlic + Pepper Stirfry — Your choice of protein stir fried with garlic, pepper and vegetables.

Main Soup & Curry

• Red Curry — Your choice of protein cooked in a creamy coconut red curry with thai herbs, bamboo and vegetables.
• Green Curry — Your choice of protein cooked in a creamy coconut green curry with thai herbs, bamboo and vegetables.
• Panang Curry — Your choice of protein cooked in a creamy coconut panang curry with thai herbs, pumpkin, roasted crushed peanuts and vegetables.
• Yellow Curry — Your choice of protein cooked in a creamy coconut yellow curry with thai herbs, potatoes, onion and vegetables.
• Massman Curry — Slow braised beef or lamb in a creamy coconut massaman curry with thai herbs, potatoes and onions.
• Tom Yum Soup — Hot and sour soup with lemon juice, chilli, coriander, tomatoes and mushroom.
• Tom Kha Soup — Hot and sour soup with lemon juice, chilli, coriander, tomatoes, mushroom and coconut cream.

Main Rice & Noodles

• Fried Rice — Thai style fried rice with your choice of protein, eggs, onions and vegetables.
• Nasi Goreng — Your choice of protein stir fried with rice, egg, pineapple, onions, mixed vegetables and mild curry.
• Green Curry Fried Rice — Thai style fried rice with your choice of protein, eggs, onion, bamboo and vegetables with green curry paste.
• Tom Yum Fried Rice — Thai style fried rice with your choice of protein, egg, onions, chilli paste, lemon juice, vegetables and thai herbs.
• Pad Thai — Your choice of protein stir fried with rice noodle, eggs, onions, beansprouts, roasted crushed peanuts, shallots and tamarind sauce.
• Satay Noodles — Your choice of protein stir fried with wide rice noodles, eggs, onions, beansprouts and vegetables with satay sauce.
• Soy Noodles — Your choice of protein stir fried with wide rice noodles, eggs, onions, beansprouts, soy sauce and vegetables.
• Spicy Noodles — Your choice of protein stir fried with wide rice noodles, eggs, onions, beansprouts, thai basil, chillies, bamboo and mixed vegetables (medium spice).
• Vermicelli Noodles — Stir fried vermicelli noodles with eggs, tomatoes and vegetables.
• Lardnar — Stir fried wide rice noodles topped with your choice of protein, stir fried with vegetables in a thickened sauce.

Main Hot Plates (Dine In)

• Seafood Hotplate — Prawns, scallops, mussels, squid and fish tossed in thai herbs, thai sauce and vegetables, served sizzling.
• Tamarind Duck — Marinated boneless duck tossed in a sweet, salty and sour tamarind sauce and vegetables, sizzling hot plate.
• Tamarind Steak — Marinated steak on a bed of steamed vegetables with tamarind sauce, served medium rare on a sizzling hotplate.
• Honey Duck — Marinated boneless duck tossed in a sweet honey sauce and vegetables, sizzling hot plate.
• Grilled Chicken — Marinated boneless chicken thighs with your choice of tamarind or satay sauce and vegetables, sizzling hot plate.
• Sweet Sour or Red Curry Sauce Whole Fish — Deep fried battered fish fillet or whole fish, topped with your choice of sauce.

Frequently asked questions

What are Smile Elephant's opening hours?

Closed Mondays; open Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday 11:30am-2:30pm and 5pm-9pm; Thursday to Saturday 11:30am-2:30pm and 5pm-10pm.

Is Smile Elephant licensed?

Yes, they serve wine, beer, spirits and non-alcoholic drinks.

Does Smile Elephant cater to different diets?

Yes, with a range of proteins including beef, chicken, pork, lamb, duck and seafood.

Can I order takeaway or online?

Yes, online ordering is available alongside dine-in and reservations.

Can I book for a group event or function?

Yes, bookings are welcome for events, functions, birthdays or gatherings.

Where is Smile Elephant located?

149 Jackson Street, Petone, Lower Hutt.

How can I contact Smile Elephant?

By phone on (04) 568 2825, text on 022 0739 655, or email at [email protected].

Tips

• {"body":"Functions, birthdays and gatherings are welcome.","title":"Book ahead for events"}
• {"body":"The restaurant also has an afternoon break before dinner service.","title":"Note the Monday closure"}
• {"body":"A good way to sample several appetisers at once.","title":"Try the Mixed Entree"}
• {"body":"Fully licensed with wine, beer and spirits.","title":"Pair your meal with a drink"}

Good to know

• {"dietary":"Wide choice of proteins including beef, chicken, pork, lamb, duck and seafood."}