Thai Tonight in Toronto

[Kerry Beal]

I'm in Toronto for the weekend as an examiner for the college of family physicians. We are staying at the Intercontinental Center (the one on Front - not the great one on Bloor).

We are interested in good Thai for dinner tonight.

Anyone have any suggestions - preferably local, but we do have a vehicle if needs be?

[jenc]

Try Mengrai Thai. Should fit the bill.

http://www.mengraithai.com/

Here are my photosets the last two times I went. One of them has menu shots.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jlunar/sets/72157612983958195/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jlunar/sets/72157607973643770/

[Kerry Beal]

Try Mengrai Thai. Should fit the bill.

http://www.mengraithai.com/

Here are my photosets the last two times I went. One of them has menu shots.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jlunar/sets/72157612983958195/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jlunar/sets/72157607973643770/

←

Thanks for the suggestion - great pictures.

[rgruby]

In this month's TO Life, Chatto discusses a place on the Danforth that he claims to be about the only authentic Thai place in town.

In addition to Mengrai, another option in the core would be Linda, which is close to Yonge and Dundas. Linda Thai

Cheers,

Geoff

[Kerry Beal]

In this month's TO Life, Chatto discusses a place on the Danforth that he claims to be about the only authentic Thai place in town.

In addition to Mengrai, another option in the core would be Linda, which is close to Yonge and Dundas. Linda Thai

Cheers,

Geoff

←

Is there more than 1 Linda - the website seems to say that it's north (or perhaps it's because I don't know one part of TO from another).

Is there an online source for the TO life discussion?

[Kerry Beal]

So we have reservations for Mengrai Thai at 8 tonight. Now to go look at the menu some more.

[rgruby]

In this month's TO Life, Chatto discusses a place on the Danforth that he claims to be about the only authentic Thai place in town.

In addition to Mengrai, another option in the core would be Linda, which is close to Yonge and Dundas. Linda Thai

Cheers,

Geoff

←

Is there more than 1 Linda - the website seems to say that it's north (or perhaps it's because I don't know one part of TO from another).

Is there an online source for the TO life discussion?

←

Linda is one block north of Dundas, above Salad King.

Don't know about TO life - I'll try and come back to this thread with the name of the restaurant.

Please let us know how Mengrai Thai is - It's been on my list, but I haven't made it there yet.

Cheers,

Geoff

[Kerry Beal]

Mengrai Thai was wonderful!

The owner helped us put together a combination of dishes so we could share. The appetizer plates contained a tasty breaded shrimp, one of the wonderful Taro Yam rolls (nice and crispy - I really like taro done this way), a nice fresh mango salad and another little item that contained chicken and piccalilli that was very tasty.

Following this was a coconut soup, served in a hollowed out coconut - lobster, Galangal, lemongrass, kafir lime leaf, tomato, lime, mushroom, onion, mildly spiced with thai basil and coconut milk. The perfect combination of flavourings - I could have licked the bowl clean!

We shared a pad thai with chicken and shrimp, beef ribs with caramelized scallions and one of the house signature dishes - Red Curry chicken with lychee and pineapple. This last one came served in a hollowed out pineapple. They must go through a ton of pineapples - judging from the number of these I saw come out of the kitchen. I've been disappointed with pad thai I've had in the past - always wondering what people saw in this fishy tasting mess of noodles - now I realize that with the right combination of flavours - this dish can be excellent.

The red curry chicken with lychee and pineapple was outstanding - spicy hot, but balanced beautifully by the sweet fresh tasting lychee.

Dessert was an interesting rice pudding with some mango ice cream - hardly necessary by the time we'd eaten all the rest.

Would I go again? In a heartbeat!

[jenc]

Glad you had a good meal, Kerry! I find Mengrai very welcoming.

Linda has now moved to Don Mills Centre at Lawrence and Don Mills. The upper space of Salad King will just take the overflow from the downstairs room now at their downtown Gould st. location.

The thai resto featured in Toronto Life this month is Mong-Kut Thai Gold on the Danforth.

Edited May 3, 2009 by jenc (log)

[sadistick]

Haven't ventured down town for Thai yet - however, 2 more mid town places that are truly authentic (the first does a more saucy pad thai, the other a drier, but equally delicious) - Thai Shen Inn on Eglington west of Dufferin, and Thai Bistro on Yonge south of Finch.

Make sure you order the Tom Yum at Thai Shen Inn - Best ever.

Edited May 3, 2009 by sadistick (log)

[rgruby]

Glad you had a good meal, Kerry! I find Mengrai very welcoming.

Linda has now moved to Don Mills Centre at Lawrence and Don Mills. The upper space of Salad King will just take the overflow from the downstairs room now at their downtown Gould st. location.

The thai resto featured in Toronto Life this month is Mong-Kut Thai Gold on the Danforth.

←

Thanks for correcting me about Linda - i didn't know it had moved.

Also, from what I understand, Mong-Kut Thai Gold is a newish offshoot of Mong-Kut Thai, which is also on the Danforth. I'm not sure how different their menus are though - if at all. But just to clarify, there are currently two Mong-Kut Thai restos on the Danforth, with one of them having the extra gold bit thrown in, and it was the latter one featured in TO Life.

Cheers,

Geoff

[Peter the eater]

All this talk of Thai in Toronto has me nostalgic for my first Thai experience in my home town -- is Young Thailand still around? I know they moved to Church Street for a time, and maybe opened other restaurants? I haven't lived in TO for 8 years, they were the first and only option for a while. I still have their cookbook.

[prasantrin]

All this talk of Thai in Toronto has me nostalgic for my first Thai experience in my home town -- is Young Thailand still around? I know they moved to Church Street for a time, and maybe opened other restaurants? I haven't lived in TO for 8 years, they were the first and only option for a while. I still have their cookbook.

←

Way back when, my dad would go on business trips to TO and bring back certain dishes from Young Thailand (or my mother would bring some back for my dad). His cooking was usually better (some of their food sucked from a Thai point of view, but some of it was OK), but I guess it was nice for him to have decent Thai food he didn't have to cook himself.

Or was it Bangkok Gardens?

Now I think I want to go to TO just to try these Thai places again.

[estufarian]

Several of the above places have moved:

As noted Linda's is now in the 'Shops at Don Mills' development.

Thai Shan Inn has moved to Dufferin just north of Eglinton.

Young Thailand has had multiple changes. Recently there was one on Dundas West, west of Keele (which replaced at least 3 others I was aware of) and they have reportedly opened a second location on St Clair, west of Dufferin - but I can't confirm that as I totally avoid St Clair now that they've destroyed the access by putting a streetcar right of way in (partial rant here: not only does it take longer than it used to, but they've even REMOVED street car stop when adding the right of way!).

In my opinion Linda's ranks #1, Mengrai is #2 and both Thai Shan Inn and Young Thai have slipped.

[rgruby]

Several of the above places have moved:

As noted Linda's is now in the 'Shops at Don Mills' development.

Thai Shan Inn has moved to Dufferin just north of Eglinton.

Young Thailand has had multiple changes. Recently there was one on Dundas West, west of Keele (which replaced at least 3 others I was aware of) and they have reportedly opened a second location on St Clair, west of Dufferin - but I can't confirm that as I totally avoid St Clair now that they've destroyed the access by putting a streetcar right of way in (partial rant here: not only does it take longer than it used to, but they've even REMOVED street car stop when adding the right of way!).

In my opinion Linda's ranks #1, Mengrai is #2 and both Thai Shan Inn and Young Thai have slipped.

←

Young Thai is opening another location at King and Strachan. Walked the mutt by on the weekend and they look very close to being ready to open. Don't know if any other locations are still going.

And I'll just say that Salad King, despite being a budget (not really fast food?) joint, has fed me tastier food than many of the standard Thai places on the handful of times I've eaten there. Not a destination for dinner, but good food for not a lot.

Cheers,

Geoff

[jenc]

I've eaten often at Salad King and I tend to get the Thai Islam Noodle or Seafood fried rice. I try to think of other things I want to eat off their menu, but I always return to these staples...!

[phoenikia]

I've eaten often at Salad King and I tend to get the Thai Islam Noodle or Seafood fried rice. I try to think of other things I want to eat off their menu, but I always return to these staples...!

←

And anytime I stray from ordering the Thai Islamic Noodles at Salad King or Linda, I end up wishing I had ordered them!

Edited May 5, 2009 by phoenikia (log)

[estufarian]

I'm certainly not going to disagree. Salad King is same ownership as Linda's.

Not as sophisticated, but a 'faster food' version. Great value. Great taste.

[jenc]

And anytime I stray from ordering the Thai Islamic Noodles at Salad King or Linda, I end up wishing I had ordered them!

←

lol, I agree totally!

[aser]

http://www.sukhothaifood.com/

not much on the website, but killer food and cheap. Everything's under $10.

Khao soi is the winner, actually everything is.

[jenc]

http://www.sukhothaifood.com/

not much on the website, but killer food and cheap. Everything's under $10.

Khao soi is the winner, actually everything is.

←

argh. Why have an empty website...!? (I was just ranting about this on the blog...)

Though, at least the information isn't wrong...

but I have heard of these guys several times...!

Edited May 8, 2009 by jenc (log)

[SYoung]

...

Also, from what I understand, Mong-Kut Thai Gold is a newish offshoot of Mong-Kut Thai, which is also on the Danforth. I'm not sure how different their menus are though - if at all. But just to clarify, there are currently two Mong-Kut Thai restos on the Danforth, with one of them having the extra gold bit thrown in, and it was the latter one featured in TO Life.

Cheers,

Geoff

←

Just went to Mong-kut Thai at 596 Danforth (the new one). Not bad but I wouldn't put them quite in the same category as Mengrai. It's maybe compares well with Salad King though not Linda.

I also recently went to Linda as well. Food there was pretty good, especially the Mieng Kum appetizer. They just opened so have some kinks to get out. As they stand today, I would still prefer Mengrai. Sasi is still #1 in Toronto in our books!

[Endy']

I tried Linda recently too at the new location. I thought the food was bang-on -- no kink-working-out necessary there -- though the service was a touch confused. I assume they'll work that out as time goes on.

I have the sense (though I don't recall the downtown menu prices) that overall, prices have gone up. Wouldn't be surprising, given the new location and look. Mains hover around $20, which is a little more than I'd like to pay on a regular basis for lunch. There are lunch specials, but apparently smaller portions than the dinner sizes, which already aren't huge...

it's not that I think the food isn't worth the price, just a little sad to have such good food within lunching distance but not at a price I can justify a few times a week. But then again, that's my problem, not theirs . They were packed when I went on a Friday afternoon around 1:30.