New Thai restaurant a Toronto blessing

There’s an address on Baldwin St. in Toronto, near Spadina Road that’s had at least four Thai restaurants. The latest one, only a few months old, is one of the best so far -- in a big field with too many low-quality Thai food restaurants.

Previously, family owned Chiang Mai provided decent food for very reasonable prices. The one after that didn’t last long at all, but I can’t remember the name. Then came Pi Tom’s, which had an Isaan cook who could do justice to laab moo, as far as I and farang friends could tell. That came off a separate menu you had to request. The food was quite good then. Sadly,  Pi Tom’s was gone after a few months for lack of customers; their Lawrence Ave. and Yonge eatery also closed  for the same reason. However, there are two other Pi Tom’s elsewhere.

Thai Noodle/Guay Thiew opened in late 2010 -- I prefer this phonetical spelling Guay Thiow. It’s way busier than any previous tenant’s restaurant -- having been there three times so far. Don’t know what’s driving the popularity,  except the food, focusing on the noodle, is very good.

One of the things I think that appeals to diners is not just the food. It has a pleasant atmosphere and provides a comfortable experience. Previous operators were not quite so skilled.
Among some things, there are  the beautiful images of the food on the menu and placemats (from the Tourism Authority of Thailand). Nice place settings and cutlery help too. They’ve done a nice job of the service counter, with beautiful fresh flowers and Thai cultural objects.

And it’s Thai owned by the way, as is the likeable Real Thailand on Bloor W. at Spadina.

The menu lists 22 noodle soups and fried noodle dishes. There are also three non-noodle  soups and only one salad, Thai mango, plus a few rice dishes on the menu back with the usual choices of chicken, beef, seafood and shrimp. That’s what I chose from, on separate occasions, chicken cashew and spicy basil chicken. I’m not a big noodle fan except sen lek (medium noodle) in Thai noodle soups.
I’ve also been impressed with the fried wontons in a past visit.

Early Friday evening I arrived in the small restaurant and there was only one couple. But in short order came another two couples and single customers in the hour I was there. When seated there under previous ownership, I rarely witnessed any new patrons arriving. Strange that the difference is so noticeable. I think the owners of Guay Thiao have a good thing going.

The spicy basil chicken (pictured) consisted of onion and red peppers (normally green ones are also used but I don’t like them), plus some basil leaves, which I thought there were too few of. The meat was not dried out from cooking and was quite moist. The sauce was pleasantly spicy (I ordered the dish made for khon Thai, not Canadian tastes) -- never got the hiccups, which is what I get when something is crazily spicy. Have a feeling the chef may have pulled his chilli punches. But I was given some fresh cut chillis in fish sauce, which is how it would be served in Thailand.

The Thai jasmine rice, placed on a separate plate in a star pattern, was maybe a bit too moist, as it came off in biggish clumps sometimes when using a fork.  Issue nit noi.

It’s the second time I wanted to order soda water and they were out. Strange that. Had green tea instead.

By the way, no liquor licence. None of the previous operators had liquor licences either. Not a big issue but sometimes you want a Singha beer to keep you in the Thailand mood.

The owner is considering participating at the annual Tastes of Thailand festival in July at Toronto City Hall. But if you don’t want to wait, take a trip to Kensington Market and take a spin through the noodle menu at Guay Thiaow.

I have not been to the current Thai food hotspots, newly opened Khao San Road (Adelaide St.) and Sukhothai (Parliament St.).  Plans are being made.

Quick note: Thai Express (with umlaut over “i” in Thai) is ever expanding, it seems. The big Canadian Thai food franchise has opened a store on King St. E., just east of Yonge on the south side. The company has 127 outlets in Canada, as well as Dubai, Bahrain and Morocco. I think I have eaten at one of the outlets in the past but don’t remember my reaction. That’s all OK though because any new Thai restaurant near me is welcome. I only noticed it recently when I spotted a subway ad at TTC’s King Station.

Comments

[Siam.Rick]

1.

Hi Martyn, visitors to Thailand will be "surprised" followed by funny pained facial expressions as their mouth explodes. Hahahaha. Yeah, that was me!

Surprisingly good Thai food choice here but then this is a very Asian city now, with huge malls exclusively catering to Asian foodies and of course the Asian population, which consists of half a million Chinese, tens of thosuands of Vietnamese and a much smaller number of Thais and Cambodians.

[Martyn]

2.

Rick you've got plenty of Thai restaurants to choose from for your month stay in Toronto, I think a few of them are going to do good business from you. It must come as quite a shock to westerners visiting Thailand for the first time when they eat real spicy Thai food in comparison to the watered down versions they've had back home.