Introducing: Khao San Road, the new Entertainment District restaurant from the people behind Sukhothai
On Friday, Khao San Road, the highly anticipated new Thai spot by Jeff and Nuit Regular, opened after months of on-line buzz. The Regulars’ first Toronto restaurant, Sukhothai, opened in Regent Park in January 2008 and almost immediately developed a cult following for its fiery northern Thai cuisine (the pair left the eatery in the capable hands of Jeff’s parents). Nuit is in the kitchen at Khao San Road, so we look forward to the same authentic ingredients that characterized Sukhothai’s dishes. Items like Thai pumpkin, wild ginger, holy basil and curry powders are imported to the new restaurant from Thailand with the goal of creating dishes that are as similar as possible to those found in Bangkok or Chiang Mai.
The menu at Khao San Road offers favourites from the Sukhothai menu, like pad thai ($11) and Jeff’s favourite, khao soi ($13)—the recipe for which we featured last year. New on the menu: homemade squash chips ($5) to cater to vegetarians; crispy garlic shrimp ($9); pad gra prao, a spicy chicken or beef and basil dish ($12); khanom jeen ($8), north Thailand-style slow-cooked pork ribs; and Thai iced tea ($4.50). As the place finds its feet, Nuit plans to develop new dishes as well as offer a Thai Sunday brunch and coffee from Chiang Mai.
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- Pad gra prao, spicy beef with basil ($12)
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- Thai iced tea ($4.50)
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The restaurant is named after Bangkok’s infamous Khao San Road, a bustling street filled with food vendors and drunken backpackers looking for a party—a fitting moniker given that it’s located in the Entertainment District where Spotlight Resto Lounge once sat. The dining space is casual, with 52 seats, bare wooden tables from Forever Interiors, a long metal bar serving up Singha Beer (well, once the liquor license materializes), and two high-top communal tables at the front. Paintings by local Toronto artists hang on the wall and a new photo space, like the one at Sukhothai, is in the works, where diners can bring and share their travel photos from Thailand.
Khao San Road, 326 Adelaide St. West (between Peter St. and Widmer St.), 647-352- 5773, khaosanroad.ca.
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-khao-san-road-the-new-entertainment-district-restaurant-from-the-people-behind-sukhothai/&title=Introducing: Khao San Road, the new Entertainment District restaurant from the people behind Sukhothai&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Nuit.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_54882" align="alignleft" width="330" caption="Chef Nuit Regular shows off her holy basil (Image: Gizelle Lau)"][/caption]
On Friday, Khao San Road, the highly anticipated new Thai spot by Jeff and Nuit Regular, opened after months of on-line buzz. The Regulars’ first Toronto restaurant, Sukhothai, opened in Regent Park in January 2008 and almost immediately developed a cult following for its fiery northern Thai cuisine (the pair left the eatery in the capable hands of Jeff’s parents). Nuit is in the kitchen at Khao San Road, so we look forward to the same authentic ingredients that characterized Sukhothai’s dishes. Items like Thai pumpkin, wild ginger, holy basil and curry powders are imported to the new restaurant from Thailand with the goal of creating dishes that are as similar as possible to those found in Bangkok or Chiang Mai.
The menu at Khao San Road offers favourites from the Sukhothai menu, like pad thai ($11) and Jeff’s favourite, khao soi ($13)—the recipe for which we featured last year. New on the menu: homemade squash chips ($5) to cater to vegetarians; crispy garlic shrimp ($9); pad gra prao, a spicy chicken or beef and basil dish ($12); khanom jeen ($8), north Thailand-style slow-cooked pork ribs; and Thai iced tea ($4.50). As the place finds its feet, Nuit plans to develop new dishes as well as offer a Thai Sunday brunch and coffee from Chiang Mai.
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The restaurant is named after Bangkok’s infamous Khao San Road, a bustling street filled with food vendors and drunken backpackers looking for a party—a fitting moniker given that it’s located in the Entertainment District where Spotlight Resto Lounge once sat. The dining space is casual, with 52 seats, bare wooden tables from Forever Interiors, a long metal bar serving up Singha Beer (well, once the liquor license materializes), and two high-top communal tables at the front. Paintings by local Toronto artists hang on the wall and a new photo space, like the one at Sukhothai, is in the works, where diners can bring and share their travel photos from Thailand.
Khao San Road, 326 Adelaide St. West (between Peter St. and Widmer St.), 647-352- 5773, khaosanroad.ca.){kind=link}
Checked it out on Friday eve. Food was phenomenal, as always, but service is slow and still has lots of hiccups to work through. Space is small, but seating is decent
The one and only real Thai food restaurant in Toronto.
Once you try the food there you will never even dream of going to another so caleld Thai Restaurant.
The food is authentic and truly amazing!
I reviewed this place and gave it one giant ‘Meh.’ There are so many better places in Toronto if you’re willing to be adventurous.
Here’s the review for those are interested.
Lil’Fel Rocks the World: Travel Guide for Poor, Hip Students
http://lilfelrockstheworld.blogspot.com/2011/06/bitchy-restaurant-review-khao-san-road.html
who are interested*
I don’t know what the food is like because the service is so slow I’ve been here an hour and no eats. I’ll probably go to gabbys next time
Service was great for us. A couple really good dishes too: Khao Soi, Squash Fritters, Massaman Curry, and Thai Iced Tea.
Going during peak hours when everyone in the financial district is grabbing takeout is an entirely different story.
Check out our full review here:
http://www.tumblr.com/blog/restosinto
Cheers,
RestosinTO.com
I cannot rate this place because if i do it will be in a class with other restaurants and I cannot do this as Khao San Road is in a class of it’s own. Best Thai food i’ve ever had in Toronto. I recommend it highly. You should try it and I bet that you will be hooked.
Bangkok style pad thai is my fav.