Pai Northen Thai Kitchen Thai Market Style Lunch: Toronto, Ontario

Name: Pai Northern Thai Kitchen
Address: 18 Duncan St, Toronto, ON M5H 3G8, Canada
Website: Website
Instagram: @paitoronto
Wifi: No
Tender: Debit,  Credit, Cash
Neighbourhood: King West, Toronto
Type: Thai

Pai Northern Thai Kitchen is located on Duncan Street in Toronto’s King West neighborhood. Already known as being one of Toronto’s top destinations for Thai cuisine they have recently expanded their current lunch service offerings to include an authentic Thai Market-Style lunch.

Located in the newly added  dining area within Pai the market offers lunch counter service which replicates the style and atmosphere of Thai markets. The market area seats around 50 people and is also available for private bookings and events.

The menu changes daily here and is always based on what ingredients Chef Nuit has on hand. Like majority of menu items at Pai most dishes here are made with authentic Thai ingredients which are imported directly from Thailand. On the day that I visit there are three menu items available. One menu item with rice is priced at $10 CDN + tax, 2 items with rice is $12 CDN + tax, and additional items are $6 CDN + tax.

First I try the Kuay Jap, pork belly served with a tomato based soup, hard boiled egg, and five spice curled noodles.  The pork is tender and the soup is warm and flavorful. It’s a comforting dish that makes you feel like someone is hugging your belly. On the side I try the mango salad which is refreshing and always beautiful with it’s tropical yellow hue. Also be sure to pickup a Thai iced tea, the best in the city in my personal opinion. Unlike most Thai iced teas it’s perfectly balanced and not overly sweet.

At this point I’m completely stuffed, but I do take home the other two menu items to sample later in the day. The first is a red chicken curry. It’s creamy and delicious and the rice makes the perfect vehicle to soak up the perfection that is the sauce. It’s reminiscent of their legendary Khao Soi, although slightly less creamy, but equally as delicious.

There is also a tomato based soup, which while flavorful, is a tad too spicy for me. The lemongrass pepper chicken served with vermicelli noodles is tender and tasty and the vermicelli noodles make a nice light complement to the meal.

In addition to the market style lunch a section of the space has been portioned off with Thai-style street stalls where authentic Thai pantry items imported directly from Thailand are available for customers to pick up to take home. Grab a basket and feel free to shop Thai-market style. Everything from fresh produce to canned items and Chef Nuit’s homemade chili sauce are available for purchase here. Items available for sale are based on what is being used in-house by Chef Nuit herself and varies depending on the menu. What’s nice, is that you’re likely to find hard to locate ingredient items if you want to try your hand at Thai cooking at home. Fresh produce can also be purchased based on exact quantity required, so no need to worry about wastage should your recipe only call for a few Thai basil leaves.

The new Thai-Market lunch service is unique and refreshing. Service is friendly and because it is served market style food is ready within minutes, all while maintaining the high quality Pai is known for. With the menu changing daily there’s definitely always something new to try which helps to keep lunch boredom at bay. The only downside I can see to this is if you find a dish you absolutely fall in love with it most likely won’t be available again the next day. My suggestion would be to get some extra to take home and then say a little prayer that it makes an appearance again.

 

Disclaimer: This post was not sponsored, however the meal/items were complimentary. All opinions expressed are my own. All menu offerings and prices are accurate as of time of posting. Please refer to restaurant/shop for most up to date information.

*All images are copyrighted Allons.Y Styling & Photography. Please do not use or re-post without written consent and provide credit where applicable