How do I even explain what Thai hospitality means here or how Chef and owner Mo opens up her warmth to you so easily. I probably would not be able to articulate it completely but the simplest of answers would be to come here or Sala Thai (her original spot). If you're super lucky, she'll be there, and you'll feel it immediately.
The new space is open and has a great eye-catching detail at the bar. Though it has a lot of natural grain woods detail, it never feels country or low key... there's a nice relaxing refinement to it. We were told that Chef Mo was the one designing it and I think she did a nice job. Typical of most spots in Toronto, it's not large but Imm Thai does not cram in the tables. You feel comfortable at your table and you have your own nice little space. That being said, I feel the space is possible too small for the immense generosity I experienced.
Service here is what kept me smiling ... between Chef Mo and Porruthai, we were left overwhelmed with such sincere warmth. If you have Porruthai helping your table, listen to her suggestions. Honestly. Her knowledge of the dishes are spot on... we ordered and then she came to our table with further suggestions. We should have listened to her the first time around. She will not steer you wrong.
Note to anyone... Thai Hot is HOT. Like, you will experience a heat that your tongue is not prepared for. It's flavourful but even their medium pushes my limits and I can handle Canadian medium.
Another thing about the flavour here, this is not your Thai food court special. True Thai herbs flavour the dishes and they're brought over from Thailand according to Mo. Lemongrass, ginger, fermented seafood, galangal, coriander, shallots... all the flavours are here. I love how they dont shy away from the true flavours of Thailand. I even encourage them to push it to be more like home... one of their dishes was tame to please a more North American palate. I get why they do that but for me, bring the Thai flavours home!
Papaya Salad - Ok, this killed my tongue but in the best way. Thai medium is really North American hot. And this flavourful salad was just delicious and pungent. Bright, bold, lightly sweet, but highly flavourful with a touch of the sour and umami. It's quite different than your regular Thai salads. It also comes in a very cute display. 4.5/5
Mun Tod - Crispy matchstick sweet potato. This is just a fun snack to have on the side. Not a must do but for those who want some crunch in your life, this would be a nice add. 4/5
Tom Yum Soup - This... this is legit. It had a wonderful balance of sour, savoury, heat, and a touch ... herby citrus? maybe from the lemon grass? Either way, this was genuinely one of my favourite dishes as it was perfect the winter weather with nice plump and perfectly chewy shrimp. Some how it was not overcooked. Just great overall ... you can adjust the heat. I went with mild and it was full on flavour without the runny nose. 5/5
Laap Tod - This was recommended by Porruthai and she was completely right. Just amazing flavours and in a completely different way. It's froed Thai pork meat balls and its so flavourful. It's a bit spicy, definitely a lot of good porkiness. Honestly, unexpectedly so good. 5/5
Tom Yum Pad Thai - This is unique and completely created by Mo. It is also a shining example of the expression 'OMG' when it arrives to your table. It has a sizeable lobster tail on top of a wonderful pad thai. I loved it because the noodles were perfect. Just individual, not overly sauced ... just amount of dry stir fry. Just so well executed and the flavours... so good. They were savoury, sour, touch sweet, and a lot of wonderful herbs. Honestly. I like this better than the regular street version. 5/5
Kheaw Wan (Green Curry) - We got ours with shrimp and it was filled with a lots of big chunky vegetables perfectly cooked and wonderful QQ shrimp. Of all the offering, this was the most muted from the usual Thai flavours. It was a bit heavier on the coconut milk so it was a much more sweeter... it was a nice creamier texture though! Of all the items, this one I felt they could push the edge a bit more to be showcasing the amazing nuances in Thai cooking. Give a bit more of the spices and flavours that traditional THai food has... that being said, we finished all of it so it's a good curry! 4/5
Overall, there's a lot of heart, warmth, and great cooking here. Definitely take Porruthai and Mo's suggestion. They are not wrong... or just follow what I had above. Just a lot of wonderful dishes and even better people. read more