Thai Bangkok Restaurant: Cozy Hideaway on Spadina

412 Spadina Ave
Phone: 416.598.4701

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Posted by Tanja
January 25, 2008

Currently 3.00/5
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Rating: 3.0/5 (11 votes cast)

Walking home on a bitterly cold January evening is hardly my idea of a good time, but one positive side-effect is friends' willingness to try out any restaurant I pick - just so long as it has some form of central heating.

We'd only been walking a few minutes when I suggested the cozy and inviting Thai Bangkok Restaurant on Spadina. Between dim lights, Thai-inspired decor and photos of spicy noodles in the window, it was an easy sell. We walk in and are quickly greeted by a friendly waitress, already carrying a pot of hot tea for everyone.

Browsing the shiny laminated pages of the menu, there are plenty of entree choices (mostly $6.95-$8.95). For variety, we choose from four different sections and then kick back to wait while enjoying an order of crispy home-made Spring Rolls ($3.95).

Tom Ka Kai Soup arrives first and fills the room with the sweet smell of its feature ingredient: coconut milk. Close your eyes now and imagine tender chicken, mushrooms and lemongrass along with a side of fresh jasmine rice ($1) all mixed into a light, yet rich, milky broth, and you can begin to see this simple soup could quite well be the ultimate winter meal.

Spicy Tofu & Vegetables along with Cashew Nut Chicken arrive next. Both are pretty standard finds at most Thai and Asian-fusion restos, so Thai Bangkok shows a little extra care in preparation to make sure we remember theirs.

Our sides of rice are star-shaped (how cute) and the dishes are both packed with a wealth of freshly chopped veggies and tangy sauce. The tofu dish could have been spicier, but the cashew nut chicken is indeed super-nutty (that's right). When they say 'cashew' here, they really mean it.

An order of Glass Noodles doesn't disappoint either. The delicate soy-infused noodles are stir-fried with egg, tofu, broccoli, shredded carrots, bok choy, and Asian mushrooms - delicious as a standalone dinner or for sharing.

Just as we were ready to ask for the bill, the waitress appears with complimentary sliced watermelon to end the meal off on a sweet note... just one more reminder of all the special touches Thai Bangkok Restaurant brings to the table.

I've definitely found my new favourite Thai hideaway in the city.

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This is some of the best thai food that I've found in this city - truest to what you'll find in Thailand itself. You should try Mengrai (on Ontario St.). It's more upscale (and pricier), but does not disappoint.

Posted by: Erin at January 25, 2008 12:57 PM

I love this place, but it broke my heart when they backed off on their claim as "the only late night Thai restaurant in town" and switched their 3 am closes to 10 pm.

Good food, pricing, some thought given to details like presentation and the environment is wonderfully comfortable compared to the fluorescence of most of Chinatown.

Posted by: Chris Orbz at January 25, 2008 2:09 PM

Chris -

Maybe it might mend your heart a little if I told you that the reason they backed off from their late-night hours is the Chef was recently married!

They just want a little more time at home with family - hehe. I agree about the presentation / decor - it's a nice change from the fluorescents in most Spadina eateries.

Posted by: Paul Lancaric at January 25, 2008 9:10 PM

I don't get it. Just got back from there based on this rec and am very disappointed. First of all, we waited ten minutes to have our order taken, even though we were the only two people in there. The spicy eggplant was not spicy. It was swimming in a pool of greasy sauce that obscured any of its natural flavour. The jasmine rice didn't taste of jasmine (although, to be fair it went well with the jasmine tea which was equally flavourless). The pad thai was greasy and bland and missing some pretty essential ingredients like chili, coriander and lime garnish.

Yes, the star-shaped rice is cute, but they also do this at Coco Rice at King & Bathurst and they're food doesn't make you queasy.

Posted by: Rob at January 26, 2008 3:39 PM

Rob, I was really taking your experience seriously til I read that last line. Nothing personal, of course, but no place has ever made me wretch greasy cheap rice in disguise as good food like Coco. I even declined to ever write them up for the blog 'cause I disliked the din so much (and always feel bad tearing a place apart completely). I've never heard a good mention til today.

Posted by: Tanja at January 26, 2008 4:06 PM

This is a terrific little restaurant, and yes, by far the closest to what you get in Bangkok than any other spot in the city. Super yummy - and if you want it spicy like Thai people prefer, just say the word and they oblige!

Posted by: yum lover at January 26, 2008 7:08 PM

Well, I'm obviously in the minority here. So much so that I was starting wonder if they were just having an off day. So I googled "Thai Bangkok restaurant Toronto" and found this review...

http://lukemckinney.blogspot.com/2007/06/review-thai-bangkok-restaurant-412.html

So, at least I'm not the only person in Toronto who finds the service lacking and the food unappetizing.

Tanja, re: Coco Rice - I've never heard a bad mention till today.

yum lover, you're right - I should have requested they make my dish spicy. However, considering that the name of the dish is "Spicy Eggplant" I didn't think it was necessary. Lesson learned.

Posted by: Rob at January 26, 2008 9:59 PM

the only way to tell if it is authentic or not is to order Sweet Sticky Rice with coconut sauce for dessert...a must for any thai restaurant..

Posted by: Jack at January 26, 2008 10:48 PM