Sukho Thai
274 Parliament Street
Monday - Saturday, 11:30 - 8
This evening we ventured into Regent Park to eat at Sukho Thai. It is a tiny restaurant slotted in between two unremarkable buildings that we ignored.* It is so small and aberrantly located that we would probably never have encountered it if it wasn't for the Internet mob that brought it to our attention. It seems like it would seat little more than the cast of Melrose Place, but that makes it cozy. The decor is mostly bright, white, and sterile, implying an IKEA-assisted aesthetic.
Among those who keep apprised of foodie** news in Toronto, it is legendarily difficult to find anything even remotely close to authentic Thai food in our fair city (this, in spite of the veritable preponderance of restaurants that bill themselves as Thai restaurants, that use clever Thai referents in their names, and that serve dishes they call Pad Thai and Pad See Ew and Thai green curry, notwithstanding the uninspired Canadianized rubbish [ie. "Pad Thai" that replaces the traditional tamarind sauce with something bizarrely tomato-based] they serve). We were drawn to this dining destination on account of the contagious enthusiasm of the aforementioned Internet mob for Sukho Thai's devotion to authenticity. Beyond this, we were also lured by the intriguing promise of specialization in Northern Thai cuisine, which is purported to be less spicy than the food in Bangkok and around the coast.
Ultimately we were charmed by this family run joint with its amazingly warm, personable, and gregarious staff, reasonable prices, and – oh yeah – also its fresh and delectable food.
Garlic Tofu ($6.75)
“Crispy, chunky, tasty as hell.” These are a vegetarian version of the “Garlic Chicken” on the menu, and they were the indisputable summit of our Sukhoian ascent. Battered nuggets of silken-esque tofu with a sweet dipping sauce. They were moderately spiced with garlic, salt, and black pepper hints. Not too greezy, despite being fried.
Sukho Thai Pad Thai with tofu ($9-ish)
Sukho Thai offer two types of Pad Thai, and we chose this one as it was purported to be more Northern Thai in style. We ordered it mild, but this was still considered too spicy by the more gustatorily fragile of your reviewers. Deliciously fresh ingredients, perfectly chewy noodles, a generous portion of fried tofu bits, and, according to the same punctilious reviewer, garnished with needless, though admittedly exiguous, shreds of cilantro.
Tapioca with coconut milk ($1.99)
This dessert consisted of exquisite pearls of tapioca that were pillowy, soft, and yet toothsome, floating in a delicate coconut milk soup. It was also topped with wisps of coconut flesh, which neither of the reviewers deigned to consume, owing to their mutual mild allergies to coconut flesh. Upon first tasting this delight, one is driven to a dimple-inducing grin, reminiscent of a child tasting her first “Pop Rock.”
The proprietors (a charming, young, and gracious married couple) were extremely attentive and cordial, making us feel like family once removed. As we dined, a steady stream of “regulars” stopped in for takeout and the owners insisted upon sending each of them home with extra treats. Not pictured is the sample of cassava cake they brought us, which was both tasty and well-received. In texture and taste, it vaguely resembled a Portuguese custard tart, with a slightly stickier texture. We will eat here again.
The food was so yummy that we were reluctant to give away the leftovers we carried out to the ostensibly homeless fellow who asked for them. Guilted into ethical action, we bestowed him our styrofoam carton, at which point he requested a fork to eat its contents. We didn't have one, so he handed it back saying he was, “going home anyway.” Huh? In any case, we were happy to have them back.
*Only to remark on them anyway, ultimately.
**Modern epicureans who are apparently too young to refer to themselves using more traditional, historically extant terms such as epicureans.
I'm going to go and eat the hell out of that tofu. I think Sukho Thai will be next on the family restaurant visit list.
ReplyDeleteNice review. I want to go there.
ReplyDeleteI've now had Sukho Thai. They delivered to Alex and Joel's apartment and it was quite tasty. The garlic tofu was off the hook, although I found the pad thai lacking in a bit of flavour and a bit too dry. I also had the coconut tapioca dessert and it was delicious! A real treat.
ReplyDeleteI must say the delivery was definitely inferior to the in-restaurant experience. I think the garlic tofu was the furthest from the quality I remembered.
ReplyDelete