After spending last Saturday night at Khao San Road‘s annual Songkran event (more on what is probably the best event I’ve EVER been to in Toronto in a future post), I was surprised to see that I hadn’t done a review for them on this blog. Khao San Road is without a doubt one of my favourite restaurants in the city, and by far my favourite spot for thai food. So, why is it so good? Here is my review of Khao San Road from going there on many occasions:

THE RESTAURANT:

When visiting Khao San Road, one thing to know is this restaurant is POPULAR and that means they are BUSY! The restaurant is not particularly large, and holds maybe 30-40 people. I’ve waited up to 2hrs for a table before, and if you go on a Friday or Saturday night during prime time, expect a similar wait. If you don’t like waiting, you have a few options. Either get there right when they open, put your name down and head somewhere nearby for a drink, or order any of their items for takeout (assuming you can get through on the phone).

If you do manage to get a seat, the restaurant is very laid back and not stuffy whatsoever. Enjoy the old school hip hop tunes that play (some say a little too loud) throughout the restaurant while you are dining.

THE FOOD:

I have tried several different items on the dinner menu (they also offer lunch but I have never been), and if you are trying to decide what to order, here are my top choices (see the full Khao San Road Menu):

Appetizers: My favourite appetizer on the Khao San Road menu is BY FAR the Gra Bong. Gra Bong is freshy grated squash fritters that are fried and season with wild ginger, lemongrass and red curry. They come with a delicious sweet dipping sauce and are amazing! If you are looking for something else, try the soup of the day or the fresh rolls are delicious as well.

Gra Bong $10 (Khao San Road)

Khao San Road Soup Of The Day Cup – $3

Fresh Rolls $7 (Khao San Road)

Main Courses: I’ve only been able to try a few things on the main course menu, because they are all so good that I find something I like and stick to it. If I had to pick just one dish as a favourite, I would have to say the Khao Soi w/ Braised Beef is #1! Every time I’ve ordered this dish the beef has come out cooked to perfection. So tender, and jam packed with the flavour from the coconut milk enriched curry. Beyond the Khao Soi, I also recommend the Sam Roas Pad Thai, the Panang Curry, and the Pad Gra Prao. I honestly haven’t had a dish there that I did not like, so chances are you can’t really go wrong. Here are some pics of these dishes:

Khao Soi Beef $14 (Khao San Road)

Sam Roas Pad Thai $15 (Khao San Road)

Pad Gra Prao $13 (Khao San Road)

Panang Curry $14 (Khao San Road)

Drinks: When it comes to sweeter foods, I usually like to wash them down with sweeter drinks. I typically order pop or even just water when I am eating these kinds of dishes, but Khao San Road also offers Thai Iced Tea ($4.50) which is a great option too! If you feel like having a beer, you can also order one of their Singha beers ($6), a thai beer that goes down great with anything!

Thai Iced Tea & Singha Beers

SERVICE: Service has always been very good when I have gone to Khao San Road. They are busy, but the staff seem to work together as a team to get your items to the table. Also, if you want to order any of the servers has always been friendly and taken the order even they weren’t our designated server.

PRICE: The price is one of the best things about Khao San Road. Sure, it is more expensive than most Thai restaurants, but the quality is much better also! I have never left here spending more than $100 for 2 people and have always left completely full and overly satisfied (often with leftovers to take home for lunch the next day too)!

OVERALL: If you haven’t been, just go. Don’t even think about it, just head there. I haven’t heard of any bad experiences and there is a reason this place still has a line out the door after being open for a few years.

SCORE: 9.5/10

KHAO SAN ROAD CONTACT INFO

Website: www.khaosanroad.ca
Twitter: @khaosanroadTO
Address: 326 Adelaide St W, Toronto (Map)
Phone Number: (647) 352-5773