PAI

"When it comes to finding great Thai food in Toronto the real difference is in the details. Northern Thai Cuisine traditionalists Pai pay special attention to those finer points serving up tasty dishes like Gaeng Kiaw Wan (green curry served in a coconut!), Khao Soi and Tom Yum Kung Mor Fai in a cavernous, lower-level location combining an open-kitchen with mixed seating (chair or floor). Whether you like it Mai Phet (no spice) or Farang Spicy (Foreigner Hot), the warm, earthy atmosphere and unique take on Thai is sure to satisfy you as it has area residents since opening in the heart of the city’s Entertainment District in 2014." - Jacknife

"Named for the Thai village where Nuit Regular and her husband opened their first restaurant, PAI is perpetually busy. A former nurse, Nuit now soothes by cooking her family recipes and street food favorites for hungry patrons. The mod bohemian look is appealing, but it's the extensive menu that you'll spend all of your time admiring. It's full of fresh, tasty dishes and vibrant curries. While they traipse across Thailand for inspiration, zero in on the North Thai plates and chef favorites, including khao soi, a noodle and coconut milk dish, or kanom jin nham ngeaw, a pork rib and tomato soup with rice vermicelli. Kung tawt, a plate of fried shrimp sided by a piquant tamarind sauce, is delicious but gaeng panang, a sweet-and-sour red curry, hits all the right notes." - Michelin Inspector

"Pai is somewhere that’s always packed, and there are a lot of very good reasons for the constant lines: the chef is behind some of Toronto’s best Thai restaurants, this spot is located in the middle of the entertainment district, and all the dishes (especially the Northern Thai specialties) are consistently excellent. Sure, you’ll find the usual suspects like pad thai, papaya salad, and green curry, but the real highlights are the deep-fried Grabong squash fritters, which come with a tangy dipping sauce, and the tender moo ping barbecue pork skewers. The restaurant is super close to many of the city’s theaters, so it’s a great place to come with a group before going to see a show. " - julia eskins

"Pai is somewhere that’s always packed, and there are a lot of very good reasons for the constant lines: the chef is behind some of Toronto’s best Thai restaurants, this spot is located in the middle of the entertainment district, and all the dishes (especially the Northern Thai specialties) are consistently excellent. Sure, you’ll find the usual suspects like pad thai, papaya salad, and green curry, but the real highlights are the deep-fried Grabong squash fritters, which come with a tangy dipping sauce, and the tender moo ping barbecue pork skewers. The restaurant is super close to many of the city’s theaters, so it’s a great place to come with a group before going to see a show." - Julia Eskins

"At any time of the day or night, the subterranean PAIis apt to be crowded: Itscombination of rustic hippie charm anddelicious eats is a recipe that Toronto hasfallen hard for. The city'sfavorite purveyors of Thai cuisine—Nuit and Jeff Regular—clearly have another hit on their hands. Customers who've visitedthe namesake town in northern Thailand will recognize the funky decorand the authentic preparation ofthepad thai, tom yum and pad gra prow. So authentic, in fact, that ifyou order your grub spicy, it’ll bring the heat!"