THAI SHAN INN
LOCATION:
2404 Dufferin Street
Toronto, ON
M6E3S8
www.thaishaninn.com
RATINGS:
Ambiance: 2 / 4
Service: 2 / 4
Food: 3 / 4
Price: $
I have been going to Thai Shan Inn since I was just a little girl. Its one of the best Thai restaurants I have ever been t, so I am surprised that most people in Toronto have never heard of it. It is located in a little bit of a sketchy neighbourhood but it's worth the risk to taste this food. The portions are extremely generous and personally made by Louisa using her family recipes which results in authentic flavours.. Although the presentation of the dishes is nothing to rave about the food is something you wont be able to stop talking about. Be warned, if you have any allergies or like to make substitutions, this is not the place for you, as most of the staff and members don't speak English.
We generally order the same things each time we go. We start with the TOM YUM KOONG SOUP: A large bowl of traditional spicy Thai soup made with lemon grass and topped with mushrooms and shrimp. This spicy, lemony soup is so delicious. however, it can get quite spicy so make sure you have a few tissues on hand for your nose.
I always make sure to order a VEGETABLE SPRING ROLL. But I am the only one who does- it's too oily and greasy for most. But look at the size of it! So big and full of veggies and glass noodles; Mmm Mmm.
This MANGO SALAD is like none other. Fresh, tangy, green mangos are mixed with a medley of peppers, red onions, ground chicken and fresh fragrant coriander. These simple ingreadiannts are then tossed in a sweet and sticky dressing. The sweet dressing mixes with the sour mango in a unique way that you will never forget.
How can you go to a Thai restaurant with out getting a PAD THAI? So of course this is something we order every time. The stir-fried rice noodles are combined with a house made sauce, peanuts, egg, green onions, tofu bean sprouts,chicken, shrimp and a pile of fresh chili flakes on the side to spice it up if you would like. Mmm my mouth is drooling just thinking about it.
Lastly, if we go with a large group we also order the YELLOW TAIL DEEP FRIED FISH. The fish is deep fried to perfection and then covered in a homemade red chili tamarind sauce with ground chicken and mushrooms. Don't be afraid of the head and tail - this crispy fish is a house specialty!
Would We go back? For sure!
STANDOUT DISH OF THE NIGHT:
Yellow tail deep fried fish
To our disappointment, the restaurant is under new ownership. The food is no where close to what it used to be. RIP Thai Shan Inn.
ReplyDeleteI've lived in Thailand for over a year and have eaten Thai food in many Toronto restaurants. I ordered Thai Fried Rice (Khaw Phad Gi) and got Chinese fried rice. It was a big heap of poor quality rice drenched in soy sauce with frozen peas, specs of green onion and bit of knarly chicken. The culinary affront had about a tablespoon of sugar added to give it that 'authentic Thai flavour' :( Yuk!
ReplyDeleteWe were one of the first customer/families at the Tai Shann Inn when it was on Eglinton and the mother and father were the cooks. We became family to them, and because we lived a walking distance away, it became our special place to eat. We watched the kids grow up there learning the art of Thai cooking from their parents and our kids got to know them too. When the restaurant moved to Dufferin we went there and the food was fantastic. Now that we hear that it is under new management we shall not go then - we are only interested in the original family of cooks - food is about people and their unique skills - therefore, if the dishes have changed, it is because the people have changed. God bless the original owners.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, just wanted to add one thing ... one night, at the original restaurant on Eglinton, the mother and father owners invited their best customers to a private banquet of no less than 15 dishes at the restaurant ... at NO cost. Well ... it was astounding and an evening we shall never forget ... we have never eaten in any restaurant anywhere (any style of food) like that night. The camaradie among the 25 or so customers along with the exquisitely carved food ...yes, carved vegetables, giant free standing fish etc.... a real culinary Thai heaven ... the mother and father were basically culinary geniuses. Anyone who ate at the Thai Shann in those days knows what we are talking about. It was food prepared with extraordinary love and skill. We will carry those memories with us right up to Heaven.
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