Chaiyo by PAI — Restaurant in Toronto

As a connoisseur of Thai cuisine, I have had the pleasure of indulging in various dishes such as Thai curry, Pad Thai, Khao Pad Baan Nok, Boat Noodles, Tom Yum noodles, and Khao Kha Moo during my visits to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket. For those who appreciate intense flavors, Thailand is indeed a culinary paradise.

Recently, friends introduced me to Chaiyo by Pai, situated in downtown Toronto's Table Fare + Social (an upscale foodcourt). The restaurant's menu showcases some of my favorite including daily specials, boat noodles （noodles in beef blood soup base), chicken rice, pork hock on rice, soups, and classic Thai dishes like Pad Thai and curry. During lunch, I opted for Pad Thai and Pad Gra Prow, which consists of basil stir-fried with pepper and onion on steamed jasmine rice, topped with chicken and a Thai-style fried egg. Vegan and vegetarian options are also available. Although the Pad Thai was rich and the fried chicken crispy and juicy, it lacked a certain wok essence, and the Pad Gra Prow was sweeter than my personal taste. The Thai ice tea was also excessively sweet. At Chaiyo by Pai, the prices were somewhat elevated (especially it is located in an upscale food court) and the meal's flavor was only adequate. If you're in the mood for Thai food, this is a choice for a quick bite at this food court. Reviews of Table Fare + Social has been posted earlier. It is quite a uniquely modern n...

2023.09.29 - If you consider this as food court than you will find the price is too high. But the food quality is comparable to PAI the restaurant. Each dish has distinctive bold flavour profile of each ingredient. My only complaint is for the Sweet & Sour Fish texture. It is proven that keeping the sweet & sour sauce mixed with the deep-fried protein for a long time will result in soggy texture while it is expected that it should be crispy outside & tender soft inside. Maybe separating the fried fish from the sauce then ask the customers if they want the fried fish mixed with the sauce or served separately. Choosing Combo 3 with fried rice gives you sampling of 3 dishes of your choice. For $20 it is a steal when compared to ordering 3 dishes + fried rice at PAI which could cost around $80.

2023.11.03 - “Grilled Chicken Pad Thai” comes with tofu, egg, bean sprouts and shredded cabbage. It has a balanced sweet and salty taste profile however the sourness and taste of the tamarind is missing. It also doesn’t have enough charring to give the smoky aroma of the wok hei. The rice noodles are very soft and most of them are clumped together. The grilled chicken is well seasoned and not juicy but not dry. The bottled Thai Iced Tea is very sweet; it is probably better served in a...

This was my 1st time grabbing lunch here at Chaiyo by PAI. When I saw one of the food items was called "Chef Nuit Special", you know it's the famous Owner/Chef that opens the famous PAI Thai restaurant near King Street West.

At $19 CDN a pad thai with crispy chicken, it's very standard financial district downtown pricing but this was the first time that I felt $19 was well-spent coz the food was delish.

Chicken was in good abundance, juicy, crispy with flavour. The pad thai was good portion, I was impressed how hot in temperature the noods were. They must have prepared on the spot inside the kitchen and not from a warmer.

Overall, great food, I was blown away, not cheap but $19, I felt value with a great quality meal. Not bad for a food court setting.

The atmosphere was amazing here as people can play pool, read, go to the terrace, super spacious, lots of room to find tables to eat, not much people, it's a hidden gem.

I would definitely come back and try more of Chaiyo by PAI, perhaps next time the Khao Soi or Thai style of Hainanese chicken.

PS - I normally prefer water for lunch, they have water filter station at the food court. You can also ask the server to provide you with a paper...