Som Tum Jinda Gerrard St. — Restaurant in Toronto

I always look forward to eating at Michelin recommended restaurants, but I was really taught a lesson this time...💔som tum jinda, I came here because of its reputation, but every dish challenged my limits Tum Mae Jeab | Thai Spicy Papaya Salad with Raw Marinated Crab: I ordered it for the raw marinated crab, but the fishy smell rushed to my head after taking a bite🤢. The taste of the crab was like eating raw seafood that had been frozen for a long time, which really discouraged me Kha Kob Tod | Fried Frog Legs: I thought it would be crispy, but it turned out to be a bit wet. The skin was not fried crispy enough, and the fishy smell could not be covered. I was so nagging about life after eating it Pad Woonsen Cha-Om | 🥚Fried Vermicelli: There is nothing wrong with this dish, but there is nothing good about it😅, it is just a very ordinary fried vermicelli Lod Chong | Green jelly: This is really… indescribable, the taste is like chewing some kind of 👟 disgusting green gelatinous fish🐍, and there is no taste at all, the sweetness is due to the non-sweet sugar water, it’s too outrageous Mango Sticky Rice | Mango Sticky Rice: A classic Thai dish! As a result, the mango was so sour that it made my teeth ache, and the sticky rice was also hard, and a little coconut milk couldn’t save it Coco Pineapple Ice Cream | Coconut ice cream with pineapple: The best in the whole place!! Finally there is a dish that can be eaten😭, the ice cream has a strong coconut flavor, and it is really delicious with the slightly sour pineapple! If this is the main product, I'd come again Kek Huay | Longan juice: It really tastes like supermarket chrysanthemum tea, not even as good as the one I brew myself Thai Ice Tea | Thai milk tea: This tastes like instant powder 😅, the tea taste is bland, and the milk taste is too stiff, which is too different from the authentic Thai milk tea The store is really pitifully small 🥹, the tables are very close together, and it feels very crowded if a few more people sit, and the lighting is dim, not very comfortable To be honest, this taste + such a small portion = not worth it 😤, the price is a bit expensive, and I don't recommend it for a second try If you don't particularly like Thai food, you can really take a detour! This experience is really hard to describe, I only want to recommend the coconut ice cream 🍦, the rest I ordered...

I would have given this restaurant who specializes in Northeastern Thai cuisine 6 stars if I could! True to its name, the dishes have a distinctive sour and spicy taste which not only fragrant but taste so refreshing!

We ordered the Tom Zab with pork ribs which have two thumbs in the menu. The soup was a winner for me because of its invigorating taste. The fresh lemongrass taste along with the tamarind and chili create this mouth-watering flavor. It cleaned my palate from the grease of the pork jowl. One slurp is not enough.

The Kor Moo Yang (grilled pork jowl) which also have two thumbs in the menu, was the most succulent pork jowl I've ever tasted! It was the true definition of melt in your mouth.

The Som Tum Tod has three thumbs, which indicates a must-order. It's fried papaya salad topped with peanut, garlic, chili, tomato, dried shrimp, green bean. It was my first time trying out fried papaya salad and it definitely won't be my last!

For carbs, although Pad Woonsen Cha-om, the glass noodles, have two thumbs up, we opted for the Pad See Eew with chicken instead. It did not disappoint. The flat rice noodle was fresh and I love the texture of wide flat rice noodle! However, the sauce taste was not well incorporated because I can definitely taste the dark soy sauce in one bite and another taste with the next bite. Wish there is more of a burnt smell from the wok that makes pad see ew all the more authentic like from the street stall.

We ordered Lod Chong for dessert which is essentially pandan jelly and melon in sweet coconut milk. As an Indonesian, this dessert resemble cendol. It was good but not to the point where I'd order it again. Their Thai Iced Tea was on the sweeter side. I would've liked it with more tea taste!

Overall, I fully acknowledge this place that is included as part of the Michelin Guide 2023 for Thai Food. This has easily become my new favorite Thai restaurant in Toronto for its...

If you're staying at the Chelsea Hotel in Toronto, I highly recommend visiting Som Tum Jinda. It's just 0.3 miles away from the hotel, which is about a 10-minute walk. Originally, we planned to dine at a different thai restaurant but our plans changed, so we opted out. While scrolling through Google Maps, I stumbled upon this new spot. Since it was walkable distance to our hotel, we decided to give it a try. As a somtum (papaya salad) enthusiast, I was thrilled to discover that the restaurant was named after it. To me, this signaled that the owners were very confident in their dish. As soon as l walked into the restaurant, I was seated immediately and greeted with big smiles. I really liked the interiors, especially the lighting and the paintings. My boyfriend and I ordered papaya salad with salted crab, grilled pork jowl, and pad see eew. Everything tasted phenomenal, and I don't think I'll ever forget my very first bite. It was my first time trying papaya salad with salted crab, and it reminded me of a sweeter version of ganjang gaejang (Korean raw soy sauce crabs). Also, it was my very first time trying the grilled pork jowl. As soon as you put it in your mouth it will melt in your mouth. I don't even think words can do justice to how amazing this dish was--it's just outstanding, and I wish everyone could try it. The servers were very attentive and always kept big smiles on their faces. My only regret is not being able to try more items from the menu, as my time in Toronto was limited and I had other places to visit. I will definitely be back and can't wait to try...