PaiGu » thai

Review: Veg Out

admin — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:04:14 +0000

The weather was perfect when I met my friend on the patio of Veg Out, taking over Jambalaya’s spot on Richmond Row¹. After a bit of awkward standing around while the staff (or were they customers? It was hard to tell) shared anecdotes and hugged each other, a server finally acknowledged us and showed us to our seats.

I settled on the Thai Peanut Power Bowl while my friend chose the Pate Sandwich. The sauce in my Thai Peanut Power Bowl was more like a red curry sauce than a peanut sauce. In fact, I don’t think I tasted or saw any hint of peanuts in the bowl. The chickpeas and sweat potatoes gave a nice texture to the sloppy mess, which rested on a bed of quinoa. The dish certainly could have used more kick, the sauce was bland and most of the flavour was from the sweet potatoes. I was disappointed to realize that this restaurant perpetuated the vegan reputation: blandness². Giving them the benefit of the doubt, I thought that perhaps they did not want to put in too much sodium – you know, being health-conscious and all.

On the side, I had ordered a sweet potato cornbread, which turned out to be dry and tough and tasted nothing like sweet potato. I took half of it home in a paper bag, and when I got home, the paper bag was soaked through with oil. So much for the health-conscious defense.

For dessert, we shared a velvet chocolate cake. It was slightly more dry and crumbly than I’d have preferred. It was not too sweet, like the cakes of the “good ol’ days.”

Service was hit and miss. Sometimes the server would check on us twice in ten minutes, other times she wouldn’t come by for a stretch of 30 to 40 minutes. The washroom was small and cramped, but not anymore cramped than the rest of the restaurant. It has a homey feel, and the staff are certainly very welcoming. Unfortunately, I suspect the chef of this restaurant is also a family cook.

Rating:

Jambalaya is now at 119 Dundas Street.
Blandness is not something that vegan restaurants have to suffer from. I have had plenty of vegan dishes that were just as flavourful, if not more so, as non-vegan dishes.

Review: Thai Basil

admin — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 01:46:46 +0000

Thai Basil is a bustling Thai eatery on Bloor that’s trying to gain sophistication but is still a student eatery as far as my school mates and I are concerned. It is usually busy, so be prepared to wait half an hour for your food (or longer, depending on how much you’ve ordered). The interior decor reminds me of a modern cafeteria, and the food is unspectacular. The Fried Satay Noodles ($8.95) and the Thai Fried Rice ($7.95) are too oily. The satay chicken skewers ($2.25 per skewer) are too thick, and always over-grilled or under-grilled. The Pad Thai ($8.95) is not sweet enough, and the spring rolls ($3.50) are too bland. The curry chicken is too watery and not enough chicken. What it keeps me coming back is the affordable prices and hearty serving sizes.

Rating:

467 Bloor St. W.
Toronto, ON
(416) 840-9988
Website

Review: Spring Roll

admin — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 01:44:43 +0000

The Yonge location of Spring Roll is way too busy at lunch hour, and they don’t have very big tables, so don’t go with more than four people, and be prepared to wait. The menu and interior design tries too hard to be sophisticated and trendy. The selection of spring rolls is not particularly tempting, and for a place named “Spring Rolls,” their spring rolls really aren’t anything to boast about. The “Grilled Marinated Chicken w/ House Mango Salad” appetizer ($8.95) is decent, but overpriced. The “Famous Pad Thai” (shrimp and chicken, $8.95) is only mediocre, and nothing memorable. Service is also disappointing, as we were shoved into a corner and ignored for the most part. Also, they don’t accept debit, so bring cash or credit card.

Rating:

693 Yonge St
Toronto, ON
(416) 972-7655
Website

Review: Green Mango

admin — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 01:42:30 +0000

Green Mango is known for giving huge servings of everything. The satay chicken skewer appetizer ($7.95 for 4), though expensive for an appetizer, is filling and well worth it. The thinly-cut chicken stripes are grilled to perfection and marinated subtly, with a side of peanut-y peanut sauce. The “Fresh Rolls” ($5.00 for 3) is also a healthy choice for an appetizer, although be wary of the mint leaves they wrap into the roll. Their “Pad Thai” (chicken $8,95) is very sweet, and a lot more noodles than anything else. If you’re not a huge fan of sweet pad thai, try the “Street-Style Pad Thai” (same price). The “Chicken Cashew” ($10.95) is the best I’ve ever had, and the “Peanut Chicken” ($10.95) is also worth trying, although a bit too saucy. The “Mango Chicken” ($10.95) is far too saucy, a taste of ketchup mixed with orange juice, but the “Golden Curry Chicken” ($10.95) is a fairly satisfactory curry dish. The ice cream crepe (with fresh fruits, $7.00) is absolutely heavenly, big enough to share between two people, and by far the best dessert on the menu. For a smaller, one-person dessert, try the “Tiramisu Diablo” ($5.95). Great service, although the interior decor is mediocre.

Rating:

730 Yonge St.
Toronto, ON
(416) 928-0021
Website

Review: EAST!

admin — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 01:38:46 +0000

The menu at EAST! is a smaller version of the one at Spring Rolls, but it is much more sophisticated-looking. Unfortunately, the maitre d’ were very hesitant to seat us, being casually-dressed and clearly students, unlike their normal audience of businessmen on lunch break from the nearby office buildings. Very bustling, but decent service, great decor and ambiance. The “Unique Satay Pad Thai” is a perfect mix of street-style with sweetness, and a decent ratio of noodle to everything else (chicken, egg, tofu, bean sprouts, and peanuts sprinkled on top), and only $7.95 for lunch. The “Tango Mango Chicken” ($8.95) is very saucy and has a strange taste to it, but the strips of mangoes are sweet, instead of the traditional sour thai mangos. I’d definitely recommend the “Grilled Marinated Chicken with Mango Salad” if you’re looking for a decent chicken meal, balanced with sweet, succulent mangoes. All the entrees are fairly large servings, but reasonable. Drinks are the usual price for Toronto restaurants, and the martini I tried was not particularly pleasant.

Rating:

240 Queen St. W.
Toronto, ON
416-351-EAST
Website