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Mengrai Gourmet Thai
Category: Restaurants Thai Thai [Edit]
82 Ontario StToronto, ON M5A 2V3
Neighbourhood: Corktown
(416) 840-2759
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 5 pm - 10 pm
Wed-Fri 11 am - 3 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
59 reviews for Mengrai Gourmet Thai
Review Highlights
"Sasi's #54 Red Chicken Curry with Lychee (18.50."
(in 6 reviews)
"The mango snowball was sooo good."
(in 5 reviews)
"The Sasi Pad Thai is heaven."
(in 6 reviews)
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59 reviews in English
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Review from Rachael T.
Toronto, ON
1/8/2012
To avoid all the turkey dinners over Christmas (which I totally would not mind!), our families decided to have our christmas gathering at a Thai restaurant. Searching for a place that would not be too loud, have good food, and a mandatory - A ROUND TABLE for good conversation, I decided to book Mengrai because if good reviews, a unique menu, in addition to your traditional ones, and good location for everyone to get to.
When making my reservation, the staff was very generous to give me the round table (that I've seen from the photos), and prior to the evening, they called to let me know that I would only be allowed for a 2 hours seating due to another party. It was totally understandable and courteous for the heads up.
There are 6 free parking spots outside their restaurant and we were lucky enough to park in the last one. At 6 - the place had a few tables filled, but the emptiness did not last long. Between seven people, we pretty much ordered a wide selection of dishes -
1. street style pad thai which had a bit of sweetness, although I felt there wasn't as much shrimp as I had expected. the flavours were bold and delicious, and the noodles were not soggy, giving it good textures with all the different ingredients
2. Their special mengrai SASI pad thai - the restaurant's own pad thai - this is not sweet at all, so that's a whole different set of flavours. I have to say that because it wasn't sweet, it was not my favourite, although very very good. It was extremely saucy (which I like), and there were flavours of dried preserved shrimp which was very potent but added to the overall taste and texture. Between the whole table, most preferred this over the traditional sweeter pad thai.
3. Pineapple fried rice with beef. There was definitely a lot of beef and pineapple, served in the half shell, but I thought it was a little too oily. Maybe thai fried rice is made this way, or it could have been the beef. Still good, but could have lightened on the oil.
4 - 6: THREE CURRIES - their specialty included chicken and lychee, and two additional - one with lamb, and one with shrimp....... I cannot remember all the details of it, but I do remember that I could taste the difference in them all. The sauces all had a different character, whether, sweet, mild, or spicy. I especially like the one with the lychee because it had large pieces of fruit that added a nice sweetness to the whole dish.
All the dishes were eaten completely, not complaints and everyone agreed that it was delicious. At around 8m, the waitress politely told me that the next party would be arriving shortly so we finished our dessert (ice cream that was nothing out of the ordinary) and happily left with smiles on our faces. -
Review from Imran N.
2/11/2012
I have to say, for the price you're paying at this place, the depth of flavour is unparalleled to any other Thai restaurant.
The service is excellent, fast, on point, and even if you only order a water, they're making sure that glass is always full.
Everything i ate tasted as close to Thai food as i have ever had in Canada, and every bite had complexity of flavours.
The interior and exterior is cute, and the place can really pack in a large number of people if you need to have a large dinner or something. Thus this is also a place i would recommend for groups because their special prix fix is extremely affordable and they can still provide you excellent service.
You must try the 54 chicken. Mind blowing.Listed in: Good for Groups
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Review from Rachna C.
Toronto, ON
1/28/2012
Delicious Thai food in a lovely restaurant.
I went here for dinner this fall, after hearing recommendations for it for about a year. First off, the only reason I'm giving it a 4 instead of a 5, is because there is another Thai restaurant that I think has tastier food for a less expensive price.
I ordered their prix fixe option, which included an appetizer platter, a second course, a main, and dessert. The appetizer platter had some mango salad, the taro yam roll, the shrimp triangle wrapper, and the crisp dumpling; these provided a really nice mix of tastes to start my meal. I had the divine crispy morning glory paired with golden pumpkin soup, which really reinforced that this place has fantastic food, as I'm not usually a fan of soup, but I finished this soup wanting more. For my main course, I had "Sasi's #54 Red Chicken Curry" - their most famous and most recommended dish. And it did live up to the recommendation; it was a very flavourful curry with the pleasant surprise of pineapple! Finally, for dessert I had the ginger ice cream, which was also surprisingly tasty.
The service was also excellent, with our server providing excellent opinions when I had difficulty deciding what to order. Also, I went there with a vegetarian friend who also had an excellent meal with no complaints. Overall, an excellent meal and definitely worth checking out! -
Review from Paula C.
Toronto, ON
1/25/2012
It's hard to rate this restaurant because the quality is all over the map. They are so very careful with my gluten issues and the staff are great. But....
The first time I went it was amazing would have given it 5 stars. I've been back several time since and the quality has ranged from amazing to good to OK to substandard. So much so that I stopped going. -
Review from Sara K. P.
Toronto, ON
12/31/2011
I've had the pleasure to dine here on numerous occasions as Mengrai easily boasts the most Delicious with a capital D Thai culinary experience one could have in Toronto. The owner Alan is as always a gracious, and benevolent host all smiles and full of welcoming charm. His wife Sasi is the culinary genius who rules the kitchen, churning out magically savoury oeuvres like the Sasi's #54 Red Chicken Curry with Lychee which is in it's own category of otherwordly deliciousness. To put it mildly if heaven served Thai food, then for sure I believe Sasi would be the Head Chef!
The atmosphere at Mengrai is intimately pleasing with rustic Thai style appeal, where exposed brick meets darkwood Thai relics and intricate gold embroidered details of traditional Thai textiles mix with weathered hardwood floors. So basically the interior looks like a marriage between a Thai antiques shop and a friendly local pub.
I came here tonite to celebrate a milestone birthday for a dear dear friend which was a surprise for her, and enjoyed one of the best meals I'd had in a very long time. With some clandestine advanced planning we'd had a chance to carefully orchestrate a special prix fixe birthday menu for 15 people at approximately $40+ per person (not including drinks), and of course Alan was super accomodating and helpful with the logistics of putting our birthday surprise meal together.
The meal was served ever efficiently by the expeditious servers with drinks to start in a bevvy of confectionary flavours like the Lychee Martini, Swedish Berry Martini (w/touch of banana liquer) and the Thai Snow which was the runaway favorite of the night served up with frothy coconut milk and a sugar rimmed glass!
Our first course consisted of various bite sized appetizers like
Mango Salad, Taro Yam Roll, Shrimp Triangle Wrapper Crisp Dumpling all of which were finger food-tastic!
The second course was the Crispy Morning Glory paired with Golden Pumpkin Soup which features light tempura battered Thai Spinach along with the most divine pumpkin soup with just a hint of spice that definitely hit the spot on this cold and dank night.
Alright now for the money shot, we were SPOILED with a Baccanalian array of Thai entrees which consisted of;
The amazing Sasi's #54 Red Chicken Curry with Lychee
Filet Stripe Bass Tamarind Coconut
Grilled Traditionally Raised Beef Tenderloin w/pomegranate tamarind reduction
Street Style Pad Thai
and lastly the Special Pineapple Fried Rice served in a fresh pineapple for the birthday girl!!
Dessert was doubly delightful as we indulged in Thai Sweet Coconut Sticky Rice w/Fresh Mango along with Tropical Ice Creams. The servers were even kind enough to bring out a cake with sparklers that we had brought in for the birthday girl ourselves and also sliced and served it up for us.
In summary, I felt like I was dining Roman orgy style via Thailand... minus the need for Twinrix vaccinations. Seriously, I'd never experienced a food coma this transcendental.....If you haven't already dined at Mengrai, well my friend, then you are missing out on some exceptional Thai food!!! -
Review from Eric S.
Mallorytown, ON
2/7/2012
This restaurant serves up the best Thai food in all Toronto hands down!!! The Morning Glory Appetizer was sooooooo!!!! good we ordered a second. There is not one thing on their menu that I would not order. I have a passion for Thai food and this place takes top billing. The place is quaint and intimate. The waiters are wonderful and the service is great. Contrary to some of the other reviews, this place is not expensive at all. The food is reasonably priced. The extras are what costs the money ie: wine, beer, mixed drinks. I can't wait for my next trip to Toronto to enjoy their fine food. Move over Danforth you are not the only game in town. LOL!!!
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Review from Jason S.
1/23/2012
I went here for a private function and the food was presented buffet style. The regular and spicy pad thai were 'soupy' and slimy in texture; as someone else mentioned it tasted watered down. I'm used to a little crunch in my pad Thai so this was different to say the least.
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Review from Diana A.
Toronto, ON
1/28/2012
Mengrai Thai is the best Thai food I have had in Toronto. I was there with a group of 6. We had the red curry which is served in a pineapple, pad thai, the stripe bass, beef tenderloin, mango salad and some rice dishes. The red curry and the stripe bass were amazing. I wanted to lick the dishes when I was finished. All the portions were generous enough so that all 6 of us could have a decent amount - except the pad thai so I wouldn't recommend that for sharing.
Our server was attentive and patient with our indecisive table. She made plenty of recommendations and did not let us down.
Unlike many other Thai restaurants, Mengrai does not leave you feeling sick and greasy when you're done your meal!
If you pay cash, you get a small discount on your meal. -
Review from Grainne M.
Toronto, ON
1/21/2012
The 4 star rating is mainly because I'm trying to be strict with my stars and I've only been here once....
I went with a friend on a Sunday night at around 7pm. The restaurant is hidden away on Ontario St near Queen and Sherbourne where you wouldn't necessarily expect to find a really good restaurant (I think Popeye's fried chicken is the next closest). We were greeted warmly and shown to our table. It was nice and private, although it seemed a bit strange that they left the curtains to the office area open right next to us. But that's nitpicking.
The menu is full of things that sound tasty so I annoyed my friend by trying to get him to tell me what I wanted. He's a regular, but couldn't really help because he's enjoyed pretty much everything he's eaten there. Our server was lovely and was very patient when she had to go away and come back because I was deciding for so long (my tendency to start chatting too much when I'm handed a menu doesn't help). In the end I settled on green curry chicken with coconut rice and he had the pad thai with chicken and shrimp. The dishes were served in lovely silver bowls which helped to make it seem special.
Prices are reasonable and the mains we had were just the right size. They have a wine menu and a few desserts but we stuck with the one course. The lovely staff allowed us to linger over it and we never felt rushed.
As for the food? All I managed to say as we left was "num num!". It was really delicious. I was utterly content as I ate my curry and think I kept a little happy tummy smile on my face for a few hours after. I need to go back to try the rest of the menu. This place could be looking at 5 stars! -
Review from Ryan T.
Toronto, ON
9/3/2011
I always recommend this place. The food is fantastic. Great place to eat, and very comfortable atmosphere. The best seats for a group is the booth in the back of the upstairs dining level.
The Royal lemongrass coconut soup is fantastic, a highlight on the first page of the menu. Be prepared, for soup it's priced really high. I'm glad I ordered it, that soup was amazing! It's made for sharing, so it makes a nice appetizer, and a great way to kick off a good meal.
Three types of pad thai to choose from. Street style is good, but I prefer the saucier ones. -
Review from Kim P.
North York, ON
12/12/2011
Hosted my birthday dinner here for a super large group and it was amazing. The staff is so dedicated to making your night wonderful. They made us feel welcomed and in return, all of my guests were very happy with dinner. Food quality and variety was wonderful. We had a group dining menu that's more concentrated. Food came out quickly and looked so beautiful. Thank-you Mengrai for making my birthday the best one I've yet to have! Thank-you Allan for coordinating everything and thank-you Brandon for taking care of us!
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Review from James L.
Sarnia, ON
9/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
3.5 stars.
We had the evening's prix fix menu. The waiter was excellent and knowledge about menu. He was very flexible, allowing us to mix and match the excellent appetizer. The fried tofu entre tasted even better the next day. The popular chicken curry was "ok" ~ 3 stars. I thought the combo of lychee, coconut milk and spices was interesting. We really enjoyed the very simple but tasty coconut rice pudding with the side of green tea icecream ... 5 stars for the dessert. -
Review from Raahul K.
Toronto, ON
8/17/2011
Overall - Okay Thai Food for Delivery but would not order again.
Red Curry Chicken with Lychee and Pineapple - The first thing that I noticed was that they do not include rice with their Curries... nor did the person over the phone who I ordered from mention that this was the case. Not a big deal as I had some white rice... the food itself was bland, the pineapple and lychee added nice contrast to the spice, but the curry itself was lacking flavour and almost felt watered-down. I would not order this again despite it being strongly promoted
Chicken Pad Thai - Again, not a very exciting dish, the lime that accompanied it was not fresh and the flavor of the dish itself was again, somewhat bland. If I haven't tried at least a dozen other Pad Thai dishes across the city I would rate this as good, but given the options that are available. I would not order this again either.
Finally, on the delivery, the delivery time was reasonable, but one warning, the prices on the website do not match the prices on their 'new menu'. When I asked the driver about it, he proceeded to give me a lecture on rising food prices... anyways....my fault for not asking for the total when I ordered, but something I won't forget to do when I order next time. The delivery charge of $3 is reasonable but considering there are other Thai delivery restaurants that have better food at a lower price and free delivery. I will not be ordering from them again. -
Review from Eugene M.
Toronto, ON
11/19/2011
A nice place; warm atmosphere, friendly service, good Thai food. I have to say though, starting at $14 just for providing well-presented, authentic Thai entrees is a bit of a stretch. Special occasions only. But I'm a cheapskate, so ignore me if money is not an issue for you.
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Review from Tong J.
In a sea of restaurants that serve common "Thai" dishes on their menu, I was so happy to see a list of unique menu items at Mengrai Gourmet Thai. Red curry chicken with lychee and braised curry lamb with peaches, to name a few.
From the very first bite to the very last, it was a Thai royal treatment experience all the way.
I love, love the grilled beef tenderloin with pomegranate tamarind reduction. The beef tenderloin slices were tender, smokey and flavorful. They were presented on a bed of perfectly steamed vegetables. The pomegranate tamarind reduction was divine! The reduction paired superbly with the beef. The best part of this dish for me was eating it with sticky rice using my hand. Dipping a ball of rice in the rich and tasty sauce with a piece of beef on top, just like back home. The sticky rice was served in a very cute, small traditional bamboo sticky rice container.
Chef Sasi's Pad Thai Noodle was also splendid. The homemade Pad Thai sauce was balanced. I loved the saltiness from the sun dried baby shrimp. The chicken was succulent. The tiger shrimp was nicely done. It was smokey. The crunchy texture from some chopped peanuts completed the dish. All around, it was a spectacular Pad Thai. It reminded me of home.
The crispy jumbo prawns, although not original, was prepared just right. The prawn was juicy. The batter was golden and crunchy.
The two desserts were equally terrific. If you prefer a lighter sweet, I highly recommend the pineapple cheese cake with coconut crumbs. It was a tropical piece of heaven! And, if you are a chocolate person with a hint of hotness hidden inside, like me, the spiced flourless chocolate cake was oh ... so rich and yummy. The combination was wonderful.
Service was excellent. The staff was extremely personable, polite and accommodating.
The food at Mengrai Gourmet Thai made me feel right at home. I enjoyed Chef Sasi's culinary creations and her expertise. Chef Sasi's ability to create something unique using fresh herbs and spices, executing it without compromising the tastes and maintaining Thai traditional style of cooking is captivating. I'm looking forward to returning and sample the rest of her signature dishes.Listed in: Asia On My Mind, Top Notch TO
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Review from Jennifer M.
Toronto, ON
2/15/2011
So last night, in the cold, my SO and I decided to forgo a traditional romantic Valentines Day dinner and instead go for something more near and dear to our hearts. Thailand. having both traveled through the country extensively, Thai food has a special place in our hearts.
Nestled on Ontario Street, South of Queen Mengrai is a beautiful Loft-Like restaurant with exposed brick, Thai furnishings, traditional axe pillows and servers in traditional dress. It is beautiful. Definitely a more formal restaurant, they operate on seatings.. meaning you can book for 6:00 or 8:30. Although the restaurant is large, they sat the couples side by side instead of spacing us out, meaning we had a couple 2 feet from us on either side, with an entire half the restaurant empty the entire time. We were practically involved in everyones conversations, would have been nice to have some space.
Being a more upscale restaurant, They do serve alcohol including full bottles of wine. Mains are on the expensive side for asian fare in the $13-$20 range.
We ordered vegetarian spring rolls for appetizers which were $6 and while clearly homemade, were more wrapper than filling. They paled in comparison to Sukothai's which offer more flavour and roll for half the price. We split the Bangkok Street Style Pad Thai which tasted authentic and had a generous portion of shrimp. Highlight of the meal.
My SOs dined on the green curry (chicken) while I dined on the red (vegetarian). The bowls were beautiful and the rice came in little steel pots. Mine was OK. Overall I did not find the food to be all that spectacular. The curry was missing something, definitely heat.
The server while attentive to plate cleaning etc, seemed confused. We had an issue with our bill, but it was settled with no problem. They added the gratuity.
Food was OK, Service OK, Beautiful Space which makes for a really special time. Save this for an occasion though. Spring Rolls, Two Curry, pad Thai and Two drinks was $93.
one full star for the ambiance.Listed in: Associasian Eats
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Review from Bobbi B.
1/1/2011
I now have two favorite Thai food restaurants in the whole wide world. I wanted to thank our waitress Alice who was excellent and very attentive.
I would recommend ordering...
Lychee Martini
Chicken Satai
Pad Thai
Cashew Chicken
Tom Kha - It's not on the actual menu but I had inquired to see if that was what the coconut soup was. It wasn't but they said that they could make me some Tom Kha anyway. I pondered ordering it but I figured there was going to be too much food and I didn't want my eyes to be bigger than my stomach. Much to my surprise they made a little sample for me since my friends were having pumpkin soup and they "didn't want me to feel left out". Awww!!! That was so thoughtful of the waitress and chef. I really enjoyed my soup. It was AMAZING!!! I tried the pumpkin soup and while it was good, I preferred my Tom Kha and wish that I had ordered more.
I had a great time here. This turned out to be my favorite restaurant in the city. I will return next time I'm in town.Listed in: My Favorite Restaurants
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Review from Jordan T.
Toronto, ON
3/1/2011
Was looking for a new Thai restaurant to try on Saturday night and first tried Sukho Thai, which had very good reviews. It was really busy so we ended up at Mengrai. This turned out to be great fortune for us. The ambiance at Mengrai is really nice, definitely a Thai feel, but without being overbearing.
Despite the fact that I like pad thai I usually avoid it because it's not considered to be "authentic" enough in most circles, even though you can get it all over Thailand (and have been able to for decades). However, at Mengrai I went for the "traditional pad thai", which is different than the regular pad thai, thus solving my dilemma. It was very good, not too sweet and sticky, and was a large portion. My girlfriend got green curry that was extremely good and perfectly spicy. The only thing that was kind of underwhelming was the appetizer platter for two. It's just a bunch of dumplings that are all basically the same.
Mengrai is sort of in a weird spot and you wouldn't stumble upon it unless you were looking for it, but make the effort. -
Review from Kenny P.
Toronto, ON
2/23/2011
This is the best thai food I have ever had. Since my first visit I have now returned over 5 times and continually introduce it to friends who also fall in love with it. The food is exceptional and the front of the house service man is probably one of the best i've ever experienced.
"Sasi's #54 Red Chicken Curry with Lychee" is delicious along with the golden pumpkin soup and crispy morning glory. -
Review from Jackie P.
Toronto, ON
12/15/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Over the past year, Mengrai has easily become my favourite Thai restaurant in the city. It's really tough to find quality Thai places that are authentic, creative and boast a great ambiance. Mengrai hits all three.
Food
If the Head Chef (owners wife, I think) is cooking on the night you're there, you are in for a treat. She adds complexity to her dishes but still maintains a fine balance of Thai flavours. My favourite dishes are the following: Lemongrass Coconut Soup, Red Shrimp Curry with Lychees The Authentic Pad Thai, Ginger Chicken and Filet Stripe Bass Tamarind Coconut. My only negative comment would be that they sometimes skimp on shrimp and their appetizer's are a bit small.
Ambiance
What an interesting location for a Thai restaurant. The exposed brick walls add so much warmth mixed in with modern/traditional Thai furnishing and accessories. Try to get the booth in the back. It's adorned with decorative pillows and is very cozy. It's made for 4 but we've squeezed 5-6 of us in the past.
Service
For the most part it's usually right on, but at times you get the server who looks completely lost, or the one whose trying to add charges you've never seen before. The owner and his son are fabulous!
I can be very hard to please and Mengrai Thai always has me leaving with a smile
** JUST DON'T ORDER TAKE OUT! It's not their strong point. Their food is meant to be eaten on plates, not out of a box -
Review from Jo S.
9/22/2011
Wonderful atmosphere, amazing eclectic mix of flavors, and excellent staff! I agree..this IS the best Thai food we have ever had! I called ahead and spoke to the owner, Alan; he proudly told me his wife is the chef. We had made a reservation for a large group, but with flight delays, were only 6 people. They were very accomodating about the change, when i called to inform we might be late, as well. SO glad we chose Mengrai; our waitress was a lovely, sweet young lady who recommended the pre-fixe style dinner. The price was very good, especially for the variety and quality of the food! We had some tofu/vegetarian dishes, chicken, and shrimp appetizers and entrees, as well. Every dish was beautifully presented, and the flavor mix was perfect!
For dessert, we got to choose ice creams, and I have to say our choice of coconut ice cream was the perfect, light, sweet ending to a memorable dinner!
The restaurant has cool rooms, hardwood floors, and comfortable seating; perfect for a romantic dinner, dinner to catch up with friends (the noise level is at a perfect lower level, as is the music), or, as we did, to entertain clients and business contacts...they were impressed..and so were we! I can see the staff would happily participating in making any event special..a marriage proposal.? Perfect!
Can't wait to go back...makes me wish Texas was Lots closer to Toronto, and Mengrai Gourmet Thai! (p.s. we walked from Sheraton Centre, downtown..about a 20 minute walk we were very glad for ,after our wonderful meal..the streets are not busy, but we felt safe. it is in a quieter section of the city. Taxi would be resonable,and parking was easily found, as well. We just wanted to enjoy the cool night.) -
Review from Angela L.
1/14/2011
I've been looking forward to trying Mengrai for a very, very long time now. Despite the hype though, all of my high expectations were met.
When I first walked in to the large empty dining room at 5:30pm on what seemed to be a quiet weeknight, I was surprised when the host/server asked if I had a reservation. It was not until midway through our meal when I looked around to see that it had completely filled up and that there was even a line up at the door that I realized why making a reservation might have been a good idea.
The seasonal prix fixe menu ($35) is an outrageous deal and a full on adventure for your taste buds. There are four courses with both vegetarian and meat/fish options. First comes the chef's assorted appetizer which features four bite sized bundles of delightful colour, texture, and flavour. The second appetizer consists of light and crispy threads of Thai spinach tempura and a small bowl of fragrant golden pumpkin soup. It was very difficult to finalize a decision on the entree as there were so many attractive options, but I couldn't not go with the famous #54 Red Chicken Curry with Lychees. Served in a hollowed out pineapple, it was decadently rich and went perfectly with the side of jasmine rice. The finale of sticky rice with fresh mango and your choice of ice cream (I chose lychee) was fantastic too.
Despite how busy it got, the service remained excellent throughout the evening. All in all, the warm atmosphere and tasteful decor along with the amazing food and service will definitely keep Mengrai on my mind until my next visit which will surely be soon. -
Review from Rosie S.
10/14/2010 ROTD 12/8/2010
Went for a business lunch here last week. Very cool location kind of tucked away from downtown.
Not greasy at all, no heavy feeling after eating here. I like that. Too often in Toronto, our Asian and Asian-inspired cuisine is just oily and gross. This is one of those rare diamonds in the rough where you can experience accessible but authentic cuisine without breaking the bank.
Our table of three ordered the following (with descriptions from the menu):
1. Sasi's #54 Red Chicken Curry with Lychee - artfully served in a fresh carved pineapple - The best curry dish! A highly seductive blend of spice & flavours with fresh pineapple, imbued w/kaffir lime leaf. The result is so harmonious, perfect in everyway. Chef Sasi received worldwide attribution from bon vivants & food writers ever since she created this dish in 1997... Find out why every referred customer asks for "the #54 dish".
2. House Pad Thai - Sweet red saucy version Pad Thai that half of Toronto's foodies love (the chicken version).
3. ME! I ordered V1 - Vegetarian Delight - Asian field greens, soy, garlic, onion, tofu.
The dishes were $18.50, $11 and $11, respectively. Amazing prices for the portions AND the quality!
All three presentations were gorgeous. Service was amazingly fast and attentive - you can tell they are used to the tight business lunch timeline. It was easy to talk shop across the table - didn't have to strain our voices at all. It seemed like most of the other diners were there with similar company.
Chef Sasi won Harbourfront Centre's Iron Chef competition this past summer. I work there, so I saw her passion first-hand. It was awe-inspiring.Listed in: Business Lunches
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Review from Teresa H.
Greektown, Toronto, ON
3/31/2011
We went here for lunch. I was surprised to see that they are only open Thursdays and Fridays for lunch. I had the chicken and shrimp lunch special. It was delicious. The spring roll was just the right bite size. The shrimp triangles were very cute. The sauce drizzled around them were tasty.
I had the original Pad Thai and it was really good. The mix of noodles and peanut with the tamarind sauce was tangy and had the authentic feel that I don't get from Pad Thai's mixed with tomato.
My lunch companion had the lemongrass coconut soup and she enjoyed that very much.
I would like to go back with a larger group and have more tastings as this experience was so delectable! -
Review from Walter L.
Burnaby, BC
1/2/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Situation: Wanted to organize a reunion type mean for my MBA crew; 14 people; set menu served family style
Service: They took care of us well - reservation process was super easy, Allan (part owner) was excellent in setting up everything from the menu to the timing and was equally willing to correspond via email; ambiance was cool: exposed brick, large rooms and lighting lent to an atmosphere of easy conversation (I wanted to sit in the 'Thai' room with the triangular pillows but our group was too big).
Food: Excellent, the spices and seasonings enhanced the taste of the main ingredients. The food came at the right time and in more than sufficient quantities to satisfy us.
My Faves:
1. Green mango salad - not usually a fan of mango in salads since restaurants usually use unripe mangoes which create a tartness in salads I don't like but Mengrai did it the right way;
2. Golden pumpkin soup - I expected pumpkin soup to be pretty boring but the spices and texture of the soup made me forget it was pumpkin. It tasted more like a mild curry than a soup and it worked!
3. Red curry chicken - loved the addition of lychee and pineapple although it made it more Malay-like than Thai. Nonetheless, I thought the flavours worked.
Regrets:
We didn't get to try the Mango snowball and the substitute of creme-brulee with 3 kinds of crust (ginger, lemongrass, and another ingredient I could not identify) were disappointing (but I like basic creme-brulee so it's not surprising that I didn't like it). Next time I get the Mango snowball :) -
Review from Brian P.
Toronto, ON
9/23/2011
I'm only reviewing one dish in this joint. Chicken Pad Thai Authentic style. I haven't tried anything else in this place yet but I will be back. So the chicken pad thai was alright. Tasty, not oily. Good subtle flavours. I got take out and the lime they gave me was bone dry which sucked because a little lime goes a long way.
I've never dined-in but if you're looking for a cool, cozy spot for Thai that's a smidge out of the downtown core then this would be a good choice. It's one of those places that will impress folks from the burbs because you know about it. -
Review from Ashleigh G.
Toronto, ON
11/7/2010
The most beautiful Thai restaurant in Toronto. The decor is beautiful with warm wood and exposed brick.
The service is fantastic and everything comes beautifully plated and prepared. Everything is fresh and delicious. I would highly recommend the lychee curry, served in a coconut.
I've taken their cooking class and it's an excellent experience. You spend the afternoon cooking several dishes and then return to the dining room to enjoy your work with expertly paired wines. -
Review from Andrea S.
Toronto, ON
1/16/2011
Great!!
Yes, the restaurant is on a bit of a desolate block - but once you are inside you couldn't care less where you are!
I made a reservation for myself and six others - this was a bit of a reunion of friends who had previously traveled Southeast Asia together so we were looking for authentic cuisine to satisfy our cravings. They didn't disappoint!
Ended up taking a later reservation than planned because the restaurant tries to offer two seatings rather than having everyone bunched around the 7-7:30 arrival time. It all worked out fine with an 8 o'clock reservation - we were all a bit early but our table and server were ready for us.
First of all, the service was great - the server was friendly, helpful, and didn't seem too busy even though the restaurant was full on a Friday night. He was patient with us as we pondered what to order, he made recommendations, and he was more than happy to split things on the cheques many ways etc. Also FYI, plan to pay in cash and there could be a bit of a discount in store for you :)
As for the food...
Mango Salad with Chicken Skewers - yummy salad, even if the mango wasn't as green as might be expected. The chicken skewers were nicely done, but the satay sauce was rather thick - unfortunately not really on the same line as authentic peanut satay sauce in Malaysia. This appetizer could be shared if you are just interested in giving these treats a try before dinner.
#54 (Red Curry with Chicken, Pineapple, and Lychee, served in a pineapple) - a yummy, unique curry. Definitely has some heat, in case that is something you are concerned about. There was plenty of fruit and chicken. No complaints - would definitely order again :)
Mango Sticky Rice - a good desert to share - after dinner you may not really feel like more dessert but this is a nice finish with fresh mango. It is a generous serving so plan to share since it is a bit too sweet to eat lots of.
Chocolate cake - surprisingly this also has a bit of heat as well. Overall, a nice change from standard chocolate cakes.
It had been a couple years since I had been to Mengrai but I won't be waiting that long to return for a third time! -
Review from Laura M.
Toronto, ON
9/10/2011
I loved this place. It is very cosy inside and our server happened to be someone I went to high school with which was a nice surprise!
I have driven by the place so many times, but never knew it was a thai restaurant. Meter parking is quite ample on Richmond Street East. And it's in a pretty convenient location.
I just loved everything I had and the portions are generous. If you are having the mango salad to start, I'd suggest sharing it...it's quite large as a starter but good for a meal.
I had the Green Curry with Shrimp with coconut rice. My friend had the Red Curry Chicken with lychee and pineapple. Both were so delicious. We were too full to order anything else and took home some leftovers.
Everyone was very accommodating and friendly and the atmosphere was very warm and inviting and there was NO overpowering music. The volume was perfect.
Just a really nice experience overall and at less than $100 (before tip) for four glasses of wine, two starters and two entrees...I'd say that's a pretty good deal for downtown Toronto!
Cheers! -
Review from Donna M.
Toronto, ON
10/26/2010 2 Check-ins Here
This is the best thai food I have experienced in Toronto and quite possibly the best I have had...period.
Both the food and service are amazing. The restaurant is deceiving from the outside, based on the restaurant location. However, the interior decor is warm, inviting and quaint. Suitable for a casual/friendly get together; yet would be a wonderful spot for a romantic dinner as well.
Whether dining in or taking out, Mengrai will surely not disappoint. Great value for the money too. I suggest the mango salad, cold spring rolls and the green thai curry with chicken and basil! Of course, their signature pineapple dish is worth the experience as well.
Great place for gluten free and dairy free diet requirements! -
Review from Isabella L.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 11/15/2010 8 photos
There's something about curry that I hate and love... I love it 'cause it's heavenly and tastes amazing especially when the lemongrass hits your taste buds..but I hate it 'cause I have to stop myself from eating 3 bowls of rice 'cause I swear rice + curry = match made in heaven.
I guess you can tell what I had here.. yeah. curry. But I tried some new appetizers as well!
Golden Pumpkin Soup (7.5) - well-spiced and smooth but the portion was TINY! I don't recommend ordering this just because it's really really small and definitely not worth 7.5. You could pay a few extra dollars and get yourself a huge curry.
Dione Crispy Morning Glory (9) - This was basically a tempura, but with Thai spinach I think it was. When I eat tempura, I only eat vegetable tempura usually 'cause I'm not a huge fan of shrimp and this one didn't really impress although the chili sauce that was drizzled over it was really good. Other than that, not worth the money since it was more batter than spinach.
Coconut shrimp
Very crispy exterior with a lovely golden brown colour and inside was the shrimp which was very tender. It comes with a chili dipping sauce which made it superb. (Not on menu)
Chef Special Appetizer Platter for One (8.95)
Mango Salad, Taro Yam Roll, Shrimp Triangle Wrapper, Crisp Dumpling. Everything was great. The mangos were actually ripe. Taro rolls were crispy and just delicious
Sasis Pad Thai (street style) (13.95)
There really wasn't anything special about this dish to be honest. It tasted like a normal pad thai to me. BUT I guess I have a bias here because I'm not much of a fan of pad thai. It's all about the curry.
Emerald Green curry (vegetarian) (12)
Not as flavorful as the red chicken curry, but still kick ass. with lots of vegetables and lovely flavours of lemongrass!
Sasi's #54 Red Chicken Curry with Lychee (18.50)
As usual, my favorite curry for sure with plentiful chunks of chicken, pineapple and lychee, how can you go wrong, man?
Overall: They still got it. In my opinion, I'd recommend the Red Chicken Curry and Chef Special Appetizer for sure.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/26/2010
Vegetarian Emerald Green Curry
Filet Stripe Bass Tamarind Coconut
Sasi's #54 Red Chicken Curry with… Read more »
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Review from Bonnie K.
Mississauga, ON
1/10/2011
Loved it! There's nothing to complaint about this restaurant (and I'm a restaurant complainer). I worked in a very authentic Thai restaurant before and I thought no one can beat that, but Mengrai is so far my favorite thai restaurant in toronto. The foods are not overdone, and they don't 'westernize' it. The waiter was very friendly, actually everyone was. My fave was the Pad Thai, it wasn't as saucy and sweet/sour as all the other 99% of places make it. I'm usually not a big fan of coconut soup but this one was awesome! There's still lots of coconut flavor in it, but I was ok with it (i usually don't like coconut anything).
Definitely going back again! -
Review from Yvette L.
Toronto, ON
8/11/2010
My brother and I were looking for a quick bite, and he recommended Mengrai for takeout. Once I saw the beautiful decor and we were greeted in such a friendly manner, I insisted we stay. I am so glad we did.
The restaurant is spacious, nicely decorated and tables are well distributed. The food was delicious - not salty or over-seasoned. The service was impeccable. As a former concierge, I was astounded at the quality of service; our server showed all the hallmarks of having worked at a fine dining establishment. She was polite, funny and attentive, but not obtrusive.
One thing I will remark on (having read many of the reviews below) is that the price is EXCELLENT for what you receive. For some reason, everyone seems to think that Thai food should be cheap. The food at Mengrai is miles ahead of your average Thai restaurant (sorry, Spring Rolls). The prawns are huge (because we were two, they gave us four prawns in an app. that was supposed to have three!), the meat is tender and the seasonings are expert. The chef, Sasi, even runs a cooking school which, when we were there, was just ending a session. The students sat at the table next to us and began to compare notes - they were all chefs and were talking about the various restaurants they worked at. Clearly, Mengrai has something to offer if other chefs are studying there?
Mengrai is very reasonably priced considering the style of service and quality of food. For two people to eat until we were full, plus a bottle of good wine, we spent $74 before taxes and tip - a steal, in my books. Imagine what you'd get at Jack Astors for the same money?
The only criticism I would have of Mengrai is the numbered menu. Maybe if people couldn't order by number they'd stop expecting food court prices? -
Review from Sandy N.
8/8/2010
We ate here on our last night in Toronto. We were so amazed by the superb service and how friendly the staff were.
Finally, a good meal in Toronto. I noticed Toronto really is not known for their food. We went with the course menu. That sea bass and special red curry were delicious. And their cocktails was nice and tropical, my kind of drinks. One downfall is that I thought this place was pretty pricey for Thai food.
Although I don't see myself coming to Toronto again, I would highly recommend this restaurant. -
Review from Erwin M.
4/5/2010
I visited Mengrai thai knowing that it is one of the highly rated Thai restaurants in the GTA and my expectations were high. One of my best, if not the best food trip I've ever had was in Phuket , Thailand so if I can enjoy a meal even remotely close to that experience in Toronto I'd be a happy man.
I had fish on curry, mango salad, vegetables, chicken but sadly, nothing really stands out. The food was good but it wasn't amazing as the prices would have you believe. I have a great (and I do mean great) Thai cookbook by David Thompson and the dishes I've concocted using its recipes are relatively more impressive.
3 stars because although the food is good, the prices sort of pull the rating down. -
Review from Tammy Y.
Toronto, ON
6/7/2009
Oh. So. Good.
Owned by the same gracious family behind the now-no-more Sasi thai restaurant (close to Ryerson), Mengrai Thai scores major points in all categories of service, atmosphere, and gets a freaking Oscar for food.
My dining partner and I were seated next to a glimmering golden shrine featuring religious relics with a spattering of plastic figurines and what appeared to be a miniature grey Mazda model car. Hm. The place is relatively busy considering it is a little bit off the beaten path. Using a bit of triangulation, we suspect that our server is the owner's son. Either way, he, like all the other servers, are fresh-faced, smiling, and appear genuinely proud to be serving us.
Starting with the appetizers for two, with an array of usual fare (spring rolls, cold rolls, shrimp triangles). Good, but nothing to get too excited about.
This, of course, all changes with the arrival of the entrees. Their famous #54 Red Curry Chicken with Lychees is presented in a hollowed out pineapple. We get a bowl of rice with it. It is amazingly good. I initially didn't realize that there were lychees in it, and the taste of it brought about a pleasing floral taste to it. Tons of good sauce, we wish there was more rice on the side to sop it all up.
We also tried their Pad Thai (Street Style) - and mmmm, it's good. A healthy serving of noodles with large shrimps, chicken, hot pepper flakes on the side, and a sprinkling of what appears to be freshly crushed peanuts. Delicious. Not as delicious as #54, but delicious all the same. We're stuffed.
We are comfortable enough around our server to get chatting with him, and he's all smiles. We order their mango dessert with his recommended ginger ice cream. It is a perfect sweet treat to share at the end of a filling meal. To our surprise when we get the bill, he's been kind enough to give us the dessert on the house. Whaddaguy!
I'll be back here soon, and hope to bring some friends with me next time. This is a real authentic family establishment that's got a whole lot of heart, and they deserve all the praise they are getting.
(Note: the takeout menu appears to offer the same items at a relatively cheaper price. The extra cost to eat in the resto is worth it for the presentation and courteous service.) -
Review from Justine K.
Toronto, ON
3/8/2010
As I head into a food coma, I just wanted to thank all of the yelpers who helped put me here.
The place and even the dish tonight were based purely on yelp reviews and the meal did not disappoint. The number 54, aka Red Curry Chicken w/ lychee & pineapple is not something that I would traditionally order for Thai takeout without some major coaxing, and for that, I thank you.
The food was delicious, though I am equally excited to visit the restaurant for a dine-in experience once I can master the art of chopsticks in public.
Good night. -
Review from Dave P.
7/11/2011
We found this place because of the good reviews here, so thanks to everyone who posted. This is excellent Thai food. The only time I've had better Thai was in LA, and this is every bit as good as the top-notch Thai I had in Seattle and Portland.
We had Pad Thai (very good and different from what most American restaurants serve), a ginger stir fry that was excellent as well, and Sasi Golden Flowers for a tasty, light appetizer. Cool vibe, excellent service, friendly servers, good wine list. Highly recommended, and good for vegetarians.
Head around the corner to Betty's for a drink after dinner... -
Review from Ms. J.
Toronto, ON
12/28/2009
Mengrai Gourmet Thai:
Disappointing and lacklustre "street" pad thai, and pork fried rice. Asked for the pad thai spicy and it was bland and reminiscent of ketchup on noodles, with the noodles a couple minutes past "al dente". Sukho Thai's pad thai still ranks as number one in Toronto for us! The pork fried rice was tastless as well, and did not contain BBQ pork, just overcooked beige colored slices of pig. -
Review from Kevin John M.
Toronto, ON
9/18/2009
Simply the best Thai in Toronto. Excellent service, AMAZING food, nice atmosphere, and surprisingly good prices. I've been looking for Sasi ever since The Restaurant at Sasi closed. The Sasi Pad Thai is heaven. Finish it off with a mango snowball.
You'll go back again and again - I can't wait to try the Prix Fixe for just $35. Alan is wonderful - makes you feel like family (only treats you better!). If you get a chance to meet the shy but brilliant Sasi - all the better!
STOP READING AND MAKE A RESERVATION!
