Khao soi starts calling every time the temperature dips in Toronto.
It’s a favourite cold weather comfort food across the 6ix. But does it qualify as a soup? Or is it more of a noodle dish smothered in gravy?
Regardless of the definition, the Thai dish is delicious, generally consisting of egg noodles in a bowl of simmering yellow curry topped up with crunchy garnishes. The addition of coconut milk mellows out the broth, but if your ideal comfort food makes you cry and sweat simultaneously, then chilis can be added on request.
Here’s where to find the best bowls of Khao Soi in Toronto.
Jatujak
Squirt some lime on top and start slurping egg noodles from steaming bowls of yellow curry from this popular mini-chain based in Scarborough. The Khao Soi ($12.95) here, comes in a choice of chicken or beed and is topped up with slaw, onions and a tangle of crispy noodles.
Address: 1466 Kingston Road, Scarborough
Phone: 416-698-1466
Address: 1744 Victoria Park Avenue, North York
Phone: 647-352-1744
Instagram: @jatujakthai
Pai
Address: 18 Duncan Street, Toronto
Phone: 416-901-4724
Instagram: @paitoronto
Eat BKK
The menu at this North York eatery boasts Khao Soi a couple different ways. Try it in traditional style ($12.95) loaded with ckicken or beef, bean sprouts, pickled cabbage, and egg noodles, or opt for the freaky (yet delicious) fusion that is Khao Soi Poutine ($7.95) featuring the classic flavours of curry gravy with beef over fries and cheese curds.
Address: 4704 Yonge Street, Toronto
Phone: 647-352-8989
Instagram: @eatbkkto
Nana
The Queen West restaurant upgrades the comforting dish ($16) with the addition of juicy deep fried chicken in the classic golden curry-coconut broth. Crispy chicken skin serves as a garnish along with scallions, cilantro, preserved mustard greens, bean sprouts, shallots and crunchy egg noodles.
Address: 785 Queen Street West, Toronto
Phone: 647-352-5773 ext. 2
Instagram: @stnnana
Sukhothai
The local chain of Thai restaurants (also from the same family as Pai and Sabai Sabai) is home to simmering bowls ($15) of curry gravy swimming with yellow noodles and a choice of beef or chicken.
Address: 52 Wellington Street East, Toronto
Phone: 647-351-4612
Address: 274 Parliament Street, Toronto
Phone: 416-913-8846
Address: 1442 Dundas Street West, Toronto
Phone: 416-792-2432
Instagram: @sukhothaifood
Queen Mother Cafe
The Queen West restaurant serves up Khao Soy Gai ($14.95), a Laotian take featuring soft thin egg noodles, morsels of chicken, crunchy bean sprouts and watercress in a spicy broth loaded with herbs, turmeric, curry and coconut milk. Go extra spicy with optional jaew bong sauce, a hot and smoky chili relish.
Address: 208 Queen Street West,Toronto
Phone: 416-598-4719
Instagram: @queenmothercafe
Salad King
Khao Soi comes in at under $10 ($9.75 to be exact) at this Thai restaurant near Ryerson. The hearty bowl of coconut curry soup comes loaded with egg noodles, sliced chicken breast, bean sprouts, shallots, dried shrimp, pickled mustard greens and lime.
Address: 340 Yonge Street, Toronto
Phone: 416-593-0333
Instagram: @saladkingto
Sabai Sabai
Address: 81 Bloor Street East, Toronto
Phone: 647-748-4225
Instagram: @sabaisabaito
Kub Khao
This offshoot from the same folks behind Jatujak dish out a hearty classic take on Khao Soi ($12.95). Here you can have it with a choice of chicken or beef, topped up with a pile of deep fried egg noodles, pickled cabbage, and bean sprouts.
Address: 3561 Sheppard Avenue East, Scarborough
Phone: 416-297-8888
Instagram: @kubkhaoto