A new Thai restaurant in Toronto by Chef Nuit and Jeff Regular, focusing on popular market eateries from across Thailand, located within TABLE Fare + Social.
Jeff Regular is closely associated with PAI Northern Thai Kitchen, a MICHELIN recommended restaurant known for its authentic Northern Thai cuisine. While the initial query suggested an association with 'Chai Yo', the...
Chaiyo by PAI is a vibrant Thai eatery in Toronto, expanding beyond Northern Thai roots to celebrate popular market eateries found across Thailand. It is part of the culinary vision of restaurateur couple Chef Nuit and Jeff Regular, offering authentic Thai street food flavors in an upscale food court setting within the CIBC building, conveniently located downtown across from Union Station. The venue also features an outdoor patio.
Customer Perception
Customers consistently praise Chaiyo for its delicious and authentic Thai food, often comparing its quality favorably to the PAI restaurant. Dishes like Khao Kah Moo (pork hock on rice), fried rice, cashew chicken, and spicy shrimp are highlighted as absolutely delicious with 'on point' flavors. While the food is generally highly rated, some reviews note that certain dishes like Pad Thai might lack the smoky 'wok hei' aroma or the expected tamarind sourness, and the Thai Iced Tea can be excessively sweet. The service is described as efficient, catering to a 'in and out' experience typical of a busy food court. Prices are considered elevated for a food court, but combo meals are seen as good value compared to ordering individual dishes at a full-service restaurant.
Additional Details
Chaiyo is an extension of the popular PAI restaurant brand, focusing on the diverse and vibrant flavors of Thai market eateries. It is situated within TABLE Fare + Social, an upscale food court in downtown Toronto.
Vegetarian options availableVegan options available
Best Times to Visit
Given its location in a downtown food court, Chaiyo is likely busiest during lunch hours, especially on weekdays, catering to office workers. It's ideal for a quick and flavorful meal during a lunch break or while exploring the downtown core.
Normally my go to spot for excellent food but I went on June 26 around 1pm and ordered vegan khao soi.
The bowl was half full. Normally I can barely finish a meal, this time it felt like a half portion. Hope it was a one off.
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 glass of ice.
5
I have wanted to visit the PAI location in Midtown for YEARS. So imagine my pleasant surprise when a work lunch resulted in a Pai meal in a food court.
The line moved relatively quickly, and because they’re serving your food right when you order, it wasn’t a very long line. I got through in like 10 minutes. Because it was a pretty busy day, the service was geared to “in and out”, and I respect that!!
I had the fried rice, cashew chicken and the spicy shrimp. It’s been a week and my stomach is grumbling just thinking about it 😭. Absolutely delicious. Food was super hot, the chicken was perfectly crispy. The rice was perfectly cooked. The vegetables were nice and crunchy, just like I like. Honestly, this makes me want to visit an actual sit down restaurant so much more.
100/10
5
Smashing IT! 😋🍜😋
Some of the best Thai food
in the city is being served up right here at Chaiyo by PAI!
Whether you're on your lunch break or just strolling on by, you have to eat here!
The food is absolutely delicious!
I ordered the Pad Thai with grilled chicken, and he flavor explosion in my mouth was palpable!
The noodles were cooked to perfection!
The pad thai was both savory and sweet! It's such a great combination.
Located in the trendy downtown core, inside the CIBC building, just cross the street from Union Station.
This trendy spot also has a great outdoor patio, so you can soak some of those sunrays while enjoying some of your favorite eats from Chaiyo by PAI!
There is a large selection of great meals to choose from. So bring your appetite!
Excellent and friendly customer service as well!
I'll definitely be dreaming about that delicious Pad Thai for nights to come, and I can't wait to visit Chaiyo by PAI and try some other spectacular meals!
3
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 chic food court.
