When I moved to Toronto in the winter of 2010 a lot of people moaned and groaned about the demise of Salad King. This Thai restaurant was a much loved cheap eats institution located in the heart of budget conscious Ryerson University campus. The restaurant was closed following a building collapse which had people tweeting and weeping on their blogs and Facebook. Salad King recently opened back up just north of Dundas Square on Yonge Street so I was eager to check out what all the fuss was about.
Perhaps it was Toronto’s severe 50 degree weather that day, or my random surges of feverish hot flashes from my then undiagnosed bout of Strep throat, but I thought everything about Salad King was mediocre.
I was mostly peeved that this restaurant lacked any authenticity. So odd that the pad thai featured shredded carrot and curry was rife with green bell peppers. If anyone has had the opportunity to visit Thailand and indulge in one of the famous cooking schools in Chang Mai they would agree that Salad King’s “Thai Food” was a Canadian fast food mess. I was rendered faint when I noticed they had a Chicken Ball Fried Rice on the menu. I actually asked my server, “does this fried rice actually feature Chinese-Canadian style chicken balls?” When he nodded I gulped and our conversation quickly ended.
Salad King serves up cheap inauthentic Thai food. You should be spending your well earned dining allowance on places like Sukothai or Khao San Road, two authentic Thai restaurants that respect the food traditions of Thailand.
I ordered:
Crispy Spring Rolls
Mango Salad
Beef Panang Curry
Shrimp and Vegetable Fried Rice
Chicken Pud Thai
