Sala Modern Thai serves exemplary Thai standards from all regions of the country with elegant twists and presentation. 

The restaurant on Danforth East is decorated with various images from Thailand, including chalk on the walls spelling out words using the 44 letters of the Thai alphabet and photos of Thai film star Tony Jaa.

Shrimp chips imported from Thailand have more flavour and meatiness than your average pale, bland chip packed with powdery filler. They’re served with an addictive shrimp paste, soy sauce and fish sauce dip, the first of many excellent house sauces.

Crispy butternut squash fritters ($8) are served with a complementary garlicky tamarind sauce.

Tom Yum soup ($7 for chicken or beef) is packed with flavour, the mushrooms and herbs blending to make a spicy and sour medley.

Moo ping ($7) skewers Thai grilled pork, a traditional street food served everywhere in Thailand that’s easily wolfed down. A house dipping sauce of chili paste, chili oil, shrimp paste, and tamarind amps it up.

Pad thai ($13 for shrimp or mixed) is elegantly wrapped in a paper-thin egg crepe. Glass noodles are used rather than rice noodles, which soak up the savoury tamarind sauce better. Apparently areas close to the legendary Khao San Road are known for egg-wrapped pad thai.

Pad gra paow ($13 for pork, chicken or beef) goes by many spellings and uses Thai holy basil for an authentic flavour. It’s served with a punchy sauce of Thai chili and fish sauce and sticky rice, and topped with an over-easy egg.

Khao soi ($15 for shrimp) apparently attracted a couple all the way from Niagara Falls along with the Tom Yum. It’s served delicately with the fried noodles twisted into a knot.

Massaman curry beef ($14.50) is braised until it’s fall-apart tender, stewed with lots of spices and served with more nicely gummy sticky rice.

Mango sticky rice ($8) is gorgeously presented, and is sweet and flavourful enough to not even need the Nutella drizzle.

Thai roti pancakes ($7) are stuffed with Nutella and banana and topped with sweet condensed milk.

Drinks include mango smoothies ($6) and Thai iced tea ($4).

It’s a fairly casual environment with an extremely friendly vibe, and those memorable extra details and touches are sure to keep regulars coming back for more of their favourite Thai comfort food dishes.