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| - OK. After almost 3 days of eating sub par suburban restaurant food; fake Japanese sushi and tempanyaki; suspiciously ominous butter fish sushi and a gut full of free breakfast sausages from the hotel. I was rescued by one of my cousins to spend some quality time with over perhaps the best meal I've had since Susar Lee first opened his first restaurant in Toronto some 35 years ago. That is really saying something special.
You see, when I lived in this big city (decades ago), I always had the comforting knowledge of eating the finest food you could get and I happened to live with one of Toronto's greats in the culinary field, Dinah Koo. She is a living legend in the Toronto's gourmet catering food service and restaurant field. Food book writer, queen maven of Asian fusion style food before fusion food was in fashion. Having her as a mentor in my life in those formative adult years has led me back to this town and now to this restaurant, Kiin.
(A little video I posted right after my dinner there. You get to hear some of the servers describing the dishes we had that night. https://youtu.be/74udUZn_z1Y )
So yes. I made my first trip back to Toronto on a cold winters eve and met with my dear cousin for dinner there. No reservations, just a drop in for two and we thought we'd take a chance at it since it was voted as one of the top ten in Toronto.
Chef Nuit Regular, Co-owner and Executive Chef at Kiin have done something special here.
Urban chic, Instagrammable, Social and sexy is what I would first describe this place. The food is spectacular. Just have a look at the dishes you see posted here on Yelp and you'll get an idea of what people liked and why.
The perfect place for two gals to come down and have a post work day drink which is exactly what the couple seated next to us was doing.
Lots of OOhhh's and Ahhh's and OMG that's sooooo delish!
Snapchat's, Instagram's, selfies with food and filters is what follows after whenever a new dish arrives.
And so this was what we did too. At least I did that. Maybe it's a girls thing? I dunno. My cousin who's more concerned about his fingers being photographed when all he has to do is walk down a street and the public cameras around town have him walking in action. Stuff like that in today's world cannot bother you or else your paranoia will get the better of you.
So Kiin. Why did I give it 5 solid stars?
7 pm, no reservation on a week day and we were able to be squeezed in the last few seats at the kitchen bar looking into the kitchen. We got to see all the food action going on and it was terrific! You didn't get to see flaming woks or grills or frying pans in action but the prep was just as effective. You saw how it was being put together for the customers to feast on. First with their eyes, then the cameras and then with their tastebuds.
Nearly every dish was as spectacular as the next, entertaining the senses with dazzling colours, shapes and smells before impacting on the tongue with the variety of textures and each chew bringing on a new flavour that has your brain thinking... what is that? Is that lemon grass? Is that cilantro? the subtleness and the boldness in mixed flavours somehow triggers a sublime reaction that is nearly orgasmic.
You must start with the Chor Ladda the most popular appetizer to get. This will jump start you right away into the world of Kiin and it's cornucopia of delights.
We also had the following dishes which I highly recommend but if I get the chance to come back, I most certainly will try all the other items on the menu, provided wallet can afford it.
(My cousin was very gracious enough to treat me to this meal which I am so thankful for.)
Yum Tua Plu
Mussels
Pomelo Salad
Khao Yum
Gaeng Boombai
When you do go there. I know you will (unless you happen to live on a simpleton diet of burgers, steaks and fries). You should find everything to your liking.
This place will make your brain smarter by stimulating the senses and providing you hopefully with new sensations that trigger your synapses.
What I also like is that they provide information for you on the menu if it contains peanuts, if it's gluten free or other.
The staff are very attentive (and busy) but they do a proper delivery of the dishes when describing what you are about to eat.
This place has re-embolden my thoughts on just how good Toronto's food scene can be. If you just happen to be an adventurous type, I would recommend this place.
A delivery of Royal Thai cuisine unbeknownst to most foodies that I suggest to be tried.
Typo's free of charge with this because my bangs kept blocking my ability to see what I was typing. True story.
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