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| - The stretch of Yonge Street between Bloor and Dundas is a checker board of sex shops, head shops, off-brand clothing and shoe shops, and fast food outlets in varying states of decomposition.
Na Siam nurtures greater hopes. In a former life, it was the Green Mango, one of many pretenders to Salad King's throne as the best cheap Thai spot in town. Noted for it's affordable steam table specials, the Mango closed for "Renovations" last year, and emerged from it's construction cocoon with a new name, and possibly new ownership.
And man, the new place tries hard. Gone is the traditional food court seating, replaced by swanky banquettes and richly upholstered chairs. The room is actually pretty now. If Thai's your thing it's a civilized place to spend ones lunch hour.
The steam table remains, but now it rides alongside table service. This makes for uneasy conversations with harried waitstaff, who look after those who order from the menu, but ignore and sometimes glare at the self-help dining set. Note to self: Unless you plan on tipping, DO NOT ask for water.
Perhaps in a nod to competition from Khao San Road, Na Siam has recently introduced their version of Khao Soi; egg noodles with chicken in a vibrant yellow curry sauce, topped with more noodles, this time crisply fried. It's fine, but brings more sweet than heat-a recurrent theme at Na Siam.
Thai food revolves around four basic flavours: hot, sour, salty and sweet. Done well, each bite achieves a slightly different but pleasing balance. I err on the savoury side, so given a chance I will ask for less sugar and more chili. Bellied up to the steam table here, I ask for whatever's least sweet. The answer changes by day. Basil Chicken, Tomato Tofu, a range of curry options and spicy noodles rather than ketchuppy pad Thai usually find their way on my plate. Spring rolls are crisp and tightly wrapped, but parsimoniously filled. Noodles are a highlight; mildly spiked with chili and a fair helping of the usual veggie suspects. Golden curry has great depth of flavour, but as mentioned could use less sugar and more fire. Ditto for basil chicken, which is fragrant but lacks a flavour punch. Shrimp dishes and fried rice just look sad. Satays are terrific when fresh; all springy texture, set for dunking in standard-issue peanut sauce. Left to sit for a while, they're tough and chewy and just shy enough of hot to raise the spectre of food-borne illness. Tea is offered, but it's tough to linger over a cup during a rushed lunch hour.
Signs in the window promise better specials with table service, and staff pushes new items and dinner options if you feel like a fix later in the evening. In some respects, Na Siam would be better off further downtown or uptown, either as a late night greasy-noodle fix or a bedroom community takeout stop. At the corner of Bloor and Yonge, it has yet to find the right fit.
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