Get ready for the return of a Royal Thai favourite. After taking 2 years off due to COVID, Kiin is finally preparing to fire up their kitchen again early next month.
Meaning “eat” in Thai, Kiin made a commotion in Toronto’s food scene back in 2017 as a bold, new concept from Chef Nuit Regular of PAI and quickly earned recognition on Canada’s 100 Best lists in 2019 and 2020.
Unlike the Northern Thai cuisine that PAI is known and loved for, Kiin was Chef Nuit’s opportunity to showcase Royal Thai dishes, a disappearing cuisine that was once enjoyed by Thai royalty.
“Kiin has always held a special place in my heart, where I could showcase the traditional Thai culture in a more refined and delicate manner with my Royal Thai-inspired cuisine,” says Chef Nuit.
“I’m working on a few new dishes that I’m really excited to introduce to the menu, including Pad Thai Hor Kai (egg-wrapped Pad Thai). But most of all, I’m just looking forward to seeing our guests again in the beautiful Kiin space.”
While Royal Thai food shares many of the deep, complex flavours of our Thai favourites, it’s held to a higher standard with the freshest ingredients, more balanced flavours, and dishes that contain no bones, pits, or stones. Because of the attention to detail required, Royal Thai food tends to be more vibrant with the use of natural blossoms and herbs infused into dumplings, rice, or desserts for added colour.
At the newly reopened Kiin, guests can expect several new menu items, but they’ll also get the chance to rediscover Kiin signatures like the Chor Ladda “flower” dumplings that once took Instagram by storm. Filled with peanuts, coconut, and pickled radish, these handmade rice flour dumplings are almost too pretty to eat—but it’d be a shame not to.
Other fan-favourite comebacks include the rainbow-coloured Khao Yum rice salad made with a long ingredient list of jasmine rice, rice berry, white turmeric, long beans, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, toasted coconut, pomelo, sunflower sprouts, tamarind soy bean sauce, edible flowers, and more.
The Boombai Short Rib Curry is also here to stay. With braised AAA wellington beef short rib, bombay curry, field cucumber, pearl onions, and a beautiful drizzle of coconut cream, we're all too glad to get a second taste of the flavourful curry again.
“It’s been a long journey to reopening Kiin,” says Jeff Regular, co-owner of Kiin. “We’re so lucky that Kiin is situated just steps away from the TIFF Bell Lightbox and with TIFF returning to the city in all its glory this year, we thought September was the perfect time to finally reopen Kiin and welcome you all back!”
With this reopening, the team will also be introducing the “ultimate Thai dining experience” with a Chef-inspired Tasting Menu, paired with drinks from their new cocktail and wine program.
Recently, Chef Nuit’s contributions to Toronto’s Thai food scene was acknowledged by Canada’s 100 Best with the American Express Award for Business Leadership, and we can’t wait to see what else she’ll bring to Kiin’s much-anticipated reopening.
Kiin is currently expected to reopen its doors on 326 Adelaide St W in early September, just in time for TIFF. You can keep an eye out for more news and updates from the team by following their Instagram and signing up for their newsletter.
