Som Tum Jinda - Review - Downtown - Toronto - The Infatuation

"Blink walking east on Gerrard and you might miss this basement-level counter spot. Som Tum Jinda keeps things simple and goes straight for the slap of salt, sour, sweet, and heat. This family-run joint with origins in Thailand is known for bold, Isan-style dishes, especially the som tum, where green papaya is pounded with aromatics in a mortar and pestle until it’s a riot of fire and funk. Our favorite dish is the tom puu nam pla with salted crab and fish sauce, and we also love the minced duck larb ped, which is herbaceous and spicy enough to make you sweat. You could ask for mild, but Northern Thai food is meant to be spicy. Sticky rice helps tame the heat, and the grilled pork jowl and the pad woon sen glass noodles offer slightly more balanced spice profiles. There’s no booze, butPlearn, the sister café next door, has you covered with drinks like lemongrass butterfly pea tea and passion fruit juice espresso." - Renée Suen