TASTE OF THAI SELECT: Coco Rice

Coco Rice has been a mainstay in the King and Bathurst area of Toronto since 2003. Located pretty much right at the corner of King and Bathurst at 669 King Street West, owner Montree shares his love for real Thai taste with nearby residents and the business crowd. Both Montree and the chef are from Thailand and have been working in the restaurant business for a long time. The chef is vegetarian and worked in restaurants in both Thailand and Japan before coming to Canada. Coco Rice offers unique vegan and vegetarian dishes as well as the more traditional meat-based fare.

The diningroom is decorated in a contemporary style and has been extensively updated over the past few years. The layout of the space makes it both easy to have a quiet conversion and big enough to host a larger group. A beautiful and exotic Thai flowerhorn fish greets visitors from its large tank near the entrance.

Coco Rice has a dedicated clientele of regulars including one man who came on opening day and instantly became a regular. Now he eats at Coco Rice almost every day! Their large delivery area within the downtown core is popular, and customers love the fast delivery times.

Some unique dishes you probably won't find anywhere else include: grilled pork neck and Dragon Yaowaraj. (see below)

Mango Zippy

What a refreshing drink to start a delicious meal! The Mango Zippy is a lovely mocktail drink that is unique and satisfying!

Dragon Yaowaraj

Shrimp, chicken and waterchestnut inside deep-fried bean curd, served with a Thai sweet chili sauce and fresh veggies on the side. Coco Rice claims that they are the only ones that make this delightful dish!

Pad Chaa

A delicious vegan dish consisting of fresh veggies and vegetarian BBQ meat in a slightly spicy sauce. The veggies were still a bit crunchy which gave the whole dish an excellent texture. Served with rice.

Green Curry Fried Rice

Another vegan specialty, the green curry fried rice has a vegan chicken leg served with green curry, rice and veggies. The presentation looked great and the texture and flavours were awesome. Even if you usually order meat dishes, this is definitely a must try!

Kaprow Gai Sup

For meat eaters, this dish has ground chicken served with beans and sweet peppers in a savory sauce, topped with a fried egg, served with rice. The dish was quite spicy with garlic and ginger flavour.

If you live or work in downtown Toronto and haven't yet discovered Coco Rice, now is a great time to pay them a visit. Coco Rice is a family owned business offering a truly authentic Thai dining experience with some of their own modern twists.

Visit Coco Rice online: www.cocorice.com