Restaurant in Outremont, Montreal

Thammada

Pad Thai Made the Long Way

3.5 of 5

Chef Chita Phommavongxay learned to cook Thai food the honest way, by going to Thailand and listening. His partner Nim grew up in the north, introduced him to Isaan cooking, and her aunts taught him recipes that now run the kitchen on Bernard. That is the kind of education no culinary school sells.

Thammada calls itself a Thai resto-bar, family style, street food and small dishes, with cocktails and natural wine on the side. Start with the pad thai maan gung, which will ruin the takeout version for you forever. The shrimp oil is made from whole shrimp heads, the peanuts are roasted, and nothing is sweetened into submission. The som tum Isaan, green papaya salad, gets its funk from a fermented fish sauce made in house, with long beans and cherry tomatoes. The chicken satay wears a sticky, smoky glaze. Gyo pedd are roast duck dumplings in dark soy, and you will want a second order before the first one is gone.

What I like most is the absence of shortcuts. Shrimp heads become oil. Fish becomes sauce. Somebody's aunt is in every plate. Bring friends, order across the menu, and do not ask them to tone down the papaya salad. It is supposed to hurt a little.

Order this

Pad thai maan gung, som tum Isaan, chicken satay, gyo pedd duck dumplings

The damage

$$

Go

Early evening, with enough people to order family style

Find it

1205 Av. Bernard O, Montréal, QC

Website

thammada.ca