SUKHOTHAI
Neighbourhood: Osborne
Address: 191 Osborne Street
Phone: 204-633-6907
Entrees: $11 – $17
It’s been nearly 30 years since Village heavy hitter Sukhothai brought ancestral recipes to Winnipeg, whetting appetites for plates of sweet, sour, and spicy Thai cooking crowned with salty crunch. Today, hiding in plain sight on Osborne’s dining strip, the restaurant still earns its hype, drawing diners for polished Thai fare and thoughtful drinks.
The vibe is contemporary, with décor and service that meet modern expectations. Whether diners arrive craving familiar favourites or curious to explore deeper cuts, Sukhothai makes both feel like the right choice.
Choosing dishes becomes a pleasurable experiment in Thai piquancy. While the kitchen can deliver homeland-level heat, each dish offers a 0–10 spice scale, allowing guests to calibrate their burn. The menu spans Thailand’s regions, with curries, noodles, and street-food classics meeting diverse tastes. Start with any version of the green papaya salad. Shredded papaya, mango, or apple, tossed with carrot, celery, and onion, meets a sharp chile-lime dressing for bright, tart bites. Those same flavours shine in a squid salad, where tender calamari tangles with rice noodles over shredded lettuce, fried onion, garlic, and peanuts.
Noodles balance savoury, sweet, and spicy notes into broths and sauces. That reverence to flavour harmony shows in the pad thai: thin rice noodles stir-fried with shrimp (or another protein of choice),vegetables, fresh herbs, and crunchy peanuts, form a dish greater than the sum of its parts.
Curries are equally compelling. Don’t overlook the Phet Puck Tong: creamy coconut red curry enriched with pumpkin, carrot, and onion, delivering warmth in a generous bowl.
Sweet, sour, and spicy converge in Pad Keang Pra, a salmon centered stir-fry of zucchini, mushrooms, bell pepper, onion, and julienned ginger. The delicate fish pairs beautifully with the assertive sauce with sweet coconut rice soaking up every drop.
Dessert seals the deal with Thai banana cake—sticky coconut rice and banana wrapped in fragrant banana leaf. It’s simple, satisfying, and modestly sweet.
Sukothai is open Tue–Sun 3pm–9pm, Mon Closed.
