Isaan Der

Isaan Der is Chatsuda “Ko” Drouin’s northeastern Thai project, named for Isaan, the Lao-border region where coconut milk steps back and herbs, lime, chile, and fermented seasonings take over. Drouin moved to Toronto in 2011 with her husband Donald, cooked in local kitchens, then opened Isaan Der on a mission to serve the funky, spicy-sour plates she grew up on. After building regulars in the Junction and five years on Queen Street East in Riverside, the Riverside room closed December 31, 2025. The Spadina Chinatown flagship soft-opened in mid-February 2026 and officially opened February 27 at 327 Spadina, with roughly eighty seats and a larger kitchen. Junction and Richmond Hill siblings stay open.

Foodism and local write-ups keep pointing to laab with toasted rice powder, whole fish, sticky rice, and the house line “we don’t eat sweet, we eat funky.” Pad see ew still brings first-timers, but the Isaan plates are the reason to choose this room over a central Thai curry house. Expect a lively Chinatown floor, shareable orders, and heat that asks you to be honest about your chile tolerance.

Come for northeastern Thai when Pai’s northern khao soi or Kiin’s Royal Thai polish are the wrong region. Pair with Rol San or House of Gourmet if you are already on Spadina for Chinese baskets or wonton noodles the same night.

Fans talk about chile heat that actually bites, fermented depth you do not get from mild downtown Thai, and Ko’s hospitality when she is on the floor. The Spadina move shows up as more space, bigger groups, and Chinatown energy; regulars who loved Riverside still compare rooms. Pad see ew remains the safe order for hesitant friends; laab and whole fish are what people return for.

Waits, noise, and spice that catches first-timers off guard are the recurring caveats. A minority want more coconut-milk comfort and leave for Pai. If you want Isaan funk and sticky rice on Spadina, this is the page.