Story & Photography | Renee Suen
Toronto’s contemporary Asian dining scene proudly showcases heritage with innovation, where familiar Asian flavours seamlessly mingle with locally sourced ingredients and modern culinary techniques.
From reinvented cha chaan teng favourites and dim sum staples, to bold experimental tasting menus, these chef-driven creations honour traditions while redefining boundaries. The result is a dining experience that captivates both discerning palates and adventurous diners.
Below, discover the city’s newest gastronomic destinations that are reinvigorating the concept of modern Asian cuisine.
aKin
51 Colborne St.
416-363-0151
akintoronto.com
Hours: 5 p.m.-midnight (closed Mondays)
There’s feeding and feasting, and then there’s satisfying the inner gourmand. For refined modern Asian cuisine that transcends fleeting trends of simply gilding dim sum with gold or caviar, this Colborne Lane dining room delivers.
aKin’s glamourous 28-seat main dining room is accented with an open kitchen at its rear and a custom-made island.
Here, cherished traditional dishes are reinvented—congee, for example, is transformed into a crystal-clear youtiao, (Chinese fried doughnut), garnished with congee purée, fermented olive-leaf aïoli and pork powder. Despite the Insta-perfect presentation and often luxe ingredients, the dishes’ ethos remains rooted in tradition, all the while exciting contemporary palates.
The congee course at aKin is inspired by the classic dish, topped with a crispy base and puréed, fermented olive leaf aïoli and pork floss.
This creative interpretation comes as no surprise to those familiar with Eric Chong, the inaugural MasterChef Canada champion, and Alvin Leung, the culinary provocateur behind Hong Kong’s Michelinstarred Bo Innovation and more.
aKin, meaning “related by blood” or “similar in character,” symbolizes the bond shared between its Canadian chef-owners, forged through a decade-long culinary journey and partnership that began with their Toronto restaurant, R&D. Under Leung’s mentorship, majority owner Chong confesses his ambition to achieve global recognition, particularly from the Michelin Guide.
Chef Eric Chong is known for his modern takes on Chinese cuisine at R&D, but at aKin, he explores his South Asian heritage in elevated new ways. This labour of love is both sophisticated and undeniably delicious.
To do so, the restaurant’s 10-course Blind Tasting Menu ($275) invites diners to embark on a captivating 2.5-hour exploration through Chong’s inspired renditions of beloved flavours from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Japan.
From favourite local dishes to dim sum, the constantly evolving menu is thoughtfully presented on a series of custom dishware that’s both playful and elegant. For instance, the whimsical Anatomy of a Fish course explores the whole animal.
Here, a metallic fish skeleton serves as a canvas for silky monkfish liver parfait, a black garlic soy-cured Hiromasa taco, mentaiko enchilada that’s wrapped in delicate tuille pastry with bottarga-dusted ends, crispy salted duck egg-dusted salmon skin and a crunchy whiting tail fin crowned with tom yum gel.
A metallic fish skeleton serves as a canvas.
Modern techniques aimed at delighting the senses might include crowdpleasers like encapsulated mala broth—a one-bite flavour bomb that dons a proud shredded Ibérico ham hat. Meanwhile, time-honoured knife skills shine in the delicate Chrysanthemum Tofu pre-dessert. The nod to almond tofu features almond panna cotta that’s been finely sliced to resemble a chrysanthemum bloom, whose whisper thin “petals” sway in a refreshing pear and osmanthus syrup.
A modern rendition of Tom Yum soup that encapsulates the beloved soup that’s served on a bed of konjac noodles with lobster contained within. Paired with a lychee-lime gimlet made with sake that’s blue thanks to spirulina.
Fukien Fried Rice takes the seafood-forward traditional dish and prepares it with preserved shellfish, three types of fish roe, finishing the flavourful course with shaved Périgord truffles (and truffle jus), butter-scrambled eggs, and an optional addition of A5 Wagyu.
The Laksa is an homage to Chong’s Malaysian heritage (note the custom plateware featuring overlapping DNA helixes), topping hand-rolled silver needle noodles with Nova Scotia lobster. The flavourful course is finished tableside with a coconut milk-based laksa lemak bisque, split with homemade chili–curry leaf oil.
Anchored by a bespoke central island that serves as a wine chiller, water dispenser and storage space, the 28-seat dining room is a balance of comfort and sophistication. Besides surrendering to the restaurant’s curated wine and cocktail pairing, the Chef’s Counter is a must for those seeking an elevated experience. The latter provides an intimate, interactive view of the kitchen from one of four coveted seats and serves dishes that are enhanced with premium ingredients, such as Miyazaki A5 wagyu.
Silky Chawanmushi is crowned with a sea urchin beurre blanc and Chinese vinegar foam, and features a succulent abalone that’s been butterpoached for two hours before being finished on a charcoal grill.
aKin’s whimsically named CSB stands for Caviar Sour Cream Beignets, which fills the proudly light and airy, golden, crisp-fried dough with Kaviari Kristal caviar and kombu-infused sour cream. Grated, compressed caviar tops the luxurious orb.
The selection of mignardises by pastry chef Flora Zhang features a collection of pastries and bonbons that pair well with a final cocktail or tea.
For small group celebrations, the lower-level private dining room can accommodate up to eight guests and is elegantly partitioned from the inviting Bar at aKin by a striking glass wine wall. Meanwhile, those choosing to cozy up to the bar can unwind with inventive cocktails crafted by award-winning bartender Jamison Cass and expertly prepared by bar manager Josh Mellet in a polished yet relaxed atmosphere.
AYLA
794 Dundas St. W., 2nd Floor
647-340-4999
ylaupstairs.com
Hours: 6 p.m.-1 a.m. (closed Mon-Tue)
For a fresh take on Hong Kong-inspired yet distinctly Toronto cuisine, head to AYLA, a buzzing new speakeasy-style kitchen and cocktail bar helmed by Canadian husband-and-wife team Danvee Kwok and Kevin Shawcross. The pair’s return to Canada follows their tenure as head chefs at Hong Kong’s Fukuro and Artemis & Apollo, both part of the acclaimed Black Sheep Restaurant Group.
Head up a steep set of stairs to find Ayla.
This intimate, second-storey gem is nestled above Trinity-Bellwoods stalwart Patois, co-owned by Craig Wong and Ivy Lam, (of Patois and JunePlum). AYLA’s Turkish name, meaning “a halo of light around the moon,” references Moon Street in Hong Kong’s Wan Chai district, where the couples’ friendship first blossomed at a pop-up that Shawcross had invited Wong to collaborate on.
Ayla’s co-owners, Canadian husband-and-wife team Danvee Kwok and Kevin Shawcross.
The former Bar Mignonette space pays homage to the golden age of Hong Kong cinema with a special nod to the poetic works of legendary filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai. Beneath vaulted ceilings, the dimly lit room exudes an intimate allure, enveloped in a rich tapestry of vintage aesthetics, from deep reds and jades to framed art, Chinese trinkets and family heirlooms.
Influenced by the golden era of Hong Kong cinema, Ayla’s intimate dining room is cloaked in rich reds and jades with plenty of tchotchke on its many lacquered wood shelves.
There’s also a rooftop patio overlooking Dundas West with views of Toronto’s downtown skyline that will be a hotspot in warmer months.
AYLA’s flavourful fare is an intersection of cultural heritage, with innovation and eclectic techniques that marry well on the plate and palate. The concise, share-friendly menu draws inspiration from the vibrant flavours of Hong Kong while incorporating the multi-cultural influences from Canada, the Caribbean, Japan and beyond. This can be experienced in signature dishes like the wild ikura topped Mentaiko Tamara, or the Prawn Toast Okonomiyaki, complete with Bulldog sauce and kissed with bagel spice.
The Drunken Wild Sablefish at Ayla is marinated in red miso and sake, and finished with pickled shimeji and shiitake mushrooms, slivered peppers, scallions, and a savoury brown butter–mushroom pickling liquid sauce.
Ayla’s pho-inspired Steak Tartare served tucked in cheung fun and dressed with an umami Vietnamese-style vinaigrette made of fish sauce and garlic, then topped with crispy shallots and an herb salad.
Ayla’s Char Siu is glazed with cassareep and served over a chunky, citrusy, chimichurri-like, Bajan-style green sauce.
Whatever you order, don’t miss the Chrysanthemum Caesar. The standout starter dresses the floral greens in a mouthwatering sesamemiso dressing, before it’s finished with umami-rich pecorino and crunchy and delightful roasted buckwheat. Meanwhile, the Cha Chaan Teng Risotto is a sleeper hit, embodying all that’s nostalgic about HKstyle borscht that’s finished with oxtail gravy and punchy pickled beets.
Ayla’s Prawn Toast Okonomiyaki reimagines the HK-diner classic as crisp, fried cabbage-stuffed toast rolls, drizzled with Kewpie mayo, Bulldog sauce, a dusting of bagel spice, and bonito flakes.
HK Style Egg Cusard is delightful, not-too-sweet combination of mango sago, pomelo, and crunchy pops of sesame brittle.
The Tokyo Smoke is a shaken cocktail composed of matcha, mezcal, Cointreau and egg white; the latter produces a fine foam that caps the drink.
Mirroring the food menu, AYLA’s cocktails also draw from the Asian pantry, lacing balanced numbers with sake, baijiu, umeshu, matcha or lychee liqueur. The drink list also offers a tight selection of wines, plus local craft beers and ciders.
