Celebrating Chinese New year one dumpling at a time
Like most Torontonians, Chinese food is an important part of my balanced diet. Whether it's a quick bowl of noodle soup or a leisurely dim sum with friends, rarely a month goes by without indulging in a Chinese delicacy or two.
Since I was a little kid (when Batman was played by Adam West), I've been enjoying the savoury Chinese buns from Yung Sing (22 Baldwin St., 416-979-2832), a tiny family-run bakery filled with rubber plants and delicious aromas. The soft, sweet, rich buns are like a Chinese spin on brioche and the savoury fillings include curry beef, vegetable and, my favourite, barbecue pork. Two buns make a perfect lunch and on weekends you can indulge in excellent sui mai and har gow dumplings.
My top spot for noodle soup is Swatow (309 Spadina Ave., 416-977-0601), a bustling joint that seems to be packed from lunchtime until the wee hours of the morning when the post-club set stumbles in with the munchies. I can't vouch for any dish other than Swatow Special Noodle Soup (No. 1 on the menu), a large bowl of salty-sweet chicken broth packed with wheat noodles, a shrimp ball, fish ball, fish cake, shrimp dumpling, Chinese broccoli and a hunk of soy-braised short rib. It's definitely not a place to linger: the second you finish slurping, your check lands with a thud.
For basic Cantonese food, I've enjoyed a few meals at E-pan (369 Spadina Ave., 416-260-9988), where the stylish decor is a refreshing change from the cloudy fish tanks and plastic tablecloths of its neighbours along the strip. Not all dishes are created equal here. Those to look out for are tender salt and pepper squid, scallops stir-fried in XO sauce, and crisp, succulent roast duck on a bed of lightly pickled vegetables with spicy plum sauce for dipping.
Finally, if you are looking for a lip-searing, Sichuan-style good time, you'll have to hop in the car and head north to the aptly named Hot Spicy Spicy (173 Ravel Rd., near Finch Avenue and Leslie Street, 416-491-8988).
The house specialty is a hot pot of whitefish, napa cabbage and bean sprouts floating in an angry red chili broth. Authentic cold Sichuan noodles are bathed in a garlicky dressing of sesame paste, dark soy sauce and chili oil and sprinkled with scallion, cilantro and lemony Sichuan pepper. Not all dishes are spicy, like addictive deep-fried green beans tossed with crispy morsels of garlic, pork and dried shrimp. After such a bold, fiery feast, keeping a stash of Tums and breath mints in your glove compartment might not be a bad idea.
