Toronto - Mott 32
Fun fact, Mott 32 is named after the first Chinese convenience store in New York (1891).
Having spent a very fun night at the Mott 32 flagship in Vancouver, I was excited when I heard the restaurant was coming to Toronto - albeit devastated that they would be replacing the beloved Momofuku and the Milk Bar in the Shangri-La (RIP Crack Pies). With eight locations around the world, Maximal Concepts is the restaurant group that brought their Chinese fine-dining concept to Toronto.
What we ordered: Stir-Fried Assorted Wild Mushroom, Lettuce Cup, Black Truffle $45 | Hot & Sour Iberico Pork Shanghainese Soup Dumplings $24 | Garlic Prawn Spring Roll $20 | Wild Mushrooms, Water Chestnut Dumplings $18 | General Tso’s Free-Range Chicken, Chili $45 | Wok-Fried Flat Rice Noodles, AAA Canadian Beef, Bean Sprouts $45
Recommend for: Like most Cantonese-style restaurants, you really want to go with a group so you can try as many dishes as possible. The main reason I want to go back is because the menu is so large, and we barely made a dent. The service was also incredible. The decor has significantly changed from what you remember, but the room is dark - lit by the city lights of University Ave. We really could not tell what the vibe was; tourists from the Shangri-La, families ordering the duck, a couple date nights, and us, three girls looking for a quick dinner after work.
Fun fact, the Wok Fried Flat Rice Noodle dish is a test for future chefs; if they make it good (and without too much oil), they pass the test. It was definitely the standout dish. I would go back just to order this. The meal was expensive (compared to Rol San) but we had a ton of food.
Reservations: Yes, via OpenTable
Complet’s Current
Memorable Meal? In a new Thanksgiving tradition, we spent Friday night with our friends at the Swiss Chalet (dine-in) in Bracebridge. We were the youngest people there by a couple decades, none of us ordered the festive special; no, we do not need to go back for another year; but yes, we will very much be looking forward to Thanksgiving 2025.
Where am I Eating Next? Friday lunch in London at the River Cafe!
What My Friends Are Talking About: Cabonos has come up twice this past week; the smash burger spot where you can also get wings. This one I’m going to have to take their word for because it does not look like it is for me.
I do not know how I missed the Linny’s news but when we walked by the other night it was busy. The restaurant is by Big Hug Hospitality (Sunny’s, Mimi) and Executive Chef David Schwartz. Linny’s is steakhouse meets deli, designed by IPSO Studio (Jack Lipson) which is exciting.
Manita is also opened in the former Rosedale diner spot, I’m excited to try, even if I just pay $25 for a sandwich…
The guys behind R&D are opening a 10 course tasting menu called aKin (November 2024) and a former Gusto chef is opening Zzavia Pizzeria in Leaside.
Added to My International Must-See List: I would really like to try Kol in London at some point. I cannot escape it.