When Henry Wu bought the Metropolitan Hotel in 1995 and opened Lai Wah Heen, it was immediately recognized as the most sophisticated Chinese restaurant in Canada. The table in the corner round room was a favorite with me and my friends for special lunches and dinners. For 28 years, its reputation grew exponentially in the U.S. and abroad. The New York Times named it the Best Chinese Restaurant in North America—until it closed.
Time passes. Things change.
The hotel is now Doubletree by Hilton, and exactly one year ago, a new and re-imagined Lai Wah Heen opened its doors. The restaurant spreads over a vast area of the second floor with a main dining room and extraordinary private dining areas. Looking up at the ceiling, I recognize stylized 8’s, the lucky number in Chinese culture. The wines and spirits displayed behind glass boggles the mind with its diversity and exclusivity. Sumptuous velvet booths around marble tables invite groups of friends to enjoy the luxury of space and comfort with amazing dishes unique to various regions of China. Re-imagined beyond imagination.
The Amuse Bouche selections had us all salivating. What to choose first? With a glass of Frerejean Freres Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne, France in hand, I make a silent toast to the three luscious morsels: luxe Chilled Lobster salad topped with a generous dollop of caviar; shimmering Lobster gelee with Hokkaido uni in the shape of orange and black Koi fish; and an aromatic and unusual duo of roasted Goose liver and Pork in barbecue sauce.
The Soup and Dim Sum repertoire of this kitchen is vast, and I have never had the same meal twice. One of my favorite dishes of the evening is creamy Pumpkin soup with a plump seafood purse of almost translucent dough bursting with juicy scallop and prawn filling. 2023 Domain du Nozay, Sancerre, France is an intelligent choice, since it compliments both the soup a well as the Stewed Pork Ribs in baby pumpkin.
The Main Course proves rather eventful for me. We all marvel at the exquisite presentations and flavours of each dish: Fig leaf wrapped and baked chicken is tender and aromatic (the owners grow fig trees on their local farm) and marbled Goby sizzles in tasty sauce in a clay pot;
A whole crab is presented, claws intact, with stir-fried crab hiding under its shell. A fellow diner holds a crab leg in the air and gives it an overzealous crack. The pointy claw flies straight at me and hits the middle of my throat. A messy shock but not sharp enough to kill. My sense of humour serves me well here, along with a few gulps of 2018 Domaine Michel Arcelain, Bourgogne Cote d’Or Pinot Noir.
And still more to come in an extravagant grande finale of Wildflower Honey glazed Prime Beef Short Rib and a platter of Soybean paste grilled Pork Chops with an exceptional wine, 2018 Tempranillo Reserva Spain. More wine please, to enjoy with dessert of fresh fruits and “KOI Pond Serenade” mousse cake.
What a joyous Year One Birthday Party this is. Executive Chef Heyden Sin, Executive Dim Sum Chef Victor Huang, Beverage and Talent Director Peony Cen, Executive Pastry Chef and Tea Sommelier Isaac Paluga had created an exceptional Menu: Lai Wah Heen—The Next Chapter. We all look forward to turning the pages.
BREAKING NEWS: A Once in a Lifetime Experience.
For a limited time during the Toronto International Film Festival season, Executive Chef Heyden Sin presents The Treasure of Fortune, an extraordinary five-course culinary experience priced at $8,888, including a 500-gram tin of caviar and the spectacular Supreme Eight-Treasure Gourd-Shaped Goose (至尊八宝葫芦鹅) on a bed of truffle as its main-course centrepiece. Available exclusively by three-day advance order, the creation brings together two Cantonese banquet traditions alongside one of southern China’s most celebrated luxury dishes: a traditional Guangdong pigeon preparation designed to release hot broth dramatically when opened; the technique and symbolism of Eight-Treasure Duck; and the abundance of prized ingredients associated with Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. Replacing duck with a premium whole goose, Chef Sin transforms these inspirations into an original composition filled with eight exceptional shan zhen hai wei (山珍海味), or “treasures of the mountains and delicacies of the seas.”
More than a collection of rare ingredients, The Treasure of Fortune is a story told through food.
Lai Wah Heen, 108 Chestnut St, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 416-260-8988