Mott 32 Toronto
Mott 32, the internationally acclaimed restaurant synonymous with high-end Chinese cuisine, has made its highly anticipated debut in Toronto.
Located in the Shangri-La Hotel, Mott 32 positions itself as an unparalleled dining experience that blends traditional Cantonese food with contemporary, innovative cooking techniques.
The restaurant has locations around the world but in Toronto is led by Managing Partner Eric Yang, General Manager Romano Castillo, and Chef Kin Ming Yeung.
The restaurant draws its name from the address of New York’s first Chinese convenience store, which opened on Mott Street in the 1890s.
Its origin heavily influences the design of the establishment - a seamless blend of industrial style with Chinese elements.
On the first floor is an impressive bar and lounge area. The bar, which seats about 10, is decorated with jade and hanging greenery. It makes for a tranquil and cozy spot to sip on one of their signature cocktails.
The Hanami ($28) comes in a remarkably large glass and features rye, gin, umeshu, yuzu, shiso, ginger beer, and chrysanthemum. It’s cool and vibrant with a citrusy finish.
My favourite beverage, The Forbidden Rose ($28), is as delicate as the flower to which it's named. This fragrant, sweet, and creamy cocktail includes passion fruit, lychee, lemon, and a frothy egg white foam.
The Hong Kong Ice Tea ($22), inspired by the popular beverage, iced lemon tea, is made with jasmine and serves as the perfect refreshment.
The Duck Fat Old Fashion ($28) is a fun spin on an otherwise classic cocktail, with the duck fat washed bourbon imparting a subtle savouriness.
The lounge incorporates warm light fixtures, bamboo accents, a mix of marble and metals, and vintage wallpaper adorned with Chinese poetry. The 40-seat space offers a limited dining menu.
The second floor is home to four uniquely designed private rooms, ideal for events, corporate gatherings, and celebrations given the amount of money you'll be spending here.
The textile room continues with the green jade theme from the bar. According to Yang, green is a lucky colour symbolizing good fortune, growth, and renewal in Chinese culture.
The ceramic and metal room each boasts a circular table with a large lazy Susan.
The metal room exudes a sultry, moody ambience, with metal dragon scales cascading down the walls.
In contrast, the ceramic room is warm and calming, with Chinese-style lanterns from Hong Kong and handmade earth-tone ceramics from Spain.
The final private room to note is the theatre room. Complete with buttery leather seating, heavy velvet-looking curtains, and plush carpeting, it has a retro and intimate feel.
The third floor completes the space with its 95-seat main dining area and open BBQ kitchen.
Each table is flooded with natural light from the panoramic windows and offers a look at bustling University Avenue.
And while dinner with a view is always lovely, the ‘boom boom room’ offers a little more seclusion, ideal for a romantic meal or close conversations.
All three floors thoughtfully consider the five elements of Chinese cosmology - wood, fire, earth, metal, and water to create a balanced and harmonious design that goes beyond aesthetics, providing a comfortable and elegant backdrop for a refined dining experience.
Chef Yeung holds over 43 years of culinary experience, having started his career in Hong Kong before coming to Canada in the late 80s. For Chef Yeung, fine dining Cantonese cooking is second nature.
The expansive menu exudes opulence with several signature dishes and premium ingredients. There's also a strong emphasis on using high-quality, local produce.
Ingredients are carefully sourced: lobster from Nova Scotia, vegetables from Ontario farms, beef from Alberta, and duck from just north of the city.
The Apple Wood Roasted Peking Duck ($180) is served tableside. Prepared using gas and smoked applewood cooking methods, the duck is left to dry for 48 hours before a slow, one-hour roast.
It comes with all the traditional fixings - freshly steamed rice pancakes, a nutty hoisin sesame sauce, thinly sliced cucumber, scallions, and cane sugar.
The duck is tender and juicy with a delectably crispy skin. Tried on its own, the taste is simple, but when combined with the other components in the sticky pancake, it's sweet, savoury, and salty.
A great dish to share with 3-4 people, I recommend eating the duck as soon as it's carved and still hot.
Another signature item is the Barbeque Pluma Iberico Pork ($82). The succulent pork is marinated in a Chinese Yellow Mountain Honey and goes through a double roasting process to get a sweet, caramelized, and slightly charred finish.
The Iberico Pork comes at a high price, given it comes from a specific region in Spain where the pigs are raised on a special diet.
The pork is also highlighted in the Hot and Sour Iberico Pork Shanghainese Soup Dumplings ($24). Soup dumplings are always a fun item to eat, and these get their bright orange colour from carrots added to the dough. 
The broth is flavourful with a good kick and the pork melts in your mouth. The dish comes with a rice vinegar scallion oil on the side.
When it comes to Dim Sum, the Lobster Har Gow ($28) is delicious. It's stuffed full of creamy, sweet lobster and comes with mild chilli oil.
For those seeking something plant-based, the Stir-Fried Assorted Wild Mushroom Lettuce Cup with Black Truffle ($45) is one of my favourite items.
"The wild mushroom lettuce cup was first developed for the Vancouver menu. We take advantage of a lot of locally foraged mushrooms - so there's king oyster, shiitake, and other different textures," Yang described to me.
The meatiness of the mushrooms made for a satisfying bite. The black truffle was fragrant but not overpowering, and I tasted a hint of sesame and some smokiness. It was a cup full of umami and earthiness that Yang recommended pairing with a glass of Pinot Noir.
And when it comes to vegetarian dishes, there are many more to choose from, with an entirely separate menu dedicated to innovative offerings like Signature Smoked 'Cod' and Crispy 'Eel.'
Another signature is the Wok Fried Lobster Egg White ($88). This dish features fresh lobster enveloped in layers of soft, pillowy egg white.
"It's similar to a lobster omelet and heavily relies on the chef mastering the heat and temperature of the wok. They do the egg white layer by layer so it's extra fluffy," Yang explained.
As Yang promised, the egg whites are some of the fluffiest I've ever experienced. Combined with the lobster and some black truffle shavings, it's both luxurious and comforting. For an additional cost, you can add caviar to the dish.
The Stir-Fried AAA Canadian Tenderloin ($65) is sweet and savoury with a perfectly sticky glaze, the meat accompanied by large pieces of chopped asparagus, bell peppers, and mushrooms.
For dessert, the Rose and Valrhona White Chocolate Panna Cotta ($20) is filled with raspberries and a lychee sorbet. The panna cotta is almost too beautiful to eat. It has a smooth, slightly chewy mouthfeel and the perfect level of sweetness to end the meal.
The menu at Mott 32 offers a celebration of Cantonese cuisine with nods to Beijing and Szechuan.
Great for special occasions or those with an expense account, many of the items are a splurge, so expect to pay $100+ per person. However, given the quality, technique, service, and decor, it's on par with other luxury fine dining establishments.
Mott 32 is located at 190 University Ave.
Fareen Karim
