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Went to R&D downtown for Winterlicious and had a good experience overall. I ordered the scallops appetizer. It looked simple but had a lot of flavor. The mie goring we ordered was also very good, though I wish it came with more protein. My friend ordered the lamb spaducci as an appetizer, which he enjoyed. His kare kare main was a smaller portion, but was tasty. It did come with naan bread, which helped but didnt fill us up. For dessert, the three of us tried the panna cotta, chocolate cake, and honey toast. My favorite was the chocolate cake, but everyone had different preferences. I'd come back on a regular day to try more of their menu. I've been wanting to visit R&D for a while, and this was a solid first experience.
R&D interior is open and engaging, from the wall art to the modern light fixtures - you're not bored from the second you enter. The service at least during our visit was flawless - attentive, quick and welcoming. The food was authentic and masterfully prepared - super tasty even though we were not super hungry. Dessert was a surprising highlight too.
I came here recently for a celebration dinner with friends and had a great time! The food was fantastic, the service was responsive and quick, and the venue was great! In terms of some dishes I really enjoyed - the kale salad, beef carpaccio, fried chicken, crispy squid, and the foie gras sou. This last one was surprising to me bc it's an odd mix - it pairs the creamy foie gras in a sweeter, crumbly profiterole pastry cup with a bit of a jam. I really enjoyed it! The only dish I tried that I thought could really be improved was the eggplant. I found that it lacked char and the flavour of spices didn't bring out any of the sweetness in the eggplant so it tasted a bit one note. Overall though I think the flavours in the different dishes were really well balanced and very tasty. At R&D they take larger group orders in advance so we had to place our orders before we were there. I can see why they do it bc everything came out perfectly timed! It was also great to have ample seating - we were not crammed at all despite being a group of 8. I'd heard that this restaurant took a little while to get on its feet right after it opened which might explain the lower rating. I think they are fully in their stride now. I'd definitely come back!
This is definitely an upscale restaurant. We got the Peking duck, which you have to reserve ahead of time. For the price we paid, I was expecting the duck to be cut well and hot when served, but it was room temperature and not cut in thin slices. They cover up the poorly cut pieces under the presentation. It also cost extra to get more bao, hoisin sauce, and cucumbers, which I would have expected to be free. Presentation for all the dishes were very artistic, but the coziness and rich flavor that comes with Asian cuisine was missing. The one thing I enjoyed was the Crispy Squid, which was basically calamari. The service was otherwise great and our waitress was very kind. If you are looking for great ambience, this restaurant will satisfy it, but if you are looking for rich Asian food, I think you could go somewhere else for half the cost.
Overall: A // 5 stars I first visited R&D in 2023 and despite the excellent experience, it seemed to have never made it out of my large backlog of notes I've taken. Nevertheless, when I was visiting Toronto again in 2025, I was eager to make a return to try the rest of their menu. For 2023, I tried the Summerlicious menu, which was a menu of experimental dishes for the Toronto eats event, and was quite impressed by the innovative flavor profiles of every dish, especially the ones that are more Cantonese. During my second visit, their regular menu looked so great, that I couldn't tell you a single dish I didn't want to try!! The great thing about R&D is that you can't go wrong ordering as every item on the menu is tasty. During my first visit, I was able to met Eric, the owner of the restaurant and winner of Masterchef Canada S1; it was a pleasure to talk to him, watch him cook, and he was very kind checking in during the meal every few minutes to make sure everything was to expectations. During my second visit, unfortunately he was not there, but the staff was equally friendly and conversational, which contributes well into making every R&D dining experience that much better. Highly recommend. [PART I - 2023 Visit] (Lamb Skewers: A) - Impressively tender lamb with an abundance of spices and a waft-able fragrance that truly opens the appetite. Perfect appetizer. (Pork Fried Rice: A) - This looks like a humble dish, but is actually super impressive, highlighting the two popular Cantonese pork methods, cha siu and siu yuk, with the melts-in-your-mouth barbeque pork and pork chicharron. I hope this dish returns some day because it is very well crafted. (French Toast: C) - Ma Lai Go and Salted Egg Lava are two components that sound like they would work great together. I think the traditional cake is more fluffy and aerated, so the density here is a bit strange; similarly, usually a less runny custard could pair better. The hazelnut crumble adds a good crunch, and the berries are critical to add some much needed acidity. (Passionfruit Mojito: A+) - One of the highlight mocktails I've had, with the traditional forward notes of mojito taking an extra tropical detour with the passionfruit which also adds a beautiful color. [PART II - 2025 Visit] (Foie Gras Sou: A) - An intriguing appetizer that is a savory take on a cream puff with foie gras serving as the cream, and sour cherry adding as an acidic contrast. (Curry Siu Mai: B) - A pricier elevated take on the traditional siu mai, but I like the fusion of Thai flavors coming through with the mild spice and the coconut from the curry. I did find the siu mai to be a bit on the denser side, which could perhaps benefit from more fat. (Long Beans: A) - These beans are addictively tasting and impressively combines several distinct Canto flavors that work so well with each other, super impressed! There's the fat coming from the lap cheung, some earthiness from the black bean, and fresh tenderness from the bean. (R&D G&T: B) - Was very surprised to find kaffir-infused gin on the menu as I independently came up with kaffir-infused rum a few months back; love the cocktail, very refreshing and easy on the palette; the notes of calamansi are evident and coming through, though the honey may just be slightly overpowering, and the presentation mundane. (Peking Duck: A) - This duck is very peculiar as it is quite different than the ones I've had before. Notably, it uses western cooking techniques of serving it pink and fat rendered, allows the meat to be super tender and not require that traditionally large layer of fat. Additionally, the duck is aged for 24 hours, which helps build that flavor in the duck; however, this does seem to make the duck skin less crispy, which is my only critique of this dish. (Wok Lobster: A) - Show stopping presentation that truly explains the story behind the handle. If I had to guess, this appears to be an elevated take on the Cheese Lobster Yee Mein dish that is popular among the Canto regions, reimagined through feta, vermicelli, rice cracker, and wild greens which does a great job reducing the heaviness of the dish. Although I am not a fan of cheese, I think the dish worked well mostly, with most importantly the tender lobster -- however, the vermicelli was lumped together, so that remains a perplexing choice to me. (Sticky Toffee Pudding: A) - The asian spin on the toffee sauce using palm sugar is quite smart; the pairing of apple, cinnamon ice cream, and a date cake all work within the same fall flavor palette so beautifully, this is a must try dessert. The gold dust is an extra touch of elegance. Food: +1 Presentation: +1 Price: E Atmosphere: E Service: +1 Menu: +2 Overall: Insta/Beli/Yelp/TikTok: @amei_eats
This place has its name on the Michelin Recommendations Guide 2024 and the food was quite interesting! We tried their Michelin awarded dish R&D fried rice which came with mushroom and corn and the flavours were not something I had tasted before. The lobster vermicelli was quite good too and the Char Siu was just perfectly done! The crispy calamari was also another highlight of our night along with their truffle dimsum which was yet another delicious delight! We were also served with panna cotta towards the end of our meal coz we were celebrating a birthday which made the service extra special!
Michelin review. In case you didn't know this restaurant is on the Bib Gourmand list known for its good quality, good value cooking Food: Everything was delicious. Duck was juicy. We had it for Chinese new year. We need to order extra steamed buns to finish the whole duck. Note that you need to order the duck in advance. Service: Was quick. Very little waiting. Server was friendly. The menu was super simple with just a few items, loved the simplicity. Ambiance: Very nice interior, couldn't tell it was Chinese cuisine. Inside the restaurant there is also Daan Go Cake lab. We came during winterlicious, was surprisingly not packed. I'd definitely come back, they have my fav items on the menu, I need to try it!
I'm not sure what the low reviews here are about, but this is a restaurant that I always enjoy. For a duck that advertised as the best in the city, it certainly is in contention. It's tender, succulent, and full of flavor. The fried rice is also a must get every single time, I love the flavour and texture. I've tried a lot of the menu, and nothing has been bad, everything ranging from good to great. I wasn't quite call this place a must visit, but I would happily recommend it to anyone.
The restaurant itself is quite novel with its artwork and interior design. As for the staff, they were knowledgeable about the price offerings. As for the taste of the items themselves - no complaints. The atmosphere was a bit louder than expected, but aside from that, this place is great. Expect to spend a pretty dime here unless you get the Peking duck and split it amongst several people!
My party went to R&D initially to try the peking duck but we also got the shrimp toast, R&D fried rice, and crispy squid. The peking duck was my favorite amongst everything that I tried due to the flavourful duck with a simple pairing of hoisin sauce and cucumber and leeks. The fried rice was interesting with the crunchy texture and I enjoyed the spices in the squid dish. The shrimp toast was the least favorite for the table. All of the dishes were salty and oily, so I personally was unable to eat as much of it. That was unfortunate because this was quite an expensive meal. Another thing to note is that if you sit at the tables closer to the kitchen, you will smell like cooking/oil. This was a decent experience overall due to the welcoming staff and unique but sophisticated plating, but it isn't somewhere I'd rush to go back to.
Tried most dim sum items and Vietnamese carpaccio. The main problem is, most items feel like fusing for the sake of fusion. Kalbi kimchi bao: too salty. Kalbi is supposed to be a bit sweet, which would have worked better with the kimchi. Spinach dip spring rolls: (forget to take a photo, but it looks like an average spring roll anyway) essentially a deep fried spanakopita. The cheese made it tasted really dense. Because of that would benefit from a dipping sauce that usually comes with spring rolls. Truffle fun guo: not bad. Curry siu mai: also too salty. Foie gras sou: also didn't work well together. Vietnamese carpaccio: the only dish where the fusion makes sense. The crispy onion/shallot worked well with the beef slices, and the sauce as well. Overall it feels like dim sum is not their strong suit. Probably should have tried a duck dish instead.
We preordered the Peking duck and it was really good, skin was perfectly crispy with succulent meat. Baos were fluffy and fresh. I wish they didn't cut the cucumber crosswise and instead cut them into strips. I found them too thin and it would be nice to have a crunch as a contrast. Decent portion as well! We also ordered the brussel sprouts per the recommendation by our server and they didn't disappoint! Great flavour, sweet and savoury! The Raspberry Calpico Panna Cotta. It was yogurt based which is why it might have been labeled "Calpico" but I didn't really find it reminiscent of Calpico. It was still enjoyable but wouldn't order again. The raspberry sorbet was nice, though. Service was superb! Our drinks were also quite tasty. I had a Panton Peach which had great cardamom and peach flavour.
Came here for the best duck in the city, and it might be! The plate was more than enough for the two of us, but we also ordered their brussel sprouts and a couple drinks: the tea time mai time and Buddha's secret passion. Both drinks were good, but Buddha's secret passion went down eassyyyy. Good quality was very good, brussel sprouts nice and tender and covered in a delicious slightly sweet chilli glaze. Duck was cooked perfectly, lots of meat to get through. The baos were also so soft. We were rationing our cucumbers and onions a bit, but I don't think we had to do that. Definitely a bit different than the typical Peking duck flavour, but still so delicious. Highly recommend! We split the milk toast dessert, it was about what you expect, a little on the sweeter side. Matcha ice cream was good. Everybody was so kind and attentive, our server was so great, he helped us plan the rest of our evening. The restaurant itself is a little darker, not too loud, which I really appreciated. Overall, great spot for a special occasion, could not recommend it more. We split the bill, I paid $128 after tax and tip
I came here for a Winterlicious dinner with my boyfriend and was thoroughly impressed with the food. First off, the ambience is fantastic and so unlike other restaurants in the area. It is modern and clean and I really loved the open kitchen concept. Eric Chong was cooking and it was neat to see him doing what he loves especially after being a fan of his on Masterchef. I had the scallop ceviche, suckling pig and chai panna cotta. The scallop ceviche was quite small (just three bite size amounts) but delicious and fresh. The suckling pig was nice, fat and crispy. I didn't care much for the bed of barley risotto underneath it though but it didn't distract from the pork. And finally, the chai panna cotta I wasn't a huge fan of. It had too many flavours going on (ginger and mandarin) which I wasnt crazy about. My boyfriend got the apple tart with ice cream which I really liked and probably ate too much of haha. In total, the bill for $90 ($33/winterlicious plus two $7 happy hour cocktails before 7pm) which isn't bad at all for date night. My only complaint besides the awkward tasting panna cotta is that the portions were quite small. My boyfriend ended up getting a double cheeseburger from Mcdonalds and a slice of pizza after our dinner. I would definitely come here again but maybe just for another Winterlicious/Summerlicious dinner :) read more
7 years ago
Had a wonderful night at R&D. Ordered the CSB and Dan tat along with their winterlicious menu. Everything was well executed with creativity and quality. Ambience and service far surpassed what I expected and on top of that we got to meet the Masterchef himself Eric Chong. He's very friendly and approachable! Go out and support this awesome hometown talent! read more
8 years ago
Great Atmosphere and Wonderful Food! My partner and I wanted to try R&D ever since we found out they serve Peking duck. We made reservations for Friday evening, specifying that we were interested in the duck. When we arrived, we were seated at the back portion of the restaurant, with a nice view of the open kitchen. Service was slightly slow, as it appeared only two waiters were working in the area (serving larger groups). We ordered several cocktails, mainly Sake based, as well as some appetizers. The tuna tartare & CSB were really good. The tartare was slightly over seasoned--a little too acidic for my liking. Now for the duck. The servers brought it to us prior to carving and explained how it is cooked. The duck was cooked to a perfect medium rare with crispy skin. I am not the biggest fan of duck (due to the fat content), but my partner loved every bit of it. The dish is definitely meant for at least four people. We took half of the duck home. The overall experience was great. There are certain points, such a slower service and slightly over seasoned food, which stop me from giving R&D five starts. I will be returning for more great cocktails and some fusion cuisine. read more
9 years ago
I think it's a darn shame that this place only has 3 stars. I'm from Hong Kong and come from a pretty traditional Asian family. I already know my parents would hate this place lol! They'd hate it because it's not traditional or because they think it's overpriced. Personally, I went in without the expectation of tradition, only stuff that echoed traditional cuisine. And yeah this place totally is overpriced... But most stuff is compared to a $2.50 fun Guo. You're not just going for the food, it's an experience, something that plays with expectations in an exciting way. My dining partner and I got their take on a char Siu Bao (CSB), pork belly bao, some fingerling potatoes, scallop ceviche, and kalbi. The CSB is a signature and I can see why. It's such a nice crispy bun, kind of like the best part of a pineapple bun surrounding the gooey BBQ pork filling as some sort of crunchy delicious buttery shell. Fingerling Potatoes are a take on a Korean stewed potato banchan. Sauteed in duck fat and coated with some Furikake, it's hard not to like this. The Kalbi was good, a bit salty but that was balanced by the ddukbokki, crispy on the outside with that velvety cushiony exterior. The scallop ceviche came as these five awesome bites, with creamy avocado on the bottom and a nice citrusy note from the tiger's milk marinade. I think for a place like this, you've got to be open minded. Its definitely not cheap, but they're not giving you a cheap experience. I recommend the bar rail seating! Also they've got $7 cocktails from 5-7 daily and all day on Monday. Great to encourage opening the mind ;) read more
I've been here a number of times and it keeps getting better and better. Last night my gfs and I came for after work dinner and drinks and were seated right away without a reservation (you can usually find some kind of seating without reso for small groups but may have to settle for sitting at the bar). Amazing dishes here - beautiful presentation, quality, and FLAVOUR. Wow! Can never complain about a lack of flavour at R&D! My personal favourites are the mapo tofu and vegetarian bibimbap. The mapo tofu they use is crispy and the sauce is perfect. Not your traditional, average mapo tofu. As with every dish here, expect an Asian- western, R&D only spin :) If you're extra hungry, get the bibimbap because it is packed with vegetables with a runny yolk egg on top. My favourite part about this dish is that they actually use black rice. Usually at Korean restaurants they use purple rice, which is like, 80% white rice and 20% black rice. Black rice contains more antioxidants, protein, and fiber than even brown rice, so is healthier for you. The seafood chow mein was also a winner. The sauce again was perfect, on the sweeter side. The seafood pieces were a bit small, but otherwise another large tasty, filling main. If you like seafood, try the tuna tartare on shrimp chips. It's a smaller, appetizer size dish, but the tuna is so well marinated and flavourful, a must try. Finally, we loved the sous vide kalbi (Korean bbq beef short ribs)! Comes with 6 pieces of tender, juicy, well marinated ribs on a small bed of marinated kale, purple cabbage, and Korean rice cakes. The drinks are $7 before 7 o'clock, so be sure to take advantage of that. Last but not least, the service is always wonderful. Why are all the staff so photogenic here? Lol. They also split our bill and even remembered to add our drinks separately to the correct person - hey, a lot of restaurants nowadays no longer offer to split bills. 100% will be back read more
This is one of the best Asian fusion restaurant in DT. The signature duck, a twisted version of Peking duck, is tender and flavory. The portion is very big even for four people to share. Not just the duck, you may also be supersized by the taste of other dishes. read more
9 years ago
Came here for winterlicious with fellow yelpies! Def enjoyed the company moreso then the food unfortunately. Every dish was barely warm...not sure if it was sitting for awhile and mad in mass amount for winterlicious. Got the tom yum salmon as a main and the fish was cooked to perfection - not dry. However you could barely taste the tom yum - its more of a creamy dressing. Overall if everything was served hot it would have gotten 4 stars for sure! Great service read more
7 years ago
8 years ago
Me and my boyfriend went there for the first time and we had their Winterlicious menu plus Madai sashimi.. The service was good, our server was really friendly, and see he didn't come to over table and ask how the food is or if everything is okay! I LOVE IT! I hate it when the server keeps coming to the table and asking how the food is, and sometime even before we have the chance to taste it.. If we have an issue with the food we will definitely call you over for that.. So that was a plus for me. In terms of the food quality, overall it was good. I can understand that the quality of the Winterlicious is just so-so since they are mass-produced.. For entree I ordered the Japchae, and it was mushy... However, I felt like the Madai sashimi was a bit too ginger-y... The spice from the ginger overpowered the freshness from the fish.. I was a bit disappointed on that.. Overall I liked this experience, and I would probably come back for their regular menu.. Plus, I would love to have a picture taken with the head chef Eric!! He was too busy tonight read more
Visited R&D for my first Winterlicious experience! I was excited to try out this place for dinner. From the prix fixe menu, I ordered the pork belly bao for appetizer, which was so delicious! The bao was soft and chewy, while the kimchi and pork belly were the perfect contrasting combination of flavours. For my main, I got the R&D fried rice which was notably cooked with smoked portobello, XO duxelles and Chinese olives. This dish tasted authentic with a little twist - it reminded me of the fried rice my grandma makes, but elevated by the way it's cooked. It was savoury, spicy, and meaty without actually having meat in the dish. To end the meal off, I had the pandan cheesecake which was served in a glass. As someone who loves coconut, I really enjoyed this dessert! It definitely did not taste like a typical cheesecake. It was creamy and tart while having a nice crunch. I was wowed by the taste of all the dishes and the presentation of the food was superb. Service was quick and friendly as well. Only downside is that portions ran a tad small here. Overall, I'd recommend trying out this place if you're strolling around Chinatown and looking for a new experience! read more
8 years ago
I'll keep this short and sweet. 1. Great, relaxed atmosphere. Perfect for lounging with drinks. 2. The food was okay. I was expecting more and left disappointed. 3. Service was okay - the restaurant wasn't busy and I had trouble finding our server. I don't say this often, but the flavors were too strong. My drinks were over spiced and too aromatic , some dishes were too salty, sweet or fishy. I would have preferred the flavors to be toned down a little bit. read more
Got the sweet and sour pork which was yummy but didn't significantly wow me. It was a plate full of meat! I was hoping to pair the sweet and sour pork with some sides but there was only a tiny bit of coleslaw on the top. I eventually had to order white rice infused with coconut to go along with the pork. The rice was sooooo good. One of the best rice over ever had! Very fine and coconutty. I can't complain when there's a lot of pork but I suggest them to add some white rice on the side. All in all, I didn't thought the sweet and sour pork was mediocre but I will definitely try their chicken and waffles next time! read more
10 years ago
Let me start from the beginning. I went there with my family to celebrate CNY last Sunday. We all ordered from the Winterlicious menu. While the hostess was great, it was not enough to offset my horrible experience overall. I can't speak on behalf of my family, but I think they'd say that in general the food is mediocre and overpriced. I'll tell you why I gave it 1 star - I GOT FOOD POISONING! I ordered the Korean Chicken Skewers as an appetizer, the rice cakes as the main, and the Lychee dessert. Dinner was at 7:15pm... ended around 9pm or so. I went home, did my usual thing, and promptly went to bed. 2:30am - I wake up with severe stomach cramps and the urge to go. I didn't end up having any diarrhea, but threw up at least 4-5 times in my bathtub, and sink. I noticed that I was throwing up food that hadn't been digested yet. I saw that there was undigested chicken, and a closer look revealed that piece was actually completely RAW, and another piece that was also quite raw despite having grill marks on it... I felt a lot better after throwing up, but still had stomach cramps. My husband (bless his soul) and my toddler had to accompany me to the ER to be safe. **PICTURES ARE UPLOADED** Now you might wonder/ask why would I eat raw chicken? Shouldn't I be able to tell that the chicken is raw? When the chicken arrived, it was covered in red sauce, and the chicken appeared to be grilled. Unfortunately, I think the grill marks clouded my judgment. After the incident, I notified Public Health and also told the staff at the restaurant that I had done so and that they will likely be inspected shortly. I received a call back from the Senior Manager at R&D, apologizing for the incident. She said she would 'speak with senior management' to see what they can do. The health inspector also called me to say that the place was in impeccable shape, and that all the temperatures were in the right range, etc. etc.... well, it could be that I HAD TOLD THEM THE HEALTH INSPECTOR WAS COMING SO THAT THEY HAD TIME TO GET THEIR CRAP TOGETHER. Public Health has actually had more follow-up than the restaurant. I'm disappointed with the way this was handled. Although no one else in my family got sick, and maybe that it was a 'freak accident' that out of all the chicken skewers they made that night, they missed one... NO ONE should have double check to see if their food is thoroughly cooked, especially from an establishment that's linked with O&B. I certainly won't be coming back, nor will my family or friends. read more
I heard a lot of things about R&D from my friends and they do not have any good comments for the place. So I wanted to try this place because it is run by Eric, the Masterchef Canada winner, and I wanted to see for myself why my friends made such bad comments. First thing I noticed after we were seated is that the table was really low. I am a big guy so it was quite uncomfortable sitting down with my knees almost hitting the table itself. I came here for the summerlicious menu so I was excited to try. From the summerlicious menu I ordered: -kalbi tostada, -Mac & Cheese -Korean pancake The Kalbi Tostada was great. The pork tenderloin (I thought it was beef since it said Kalbi at first) mixed well together with the guacamole and the chip. It tasted great and I thought to myself, this place is not that bad but oh boy the main and dessert have yet to come. Next, the Mac N Cheese came and I thought it was a very strange combination. Satay sauce in Mac N Cheese? The taste was strange and I thought this dish was too fusion. Pulled pork was a good addition but does not save the dish. It was disappointing in general as the macaroni noodles were overcooked being too soft. The cheese was the best part of this dish which should not be the only case. Lastly, the dessert in my opinion was a complete disaster. The Korean pancake came hot and it was hard to cut open with just a spoon. The pancake itself did not have any taste to it and there was minimal filling. The person in my party got the matcha cake and it was dry. The lemon flavour clearly overpowered the matcha flavour and tasted more of a lemon cake. Worst dessert by far from all the summerlicious/winterlicious that I have tried. On the upside, the service was great. Our server kept pouring water and let us decide what to get for dessert after our mains. The interior decor had a nice modern touch to it. Overall for $28, I thought it was definitely not worth it. Just an utter disappointment in general from the table setting to the food and I will not be a returning customer. read more
4 years ago
The hostess was working double duty as wait staff as we waited at the door for a few minutes. We didn't have any reservations so luckily they had room for 2 on a late Monday night. We ordered 4 dishes: 2 smalls, 1 large and a dessert. But they recommended 2 small and 2 large plates for 2 people to share. The curry Bao was my least favourite. The texture of the filling was so mushy and difficult to chew. The scallop ceviche was really unique and an explosion of flavour in my mouth; crispy, zesty and refreshing. The large plate was the Hainese risotto. It was delicious! The risotto was so creamy with some squash in it, perfect for winter. The chicken was really tender and pretty filling for 2. Highly recommended! I had the Kaya toast for dessert and it was so so good. I wish there was more! Brown butter gelato with cornbread waffle, people! Good ambiance (4/5), service was alright (3/5), took some time to get people's attention to pay and it didn't feel like we had 1 specific person serving us. It was pretty pricy (value 3/5) for not feeling stuffed, but most of the dishes was worth the money (food 4/5). The Masterchefs lived up to their reputation. read more
After watching Masterchef Canada Season One and seeing Eric Chong win, I just had to jump on the opportunity to try out his restaurant. Thanks to the mentorship of Alvin Leung, he's definitely build a great career for himself. R&D, a nice modern style/hipster-ish restaurant represents a new look and fresh start to Chinatown Toronto. Located in the place of the once Strada 241, you'll really need to look carefully for the place. The restaurant exterior is dark and with a small R&D sign so you'll really need to look twice to find it. Once you enter the restaurant you get a great feel of openness and hospitality. You see an awesome bar with a few beer taps and wall display. The kitchen is open so you can see what everyone is doing... including Chef Eric Chong and Nelson Tsai themselves. A little further in you'll see the really nice dining display. The floors and ceiling are laid with old wood giving a very cool hipster feel. The menu is very simple with a great selection of appetizers, plates and platters. The appetizers consist of his famous dumplings (or in otherwords his grand dad's dumplings), skewers and independent sides. The plates consist of entree dishes such as Lobster Chow Mein, Crab Bimbimbap and Sweetbreads. The platters from looking at other tables are massive with 76hour Peking Duck, General Sanders' Chicken which was oddly fried chicken with HK egg waffles. Definitely something different. I had ordered the following: 1) CSB - Cha Siu Bao - instead of the typical steamed bun served at dim sum. It was a fresh baked bun stuffed with delicious bbq pork. This is made every hour and we were lucky to get a fresh batch. The waitress reserved them for us. it comes in 2 pieces and cost $8. 2) Grandpa's Fun Guo - chicken and black truffle steamed dumplings - 3 piece dish at $9 was definitely the highlight of the night for me. This was made by the hands of Eric himself as he came to our table to tell us that. Great dish and wish they served more. I'd get a large order of it. 3) Sweetbreads - Oyster sauce, crispy seaweed, mushroom, sweet potato - a nice entree dish with fried sweetbread chunks missed in oyster sauce and topped with large portions of crispy seaweed. It was tasty but not something I'd order much of. $18. 4) Crab Bimbimbap - R&D chili sauce, kimchi egg - a typical bimbimbap dish with small chunks of crab and egg. The server comes with a typical korean stew dish, stuffed with rice and kimchi, and with a small side dish of hot sauce which gets poured into the main burning hot dish with the rice. He mixes it thoroughly and leaves it to sit for a few mins. You get the nice crispy rice at the end. Definitely goes well with the Sweetbread if you have any left. $18. If you're lucky Eric will come by your table and check on how your meal was. He has no problem taking photos and talking to you. Had a great 10 minute chat with him, explaining his experience with Alvin and trips around the world. Great inspiration and definitely worth going. I give 4 out of 5 only because it was not easy to find and the sign was small. But if this was on food only, i'd give a perfect score. read more
11 years ago
R&D can best be described as a non-pretentious version of Lee Restaurant on King. Everything from the graffiti mural of General Mao, faux crumbling walls and the staff wearing orange Home Depot-like aprons creates a laid-back vibe. Since first stumbling upon MasterChef Canada Season 1 accidentally and following the whole season, I was rooting for Eric the whole time. I was really excited for R&D to finally open. The Chef de Cuisine is also a fellow Queen's University alum! Now, to the food, which work really well for sharing. Pina Colada Bubble Tea had great textures with the toasted coconut and tapioca pearls. The sweet and chewy textures contrasted with a really strong-rum flavoured drink. Salmon Belly and the Lobster Chow Mein: Presentation and plating was great - loved the details! The fresh chunks of lime in the Lobster Chow Mein complemented the dish. Salmon Belly was super tender and the 5-grain healthy rice was really savoury. Crispy Smoked Milk and Banana Split were great. We loved the sour cherry and peanut butter ice cream - not so much the bitter chocolate flavour. The in-house ice cream - a tribute to Eric's finale dessert from MasterChef - were the highlight. There was a small mixup when another server delivered our Lobster Chow Mein to the table beside us, who had ordered Eric's Curry. They ate it unknowingly (you think they would ask why they're eating lobster instead of beef). We had to wait a while and we overheard the server "discreetly" apologizing to the other table for delivering the wrong dish. Other than that little blimp, service was attentive. When we were leaving, this random staff said, "See you tomorrow!" Bold. Maybe not so soon, but we will definitely be back to try some more dishes. read more
4 years ago
An incredibly unique take on Chinese cuisine that shattered all expectations. The food was flavorful with varying textures that elevated dim sum (personal favorites were the mopo tofu and the squid ink tagliatelle). On top of the exceptional food was the service: everything was really fast and sitting at the chef's rail, we got served by Eric! A bit pricier than you would expect for dim sum, but definitely worth it for the experience -- especially if you're a Masterchef fan. Can't wait to come back! read more
Nice decor and great place to have nice chats over dinner with friends. The food is generally Hong Kong/ Chinese and Western fusion. My friend ordered their version of the gin and tonic and was really good. The BBQ Pork Buns were quite good too but the rest of the food we ordered were just so so. Maybe because I am from Hong Kong and I know how those dishes are supposed to taste, it just didn't quite impress me. read more
I was a huge fan of Masterchef Canada and to see Eric win and follow a career that he was passionate about. I can see him loving every minute of it too behind the restaurant's open concept kitchen. The atmosphere and decor of this restaurant was very dim and relaxing (it was funny to see an older woman read the menu with her phone flash on though!). The barreling lights and mosaic walls made the place very upbeat and contemporary. Good vibes overall. I came with 2 friends and we each got a few dishes to share. We started with the bbq pork buns that was fresh baked on the hour every hour. No regrets it was delicious and totally would have wanted more but there was more on the menu that we wanted to taste. We ordered a side of black bean brussel sprouts too and that was great! The sauce wasn't overwhelming and you can still taste the brussel sprouts. I ordered the lobster chow mein, it was the dish i got super jelly over when the judges got to try it during a pressure test. Hands down would have it again it was flavourful and the lobster was done just right. Other dishes had were crab bimbimbap and General Sanders Chicken. Note: General Sanders Chicken is to share, way too big for one to eat. It wasn't a tough lesson to learn as it was very tasty too. We had smoked milk with malted milk ice cream. It wasn't overwhelmingly sweet which is why i liked it so much. I would come back at another special occasion because the price point is quite high. read more
11 years ago
There is probably no point to read a review on their food since they will just change their menu again in a few weeks. But it was pretty bad, and the waitresses need to learn how to be better waitresses. read more
I've walked by many times and sorta noticed it and been intrigued but never been inside. I went with about 14-15 women on Sat Oct 29 th. They kept our reservation even though we called to say we would be 20 mins late. We had a great area in the back with 2 tables and benches on one side so we were able to squeeze a few extra people comfortably. I was disappointed by my bao (bun) pork belly. Chewy and not much flavor. $6 I enjoyed the roasted eggplant my friends ordered as an appetizer. But it's best to be shared amongst 4-6 people rather than 2-3. Had a nice flavors and a crispy topping of some sort. I was so so excited for the fried chicken and waffles only to be let down. The waffle batter was quite sweet, sweeter than I expected. The fried chicken has a nice crispy texture but soft and tender inside but it was also sweet. The portions of chicken were generous but only 2 waffle halves. I couldn't finish it and I shared some of. The texture of the waffles wasn't what I expected either - they were not light and fluffy and difficult to cut with my fork and knife. The peanuts sprinkled on top were excessive and one small piece tasted rancid (the rest were fine). For the chicken and waffles It all depends what flavored you're expecting. I wasn't expecting sweet atop sweet. I also tried the sliced beef appetizer. Very generous portion but as the description says, you just get a lot of thinly sliced beef (cold dish). And if that's all you order, you get sick of it quite quickly. The pork main dish with the German cheese pasta was okay my friend said. She was also full from snacking before the Resto. She couldn't finish if. The curry cauliflower was yummy & nice and hot. Don't go alone or even with 2 people as the real enjoyment will be going with at least 4 people and ordering 2 of the larger apps and only 2 main dishes only. I can't explain it, I just got sick of eating the one thing very quickly. The waffle in the dessert is better as it is made with cornmeal so was a much nicer texture. Service was good, our waiter came by often and only needed a few cues to bring us additional bottles of water. It was busy and we were a large party, so they explained our food would come out as it was ready which was fine with us. The really nice thing about this place is that they do individual bills or shared bills (e.g. If 3 people shared something they can be on the same bill). AND they don't charge automatic gratuity (yet) on tables larger than 8! That was great! My total bill came to about $30 (no alcohol) plus tax and tip. So almost $40/ person for 1 app and 1 main which isn't bad for the location. Would I recommend to a friend? Unlikely unless they really enjoy Asian fusion and are going with a group with no dietary restrictions and are willing to share, etc... Would I go back? No, too many other restaurants to try ;) read more
Take note that most of these dishes are tapa styles, meaning the portions are smaller. I really, really wanted to like this place as Eric was my favourite on Master Chef Canada, but my expectation felt short. The menu is definitely unique, but it was too overhyped and the majority of dishes didn't deliver. Also, the pricing is higher compared to other restaurants in the area, so I expected the quality of food to be reflect the premium paid. The service and ambience was nice, but I would suggest R&D as a restaurant for late-night snacks and drinks, as for dinner you might leave with a high bill and an ok-full stomach. -Pina De Nada $7: tasted a bit watery, not much flavour going on. The tapiocas were stale and had no flavour, I think it would have been nice if they were soaked in syrup, giving it a little sweet taste. -Lychee Cactus Pear Juice $6: I couldn't taste the cactus nor pear flavour, and this drink reminded me of the Lychee Aloe drink that you can buy at Asian grocery stores. -CSB (BBQ pork buns) $8: instead of the steamed CSB, these were baked. This CSB has a perfectly crispy pastry encasing the delicious and tender BBQ pork. My complaint is that my server served the last fresh batch of the buns to the table next to me, whom ordered after. Also, I didn't know these took 1 hour to be made so she should have let me know in advance. Don't tell me it will take 10-20minutes when it supposed to take 1 hour. In the end I waited 2 HOURS for the CSB.... Although these were delicious, it was $8 for only 2 buns... If they were cheaper, I would have definitely come back just for these. -grandpa's fun guo $9: Really good, the fillings were seasoned nicely with a hint of earthiness from the truffles. -octopus $16: octopus pieces were grilled to perfection and wonderfully soft. The asian take on the chimichurri sauce was really good as well! It was refreshing and tangy with a hint of citrus, which brighten up the dish. By the way, I swear baked chicken skin is the new "bacon", you can just eat it on its own as a snack. While the octopus has little flavour, paired with the salty chicken skin and the chimichurri, it was just plain amazing. I normally don't like eggplant and for some reason I enjoyed it with this dish! The texture was almost like a mash, provided a hint of bitterness with all the components of the dish. -beef tongue $16:I didn't enjoy this dish. For me the oysters and beef tongue didn't go well together and this dish lacked flavors. Albeit it is a bit spicy and the pickles were amazing, but the beef tongue were too dry and there wasn't enough sauce to rescue it. -ceviche $18: I really like ceviche, but this dish didn't have that bright and refreshing taste of a ceviche. There was too much vinegar and the sauce was too creamy to enjoy. -salmon belly $18: The salmon was really tender and flavorful, with a slight crispy skin. The rice was undercooked and cold, not warm, just stone cold... But the sauce was a bit sweet and not too salty, almost like a teriyaki sauce? -crispy smoked milk $8: didn't enjoy it. I understand since it is smoked milk, you will definitely taste...the smoke... if you know what I mean. The smoke "scent" or "taste" was really strong that it lingers in my mouth in an unpleasant way, which gave the pastry a very bitter taste. In my opinion, if the chef used apple or other type of woods, it would have been better. The smoke will be more light and delicate, which wouldn't have overpowered the dish. The malted ice-cream and lemon zest left a refreshing aftertaste and helped to balance that bitter taste of the smoked milk. read more
Having read the earlier reviews, I did not walk in with high hopes. I guess that's probably why I am giving 3 stars instead of something lower. The CSB (bbq pork buns) are great. The pork filling is wrapped in a pineapple bun like shell. Crispy and flakey on the outside, savoury and tender on the inside. This explains why we got two orders. Grandpa's dumplings were above average. I hate to do comparisons with other types of restuarants, but honestly, you could get better tasting (and value) at your local dim sum shop. The fried chicken and cronut was average. The fried chicken was mediocre and the cronut wasn't anything special. There was no complexity of flavors. Just an overall bland greasy or sugary taste. I knew from reading the earlier reviews, we should have stayed away from the seafood chow mein. But alas, we ordered it to see for ourselves. I really have no problem paying higher prices for good food. But the premise is "good" food. The noodles here did not taste fresh. The noodles felt like they were pre-chilled supermarket noodles. The dish had a spicy taste throughout. It was an easy method to overcompensate for the fact that this dish has no other layers of flavour. The service was on par with other places at similar price points. There was a selection of local craft brews. It is a convenient location on spadina. Overall, I guess there will always be places where the hype is bigger than what they can actually deliver. The CSBs were good, but not good enough to even out the score. read more
Finally got to try R&D, opened by Master Chef Canada winner Eric Chong and judge Alvin Leung under the O&B umbrella, and overall it was OK. The concepts and ideas were great, but flavours and execution were below expectations. If you come before 7pm, they have $7 cocktails and beer. Their cocktails were actually quite good, with 1.5oz to 2oz of liquor in each. We ordered the Yokozuna gin and tonic, barrio Chino, and a lager that was one tap. All were delicious and refreshing on a hot summer evening! Now the food. We came for the summer 2018 summerlicious menu for $28 per person: HADDOCK MOUSSE 2/5 not the greatest but not the worst. I'm all for mousse but this was a little odd tasting. Texture was nice and fluffy, but would have preferred pieces of poached haddock. KALBI TOSTADA 4/5 this had really good flavours. As others mention, the kalbi was pork, but that didn't detract from the taste. The gauc was really good and a nice cilantro punch JOLMYEON (vegetarian) 3/5 pretty good. Spicey and reminiscent of the Korean bibimbap except with glass noodles. Pretty underwhelming though. BRAISED BEEF LO MEIN 2/5 beef was not moist or tender, felt like the beef had been sitting in a warming tray for a while. It really should have been CHOW MEIN instead. Frying those noodles would had made this dish way better. Flavour was meh. RED BEAN PANNA COTTA 1/5 no red bean flavour at all. The panna cotta had the grainy texture of the red beans but lacked any flavour. The ginger cookie pieces overpowered the dish. Good idea, really poorly executed. KOREAN PANCAKE (vegetarian) 4/5 probably the best dish of the meal. Warm crispy pancakes with a red bean paste inside served with ice cream and strawberry sauce. This was yummy and well done. Overall, would I come back? Maybe in a year or two to see if the food became more refined (assuming it's still around) Would I recommended this place? Probably not...it would come up in conversation but it would also include the criticisms of the food. Service was ok but nothing to brag home about. R&D has lots of potential but it just isn't quite there yet. But I do think Eric has a long career and runway ahead of him as well. Cheers. read more
Overall pleasant dining experience but if you go in with high expectations of the food, you'll probably be disappointed. The pluses are attentive service, nice atmosphere and sometimes the owners are around too for the MasterChef. They also have a good amount of beers on taps especially for those who like IPAs. The CSBs were definitely the highlight! The buns were crispy and flakey and the overall sweet and savoury dynamic worked well. The cronuts and chicken were also worth mentioning. The seafood chow mein was mediocre at best, it was a tad too spicy and there wasn't much other flavour besides that. The fun guos were also subpar, any proper dimsum restaurant would probably do a better job. read more
11 years ago
We went on a Friday night and were seated at the bar because we didn't make a reservation. The atmosphere in the restaurant was quiet and the interior design was very modern. The staff was very friendly and gave us good recommendations. We tried the pork belly bao, the tacos, soft shell crab bibimbap and the steak with cheese hollandaise sauce. I would definitely recommend these items and I look forward to trying this restaurant again! read more
This restaurant is quite easy to walk past without noticing it because of the minimal signage. It's also gotten some terrible reviews in the past, but it really do this place justice. I came here on a Friday evening around 7pm with a couple of friends and it was relatively empty, but we still made reservations just in case. The decor is quirky and modern, infused with Chinese symbols throughout. The food was phenomenal. The dishes here are suited for sharing so come with a couple of people and split the dishes. My friends and I decided to get our own dishes, but ideally I would've like to try some more dishes by sharing. We all got the CSB, which came piping hot and absolutely melt in your mouth delicious. Similar to the baked char siu buns you would find at dim sum restaurants, but theirs has a nice crumble topping like a pineapple bun that is probably loaded with fat and sugar. I also got the cauliflower curry, while the serving size was small, it was not lacking in flavour. It tasted light and the cauliflower was cooked perfectly. I also tried a bit of my friend's octopus which was super tender and very flavourful. Don't let the bad reviews discourage you from visiting this place. It's definitely worth a try! read more
7 years ago
DON'T go here for Winterlicious! I went with my girlfriend yesterday, and had an absolutely terrible experience. For appetizers, I went with the pork belly, and she got the HK street food. The bork pelly was mediocre (something I could easily get anywhere in chinatown, not an appetizer for the price I was paying), but the street food was abysmal; a terrible, gelatinous texture in a brown slimy sauce. Our main course was poke bowl. Again, no complaints, its just something I could have gotten elsewhere for $11; tuna, avacado, rice, etc. The horror came when we ordered dessert. I've attached an image of the absolutely disgusting "Pandan Cheesecake"; served in a plastic cup, looking and TASTING like toothpaste, smelling like cheap icing, it was an atrocious end to a mediocre meal. I couldn't believe how a chef could put something so cheap and unappetizing together. The total came to $75 for the kind of food you can get far better elsewhere in chinatown for $20, and a dessert you can recreate by eating a pint of toothpaste. Please, if you're looking for a good time during Winterlicious, do not go here. read more
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