If you’ve travelled the world and are drawn to the stories about the food and culture, then AYLA should be your next foodie adventure right here in Toronto. This quaint new downtown restaurant located above Patois, the cherished restaurant by Chef Craig Wong and his wife Ivy Lam, will take you on a culinary journey. Here you will find Hong Kong heritage classics reinvented with a very exciting global lens.
The driving force for this menu is the dynamic husband-and-wife duo, Executive Chefs Danvee Kwok and Kevin Shawcross who both have travelled and worked in restaurants extensively around the world. But this newest collaboration with Craig and Ivy is considered a homecoming and welcomed with open hearts and open arms.
The dishes are more than “just a twist”. They are created with intent and purpose. We actually had a teaser taste last summer when hints were dropped at a celebratory event at Patois. Patiently we waited for the announcement and it was worth the wait. AYLA has reawakened our curiosity and love for dining out. Expect the unexpected. Truly.
“Nowhere else in the world, not LA or New York, would this work. Toronto is not as separated and we feel we can have more fun with dishes here”, said Kevin.
AYLA, meaning “halo of light around the moon”, was inspired by their serendipitous friendship that began on Moon Street in Hong Kong’s Wan Chai district. It was there that Kevin and Craig had their first pop-up collaboration and that’s when the wheels started turning, what was the next move?
Chefs Kevin and Danvee have both worked in restaurants on various islands, countries and continents. Having led kitchens in Vancouver, Japan, Hong Kong and Barbados, they have a deep understanding, love, and respect for traditions and culinary techniques. Between their personal and professional experiences combined, they have something truly unique to offer.
AYLA is bold, innovative, exciting, unexpected and intimate. Each dish feels familiar, yet one bite of anything on the menu, and it will tell you otherwise. It’s like someone had taken the best parts and then made them very personal. Each dish feels as though it has a story to tell and inspires storytelling among diners.
It’s not just about the food. If you feel like you’ve stepped into a Wong Kar-wai film set here, you’re not the only one. AYLA is also a feast for the eyes and the details are worth exploring. The restaurant itself is intimate, warm and full of curiosity. AYLA has a nostalgic Hong Kong’s Golden Era vibe from the moment you step through the doors. From traditional “Yut Lik” calendars to vintage ads and clay pots — it all reminds me of treasures that I’d find at my PoPo’s (grandmother’s) home.
Here are some of the stand-out dishes with global flavours we’ve tried already …
ALYA’s take on a favourite go-to dish Char Siu (barbecue pork) will definitely be on repeat. This stand-out and hearty pork dish comes to the table plumb and juicy over a surprising Bajan green sauce and a glistening cassareep glaze. A fun twist that really showcases the intersection of cultures and cuisines!
Cha Chan Teng Risotto is inspired by the comforts of the popular Hong Kong style borscht soup. “Cha Chan Teng is Hong Kong’s version of a diner where you can get a cheap and cheerful meal. At many of these diners, you would usually get for free is this Hong Kong style borscht soup”, said Chef Kevin. Ahhh, yes! But unlike the European borscht soup, this one at AYLA is tomato-based although they did add a few beets over top. The chefs here also made their version with an oxtail gravy to give it a richness in flavours.
The Wagyu Steak Tartare Cheung Fun with an umami vinaigrette is an exciting twist to the popular dim sum dish. Chef Kevin tells us it’s his favourite dish but being born and raised in Alberta he showcases this with his love for beef wrapped in rice-based rolls alongside fresh herbs.
Drunken Sablefish was another favourite at our dinner table. The delicate sweetness of the brown sugar is balanced by pickled shimeji and shiitake mushrooms.
A smooth, and exquisite, Mentaiko Tarama is topped with wild ikura (salmon roe) is served with warm toasted sourdough and you’ll want to scoop up every savoury shmear and leave nothing behind. My mind immediately thought of the popular Greek dish “taramasalata”…but also discovered that Tarama is also known as “the most beautiful village in Japan” and the only village in the Okinawa Prefecture. I’ll be back to ask the chefs more about the story here!
You may think salads are boring but we were completely taken by surprise by the delicious flavours of their Chrysanthemum Caesar. The leaves of the chrysanthemum along with red watercress and topped with puffed buckwheat tossed with pecorino, sesame, and miso made this salad far from ordinary.
For dessert, we really enjoyed the HK Egg Custard — a very pretty and not-too-sweet finish with so many favourite elements including mango bits, sago, pomelo and sesame brittle.
AYLA (794 Dundas Street West, upstairs) is for the curious and food adventure seekers who want something that excites and surprises. Its intimate, warm and inviting dining room is officially open now for your flavourful exploration.
Website: www.aylaupstairs.com
