A new Asian restaurant has opened up in the Yorkville area, on Yonge, just north of Bloor. Called Lee Chen Asian Diner, the restaurant sounds very casual, more like a Hong Kong cha chaan teng than a one that serves Shanghainese dumplings. It is in fact more like a combination of the two. While you are not going to find dishes like pork and tomato baked rice or egg custard tarts, you will find modern Asian drinks like bubble tea. Also on the menu are favourites like siao long bao (steamed, pork filled soup dumplings) and green onion pancakes.
Soup dumplings (siao long bao)
Once seated, diners are handed a traditional menu as well as one that resembles a dim sum slip. The standard menu lists the exact same items as the slip, but with a description of the dish, to make it easier for people to pick what they want. This is the kind of restaurant where one can fill up on just dumplings and no mains. The siao long bao is well steamed and juicy. And unlike many restaurants, it didn’t leak too much soup when opened, therefore not burning one’s mouth. The vegetarian dumplings, which are filled with chopped bok choy and tofu, were no different. The green onion pancake, however, could have been a little crispier. Most interesting on the menu are beef spring rolls – something one doesn’t see all the time!
Green onion pancakes (chong yao beng)
While the restaurant calls itself an “Asian diner,” the food is, for the most part, Chinese, though some Thai and Japanese fare are also served. It’s also a breath of fresh air from compared to the other “pan-Asian” places in the area (many of which disguise themselves as “Thai”), which serve more Cantonese style items. Portion size is also slightly smaller than the Shanghainese style restaurants found in Scarborough, Markham or old Chinatown – not only are the dumplings more compact, but there are six pieces per order rather than eight. Great for people who want to try many different items. A dinner for two consisting mostly of dumplings/dim sum runs about $45-50, including tax and tip.
Lee Chen Asian Diner is located on 832 Yonge Street, just north of Bloor. Phone: 416-901-8869.
