Sunny’s Chinese is launching two new ventures, this time brick-and-mortar destinations
Sunny’s Chinese Shaanxi-Inspired Menu April 2021: Lamb Ribs, Charred Cabbage, Fresh Belt Noodle, Smacked Cucumber Salad, Beef and Chive Dumpling, Steamed Jasmine Rice. Photo by Stephanie Dickison | Toronto Restaurants.
🕒 5 min read
Pop-ups and ghost kitchens dominated the industry throughout the pandemic, but one outfit immediately stood out from the crowd for its authenticity, transparency, and polished execution.
Sunny’s Chinese by chefs David Schwartz, Braden Chong, and Keith Siu was always meant to be a full-on restaurant. Curtailed by the global crisis, the pop-up iteration offering carefully curated menus featuring Chinese regional dishes launched in November.
The undertaking could have resulted, like many other chef-driven projects during this time, in a reasonably successful endeavour. Instead, the talented trio created such exquisite fare, it didn’t matter if you were eating it on a paper plate in your bathrobe on the couch, the result: a fine dining experience start-to-finish, boasting dishes punctuated with bold, elevated flavours and mesmerizing textures. An experience that was also remarkable as it was available exclusively to select newsletter subscribers for preorder pickup at Avenue Road and Davenport, and required heating (instructions were provided) unless you lived nearby.
All this, paired with deeply researched notes about the influence of other cultures on the region and its food, and history and geography of the region you were about to get a taste of (included on Instagram and a richly illustrated hard copy information card tucked in with the fastidiously packed to-go containers), led to menus selling out within minutes. At first, it was more of an industry “if-you-know-you-know” secret, before exploding in popularity - currently at 13.5k followers on Instagram, with a staggering amount of newsletter subscribers vying for a shot at the city’s best takeout.
The nondescript spot for Sunny’s Chinese pop-up pre-order pickup: a parking lot on Davenport. The new location is just as inconspicuous. Photo by Stephanie Dickison | Toronto Restaurants.
These days, you only have to utter ‘fresh belt noodle,’ ‘smacked cucumber salad,’ or ‘charred cabbage,’ and the majority of local food obsessives know who you’re talking about. Now when a menu drops, it’s not only a frenzy to get your order in, it’s a status symbol - you’re one of the chosen few to line up in the nondescript parking lot for your meal - one that is further solidified with a post (or six) on Insta.
Thus, the level of excitement and anticipation of not only one, but two new ventures, this time brick-and-mortar endeavours from the Toronto-based regional Chinese restaurant, is palpable.
COMING SOON
Sunny’s Chinese Kensington
60 Kensington Ave.
The exceptional takeout operation has been put on hold to focus on setting up in an equally inconspicuous location: In Kensington Market where Cold Tea, one of the city’s top bars, reigned for a decade.
The new digs, set to launch Spring 2022, will put the spotlight on wok and charcoal-grilled fare, with tipples by way of natural wines and beer slushies.
MIMI Chinese Restaurant
265 Davenport Rd.
The project, in the works for two-and-a-half years, while remaining focused on regional Chinese cuisine, this time round will concentrate on southern Chinese ingredients and dishes, alongside an array of hand-selected wine, sake, and cocktails.
MIMI Chinese is also taking over a former destination: the ground level of 265 Davenport where chef Massimo Capra’s Mistura debuted in 1997, white tablecloths and all, before shuttering in late 2019. Fun fact: Sunny’s has been operating the pop-up out of the Mistura kitchen since last year.
Previously, the only way to secure a Sunny’s Chinese order: subscribe to the newsletter and place your order the second the menu dropped. Photo by Stephanie Dickison | Toronto Restaurants.
The company started out small – three chefs, with a few folks in front and back of house – but like its throng of fans, has since grown. Executive chef David Schwartz, executive sous chef Braden Chong, senior sous chef Joseph Ysmael, junior sous chef Keith Siu, and Peter Nguyen and Michael Ovejas make up the kitchen team. Newly appointed GM Anthony Yeung and Mica White (who was the entire front of house during the pop-up) are also joining the service team at MIMI Chinese.
*****
Psst. Reservations for MIMI Chinese open in the next two weeks. The best way to stay in the know? Follow @mimichinese, @sunnyschinese, and keep your eyes locked on Toronto Restaurants iconic OPEN/CLOSED, the most comprehensive resource of restaurant openings, news and events in the GTA.
Get to know Bradon Chong of Sunny’s Chinese and Junzhe (Eddie) Ling of MIMI Chinese Restaurant in the acclaimed chef series, At The Pass.
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