Chef Nick Liu in the kitchen (Image: Gizelle Lau)
It’s been almost a year since we first told you about GwaiLo, a new restaurant from chef Nick Liu (Niagara Street Café) and Christina Kuypers (Splendido) that’s been perpetually “coming soon.” Since an initial preview dinner back in March, the pair have been appearing around the city at events like the Banana Mafia dinner and Soupstock, and have now landed at the Soho Metropolitan’ s Senses restaurant for a month-long pop-up engagement. We went for a preview dinner yesterday to see what you can expect.
From now until November 24, on Thursdays through Saturdays, the GwaiLo Pop-Up will be operating out of a specially decked out space in Senses, complete with lucky cats and a fresh new dragon mural. The $75 six-course tasting menu, featuring Liu’s modern Asian cuisine, will change each week, and be accompanied by an additional wine and cocktail pairing option for about $45. On Sundays, Kuypers will be hosting “Sunday School” in the pop-up space with cocktail seminars for industry folk and general booze-lovers alike. To finish the month-long residency with a bang, GwaiLo and other young Asian chefs in the city (the aforementioned Banana Mafia)—along with some NYC chefs—will be throwing one last party as a fundraiser for The Stop. And what of GwaiLo’s never-quite-ready-for-prime-time restaurant? Liu and Kuypers are crossing their fingers for a February 2013 launch, just in time for Chinese New Year.
174995 (Image: Gizelle Lau) GwaiLo pop-up at Senses GwaiLo pop-up at Senses https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp01-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp01.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/gwailo-senses-pop-up/slide/nov12gwailopopup01/ nov12gwailopopup01 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
175005 Shochu Poached Pear with peking duck brittle, elderberries and star anise chantilly (Image: Gizelle Lau) GwaiLo pop-up at Senses GwaiLo pop-up at Senses https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp11.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/gwailo-senses-pop-up/slide/nov12gwailopopup11/ nov12gwailopopup11 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
175004 Ginger Consommé with fennel gelée, goji berry and mint oil (Image: Gizelle Lau) GwaiLo pop-up at Senses GwaiLo pop-up at Senses https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp10.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/gwailo-senses-pop-up/slide/nov12gwailopopup10/ nov12gwailopopup10 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
175003 Braised Korean short rib with kimchi pommes purée, asian pear barbecue sauce and panko egg yolk (Image: Gizelle Lau) GwaiLo pop-up at Senses GwaiLo pop-up at Senses https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp09-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp09.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/gwailo-senses-pop-up/slide/nov12gwailopopup09/ nov12gwailopopup09 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
175002 Seared scallop with smoked cherry tomato, honey mushrooms, pickled carrots, basil and tom yum beurre blanc (Image: Gizelle Lau) GwaiLo pop-up at Senses GwaiLo pop-up at Senses https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp08-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp08.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/gwailo-senses-pop-up/slide/nov12gwailopopup08/ nov12gwailopopup08 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
174994 Chef Nick Liu in the kitchen (Image: Gizelle Lau) GwaiLo pop-up at Senses GwaiLo pop-up at Senses https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp_intro-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp_intro.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp_intro.jpg 656 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/gwailo-senses-pop-up/slide/nov12gwailopopup_intro/ nov12gwailopopup_intro 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
175001 Japanese Bolognese: beef tataki, handmade soba noodles, tomato consommé, parmigiano reggiano, mushroom crisp, basil and truffle pearls (Image: Gizelle Lau) GwaiLo pop-up at Senses GwaiLo pop-up at Senses https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp07-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp07.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/gwailo-senses-pop-up/slide/nov12gwailopopup07/ nov12gwailopopup07 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
175000 General Tso’s Sweetbreads with jellyfish slaw, scallion, chili and coriander (Image: Gizelle Lau) GwaiLo pop-up at Senses GwaiLo pop-up at Senses https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp06-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp06.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/gwailo-senses-pop-up/slide/nov12gwailopopup06/ nov12gwailopopup06 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
174999 Korean shrimp salad and fried green tomato on an iceberg lettuce wrap (Image: Gizelle Lau) GwaiLo pop-up at Senses GwaiLo pop-up at Senses https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp05-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp05.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/gwailo-senses-pop-up/slide/nov12gwailopopup05/ nov12gwailopopup05 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
174998 Inside the takeout box (Image: Gizelle Lau) GwaiLo pop-up at Senses GwaiLo pop-up at Senses https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp04-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp04.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/gwailo-senses-pop-up/slide/nov12gwailopopup04/ nov12gwailopopup04 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
174997 (Image: Gizelle Lau) GwaiLo pop-up at Senses GwaiLo pop-up at Senses https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp03-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp03.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/gwailo-senses-pop-up/slide/nov12gwailopopup03/ nov12gwailopopup03 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
174996 A new dragon mural, by Jeff Blackburn and Amos Danniels of Sight 1, adorns the pop-up area at Senses (Image: Gizelle Lau) GwaiLo pop-up at Senses GwaiLo pop-up at Senses https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp02-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nov12GwailoPopUp02.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/gwailo-senses-pop-up/slide/nov12gwailopopup02/ nov12gwailopopup02 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
GwaiLo Pop-Up at Senses, Soho Metropolitan Hotel, 318 Wellington St. W., 416-489-8922, gwailo.ca, @gwailotoronto
Congratulations Nick! Can’t wait to come in for dinner!
it was delicious
I *heart* Nick Liu
Oh wow! Those dishes look amazing!
Same menu each week?
some perspective please, I’m now a bored reader.
.