Nick Liu leaves Niagara Street Café to open an Asian brasserie

After manning the stoves at Niagara Street Café for three years, Nick Liu, who won acclaim for his ever-changing menus and creative takes on Asian ingredients, has left to open his own place. As Eric Vellend reported on Winefox, Liu’s last night at the cozy King West restaurant was on New Year’s Eve, where he served a six-course tasting menu featuring some of his greatest hits from 2011. Liu tells us that during his stint at Niagara Street, his first as an executive chef, he “learned to be a more creative and resourceful chef.” Next up for him, an “Asian brasserie” concept he’s developing with his partners, slated to open later this year. “I’m using new techniques and adapting classic dishes,” he told us. “Y’know—shit my dad made.”