Introducing: DaiLo (formerly GwaiLo), Nick Liu’s long-awaited “Asian brasserie”
Click to view gallery (Image: Renée Suen)
Name: DaiLo
Contact Info: 503 College St., dailoto.com , @DaiLoTO
Previously: Grace bistro, which ended its six-year run last February
Neighbourhood: Little Italy
Owners: Nick Liu, Anton Potvin, and husband-and-wife team David Dattels and Jen Grant
Chef: Former Niagara Street Café chef Nick Liu, who’s been planning this restaurant for years
The Food: This is the latest Toronto restaurant to combine two culinary concepts in a single space. The ground floor is DaiLo, a sit-down restaurant with a full dinner menu. The second storey houses LoPan, a more casual snack bar. On the debut menu, Liu takes the kind of food he grew up with—mainly Chinese cuisine from the Hakka region—and reinterprets it using French techniques (and, in some cases, a hefty dose of irreverence). Some recipes stick fairly close to tradition, like the intricately folded pork-and-shrimp dumplings, which are served with house XO sauce. Others, like Liu’s much-anticipated “Big Mac bao,” are brazenly inauthentic.
The Drinks: The wine list, designed by lauded sommelier (and DaiLo co-owner) Anton Potvin, includes several kinds of sake, including Toronto’s own Izumi, which is available on tap. The short list of cocktails is perfectly on-theme: it includes a lemongrass gimlet (the “Tom Yum Booze”) and a riff on the dark and stormy laced with Chinese five spice.
The Place: Grace’s elegant bistro decor has been replaced with lots of teal leather and playful chinoiserie (Chinese lanterns; gold pagodas stamped on the walls). Old black-and-white photos of Liu’s family decorate the downstairs bar.
285690 The restaurant is divided into two spaces: a downstairs restaurant called <strong>DaiLo</strong> and an upstairs snack bar called <strong>LoPan.</strong> (Directly translated, <em>dailo</em> is Cantonese for “big brother.” Lopan is the name the villain in the 1986 movie <em>Big Trouble in Little China</em>) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: DaiLo https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-01-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dailo-toronto-restaurants/slide/dailo-toronto-restaurant-01/ dailo-toronto-restaurant-01 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
285691 DaiLo and LoPan are located in the former <strong>Grace</strong> space at 503 College Street, next door to <strong>La Carnita</strong> https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-02-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-02.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dailo-toronto-restaurants/slide/dailo-toronto-restaurant-02/ dailo-toronto-restaurant-02 0 0
285703 DaiLo, the downstairs bar and restaurant, was originally going to be called <strong>GwaiLo.</strong> (<em>Gwai lo</em> is Cantonese slang for "foreigner") https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-14-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-14.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dailo-toronto-restaurants/slide/dailo-toronto-restaurant-14/ dailo-toronto-restaurant-14 0 0
285702 Toronto firm <strong>Solid Design & Build</strong> decorated the space with teal booths, gold flourishes and lots of playful chinoiserie https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-13-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-13.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dailo-toronto-restaurants/slide/dailo-toronto-restaurant-13/ dailo-toronto-restaurant-13 0 0
285705 The hand-painted murals were inspired by <em>guohau,</em> traditional Chinese national paintings https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-16-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-16.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-16.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dailo-toronto-restaurants/slide/dailo-toronto-restaurant-16/ dailo-toronto-restaurant-16 0 0
285706 Egg net salad with green papaya, pomelo, bean sprouts and coconut caramel dressing ($12) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-17-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-17.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-17.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dailo-toronto-restaurants/slide/dailo-toronto-restaurant-17/ dailo-toronto-restaurant-17 0 0
285707 Smoked trout with peanut sauce, served on a betel leaf ($4) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-18-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-18.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-18.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dailo-toronto-restaurants/slide/dailo-toronto-restaurant-18/ dailo-toronto-restaurant-18 0 0
285835 Octopus fresh roll with braised pork and sambal mayo ($13) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Renee-Suen-TL-2014-DaiLo-51-OCTOPUS-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Renee-Suen-TL-2014-DaiLo-51-OCTOPUS.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Renee-Suen-TL-2014-DaiLo-51-OCTOPUS.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dailo-toronto-restaurants/slide/renee-suen-tl-2014-dailo-51-octopus/ renee-suen-tl-2014-dailo-51-octopus 0 0
285836 Sweet-and-sour pock hock with fried shallots and garlic. Photographed here with jellyfish slaw ($13) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Renee-Suen-TL-2014-DaiLo-54-HOCK-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Renee-Suen-TL-2014-DaiLo-54-HOCK.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Renee-Suen-TL-2014-DaiLo-54-HOCK.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dailo-toronto-restaurants/slide/renee-suen-tl-2014-dailo-54-hock/ renee-suen-tl-2014-dailo-54-hock 0 0
285783 Whole fried trout with green curry aioli and soy glaze ($30) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Renee-Suen-TL-2014-DaiLo-56-TROUT-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Renee-Suen-TL-2014-DaiLo-56-TROUT.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Renee-Suen-TL-2014-DaiLo-56-TROUT.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dailo-toronto-restaurants/slide/renee-suen-tl-2014-dailo-56-trout/ renee-suen-tl-2014-dailo-56-trout 0 0
285709 Singapore curry cauliflower with purple potatoes, garlic scapes and raisins ($18) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-20-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-20.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-20.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dailo-toronto-restaurants/slide/dailo-toronto-restaurant-20/ dailo-toronto-restaurant-20 0 0
285692 LoPan, located on the second floor, is a snack bar. The menu currently includes six cocktails and six dim sum–inspired snacks priced between $4 and $9 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-03-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-03.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dailo-toronto-restaurants/slide/dailo-toronto-restaurant-03/ dailo-toronto-restaurant-03 0 0
285712 Shrimp-and-pork dumplings with house XO sauce ($9) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-23-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-23.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-23.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dailo-toronto-restaurants/slide/dailo-toronto-restaurant-23/ dailo-toronto-restaurant-23 0 0
285713 Liu’s Big Mac bao combines pork, beef, pickles and special sauce in yeasty pocket ($5) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-24-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-24.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-24.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dailo-toronto-restaurants/slide/dailo-toronto-restaurant-24/ dailo-toronto-restaurant-24 0 0
285711 Pastrami spring rolls with Asian slaw, pickles and yellow-mustard aioli ($4) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-22-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-22.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-22.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dailo-toronto-restaurants/slide/dailo-toronto-restaurant-22/ dailo-toronto-restaurant-22 0 0
285697 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-08-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-08.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dailo-toronto-restaurants/slide/dailo-toronto-restaurant-08/ dailo-toronto-restaurant-08 0 0
285694 The Dr. No blends shochu, Asian pear and jasmine ($14) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-05-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dailo-toronto-restaurants/slide/dailo-toronto-restaurant-05/ dailo-toronto-restaurant-05 0 0
285698 The Tom Yum Booze is a gin-based cocktail flavoured with lemongrass, kaffir lime, chili and galangal ($14) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-09-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dailo-toronto-restaurants/slide/dailo-toronto-restaurant-09/ dailo-toronto-restaurant-09 0 0
285708 Co-owner and chef <strong>Nick Liu</strong> https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-19-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-19.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dailo-toronto-restaurant-19.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dailo-toronto-restaurants/slide/dailo-toronto-restaurant-19/ dailo-toronto-restaurant-19 0 0
Hakka are a subset of Chinese people, not a region. This article also doesn’t answer the most interesting question — was there pressure for them to drop the Gwei Lo name? My Cantonese friends joked around with that word with whiteys like me for years, but it’s considered a nasty racial term by some. Shame in a way, it’s a very Canadian word and great name for a restaurant
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