Where Daan Go’s Christopher Siu gets Hong Kong-style pork chop rice, bánh xèo and chirashizushi
We’re asking Toronto chefs and restaurateurs which takeout dishes have been getting them through the pandemic
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Christopher Siu came into the limelight for his exceptional baking skills when he first appeared on the second season of MasterChef Canada. He then left behind his life as a pharmacist to pursue his dream of being a pastry chef, opening his first bakery in 2017. Inspired by his travels through Asia, Siu’s whimsical desserts include the Tira-Meow-Su and his signature 3:15 that pairs Hong Kong milk tea mousse with Ovaltine pineapple bun crumb crunch and vanilla chiffon.
Last year was a busy one for Siu. He beefed up Daan Go’s delivery options, renovated the Scarborough storefront to permit social distancing and modified his recipes so that his products would travel better. He also has plans to expand to Mississauga by May and Richmond Hill in the fall. But that’s not all: Siu is returning to compete on MasterChef Canada Season 7: Back to Win with other MasterChef alumni. (The episode airs on Valentine’s Day on CTV.)
When he’s not busy creating edible works of art or participating in cooking challenges, Siu and his fiancée, Angela, can be found enjoying takeout from some of their favourite restaurants.
Anh Dao Restaurant
383 Spadina Ave., 416-598-4514, anh-dao-restaurant.business.site
“This is our favourite restaurant and we’ve been going ever since we started dating during undergrad. Angela used to go with her family, so she was actually the one who introduced it to me. I love the quality and value of product that they serve.”
Go-to item 1: Món dặc biệt–nem nướng (specialty rice rolls with pork sausages)
Tasting notes: “The garlicky-sweet house-made nem nướng is wrapped with the scallion oil, bean noodles, fresh herbs and peanuts. They are to die for. I love the different textures, flavour and freshness of the herbs. Best of all, it’s not a super heavy dish.”
Go-to item 2: Bánh xèo (Vietnamese sizzling crepe) with shrimp and pork
Tasting notes: “These are super crispy and filled with fatty pork, shrimp and beansprouts. They have the perfect chewy-crunchy texture. It reminds me of the delicious bánh xèo from Ho Chi Minh.”
ND Sushi and Grill
370 College St., 416-546-1002, facebook.com/ndsushiandgrill
“This was where Angela and I had our first date. The rice is cooked perfectly so that the grains don’t stick and have just the right bite. I love that they slice the sashimi thicker than usual so you can really enjoy the texture of the fish as well.”
Go-to item 1: Chirashi sushi combo
Tasting notes: “For me, nothing beats a fresh piece of fish on top of well-made sushi rice. The intense flavour of the fish paired with the perfect chew and grain of the rice is super satisfying.”
Chloe’s Garden Restaurant
3621 Hwy. 7, Markham, 905-604-4770, chloesgardenrestaurant.com
“This is my current favourite cha chaan teng or Hong Kong–style café.”
Go-to item 1: Hong Kong–style baked pork chop rice
Tasting notes: “This has been my favourite thing to eat since I was a child. So ordering this has a lot to do with nostalgia, but this restaurant also makes it particularly well. The pork is decently marbled which makes for a great bite between its crispy exterior and tender meat. Most importantly, the fried rice has the proper chewy consistency reminiscent of using day-old rice. I always pair this dish with a Hong Kong milk tea.”
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Christopher Siu came into the limelight for his exceptional baking skills when he first appeared on the second season of MasterChef Canada. He then left behind his life as a pharmacist to pursue his dream of being a pastry chef, opening his first bakery in 2017. Inspired by his travels through Asia, Siu’s whimsical desserts include the Tira-Meow-Su and his signature 3:15 that pairs Hong Kong milk tea mousse with Ovaltine pineapple bun crumb crunch and vanilla chiffon.
Last year was a busy one for Siu. He beefed up Daan Go's delivery options, renovated the Scarborough storefront to permit social distancing and modified his recipes so that his products would travel better. He also has plans to expand to Mississauga by May and Richmond Hill in the fall. But that’s not all: Siu is returning to compete on MasterChef Canada Season 7: Back to Win with other MasterChef alumni. (The episode airs on Valentine's Day on CTV.)
When he’s not busy creating edible works of art or participating in cooking challenges, Siu and his fiancée, Angela, can be found enjoying takeout from some of their favourite restaurants.
Anh Dao Restaurant
383 Spadina Ave., 416-598-4514, anh-dao-restaurant.business.site
“This is our favourite restaurant and we've been going ever since we started dating during undergrad. Angela used to go with her family, so she was actually the one who introduced it to me. I love the quality and value of product that they serve.”
Go-to item 1: Món dặc biệt–nem nướng (specialty rice rolls with pork sausages)
Tasting notes: “The garlicky-sweet house-made nem nướng is wrapped with the scallion oil, bean noodles, fresh herbs and peanuts. They are to die for. I love the different textures, flavour and freshness of the herbs. Best of all, it’s not a super heavy dish.”
View this post on Instagram A post shared by @runningyogette
Go-to item 2: Bánh xèo (Vietnamese sizzling crepe) with shrimp and pork
Tasting notes: “These are super crispy and filled with fatty pork, shrimp and beansprouts. They have the perfect chewy-crunchy texture. It reminds me of the delicious bánh xèo from Ho Chi Minh.”
View this post on Instagram A post shared by David (@myforkandknife)
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ND Sushi and Grill
370 College St., 416-546-1002, facebook.com/ndsushiandgrill
“This was where Angela and I had our first date. The rice is cooked perfectly so that the grains don't stick and have just the right bite. I love that they slice the sashimi thicker than usual so you can really enjoy the texture of the fish as well.”
Go-to item 1: Chirashi sushi combo
Tasting notes: “For me, nothing beats a fresh piece of fish on top of well-made sushi rice. The intense flavour of the fish paired with the perfect chew and grain of the rice is super satisfying.”
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Danielle Paik (@daniellejaypea)
Chloe’s Garden Restaurant
3621 Hwy. 7, Markham, 905-604-4770, chloesgardenrestaurant.com
“This is my current favourite cha chaan teng or Hong Kong–style café.”
Go-to item 1: Hong Kong–style baked pork chop rice
Tasting notes: “This has been my favourite thing to eat since I was a child. So ordering this has a lot to do with nostalgia, but this restaurant also makes it particularly well. The pork is decently marbled which makes for a great bite between its crispy exterior and tender meat. Most importantly, the fried rice has the proper chewy consistency reminiscent of using day-old rice. I always pair this dish with a Hong Kong milk tea."
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Johnson Chou (@choujohnson)
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