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Writer's pictureCatherine Lio

Bitter Melon: Where Culinary Tradition Meets Innovation in Toronto's Chinatown

$$ Asian Fusion


Located in Toronto's China Town, Bitter Melon stands as an homage to Toronto's rich cultural heritage, Each dish and cocktail tells a story through captivating tastes and presentation, complemented by a an extensive selection of wines, beers and cocktails.
Seating area, brown leather seats, gold accents red lanterns in Bitter Melon

The Ambiance


We nearly missed the entrance as we searched the many shop fronts for a sign that read 'Bitter Melon'. We spotted the glow of the red lanterns through the front window and thankfully did spot in front of the door way a sign of the restaurants name placed vertically in gold lettering, with a light shining beside it, which would make it stand out beautifully against the dark stone of the facade after sundown. We stepped into the lantern lit restaurant, directly to the right as we walked through was a cozy seating area with brown leather seats, red lanterns glowed from above and a large gold illuminated circle sat on the panelled walls showcased what I believe to be a dragon and a Phoenix facing each other. But please correct me if this is something entirely different.

Our host walked us down the length of the restaurant to our booth. Running directly parallel to the line of booths was the bar with featured an array of gold and green lanterns illuminating the dim space. At the end of the length of the bar and booths was another small seating area for bigger groups. Each booth from seat to ceiling was separated by giant abacuses, which I thought was a curious detail. The dimly lit space, lanterns, panelled walls and bars did give a feel of a night market, though we knew the sun had not set yet outside.

Lee Ho Foo & Lay Zi Fizz cocktails in Bitter Melon Toronto

Once we sat down, we received a menu each. Our host shared with us their favourite cocktails the ' Lee Ho Fook' which is a cocktail made with El Gobernador pisco, baijiu, lychee, lime leaf, and yogurt soda for $16, which is really not bad in terms of price of cocktails in Toronto. The second drink that was recommended to us was the 'Lay Zi Fizz' which is made with a white rum, jackfruit, orange blossom, lemon, seltzer, and topped with a coconut yuzu foam for $17. Of course we got started off with one of each.


What We Ordered

The menu had a selection of absolutely wonderful looking dishes, and so we decided to order a few dishes to share and go from there. The host recommended that we order 6 plates for 2 people, However we ordered 4 dishes and found it to be the perfect amount, any more food and we would have burst.

Dan Dan Noodles, Braised Bershire Porkbelly, Shrimp and scallop dumplings

Corn Dog $8

Taiwanese sausage, mozzarella, honey, mustard, corn meal, buttermilk

My experience with corn dogs is very little, I have only had Korean Corn Dogs from Chungchun Rice Dog before and had seen many pictures online of guests trying Bitter Melons so I thought it would be fun to try. It does not specify the quantity in the menu, so please note that it only comes with 1 corn dog. The Corn Dog itself was delightful, the dough soft and not oily at all. The top half of the Corn dog was filled with mozzarella that had quite a nice pull, and the second half was made of the taiwanese sausage which was also quite good.

Seafood Shuijiao $12

shrimp, dried scallop, dill, tarragon, soy-infused cream, chili oil

The next dish we received was the Seafood Shuijiao, which was a gyoza style dumpling filled with shrimp, dried scallop and various herbs. We received 4 pieces, it was beautifully presented on a white curved plate sitting in a light brown soy infused sauce, and topped with edible green and red flowers. The dumplings were juicy and pared perfectly with the sauce.


Braised Pork Belly $27

Berkshire pork belly, soy sauce, shaoxing, red vinegar, fresh truffle

Next we dug into braised pork belly. It arrived as a rather large chunk or slab, partially submerged in a delectable sauce, encircled by bok choy and topped with grated truffle. This was definitely a highlight of the evening- the Berkshire pork, sometimes referred to as the ' Wagyu of Pork' melted away with each bit and the woodsy flavour of the truffle blended perfectly with the sauce.


Dan Dan Noodles (V) $18

Pappardelle, peanut, sesame, Pecorino, onsen tamago, pangrattato

The last dish we ordered were the Dan Dan Noodles. This traditional Chinese dish translating to 'carrying-pole noodles', was served with a peanut sauce, pecorino cheese, pangratto (which is a breadcrumbs) and a perfectly cooked onsen egg.

Espresso Martini and Blushing Dragon at Bitter Melon Toronto

Bonus Cocktails


We were quite full by this point in the evening and decided we would return to try one of their desserts next time, however, we decided to try another drink each. I opted for 'Qiaokeli Shu' $17, which was a mix of Espolon Reposado, Tia Maria, pistachio orgeat, dark chocolate shavings, espresso, and chocolate bitters. As you can probably tell from the ingredients, this was their version of an espresso martini. It came in a cute Nick and Nora glass and had a piece of dark chocolate on top.

My friend ordered the 'Blushing Dragon' $15, which was made with Roku Gin, Beijing er guo tou, lavender bitters, lime acid, dragon fruit syrup, and had a dragon fruit disc on top. Both drinks were delightful, and a perfect way to end the evening.

Bar & Booth Area of Bitter Melon in Toronto


Conclusion


Overall, Bitter Melon offers a dining experience like no other, where tradition and innovation come together to create something truly extraordinary. The ambiance of the space is as captivating as it's menu. The red lanterns casting a warm glow over the cozy seating area creates an intimate space, perfect for a romantic evening, or just a night our with friends. My evening at Bitter Melon did not disappoint, and I will be sure to be back again soon.


How To Get There


Transit
1. Take Subway Line 1 to Spadina Station and then catch the 501 streetcar  (A or B are both fine) to College street and it is directly across the street.

2. Take Subway Line 1 to Queens Park Station and then walk for 12 minutes west on College towards Spadina and you will find it at 431 Spadina Ave

Map of Toronto


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