At parties, all migrate to the kitchen. Toronto is the Kitchen
It seems like everyone we've met in Toronto is from somewhere else. Acknowledged as one of the most multicultural cities in the world, it's also the fifth largest city in North America.
We set out this week to eat our way around the globe. From China to Jamaica to Portugal to South Africa to New Zealand. Around the world in 80 days? Forget about it, how about four?
Curiousity is your passport and good walking shoes are your visa. Just remember old rules that worked at home don't always hold true when you're globetrotting.
Day one: "Mother is always right."
I'm not fond of being reminded of this rule, generally speaking. In the case of Mother's Dumplings I will not only acknowledge its veracity. I will abandon one of my other dining rules: if the place is empty, keep going and find another place to eat. It wasn't too hard to find this gem of a boite (17 seats!) in the Chinatown neighborhood off Spadina. (Mother's Dumplings 79 Huron, at Dundas, 416-217-2008)
When we peered in, there was literally no one there. Trusting our recommendations from locals (guides/hosts extraordinnaire, Mary Luz and Mario) and heeding the rumbling of our stomachs, we opened the door. Besides, the growling down below was making conversation increasingly difficult!
Greeted warmly by two women, we enthusiastically ordered. Okay, so our food could have covered two tables if it all came out at once. Is that so wrong? I always take it as a good sign when the person taking your order giggles while writing it all down.
Dumplings come in orders of 12 or 30. The larger size is favored by the locals who take the house made dumplings home cook. It was clear that those who came and went and happily chatted are regulars.
A large map of China hangs on one wall. It was great fun to scan for places we'd been, or places we'd heard of, and places we competed to pronounce. Our server showed us the province she hails from: Liaoning, bordering on North Korea. This most likely accounts for the presence of a few Korean style dishes on the menu, such as Kimchi. Ours was fresh and delightful and had less chili and garlic than the more familiar versions. We also had scallion pancake which was perfectly crisp on the outside, chewy with generous scallions on the inside.
We had two large steamer baskets of dumplings and a plate of a third style, pan-fried. We had steamed shrimp, garlic chive dumplings and also steamed pork dumplings in the siu lung bao or "soup dumpling" style common in Northern China. We ordered a second pork dumpling in the pan-fried style with delicate thin wrappers, lightly crunchy on the bottom. Table side condiments include vinegar, red chilis in oil, soy sauce.
Remember when I had to earn the right to condiments?
A whirlwind, global journey can be enjoyed for the hungry traveler. Stay tuned for Jamaica, mon!
For more Toronto dining options see A Trio of Toronto Options by June Chua.
Jacqueline Church - Award-winning writer, speaker, teacher on topics at the intersection of gourmet and sustainable food issues.
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