The northern border of Chinatown just got a bit more interesting, thanks to a new, must-try restaurant. Owned by husband-and-wife duo Andre Au and Joanna Hon, Bitter Melon is the latest chic spot to offer a uniquely crafted menu alongside one-of-a-kind cocktails. With Chef Hermawan Lay (formerly of Clio, Momofuku and Kasa Moto) at the helm, the restaurant serves up must-try Chinese dishes infused with globally-inspired flavours. Read on to find out more about Chinatown’s new restaurant.
About Bitter Melon
“A bite out of the ordinary” is this restaurant‘s slogan and should be taken in the truest sense of the word. The owners describe the fare as “Toronto Chinese,” but describing it as such feels a bit limiting. The Bitter Melon menu offers traditional East Asian fare–primarily Chinese, but sprinkled with some Korean and Japanese inspiration–but is also peppered with ingredients and fusion recipes from global cuisines. Look for influence from South Asia, France, Italy and even the United States infused into dishes that Torontonians crave.
The food menu includes an Asian take on a corn dog which is crafted with Taiwanese sausage, a tea egg, and a hojicha creme brulee made with roasted green tea and boba, alongside other fusion foods. As for cocktails, the base liquors all receive an Asian flare courtesy of botanical infusions and ingredients like salted egg yolk, toasted sesame oil, jackfruit and jasmine tea.
Essentially, Bitter Melon offers a Chinese alternative to tapas and dim sum, boasting share plates with unique flavours and cocktails that pair perfectly with the cuisine. The entire innovative experience is housed in a moody, Chinese space decorated with bright red paper lanterns, darkly-coloured furniture, and even a neon sign.
Bitter Melon is located at 431 Spadina Avenue, near College Street, in Chinatown.