R&D

I visited R&D multiple times, including trying out its Summerlicious featured menu. Overall, the food was great and the menu is very creatively curated! It offers some amazing combination of flavors and spices. You can't go wrong with what you order, just pick based on your preference, whether it be dim sum, noodles, or stir-fry. One improvement is the service; as it was consistent every time I come here. In one instance, the server was nowhere to be seen and the food takes really long to come. Whereas in another instance it was amazing. Next time, I would love to try the infamous Peking Duck, which looks amazing! Looking forward to coming again.

First time coming over to this place. Got greeted by a friendly host and seated my friend and I onto the bar seating area. Food was phenomenal and filled with flavour and texture. The atmosphere of the place felt homey with a splash of urban vibes. Their summerlicious menu exceeded my food expectations in terms of presentation and friendly cooks and chefs describing each dish. I will definitely come back to visit in the near future!

Overall a great experience! The food was super yummy - favourite was the lamb skewers and fried rice. The cauliflower in the glazed soy was also very delicious! Personally found the duck to be a little disappointing just because I'm used to authentic style BBQ duck, but still delicious and unique with the baos. Would definitely come again!!

Was a very delicious meal. The Peking duck was definitely good and worth a try at least once (tasted like smoked duck but with skins on it). The fried rice was probably my favourite dish out of all the items we’ve ordered because it was a interesting take on a classic meal. Im not sure if I would order the tofu again or the fried chicken as it felt very average. If the price was slightly lower it would’ve been rated higher.

Came here as a surprise dinner. This restaurant is owned by a winner of master chef Canada and one of the judges. The establishment is clean, modern casual vibe and acoustics are good, not too loud. The server was friendly, prompt and very knowledgeable being a former chef himself. All the dishes were great except for 1. Given the party were all Asians, expectations on the bao and duck were quite high and met. The duck takes 2 weeks to fully prepare and it is the best duck I have ever had as the name suggests. Plating is clean, presentation is eye pleasing, but it is the palate that does the singing to great flavours, exquisite taste and contrasting textures that compliment each other. My only complaints were the duck should have more condiments (minor) and the halibut was overly salty, and we all had the same opinion. Otherwise this would have been an easy 5 star review, but I would rate it 4.5 overall.

Excellent food selection! Amazing service! As a newly converted “vegetarian- pescatarian”, I was pleased with the options! Every dish was memorable, shareable, flavourful and beautifully presented. My friends wanted to try the duck but it was sold out that night… if interested, make sure to reserve in advance. I recall them mentioning only 2 servings of duck per night… I enjoyed the mushroom fried rice, lobster and vermicelli dish! The sticky toffee pudding is on the sweeter side but melts in your mouth! Chef and staff are courteous and engaging! A must!

Definitely a high end place. We went on Valentines day and because we went early in the evening, there was an opening in the lounge area. Otherwise, you may want to call in advance and reserve a table. The atmosphere was nice, Comfy seats, and some good music. Staff were nice, and food came out fairly quick. Drinks were definitely on the higher priced side for the amount you get. See photos. We would return again in the future.

Amazingly fantastic place. Friendly and accommodating host and servers. Out of this world Peking duck and R&D fried rice. This duck is rich and flavourful. Beautifully crispy skin and moist tender juicy inside. Note that you have to let the restaurant know 24 hours in advance if you want to order this. WORTH IT. The rice is a MUST HAVE. I can’t get over it. Delicious mushrooms and a crunchiness that stays with you. 7 out of 5 stars.

My party went to R&D initially to try the peking duck but we also got the shrimp toast, R&D fried rice, and crispy squid. The peking duck was my favorite amongst everything that I tried due to the flavourful duck with a simple pairing of hoisin sauce and cucumber and leeks. The fried rice was interesting with the crunchy texture and I enjoyed the spices in the squid dish. The shrimp toast was the least favorite for the table. All of the dishes were salty and oily, so I personally was unable to eat as much of it. That was unfortunate because this was quite an expensive meal. Another thing to note is that if you sit at the tables closer to the kitchen, you will smell like cooking/oil. This was a decent experience overall due to the welcoming staff and unique but sophisticated plating, but it isn't somewhere I'd rush to go back to.

We preordered the Peking duck and it was really good, skin was perfectly crispy with succulent meat. Baos were fluffy and fresh. I wish they didn't cut the cucumber crosswise and instead cut them into strips. I found them too thin and it would be nice to have a crunch as a contrast. Decent portion as well! We also ordered the brussel sprouts per the recommendation by our server and they didn't disappoint! Great flavour, sweet and savoury! The Raspberry Calpico Panna Cotta. It was yogurt based which is why it might have been labeled "Calpico" but I didn't really find it reminiscent of Calpico. It was still enjoyable but wouldn't order again. The raspberry sorbet was nice, though. Service was superb! Our drinks were also quite tasty. I had a Panton Peach which had great cardamom and peach flavour.

You need to order the peking duck 24hrs in advance. Wish we knew this beforehand. The restaurant itself is not fancy at all, simple wooden chairs and some graffiti/artwork on the wall. The servers was friendly and quick. The food was very good, but if you don't like spicy there is not much on the menu for you (maybe the fried rice?). We ordered the beef bao buns (divine), truffle chicken dumplings, lamb skewer and eggplant (tasted like mapo tofu but with eggplant instead of tofu) for appetizers. For entrees we picked the lamb noodles, fried chicken and lobster vermicelli. The lamb noodles were tasty (similar to cumin lamb) and the fried chicken was enjoyable just quite spicy (szechuan peppercorn tingle that lasted awhile). The lobster noodles were a bit disappointing as nowhere in the description did it say it comes smoked and I did not enjoy that flavor. The do give you a decent amount of lobster though. The ube and black sesame were not as creamy as we wanted or as strong in their respective flavors. We had a nice meal and provided you are okay with spicy, I would recommend it.

5 stars because we met Chef Eric Chong! Visited R&D to try their winterlicious menu. We were seated in the bar/lounge area. Everything was delicious and elevated, in a modern and relaxed environment. Only regret is not trying everything else on the menu! We chose to try the lamb skewers and bao for apps and the two rice dishes for our mains. The lamb skewers were so juicy and garnished beautifully. The bao had calamari on the inside, and the fried texture worked well with the steamed outer bun. Our favourite was the fried chicken, it had a little bit of heat and tang. Duck fried rice was also delicious and I can see why it's a fan favourite. Sadly all the desserts had dairy so I had the sorbet alternative. Would have liked to try the tea-ramisu! The $120 peking duck is on my list of things to try at R&D, so I may be returning!

Food 4.5/5 Service 4/5 Ambiance 4/5 Check out my Tiktok #SpiritedLaway for food content Most important thing is dont forget to reserve the peking duck, they need 48 hours notice! and its SUPER WORTH IT. We sat right beside the kitchen which allow us to see how everything is made and got a chance to talk to the chef which is personally think was AMAZING! Restaurant idea is adding a fancy touch on normal Chinese food Peking Duck is more thick than the regular one, but TASTE SOO JUICY AND GOOD! Highly recommend the fried rice too, deliciousssss Definitely give it a try, it is super worth it! I would say the chef table is even better experience 5/5!

I had the opportunity to take my wife to r&d for Valentine's Day. And what a treat it was ! Absolutely amazing ! The food was just out of this world ! Eric Ng the owner , has taken this experience to next level , showing his passion for the culinary world. Everything on his menu was delicious , I would order the truffle dumplings again and again and again Price : little up there however definitely worth every penny.

Be prepared to make a reservation ahead of time if you plan to come during the long weekends, or weekends in general. R&D has been one of the restaurants I wanted to visit when I first heard of them, and it was definitely not a disappointing night. When you come in, the hostess will help settle you in (there is no coat check). R&D is pretty spacious inside, and features an open concept kitchen where you'll see the chefs in action - including the owner Eric (I wish I got a chance to ask for a photo!) They have a variety of Asian fusion dishes to choose from, including their own variation of dim sum! One of their most popular dishes is the R&D Fried Rice, and yes, it was very tasty! I loved the crunch it has which I believe were called Singapore crunch, and had the "wok hay" taste I enjoy. Another popular dish is their own variation of the peanut pecking duck called The Best Duck in The City, and it has to be preordered at least 24 hrs - so be sure to include it in your reservation!! The skin was crispy, and I love how they smoke the duck meat. It comes with buns instead of the thin traditional wrap. For two people, the portion was a lot, and we had to do take out. I was really full, but overall satisfied with the dishes. The only reason it wasn't 5 stars for me is the service. I felt our server wasn't as welcoming if I had to describe it, and it felt he was kind of rushing us. I'll definitely be back to try their other dishes in the future! IG: Ayeween

Came here first a lare night birthday celebration, and we were lucky enough to score the last pecking duck without reservations. Our server and all assisting staff were extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. The food was super fresh and really offered some bew and interesting flavours to our pallets. The rice was my personal favourite, along with the fried chicken. The pecking duck (star of the show) was great! Much more flavourful and interesting than at some other upscale locations on King W. The ambiance of the restaurant is pleasant and not intimidating like other michelin/michelin recognized restaurants. Overall, had a great time and would certainly recommend R&D to all.

We read through the mixed reviews and are SO happy we ignored them. The staff was incredibly friendly and patient as we evaluated the menu. No, it is not authentic Asian cuisine, but it was delicious. I recommend getting multiple smalls plates and maybe one large plate to share. We enjoyed the Bao buns, rice cakes, and fried rice. SO good.

Delicious! We're from out of town and this was the most amazing meal. Cocktails were great... we got the Buddha's Secret Passion, Shibuya Street, and Toasted Ichigo. For food, the spring rolls and Bao buns were amazing! Also got broccolini, fried chicken, and brussel sprouts. Lots of food for two people!

A Toronto gem!! Delicious food and great service! My husband and I have now eaten here several times and have likely tried most of the items on the menu. Everything from cocktails, appetizers, mains and desserts did not disappoint. Well thought out dishes and a lot of flavour. A true modern take on Chinese cuisine. Some of our favourites: grandpas fun guo, kalbi beef bao, r&d fried rice, hainan chicken and of course the duck! We will continue to keep coming back for our favourites and also excited to see what they come up with next!

My family and I are visiting from LA and booked this restaurant as it was highly praised on OpenTable and appeared on the Michelin guide. We ordered a variety of dishes to try, and, unfortunately, R&D fell short of our expectations. We ordered the Shrimp Toast, Vietnamese Beef Carpaccio, Yu Xiang Eggplant, Salmon Sashimi, and Lamb Chow Mein. We also got the Shibuya Street and Panton Peach cocktails. Shrimp Toast was quite good, a solid 4.5/5. Shrimp is bouncy, and pairs well with the warm crispy toast, fresh lemon zest, and finely chopped scallions. The mayo also brings in a nice creamy element to the dish. Vietnamese Beef Carpaccio was also enjoyable, as it was tender with well-balanced flavors and textures. However, be aware that the portion size is quite small. 4/5 Salmon Sashimi was nicely plated, but I think its portion size was a bit lacking. Enjoyable but not very memorable. 3/5 Yu Xiang Eggplant was not for me. Texture wise and flavor wise, I was underwhelmed. There really wasn't a depth of flavors, and one of my party members remarked that there was a strange "vegetable-y/green" aftertaste. Almost as though it tasted undercooked? 1/5 Lamb Chow Mein was the most disappointing part of the meal for me. There's an imbalance of flavors, as all I could taste was cumin. I love Xinjiang lamb, and I love lamb skewers, but the taste of cumin was so overwhelming. Also for anybody unprepared/unaware, there is also a numbing element to this dish. So if you're not a fan of mala or numbing spice, this is likely not a dish you'd enjoy. The tagliatelle pasta used was well-cooked though, and I thought it had the perfect texture. However, that wasn't enough to save the dish for me. 1/5 Cocktails were our favorite part of the meal. Boozy enough, nicely presented, pretty good. The service was also decent, and I appreciate the server's consideration for our party in general. I think the culinary experience overall was more so a 2.5/5, but I'll give the whole spot a 3/5 because I liked the drinks and was okay with the service and ambiance (casual, somewhat edgy with graffiti-laden walls). Overall, R&D is definitely not the worst dining experience I've had, but I felt like it was overhyped. I had read that it was one of Toronto's best restaurants, and I'm not sure if it lives up to that reputation. It was not the elevated Asian fusion cuisine that I had looked forward to, but I would still encourage others to give R&D a shot and form their own opinions. We all have different tastes, and maybe I didn't order the right dishes (although I believe all dishes should be able to hold their own in a top restaurant).

I came to R&D partially because it was on the Michelin Guide, but also I've been a fan of Masterchef and Chef Eric Chong. The restaurant itself looks more casual than I thought it would be, but I find that more comfortable anyways. We also had a bit of trouble finding the location, like others. However, the servers were quite friendly and even helped us choose some dishes by giving us some recommendations. As a huge fan of duck, of course I had to order the Best Duck in the City. Make sure you reserve in advance noting that you want the duck or else they might not have it available. If you are expecting a Peking Duck kind of dish, you will be disappointed. It is more of a smoky duck breast type of dish, which is wonderfully meaty. It also comes with a side of soft, pillowy baos, and your typical duck fixings. The baos are kind of filling which makes it hard to finish this huge platter of duck. I wish the also offered the traditional pancakes as well. However, it was still enjoyable. We had the R&D rice as well, which had an amazing crunchy texture due to the mushrooms. Make sure to give it a good mix or it'll be all crunch! We also got a salmon dish (I forget the name since it was a while ago!) and the famous CSB. This is a MUST. Best char siu baos that you will ever have, the outside is so crispy and the pork inside is flavourful. To finish, we had the sticky toffee pudding. The ice cream has alcohol in it, which was a bit strong for my taste but pairs well with the pudding. However, if you enjoy a little kick, you would definitely love it! I'm glad that I tried R&D, it was a great experience. We even saw Chef Eric Chong for a bit, but didn't get a chance to take a picture. I'd definitely recommend if you are looking to try some Asian dishes with a little twist to them!

Come here for the experience but do expect to taste more contemporary Asian fusion flavors rather than traditional food. Some hits, some misses, and some that were nothing special for the price point. Reserve in advance. The bao with kimchi and kalbi was good and the bun was nice and soft, but nothing special. The Hokkaido siu mai is a skip for me as I thought the sauce (chili, maggi, gochujang) overpowered the thinly sliced scallop in this dish. I enjoyed the beer tartare with the rice chip. The sambal and coconut flavors are an interesting take. The fried rice had nice plating but tastes more like a mushroom rice dish. The char siu was untraditional but tasty. Ambiance and decor is more modern and dim. The service fell short of our expectations. We did not like our seating and asked to switch to another table, but the server told us it was reserved. This was understandable, however that table remained empty for the entirety of our dining experience, so that was a bit disappointing.

This is my second time at R&D and I have to say it's always a delight. The servers are extremely nice, and the food is innovative and delicious. This time we tried the Peking duck - titled "Best Duck in the City" and this is quite the claim. It's not exactly traditional, so Peking Duck purists beware. The meat tastes a little like it has been smoked, and pieces are sliced with a focus on getting the meat rather than just crispy skin. Use of the baos instead of the traditional pancakes is a nice substitute. Overall I thought it was very tasty but I do think $120 is a little steep for what it is. I enjoy my traditional variant down the street at House of Gourmet almost as much and it's half the price. This is definitely an elevated an experience compared to your typical Chinatown affair though so I would recommend coming for a special occasion. The broccolini was cooked to perfection and paired nicely with the peanut dressing. The French onion spring roll was quite an interesting fusion and was pleasantly cheesy. Overall I always enjoy the food I get at R&D and they've become one of my favourite places to dine at in Toronto.

Came here mainly for the Peking duck and continued to enjoy many other dishes leading up to it. Started with fried chicken, hainan chicken and shrimp toast. Hainan chicken was standard but definitely treading on the expensive side. Fried chicken was great as well, once again on the expensive side. Shrimp toast was unique and definitely recommend. Peking duck was different in the sense that it didn't provide your usual crepe but instead was given baos. The baos added a mild sweetness that compliments the duck. Overall great for a gathering for Asian fusion. Service was great and the ambiance definitely felt more on the upscale side. For the price, there are many asian restaurants very close by for a fraction of the price if you are willing to sacrifice service and ambiance.

I have a bit high expectation at R&D, however it is average at most. The peking duck is more like a smoke duck breast. I am typical Chinese, and expect something similar to typical Chinese restaurant. Then it comes out more like fusion style. The shrimp toast is not as good as Mimi. The dessert is the best of the night, highly recommend the toffee cake with ice cream.

I really cannot say enough about the experience I had here with my family. As a longtime MasterChef lover, my mom has had this restaurant on her bucket list so we decided to take her here for her 60th birthday. My husband and I arrived first and was stoked to see chef Eric Chong in the kitchen. I told the server how excited my mom would be to see him and he told me he'd ask him to stop by our table at some point! Amazing service right off the bat. As my family arrived, my mom was able to take some quick pictures with Eric who was so kind and polite! We ordered and food started arriving fairly quickly. We ordered the duck, popcorn shrimp, long beans, Brussels sprouts, fried rice, fried chicken, CSB and everything was really delicious! The standouts were the duck and the Brussels sprouts but really everything was worth ordering. Portion sizes are pretty generous for the price. It's obviously not a cheap eats kind of place but your money is well spent here. They don't skimp on ingredients and flavours. Everything felt familiar yet unique. We loved the chefs take on classic Chinese/Asian dishes. Everything was beautiful and piping hot. No complaints at all! Service was wonderful. They saw the note that it was my moms birthday and just treated her so well. Everyone was genuine and attentive throughout the night, constantly refilling drinks and taking away empty dishes. The staff were even so kind as to bring my mom a scoop of mango ice cream (made by DaanGo) with a little sparkler for her birthday. Such a nice touch that made her feel so special! Lastly, chef Eric Chong did come by our table to my moms absolute delight. He was so lovely and kind, answering all of my moms questions about the show and his experiences. It couldn't have been a more perfect night for all of us, but especially for my mom. Thank you SO much to the staff and chefs at R&D who made this a night we will all never forget! I will forever be grateful to the kind people at this restaurant who went above and beyond to make it a great experience!!

Came here to celebrate my friend's birthday. We were a group of 9, so we had to preorder our dishes. The service was great, our server was quite attentive. Of course, we had to get their Peking duck. We also wanted to try as many dishes as possible so we got their shrimp toast, fried chicken, shiu mai, popcorn shrimp, Hanin chicken and rice, R&D fried rice and Brussels sprouts. Let's start with the goods. $120 for Peking duck is not cheap. So my expectations were high. And I'm happy to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. Although it is not cut the traditional way, the meat was super tender and the skin was crispy. I would have preferred the traditional wraps over the baos that was given because the seasoning of this duck is on the "light" side. With a bao that thick, it masked a lot of the flavour of the duck. Regardless, it was still very tasty. And if I have to come back, I would get it again. 4.5/5 The Hainin chicken rice dishes was also super tasty. The chicken was very tender. And there's no bones which I really enjoyed. Very traditional Hainin chicken rice flavour with the ginger and scallions dipping sauce. 4/5 The shrimp toast was super crispy on the outside, with a good amount of shrimp paste on the inside. Love the scallions on top too. Great flavours. 4/5 Now on to the more subpar dishes The fried chicken was alright... nothing to rave about but also super spicy. Some parts were just all fried batter and no chicken... 3/5 The sauce for the Brussels sprouts were too sweet and overly charred which left a very bitter taste in my mouth. 2/5 Overall, the food is not bad. I think it's slightly over average... but because of the price tag, I wouldn't recommend coming here other than for their duck.

R&D serves modern fusion Asian dishes that I think are a bit overpriced for the quality, taste, and amount that you get. Despite having a reservation, we still had to wait for a table. Once seated, we realized that the seats / stools weren't very comfortable. The small dishes were tapas-style and great for sharing, so you get to try a bit of everything. From the large dishes section of the menu, the R&D Fried Rice was decent - flavourful with a nice crunch and mix of textures. Some of the other dishes were quite saucy and a bit spicy. The Shrimp Toast was hard like an over-done mini Melba toast (the ones you get from a package in the grocery store), with minimal amount of shrimp on top. Overall, it was good to try once.

R&D stands for Rebel and Demon, the nicknames of the two owners, Eric Chong and Alvin Leung. The two met when Eric was a contestant and Alvin was a judge on MasterChef Canada. The space is modern and the food is Asian with a dim sum section of the menu. The dim sum section includes, shrimp toast, but also French onion spring rolls. The rest of the menu includes small dishes like shrimp toast or foie gras sou as well as large ones like wagyu beef or their R&D fried rice. One of their most famous dishes "Best Duck in the City" must be ordered 24 hours in advance and is best for a large party. It is big enough to fill up two people leaving no room left for their other excellent dishes, like the beef bao or the brussels sprouts. Although Asian restaurants are not normally known for their dessert, don't miss the sticky toffee pudding with Calvados cinnamon ice cream. The duck (tied with the wagyu) is the most expensive item on the menu at $120 cad, but you don't need to spend that much. A full dinner for four, including the duck, was just $300 usd with tip. The service was a little awkward at times, and the duck doesn't stay warm on the wooden board, but for the most part we really enjoyed our visit.

R&D was my pick for Christmas dinner this year after hearing about it from friends and being a long time masterchef fan. We made a reservation on their site and indicated that we wanted the Peking duck (which requires notice in advance if you want it, not available to order for walk ins). The restaurant has a little Daan Go section in the front which is perfect for getting desserts to go after dinner. We were seated immediately upon arriving and I loved the vibe of the place. It felt very intimate yet modern at the same time. Our server Ray was wonderful and made the night a wonderful experience. For appetizers, we got the scallop siu mai and the char siu bao. The siu mai was okay and I didn't particularly enjoy the gochujang in it. It was also quite pricey at 4 dollars a piece. The char siu bao tho was amazing!!! It had a crispy top and the filling was sweet and delicious. After filling our bellies up with that, our peking duck came out. Instead of the thin wraps that you usually get with peking duck, the dish came with baos to wrap the duck. The whole dish itself was more than filling for two people and the duck itself was super tender. Definitely a worth it experience. Overall, the service was great and the duck was delicious. PS. It was also cool seeing Eric Chong cook in the kitchen

I lucked out when my dad and I strolled into R&D and they had an extra duck for us and I'm glad I used all my luck here. This modern Asian restaurant is absolutely stunning with an industrial flair and a modern art mural at the end of the dining room. The staff was extremely nice and attentive, with great additional recommendations and prompt service. Onto the star of the meal, the Peking Duck. The duck arrived beautifully butchered highlighting the perfect cook of the bird and preserving the crispy skin. R&D brought a modern take to it with what felt like a slightly smoked duck, but a traditional sauce over top. It was served with bao buns, a delicious hoison and freshness from the leeks and cucumber. I am obsessed with the buns and it should be the standard for all duck. R&D set my new standard for what duck should taste like and the texture we should all expect.

Delicious asian dishes by a Master Chef! If you are coming here for authentic Chinese food, this definitely is not the spot, however, the western spin on these dishes are objectively super tasty! We got the duck and it truly as the best in the city -- the duck is raised by their own private farm and it is very juicy and tender. The fried rice might have to be my favourite though -- the different textural elements made it a great experience

Great spot for a fun dinner with friends or a date night. We were seated at the bar, I enjoy the chance to see the food creation, as a plus the seats were also very comfy. Over all the place is very cool looking. But it is more than just a pretty face! Service was really attentive and friendly and offered useful insight on great service. Now to the food and drink: interesting list of cocktails, recommend starting with one and ask your server for a reco! The food was mostly excellent - I especially enjoyed the beef bao and the japanese curry squash (honestly i only orderednit because i felt like i needed a vegetable...it was delish!), and the mushroom fried rice. The only slight disappointment was the french onion spring roll, lots of rich meat and cheese fried, i love all those things but I would have enjoyed something on the plate sharp or crisp to balance it. Overall great experience! I will be back

This restaurant tries gentrifying Chinese food for non-Asian palates, with prices to match. R&D is famed for its peking duck, which was unremarkable compared to peking duck at virtually any Chinese restaurant in the GTA (note: outside downtown Toronto). The peking duck slices were gargantuan with thick bao buns to match, resulting in a flavour overload. I prefer the subtlety of traditional peking duck: with thinly sliced duck (mostly razor-thin duck skin) folded into delicate crepes. The pasta was unique but also a bit too heavy for my liking.

Wanted to support Eric Chong, Canadian Asian winner of MasterChef Canada Season 1, so I came by for dinner on Sunday June 26 and ordered the following: HUSH & WONDER cocktail ** Liked it. Refreshing. Worth $15. Some other cocktails on the menu are priced $19. I usually don't want to spend more than $15 or $17 on a cocktail. ROASTED BEETS as the appie ** Liked it. Flavourful indeed. Will recommend it. @WOK_LOBSTER as a main ** Liked it, but won't get it again. Even though it is a delicious dish, I wouldn't spend $75 on it. I am happy to try it once since this dish originated from Eric Chong's iconic dish Lobster Chow Mein. WAGYU BEEF as another main ** American wagyu, not Japanese, so it is rather chewy and does not melt in your mouth like Japanese Wagyu. It is subjective to personal taste. I've been spoiled by various types of Japanese Wagyu in the past, so I'm not a huge fan of the American way. It is still a tasty dish - just not so much my type. Service was excellent. My server came from Vancouver like me. He also offered a couple of char siu baos on the house as we waited for our food to come. The char siu baos are unique and one of a kind, so I would recommend them for those who like regular char siu baos and want to give it a try.

I am very pleased to give this place 5 stars. Madea reservation with a Peking duck. We shared many dishes. Peking duck - cooked perfectly for doneness, was better than average but not the best I've ever had CSB - very good, comes out piping hot, I burned myself slightly. Siu Mai - very good, although I didn't taste much of the crab, I did appreciate the thai curry flavor int here. Fun Guo - best dish of the night. You can definitely appreciate the amount of truffle that goes into this one. Very rich. Kalbi beef bao - pretty good overall, just the right amount of sauce Brussel sprouts - decent, some thought too much seasoning but I thought it was appropriate Bang bang cauli - a lot better than what I expected, good texture and flavor. Fried chicken - one of the best ones, not overly spicy, sauce complemented well R&D fried rice - excellent. not your normal fried rice, definitely unique and worth trying. I didn't expect to like something with mushrooms like this. Calamansi tart dessert - slightly too much cream on top but otherwise amazing. Service - looked like only 1 server but they did a great job checking on us and keeping up. This is not a cheap place. But the quality is very high and they do fusion better than nearly any other place.

I dunno about you but I absolutely love MasterChef Canada and am also always up to try one of the former contestants or judges restaurants...so when a recent trip to the 6 presented itself and the opportunity to hit up one that was both, how could I say no?? Right as you enter Toronto's Chinatown on Spadina ave you cross R&D (Rebel and Demon, nicknames for Chef Eric and Chef Alvin) it's a cozy narrow spot with a giant bar/chefs rail where you can see all the action of the kitchen unfold. I'm an absolute sucker for that... We had to pre order "the best duck in the city" but we figured we give a few other dishes a try before the star of the show. Started out with a lamb potsticker topped with chilli's and a kind of crunchy shell you got to break apart before you ate. Super fun dish indeed. The dumplings were definitely supple and tender. Not too sure about lamb, it was interesting but I thought it maybe was a too overpowering...all I got was lamb but good nonetheless. 2nd we had beef bao buns...absolutely delightful! Perfect ratio of filling to bun, that often gets messed up with bao. Beef was delicious and bun itself was perfectly steamed and tasted amazing. We then went on the main star of the evening...so you need to pre order this days in advance (it's 100 bucks too btw) and if you don't show up for your reso it's gonna cost you 30 bucks for the trouble...honestly if you order this and it goes to waste you're getting off light paying the 30. It is absolutely without question thee best duck I've ever had. Juicy, packed with flavour, kinda in a Peking style. You get the whole duck butchered into succulent pieces served on a cutting board. It's served with more steamed bao buns, cucumber, leeks, and hoisin...perfect combination. It'll be unlikely I'll have duck better than that ever. We got to meet chef Eric which was certainly cool and even got a glimpse of the Demon Chef Alvin himself. The service was top notch in every way...truly a wonderful experience front to back...worth every penny Do yourself the favour Cheers Andy

First time at R&D with a group of friends. Very pleasant surprise - my favourite old fashioned in Toronto. As for the food: Dim Sum: * CSB - sweet, delicious treat. * PORK & CRAB SIU MAI - can definitely taste the crab, and the chili. Very good * GRANDPA'S FUN GUO - by far the table favourite - absolutely delicious, and to me a must-try if you visit. Duck: Great - definitely needs a second order of bao and sauce + cucumber to accompany it, and gotta order a day in advance, but definitely worth it. The only minor complaint is the skin wasn't as crispy as expected but nevertheless super delicious. Dessert: STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING - the ice cream that comes with it is good, combo of ice cream + toffee has a little bit of a cough syrup vibe but not in a bad way. KALAMANSI TART - the nicest presentation dish, quite heavy on the meringue - imho would be better with a bit less, but would still get it again. Service was incredibly nice and pleasant, very quick (the place was quite empty at 5pm on a Sunday)

Went with a friend to try out the restaurant since we pass by it often. Duck was good but not $120 good, it also didn't really taste like peking duck, definitely more of a roast duck. I personally don't enjoy having baos instead of the wraps since it's a bjt heavy but the baos themselves were fine. Ube panna cotta was good and unique. Overall, it was a good experience but felt pretty overhyped. Probably not the best duck in the city, you can definitely find better and cheaper in north york.

I immensely enjoyed Eric Chong's take on Chinese cuisine. The tastes are familiar, yet different. My favourite was the Char Siu Bao.

A unique experience with DanGo in the front, and an open concept kitchen in plain view. Dishes were unique and definitely asian fusion. Not sure that people who prefer traditional chinese cuisine would appreciate the creativity behind the dishes though. We got beets, scallop siu mai and the pasta with caviar (sorry forgot the names). The beets and pasta stole the show for us. The squidink pasta was in a very simple sauce, but the different flavors of the caviar really stood out (perhaps the reason why the sauce was very basic). I would get this dish again as I really enjoyed it. We were confused as to why they would plate squid ink pasta on a black plate, would have expected some contrast in color, but perhaps it hides the amount of caviar quite well. The price was quite fair for the food and quality we had. Masterchef was also working on the night of our reservation so that was nice to see too, for those who are fans.

I love taking friends here the mushroom fried rice having our food served by Eric was amazing

Where do I even begin? We got a dinner reservation here for our anniversary so expectations were high, especially after seeing the claim that they have the best duck in the city. I should have been suspicious right from the start when my partner said they offer gift cards, $250 for $200. No good restaurants would do such a thing. We came in and I was a bit taken aback by the daan go cake lab counter in the front. Apparently they shared the same location wt a dessert place? Points immediately subtracted for ambiance. The kitchen was right at the front so you have to walk through chaos and traffic before reaching your table. We were seated and right away I noticed how closely the tables were spaced. I had to squeeze my 5'3 petite frame though the gap to get to my seat. We sat down and the table was a bit wobby and I felt as though I'm sitting right next to a bunch of strangers. So no privacy nor intimacy. We got greeted by a different waiting staff from the one who walked us to the table. Interesting that they don't assign one staff to each table. That's a huge red flag for how the service will be mediocre as they all split the tips so nobody will care to go above and beyond. We already ordered the duck 24 hours in advance (that's a requirement), but decided to get other things such as kalbi baos, shrimp toast and the cabbage they had on their special menu. Everything was average if not mediocre. They're all just a try hard version of an authentic Chinese dish. I wasn't impressed, especially with the steep price tag. I could see that they were trying to be intentional with their food but efforts alone are not enough to make good food. But that's not the reason why our dinner got spoiled. The real reason was that one of the staff was very rude. He kept rushing us. Provided us with takeout containers for the duck even when we were still eating. Asked if we wanted the bill while we were still waiting for dessert. Kept bumping into my partner while taking orders from the table next to us without apologizing. That's some ridiculous service and unhappy staff you have there, dear R&D owners and managers. The second worst part was that the dinner table right next to us was so loud, and because all tables were close together we could hear them loud and clear. I wasn't expecting stranger guests at my anniversary dinner. Overall, 0/5 for ambiance and service, 3/5 for the food and 2/5 for the price tag. We will not come back and will strong advise all of our friends from going here. Worst dinner experience I've had in a while.

Celebrated CNY with family at R&D Restaurant this year, and we really enjoyed our dinner there! R&D is owned by Chef Eric Chong, our first-ever winner of CTV's MasterChef Canada, and Chef Alvin Leung aka Demon Chef, one of the few self-taught chefs in the world to hold multiple Michelin stars! Together they brought R(ebel)&D(emon) to life :D The Peking Duck was absolutely out of this world! Learning about the extensive preparation process made us appreciate this duck even more! Some of our favourite highlights from that evening: - Chili Crab Onokomiyaki ($20) - Wok Lobster ($55) - Whole Roasted Peking Duck ($80) comes with roasted garlic hoisin sauce, cucumber, leeks, and steamed baos I also enjoyed their signature housemade CSB (cha siu bao) aka bbq pork bun! Must save room for that. On the other hand, the Dou Fu Fah aka a traditional silky tofu Chinese dessert was absolutely NOT traditional at all lolll. It was a more like an almond panna cotta, which was still delicious! The server did warn us before ordering, saying that if you LOVE the original dessert, you will be disappointed #lovehishonesty lmao.

The food was superb, the service impeccable and the ambience a little too noisy for seniors.

we checked this place out after hearing about it on the bib gourmand list, a michelin guide-recommended restaurant for under $60 per plate. first impression when we walked in, no one greeted or welcomed us. being a well-known restaurant for the price point, we expected someone to be at the front but the location of welcome table wasn't clear to begin with. We looked around for someone to help us for about 5 minutes until someone asked us if we had a reservation. we were seated at the very end of the bar/chef's rail (right where we can see the chefs cooking in front of us), near the other shop (daan go bakery, they share the same location). the server was very attentive and kind and ensured that we had everything that we needed. we started off with the drink of the day, which was impressive. It was the first point for us since the fusion of the curry with the beverage was unique and worked well. we continued with two of the recommended dishes of the day, the fried rice and the ceviche. the ceviche was delicious, the mixture of flavours was good. the fried rice, however, wasn't... anything special? we feel that they actually skimped on the most important ingredient, and that's what we thought we paid for in the first place. the size was smaller than the average chinese restaurant. we expected the smaller size from a more expensive place, but it still didn't match the price point. we then ordered the dessert which tasted okay but nothing to rave about. we also saw containers of snacks that can be bought from the grocery store? not sure which desserts they were for but that was a bit of a put down, feeling like the meals weren't all made in the kitchen or can just be put together at home. throughout our time at the restaurant, we noticed that eric checked in on us periodically and that's probably one of the positives of the restaurant. the location, ambiance, and entrees aren't ravable in my opinion. all the meals with tip came out to be around $150. we probably wouldn't come here for chinese food (or fusion of) next time.

Went here for Lunar New Year dinner, sat at the Chef's rail-Counter seating. It was a cool and neat experience, while the chefs are busy making amazing and delicious food they take the time to chat with you. Ambiance was nice, not too loud but loud enough to hear patrons having a great time.

Sign boards really work! My friend and I were walking by after visiting the Stüssy store and saw the $7 drinks sign so we decided to stop by. I love the feel of this place. Good music and Dragonball Z was playing on the TV at the bar! The decor with the mason jars and tea pots. I was feeling it. I wish I had tried some of the food from all the rave reviews but I had just eaten. I had the Tea-ki drink that was soo good and my friend had one of the other specialty drinks. His was a little spicy so I wasn't as into it as mine but it delicious as well. Our bartender was really friendly and made the drink recommendations. Next time I'm in Toronto I'll stop by again to try more. I really liked this spot.

Delicious!!! We will definitely be eating here once we visit Toronto again. We stopped here on a whim and are glad we braved the drive/parking in Chinatown. We had the bao, tonnarelli, and sticky toffee pudding. Chef Alvin was at the table next to us and whatever recipes they were taste testing looked incredible & I can't wait for them to be on the menu! This place is definitely pricy, but worth a stop. I've seen reviews saying the flavors aren't authentic to Chinese culture...I can't speak to the authenticity of the cuisine, as the only Chinese I get is the Americanized garbage - but for me, the flavors were fabulous!

Winterlicious- the time to try restaurants out of your comfort zone and experience new things! Cue in R&D! I was so excited to try this place out after my friends said they loved this place. The atmosphere is nice and I love the vibe it gives off- the open kitchen so if you are close by you can watch the magic happen! We came pretty late for dinner so it wasn't super busy but I could picture this place buzzing! The loss for the star is the service our table had. The server would blatantly ignore my questions when I would ask in regards to the menu, I thought that was quite rude. Especially, since it's my first time at R&D. Now onto the food, it was my first time trying Bao. It was not bad! I think my brain was hoping for a coco bread texture but it was so soft like a pillow. It was a good way to start a meal. For my main I ordered the Beef Curry Lo mein and it was the best part of the meal! The portion was a little on the small side but then again it's Winterlicious! It had a good taste and it was quite filling even for the portion. Ended the night off with the rice pudding to be different from the rest of the table, it was scrumptious and a perfect way to end the meal off. I would totally go here again and get something off the regular menu. Apparently they are known for their duck and I saw quite a few orders coming out so it must be popular!

Before I begin, I'm informing the reader that I'm from LA and love Masterchef Canada (and of course Masterchef US). With that in mind, I saw the first season and watched the next three straight to find out about Eric Chong (season 1 winner) and his restaurant in the heart of Chinatown. It's called R&D due to his former background as an engineer. You walk in and can see some engineering aspects in the way the place is built. The interesting touch is the lights that are U shaped but produce light in the bar where I chose to sit. Behind the bar, there are a lot of different trinkets from Chef Eric's life and to the left in front of the kitchen is a picture of Chef Alvin who assisted in completing Eric's dream of being a restauranteur. To top it all off, playing on the TV above me was Bruce Lee movies with subtitles. I wasn't looked after right away but as I got looks from the workers, I soon saw Chef Eric and he came to welcome me. I was pretty stoked to not only come to his restaurant to eat but meet him as well. He is a humble person so telling him I enjoyed his time on the show was much appreciated but too much for the man. On to dinner. I never had dim dum before so I chose to start out with Grandpa's Fun Guo which came with three dumplings filled with chicken, bamboo, and truffle. They were warm and fluffy and while mine almost got stuck to one another, I saved it from messing up and ate complete deliciousness. For the entree, I chose the R&D fried rice with pork belly that according to Chef Eric was marinated for two days in brown sugar, oyster sauce and I believe soy sauce as well. The rice consisted of Chinese olive leaf, smoked portobello mushrooms, egg, peas, and corn. It turned out the bowl that it came in held quite a bit for me to eat and surprisingly, I had to take the rest home. It was an experience I won't ever forget as the bartender and Chef Eric made my time very special. I would recommend anyone who is a fan of Masterchef Canada to come and have Chef Eric's food and be the second one from America to say they're a fan. I was the first and that's a true honor for this Yelp Elitist.

I normally do not do Asian fusion, but it was Lunar New Year weekend and this restaurant featured a unique Year of the Ox menu and it is also a part of the O&B group, so I gave this place a shot and was it ever worth it! Everything pretty much turned out to be picture perfect and ready in their cute little take home meal kits!! I only did not give this place a perfect 5 stars, because I felt like the falafel that I added was a bit overpriced since it was $15 for 6 pcs or $2.50 each... Also as someone who prefers a seagan and/or Pescatarian diet, there was not enough veggies in their Chinese New Year Celebration Menu for two! The prosperity sashimi was perfect though! It was raw yellowtail served with with ponzu sauce, cucumber and garlic ships. Probably my favourite dish from what we ordered. Love the truffle and wild rooms in the wealthy dumplings, but too bad it had chicken, so it was mostly my boyfriend's. The 4 pcs of grilled duck and lamb skewers were all seasoned with Sichuan and shiso shinichurri. My boyfriend really enjoyed these. Their roasted eggplant had fermented chilies, Sichuan garlic butter, and Singapore crunch to it. My mom makes really good eggplant, but this was pretty good, too. Their Year of the Ox Longevity Noodle included flank steak, black pepper sauce, bell peppers, book choy, bean spouts and egg noodle. Practically all of the veggies was in this dish, but again I chose this menu mainly as a gift to my boyfriend. Desserts included: Lava cake "Nian Gao", which was a palm sugar custard with cookie crumb for the base and pomegranate seeds sprinkled on top. It tasted pretty similar to a creme brûlée. This set for 2 was for $90. The lava cake and falafel were add-ons. However, I probably should never have ordered the falafels and instead ordered something else (probably soup), despite the fact that it came with curry. Everything tasted great, but nothing really stood out to me. At least we were quite full at the end, but I will save perfect scores for when I can dine-in again. The missing in-person service just makes the experience less enjoyable, especially since I could have easily added more veggies or a soup on the spot, while I am dining inside... still gave them decent 20% tips though. but check out our latest Vlog on this restaurant featured on LionxPanda!!

it's average. the drinks were small and way too sugary. food was not bad. def not traditional Chinese food. nothing stood out or was worth going back to. and note, it wasn't cheap either.

The main flavor element in most of our dishes was sugar. The dishes tasted good, but almost ALL of them were sweet. Not sure why they went that route. The food is well made (crafted?) though. Worth a visit. We had the Kalbi Beef Bao, Char Siu, Brussel Sprouts (really sweet with a glaze), curried squash (not too sweet), and the Fried Rice (not sweet, and delicious!). Not sure why we need more sugar, but we had the toffee pudding for dessert. That was amazing. Service was great. The decor pretty interesting. The music was awful and LOUD! R&B at high volume. Nothing against R&B. Some of my best friends listen to R&B... A three star rating for the sugar. If you don't mind that, the food is good.

Got a takeout version of three items: Peking Duck, R&D Fried Rice, and their Stir Fried Noodle. Perhaps for whatever reason, the takeout version just probably isn't as good as the in-store version. Though from Downtown to Oakville might have been a trip, the rice probably felt like it absorbed all of the oil and similarly the same with the stir fried noodles. The Peking Duck being known for their signature dish, it is smoked version so it will taste different from your typical Chinese restaurant peking duck versions. Also maybe because of takeout, the food quality just wasn't as good. Arguably you can say that anything should be best enjoyed in person at its freshest moment but for the price point you are paying for takeout, you'd expect to the very least that the takeout version would have quality controlled to ensure that it would taste better for the price you are paying (not cheap at all). In summary, don't try this for takeout if you don't live in the downtown core because by the time it gets back, my opinion is that it's not going to be as good as the price you paid for it.

Came here for winterlicious and was not disappointed. I highly recommend trying the duck--it takes 3 hours to prepare and costs $80, but totally worth the price! The only criticism I have for the winterlicoous menu is theinclusion of a poke bowl in the entrees section. The rest of the menu was fairly Cantonese/Chinese cuisine, so the tuna poke looked very out of place. Needless to say I didn't get it this time around; would be interested to see what others thought of it.

Winterlicious is great for R&D time. Thai & other ingredients added spicy life to the boneless salmon and beef brisket noodles dishes. The brisket was both lean and tender. Both dishes were incredibly yummy. The pandan cheesecake in a glass is a fantastic desert. The only negative is the portions are much more healthy than happy size. R&D is a repeat 5 star place!