Spring arrives today and with warm weather approaching, we had DaiLo chef Nick Liu, best known for his unique, updated takes on Chinese cuisine, sample spring rolls from across the city. He took a tour across Asian cuisines and flavour profiles to find his favourite, with just the right crunch and spice.
WINNER: Kwan
What drew Liu to these spring rolls was the shrimp they’re made with. “This is the way I like it,” he says. “These are the things that I love,” he said. The dim sum restaurant, located in York Mills Gardens, crafts modern takes on traditional Chinese cuisine and has garnered high praise for its use of fresh ingredients in every dish. Three shrimp rolls come in every order, making them the perfect shareable starter for a dim sum experience. The three-piece spring roll appetizer is one of Kwan Dim Sum’s bestselling items, and it’s easy for Liu to see why. He couldn’t get enough of them.
kwan-dimsum.com, $6.25/3
Runner-Up: Riz
“I like the crispiness. The flavour is appealing to me, and the balance of seasoning is solid.” rizonyonge.com, $12/2
Dynasty Chinese
“This one is trying to be a vegetarian spring roll, I’m pretty sure. It tastes like tinned mushrooms, not fresh ones.”
dynastyyorkville.com, $3.95/1
Cynthia’s
“I like the size. I like the shape. It looks like a good roll. Very simple but kind of nostalgic.” cynthiaschinese.com, $7.50/2
C’est Bon
“It’s a little on the blander side. It could use more seasoning. But I like that it has a lot of different textures.” cestbonrestaurant.com, $2.50/1
Pai
“The texture is unique, because it’s got glass noodles and woodier mushrooms. It’s well rolled.” paitoronto.com, $13/3