Tewder
Senior Member
Is there any information about the Toronto Life signage? It's odd that it hasn't been put up yet.
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bAuHaUs
Active Member
A few posts back there were pics of Woo restaurant going in Dundas Square; it's a new concept being developed by the folks at Mandarin (actually the son of the Mandarin owners).
Is the kid lazy? Spoiled? Signs on the 4th floor hoarding originally claimed Woo would be opening in around the time of the Film Festival back in the fall.
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bAuHaUs
Active Member
Ha Ha....they are gonna try a "fresh-er" approach with revamped menu and I guess it's not as easy as opening yet another cookie-cutter Mandarin...we'll have to wait and see what they bring to the market.
I'll give them a fair chance to, ahem, woo me. Thanks for the info bAuHaUs!
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adma
Superstar
Woo-woo!
wonderboy416
Active Member
If they're going for "traditional" Americanized Chinese then the only thing that's going to "Woo" anyone is half-decent food for a reasonable price. The stuff you get at Mandarin is pretty much on par with the crap you find in mall foodcourts everywhere and no better. How do you re-invent the wheel with Chinese food? Of course if they were to serve real Chinese food (which can be damn good) it probably wouldn't do the volume of business required to pay the rent at such a location.
I'm curious to see what ends up happening on this.
I'm curious to see what ends up happening on this.
prosperegal
Senior Member
I don't know anything about it, but I won't be surprised if it's going to be more of a pan-Asian type place like Spring Rolls. After all, Spring Rolls is just up the street. Or, maybe they'll introduce the cha chaan teng concept to the non-Hong Kong community...who knows?
Question: Fancier places like Lai Toh Heen serve more westernized Chinese food, yet they aren't scrutinized for being tacky/fake as often as mall fare. Is it because Lai Toh Heen's pricier? And when it's pricier, it automatically becomes "fusion"?
khris
Senior Member
I have to disagree with you. The quality of food at Mandarin compared to say Manchu Wok is far superior.
Torontovibe
Senior Member
Anyone who thinks Mandarin is on par to a food court, totally has something wrong with their taste buds. It's not even nearly the same. I have had some really good food at Mandarin. (at Yonge & Eglington) In most cases, it's just as good as the stuff I've had in Chinatown or Pacific Mall. Food courts, on the other hand, have been dreadful!
ShonTron
Moderator
Mandarin is very tasty, and a special treat when I was younger and living in Brampton (which had the flagship restaurant). It's not authentic, but it can be good.
But I've also had the real deal, in Markham and Scarborough restaurants, and in China itself (which compares with authentic restaurants here). There's a big difference between Westernized and authentic versions. I do like Spring Rolls, which makes no pretensions of what they are, and their restaurant decors are interesting and unique.
How do you know you are at an authentic Chinese restaurant? They don't serve chicken balls or egg rolls or fortune cookies, and there are no "combos". And you have to ask for forks. There's no buffet.
But I've also had the real deal, in Markham and Scarborough restaurants, and in China itself (which compares with authentic restaurants here). There's a big difference between Westernized and authentic versions. I do like Spring Rolls, which makes no pretensions of what they are, and their restaurant decors are interesting and unique.
How do you know you are at an authentic Chinese restaurant? They don't serve chicken balls or egg rolls or fortune cookies, and there are no "combos". And you have to ask for forks. There's no buffet.
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prosperegal
Senior Member
Authentic restaurants have to chaans - a set menu, if you will. I guess that's kind of like a combo. And it isn't necessarily an eight or so course meal which includes soup, rice/noodles and dessert.
Solaris
Senior Member
with the significant Chinese population in Toronto ... I would like to state a fact for everyone who thinks Mandarin and Man-Chu-Wok are true authentic Chinese food ... guess what, THEY ARE NOT ... it is only a westernized attempt of Chinese food
in 'real' Chinese food, there is no fried chicken balls, deep fried chicken wings to say the least (unlike Mandarin)
if you venture to Markham / Scarborough / Richmond Hill, that's where the real Chinese food is found (and of course ChinaTown too), basically if you see no Chinese people eating in a particular Chinese restaurant, that immediately tells you how good/bad that place is ... for those that think these places don't compare to Mandarin or Man-Chu-Wok, I'm sorry to say that you have unfortunately grown too accustomed to Western Chinese food to enjoy the 'real' stuff
in 'real' Chinese food, there is no fried chicken balls, deep fried chicken wings to say the least (unlike Mandarin)
if you venture to Markham / Scarborough / Richmond Hill, that's where the real Chinese food is found (and of course ChinaTown too), basically if you see no Chinese people eating in a particular Chinese restaurant, that immediately tells you how good/bad that place is ... for those that think these places don't compare to Mandarin or Man-Chu-Wok, I'm sorry to say that you have unfortunately grown too accustomed to Western Chinese food to enjoy the 'real' stuff
khris
Senior Member
I would say most people on this forum know that fast food Chinese food is not the real thing
Everyone I've ever talked to knows that real Chinese food doesn't consist of egg rolls, or chicken balls.
Also there is plenty of real Chinese food in Mississauga.
T-Squared
Active Member
There's a posting on Craigslist from Woo's looking to hire.
http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/fbh/1021749062.html
Looks like its going to be buffet style like Mandarin.
..and regarding unauthentic chinese cuisine, I agree Mandarin's food is of a good quality, its just that I don't consider the food 'chinese'.
Regarding Lai Wah Heen, I think the food is more 'modern' than 'fusion', as the dishes are mostly created using traditional chinese ingredients, but with different techniques and execution and plating techniques here and there.
http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/fbh/1021749062.html
Looks like its going to be buffet style like Mandarin.
..and regarding unauthentic chinese cuisine, I agree Mandarin's food is of a good quality, its just that I don't consider the food 'chinese'.
Regarding Lai Wah Heen, I think the food is more 'modern' than 'fusion', as the dishes are mostly created using traditional chinese ingredients, but with different techniques and execution and plating techniques here and there.