{Review} DaiLo, Asian Restaurant and Dim Sum Snack Bar

Website: http://dailoto.com/
Twitter: @DailoTo
Address: 503 College St. W, Toronto, ON
When I attended: July 2015, Dinner, 4 People
Rating: $$$, 4

Chef Nick Liu had created a creative and delicious Asian fusion menu to live up to its bad-ass name. Dailo meaning “big brother” or “big boss” in Cantonese has a wicked restaurant name.

Upstairs, the restaurant offers a dim sum/snack bar with a cocktail menu. On the main floor, the decor has many retro Chinese accents in warm tones with a combination of booths and long tables for the seating.

Dai Lo decor

I had friends who had recommended the Chef’s choice for $55/pp but we decided to pick the items off the menu instead, so we know exactly what we would get.

Out of the 7 dishes we ordered, here were my favourites:

The server allowed us to order the Big Mac bao from their snack menu ($6 each). I am a fan of the meaty bao with the Big Mac sauce.

Dailo big mac bao

This is the first time I have seen fried watermelon on a menu and it was amazing! A perfect summer dish as the watermelon was sweet and juicy, and paired well with the salty pork floss. Hats off to Chef Nick Liu!

Dailo Fried watermelon

The pork wonton with XO sauce was a favourite amongst my friends ($9).

Dailo wonton

Yes, that was really shaved black truffles on our fried rice with a side of XO sauce ($19).

Dailo Truffle Fried Rice

This was the first time I had Mongolian lamb neck and it was tender ($29). If no one was looking, I would have eaten the neck all barbaric style so there would be no meat left on the bones. The meat went well with the wrappers and cucumber slaw, or on top of sticky rice.

Dailo lamb neck

Other dishes we shared included the fried silken tofu ($11), the sweet and sour pork hock ($14) and the beef carpaccio ($12). My least favourite was the beef carpaccio since I did find the sauce a bit on the salty end for me.

Overall:

DaiLo offered many Asian menu items that were creative including the Mongolian lamb neck, fried watermelon and Big Mac Bao, which would be items I would re-order. The restaurant had a vibrant atmosphere, played great music (they played 80s tunes when I went), and was a great place to share delicious eats and creative cocktails.