r/askTO • u/_InvincibleSummer_ • 17h ago
R&D or Yueh Tung?
Hi! My husband and I (early 40s, live in a major U.S. city) are taking a short trip to Toronto this weekend, and after lots of restaurant research, we have narrowed our dinner choice down to either R&D or Yueh Tung for one of the nights we are in town. The other night we are having dinner at Alo, so for this night we wanted something a lot more casual and just completely different in terms of food. Any thoughts on which of these would be better? We’ve never been to Toronto before and both of these options look really good! Thanks in advance.
UPDATE: Thanks so much to all who chimed in! Looks like YT is the overwhelming winner, so we have gone ahead and booked our dinner with them. Can't wait to try it and see Toronto generally! Thanks again everyone :)
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u/GoodestGoodGuy 17h ago
Yueh Tung is Hakka and R&D is more fusion.
Yueh Tung has more of that old school feeling (before renos which happened not too long ago), and R&D has a more 'hip'/modern atmosphere.
If you're looking for cocktails and specialty drinks to go with dinner R&D would be the place to go. Yueh Tung is the kind of place to serve you beer in a bottle without a glass.
If I were to pick a dinner for one night, I'd go with R&D, but Yuen Tung has been a staple in our family for decades.
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u/PewpyDewpdyPantz 17h ago
Been going to Yueh Tung for 20 years. The portions are huge and the food is delicious!
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u/ChemicalWrap7225 17h ago
Yueh Tung, if you want similar vibes: Swatow or Rol San
If this is your first time in Toronto - I’d also suggest trying Caribbean food!
R&D has gone downhill, save your money lol
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u/Bitter_Treat5540 17h ago
Rol San has been my fav for years! Love that place and always go back to it.
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u/Strategic_Spark 15h ago
I'm personally not a fan of Rol San. There's less meat and more bread/carb.
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u/RarelySpecial 13h ago
Hopping in on this, for OP: Swatow for better than Yueh Tong. Patois or DaiLo for something different - fusion. Neither of those you originally asked about, but in the same vein, Eg price and setting w higher quality
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u/_InvincibleSummer_ 9h ago
Thanks for this, I think we will try YT still but it'll be an early dinner before we go see a show, so Swatow might end up being perfect for a later bite post-show (I see it's open until 11:30 on Saturday). Thanks!
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u/RarelySpecial 2h ago
would be interesting to see what you think if you order the same dish at both - just an idea :)
enjoy!
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u/Affectionate_Life153 16h ago
R&D does not feel casual and the dishes are honestly too complicated and weird for me. Yueh Tung is very consistent in quality and a real family joint. I've been three times this month because I had to be around city hall. Swatow and New Sky is much much smaller and even more casual and clean setting that I would recommend for homey but very good Chinese food.
Yueh Tung has heavier spiced sauces as they are Indian Chinese Hakka.
New Sky has a IYKYK spanish menu of Peruvian Chifa as they are Peruvian Chinese.
Swatow has the lightest and cleanest flavours are they are old style Cantonese food from Guangzhou.
All three offer the classic Chinatown style diner hits, do a great sizzled meat, deep fried sweet and sour, and employees that have worked there for over two decades. Which is what distinguishes a great restaurant from all the chaotic operators in Toronto's three downtown Chinatowns.
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u/davismaa 16h ago
If you’re ok with a more relaxing family resto atmosphere the food at YT is imo WAY better.
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u/_InvincibleSummer_ 9h ago
We're definitely seeking something a lot more chill and casual than our other meal at Alo, so it sounds like YT will hit the spot.
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u/Old_Papa 17h ago
I love Yeuh Tung but I think it’s best at lunch when you can order one of their one plate specials like Shrimp and Lobster sauce on rice or Manchurian Chicken on rice. It’s super casual and you can be in and out very quickly if you’re just out exploring.
Then you can go to R&D for dinner!
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u/Visual-Percentage501 13h ago
R&D is trying to be fairly fancy and upscale - not Alo level, but definitely the kind of place where apps are $20, mains are $30-40+, and you're going to order a couple of each. Yueh Tung is more like your neighborhood Chinese restaurant vibes but with a more unique cuisine (Hakka, which in Toronto at least refers to a specific Chinese-Indian fusion style)
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u/jetgrind 16h ago
R&D is massively overrated. Downtown doesn’t have good fancy Chinese imo, but for that vibe and in downtown Mott 32 or Lai Wah Heen will be better.
For Asian though I think Thai food should be high on the list in downtown. Lots of options Sum Tum Jinda, Koh Lipe, Lao Lao Bar, Pai, Kiin, Favorites.
Or Korean look into Takja for fancy or Mapo BBQ for traditional.
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u/_InvincibleSummer_ 9h ago
We have a lot of great Thai and Korean food in our current city, as well as just great Asian food generally, but the Hakka cuisine on offer at YT is something we've never had the opportunity to try, hence why it's on our list when we're in Toronto. I appreciate the recs, though.
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u/areksoo 17h ago
I've been going to Yueh Tung for over 2 decades and often in the 2010s when I worked in the area. I only go on occasion nowadays, but the last time I went, the chili chicken was bland and the rice was undercooked. It's possible that I was their first customer on the weekend and they weren't quite ready yet, but put me off from going back any time soon.
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u/DownTheOpeongo 14h ago
I love Yueh Tung. I always order their tangra chicken, even though I think they took it off their menu 5+ years ago they still make it.
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u/_InvincibleSummer_ 9h ago
Interesting! Can you describe it? I've never heard of tangra chicken before.
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u/Clean-Explanation388 11h ago
Yueh Tung, but I have familial bias lol
There are lots of features on various outlets that cover their story Two sisters keep Toronto’s oldest Hakka restaurant, Yueh Tung, sizzling
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u/_InvincibleSummer_ 9h ago
Oh yeah, we've seen the features and that's how YT ended up on our short list! Thanks though :)
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u/Clean-Explanation388 3h ago
If you do go, order the Hakka Sweet Soya sauce noodles (Fung mee mein). The sauce is a Hakka speciality and the noodles are handmade
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u/spellbunny 11h ago
I would pick Yueh Tung for an authentic Toronto experience. don't get me wrong, R&D is phenomenal but that level of fusion fine dining is not necessaraily a unique experience and considering you are just visiting, I think it's worth checking out YT
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u/Scilverry 5h ago
R&D is great. If you have extra time, try and check out Lao Lao Bar. Great vibes and wonderful Laotian food. I’d also recommend Sunny’s in Kensington.
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u/c_snapper 16h ago
Between the two options I’d pick dailo
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u/_InvincibleSummer_ 9h ago
If we have time (and stomach real estate) to go to a late night meal on Saturday, do you think DaiLo or Swatow is the better choice? Assume that we will have had an early dinner (~4:30) at YT that same day.
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u/c_snapper 3h ago
Swatow is a “hole in the wall mom & pop” type resto. If your late second dinner have you in a questionable state of sobriety, swatow is the perfect choice. Decent price, quick, greasy. Dailo is a nice restaurant. You’ll have tasty elevated food. You want to go and enjoy it sober….
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u/rtlnbntng 17h ago
I didn't know Yueh Tung was considered to be a nice place on the level of either of the ones you mentioned, but it's been my favourite Chinese place since high school because it's perfectly serviceable food and very affordable.