Chinese banquet dining is synonymous with generosity and hospitality. At Yan, the form becomes intimate, and educational.

For nearly three decades Toronto’s Hong Shing has been a constant, though not without change. Colin Li took over his parents’ business eight years ago. (Longtime regulars will remember when the original sign got a slick makeover.) In 2024 chef Eva Chin came onboard as culinary director, launching Yan Dining Room, a micro-restaurant within the restaurant.

Three nights a week,  28 guests are treated to eight leisurely courses; a tally that sells the bounty short; the snacks comprise five small plates, and dessert is a duo. The team is small, tight-knit, and includes Chin’s wife. 

Chin’s tasting menu is a dialogue between banquet structure and her life. She calls the food Neo-Chinese, or “a love letter to our culture, our cuisine, and our community. It is where we get to harmoniously blend tradition with new and avant garde.” The menu changes monthly.

Chin has presence, academic sharpness, and captivating vulnerability. Each dish is placed within historical, technical, and personal context, as if described at her kitchen table. Guests laugh, call back. Chin tells of the women shopkeepers on Spadina, who call her “handsome boy.” Supporting those shopkeepers is one of her many commitments to sustainability, making their livelihoods viable, their produce valued.

Everyone is served at once. “It keeps the diners connected to one another and allows conversation to immediately start after everyone enjoys the food at the same time, but in their own way.” Chin explains. “There’s a nice chatter in the air, and it’s a nice buzz to hear as the diners share their thoughts.” 

By the end of the night, guests filter out in no particular rush, clutching bags of precious leftovers, the generosity is real, parting gifts from a host who really wants you to eat well tomorrow, too.