Mahjong Bar

Through the Pink Shop

3.5 of 5

From the sidewalk it looks like a corner shop that wandered over from Hong Kong and fell into a can of pink paint. When it opened in 2017 the front sold shrimp chips, instant noodles and RuPaul votive candles. Walk through it, and a keyhole door modeled on co-owner Kyle Wong's family restaurant from the 1960s opens onto two thousand square feet of mid-century Hong Kong glow, with a checkerboard floor and a 36 foot jungle mural by Gabriella Lo.

The food is what makes this more than a set. Crack wings, street cheung fun, a fried chicken bao and an HK chopped cheese, which is a New York bodega sandwich that took a long flight and came home better. Vietnamese shaking beef if you are settling in. Finish with HK ice cream toast, exactly as unhealthy as it sounds and worth every bite. The drinks keep pace without lecturing anybody: a Soju Spritz, a Mango Mezcal Margarita, and a Vietnamese Iced Coffee for people who intend to stay up.

Mahjong Bar has been at this for close to a decade on a stretch of Dundas West where bars open and vanish every season. That kind of staying power comes from a room that is fun without being stupid and a kitchen that actually cares. It opens Thursday to Sunday from seven, and the later it gets, the louder it gets. Bring a few friends and order half the snack list.

Order this: Crack wings, HK chopped cheese, Street cheung fun, HK ice cream toast, Mango Mezcal Margarita
The damage: $$
Go: Thursday to Sunday, after seven, in a group
Find it: 1276 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1X7
Website: mahjongbar.com