Highly-anticipated Toronto restaurant requires $200 deposit for reservations

A highly-anticipated restaurant that’s set to finally open in Toronto this month is charging patrons a staggering $200 deposit just to book a reservation.

Unlike anything that’s been done before, new Toronto restaurant aKin is the lovechild of two immeasurable talents in the culinary world: Eric Chong, the winner of MasterChef Canada, season 1, and  three-Michelin-starred chef Alvin Leung — but the name recognition isn’t the only thing about the restaurant that’s garnering major buzz.

The restaurant, which is due to officially open for business on Thursday, Nov. 21, will be a first-of-its-kind concept that serves up 10-course blind tasting menus with a strong focus on traditional Chinese (and other pan-Asian) cuisine.

A dinner at the restaurant will run around 2.5 to 3 hours, with each innovative dish a complete surprise to diners, who will be sat at one of the 28 seats in the restaurant, or the four-seat chef’s counter, which allows for an even more intimate and in-depth experience.

All that glitters doesn’t come for free, though, and in the case of aKin, indeed it comes with a weighty price tag.

A 10-course tasting menu experience at aKin will run you $275 per person, before 13 per cent gratuity and additional beverage charges. If you want a seat at the Chef’s counter, that comes with a price tag of $350.

Don’t expect sticker shock at the end of your meal, though, because your reservation alone will cover more than 70 per ecnt of the meal, with reservations at the restaurant requiring a $200 deposit before booking, which will later be deducted from the final bill.

While some may immediately assume that the steep charge is merely the result of greedy restaurateurs wanting to make a quick buck, Chef Eric Chong tells blogTO that the deposit is actually a function of the broader experience at the restaurant.

“Each reservation is significant to us, and the deposit helps ensure that our guests are committed to their bookings,” Chef Eric says. 

“Since we prepare our dishes fresh every day with high-quality ingredients, last-minute cancellations can greatly impact our operations and the dining experience we strive to provide.”

The same policy explains that the restaurant doesn’t allow same-day reservations for the exact same reason: each meal at aKin requires careful planning and preparation, so knowing the exact number of diners well in advance is integral to creating the incomparable experience these chefs are aiming for.

If you need to cancel your reservation, though, you can get your deposit back, as long as you do so with more than a week’s notice. You can also reschedule your reservation to a time that works for you at no extra charge.

“We understand that plans can change, and we aim to be as accommodating as possible while maintaining the sustainability of our operations,” Eric tells blogTO.

aKin will be located at 51 Colborne Street.