As creator of Senses, Hemispheres, Lai Wah Heen and Vancouver’s Diva at the Met, hotelier Henry Wu has made himself one of Canada’s leading restaurateurs. His new venture finds him gambling on a notoriously fickle landmark Mount Pleasant location, the space that once housed Pronto but also Steak Frites and Square. “We’re calling it Lai Toh Heen,” says Wu, “which means ‘beautiful, nurturing, pleasant meeting place.’ I see it as a more casual, more flexible version of Lai Wah Heen.” The same team of chefs will be responsible for the menu, concentrating on 20 to 30 Cantonese and regional Chinese signature dishes, but also experimenting with avant-garde ideas from Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland. The crowning glory promises to be dim sum from master Terrence Chan, available at lunch and in the evening. Now, if only the neighbours would give the nod to that long-dreamt-of rooftop patio.

Lai Toh Heen, 692 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-489-8922.