Danforth Dragon Restaurant, Toronto, ON

Customers used to complain that the Chinese food at Toronto's Danforth Dragon was too spicy. But owner Anthony Lin will quickly explain to them that it's supposed to be that way. His small restaurant may be decorated in kitschy Chinese paintings and traditional reds, but it serves up Indian-Chinese Hakka cuisine — a spicy take on traditional Chinese foods that includes the flavours of coriander, chilies and curry. Three years ago, Lin revamped his menu to highlight the restaurant's special Hakka dishes, such as chili chicken, chicken coriander soup and his specialty, a homemade Hakka-style hot sauce. The move came after more than a few confused queries about his food. "We put Hakka to highlight that this is not the Szechwan you expect. It's curry flavour, " he says. His family is Hakka, an ethnic group of North Chinese who migrated to South China in the 13th century. Many later scattered to countries around the world, such as Thailand and Malaysia. In Toronto, their unique blends of The Danforth Dragon has brought the fiery fusion of Hakka cuisine to Toronto diners since 1999. Chinese food — everything from Indian-Chinese to Jamaican-Chinese, can be found at a variety of restaurants, including the Danforth Dragon.