Showing posts with label cheap eats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cheap eats. Show all posts

Yin Ji Chang Fen 銀記腸粉 (Markham)

Posted on Sunday, October 15, 2017 by

If you’re claustrophobic and have an aversion to sitting in close quarters, Yin Ji Chang Fen is not a restaurant to visit. Each table’s real estate is used to capacity – during peak periods a table that fits four will not be given to three – so it’s best to go in even numbers.

What makes people return is Yin Ji’s chang fen or rice noodle rolls. Unlike the versions you find at dim sum, Yin Ji’s is thin yet still retains a hint of elasticity to resist breaking. Each order arrives as one massive rice noodle that’s filled with toppings. The marinated beef and shrimp rice roll ($5.75) incorporated diced pieces of soy sauce laced beef (as opposed to the soft patty found elsewhere) studded with plump shrimp.


You can add an egg coating (additional $1.25), which gives it a light wash on top of the actual rice noodle. Having had it with the BBQ pork and chive roll ($4.75), it does give the dish an added depth of flavour (and perhaps helps the soy sauce stick better), but takes away from the silky feeling of the rice roll itself.

Most people also add on a bowl of congee - the typical order seems to be a congee and chang fen per diner - and their Lai Wan ($5.50) version is popular. There’s the customary seafood (shrimp and white fish), since Lai Wan is a seaside village in China, but also includes BBQ pork slices, pork rind slivers, crunchy peanuts, thinly sliced egg, and a hefty dose of parsley (in lieu of spring onions) that really awakens the congee.


Their shredded pork and gold preserved egg congee ($5) was also decent, with enough of each ingredient. Some reviewers find their congee bland, but I found it adequately seasoned and the abundant toppings give it sufficient flavours - it’s not out-of-this-world but at $5 a bowl is good enough.

The menu includes other dim sum as well. Their sticky rice wrap ($4.50) arrives two to an order, each almost double the miniature versions found at dim sum restaurants. The glutinous rice is filled with mostly meat (seems to be pork in lieu of the traditional chicken) and arrives piping hot.

From the moment you enter, there’s a sense of frenzy … as if you’ve stepped into a night market street vendor instead of a strip mall in Markham. The environment takes some getting used to, but that chang fen … once you’ve had it a Yin Ji, dim sum will never be the same again. 

Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10
How To Find Them
 Location: Markham, Canada
 Address: 7010 Warden Avenue

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:
Yin Ji Chang Fen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato


Yummy Dumpling House (Toronto)

Posted on Saturday, October 14, 2017 by

After finding Sushi Bong was closed, I stumbled onto their neighbor, Yummy Dumpling House, located at the same North York condo building base. Yummy’s cozy dining room only holds fifteen at capacity, but this doesn’t seem to be a problem as the restaurant wasn’t overly busy during our Sunday lunch. It did have a steady stream of a couple tables coming and going, which is good as the kitchen is a one-woman operation (another wraps dumplings while a gentlemen greets and serves).

We’re given small dishes, which I assumed were for holding a dipping sauce, but turns out is also the plate for eating. As the steaming Chinese cabbage and pork dumplings ($8.50 for 15) arrives, the first dumpling, slippery with water, was a bit difficult to maneuver without any real dishware or spoon. Nevertheless, I was eventually successful and took a bite of the scalding dough.


Personally, I prefer dumplings steamed (the wrapper is thinner and hence results in more juices and flavour), but for being boiled these were decent – the wrapper still on the thick side but the filling incorporated enough ginger and spices to stand out.

Eat the pan-fried pork dumplings ($7.98 for 8) while they’re hot, as the thin layer of crispy caramelization on the wrapper is delicious. After a while, with the condensation and being piled onto a small plate, they start to get soggy. Some of the wrappers did break so the juices (one of the best parts of the dumpling) escaped. But, the couple of intact ones I had were tasty - Yummy Dumpling House really gets the seasoning right.


If you like Peking duck, give their flavoured pork wrap ($5.98) a try. The wrapper is thicker but has that same chewiness as the Peking duck counterpart. Lightly toasted with crispy edges, it holds thin slices of roasted pork covered with sweet hoisin sauce and fresh scallions. In the end, it has a Peking duck essence but isn’t oily and much heartier.


The experience reminds me of the need to just get out and explore restaurants. I’m guilty of it: relying on reviews or Instagram pictures to decide on where to eat. However, this limits the opportunities of stumbling across little hole-in-the-wall places where you can support mom-and-pop establishments that can’t afford media events. So set a date and grab someone to just take a stroll; find a small place that you’ve never heard of and just walk in. It may not be perfect, but at least you’ve supported a budding local entrepreneur.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10
How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 5 Northtown Way (Unit 16)

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:
Yummy Dumpling House Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Seven Lives Tacos Y Mariscos (Toronto)

Posted on Wednesday, March 02, 2016 by

Seven Lives Tacos Y Mariscos’s tacos have been haunting me ever since I’ve first tried them about a year and a half ago. On this return visit, nothing has changed: the small restaurant is as busy as ever, eating in is still limited to a table of six and standing room for about the same, but most importantly, the tacos are still $5 each and just as delicious as ever.

Diners rave about the Gobinator ($5), a rare combination of smoked tuna, shrimp and cheese. It’s never sounded appealing to me, but with this much praise it’s at least worth a try.


You have to like the idea of smoked tuna - are you the type of person that salivates at the site of a Scandinavian herring platter? Then this one’s for you. As for me, the fish was simply too overpowering that even the pickled red onions couldn’t counterbalance it. It wasn’t bad, but give the simple spicy shrimp taco any day.

The grilled octopus ($5), on the other hand, will fast become a go-to taco. The tendrils were cut into little discs and reheated on the flat top so they arrive smoking hot with a tender chew. The sautéed peppers and abundance of fresh cilantro worked well with the meaty seafood, with drizzles of sour cream to tie it all together.


Seven Lives has a great selection of house made salsas. The hot habanero one seems to be the most popular, but trust me it's SPICY. If you don't like the sting, the medium version has the kick of jalapeno with acidic tomatillos to mellow it out.


Even with double soft corn tortilla shells things are bound to get messy as each taco is overflowing with toppings. So grab a few wet naps and wear a dark shirt. For such affordable eats packed with delectable ingredients and flavours, sticky hands and a messy shirt are worth it.

Overall mark - 9 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 69 Kensington Avenue

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:

Seven Lives - Tacos Y Mariscos Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

CLOSED: The Bowl Noodle Bar (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, February 28, 2016 by
The Bowl Noodle Bar

Could the next noodle trend be for freshly made products? There has certainly been a rise in restaurants offering hand pulled (la mein) and knife shaved noodles, complete with opened kitchens so you can watch the chef at work.


The Bowl Noodle Bar, is a relatively new entrant, with a huge dining room that’s more modern compared to competing establishments. Prestotea, a bubble tea company, is also located there so diners are welcomed to stay and have a drink after slurping down the noodles.

Also catering to the younger crowd are their iPad menus, simple to use and includes photos that were surprisingly not far off from the final product. The traditional hand pulled noodle with beef ($7.99) consisted of sliced lightly marinated beef flank with little fat. The thin noodles are delicate and soft; thankfully not over cooked so they retain some elasticity. Meanwhile, the stock appeared to be chicken based, not amazing but held enough flavour.


Although the grilled chicken didn’t photograph, there was a fair amount of it within the knife shaved noodles ($7.99). Watching the chef make the dish, I was impressed by how even the width of the noodles were – there was an element of control and fluidity from the chef cutting through the dough compared to the quick moves I’ve previously seen.


The thickness of the noodles still varied, which is understandable considering the lack of machinery used. The nice long ribbons stayed separated within the soup, silky and slightly chewy.


My new favourite way of having the knife shaved noodles is in the stir fried form. Tossed with seafood (squid and shrimp) in a savoury chili sauce ($9.99), I loved the flavour you get from the sauce covering the neutral noodles and the slight wok aroma permeating the dish.


Shall I make a prediction that eventually one of these artisan shops will make its way south of Bloor and invoke line-ups? But for now, Downtowners, you may have to get on a subway (and bus) to enjoy these traditional dishes.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 633 Silverstar Boulevard

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:


Angus Pho House 越来香 (Toronto)

Posted on Wednesday, January 27, 2016 by

A bowl of pho simply sooths the soul. The salty bone broth is nourishing without greasiness, the silky noodles filling without overpowering the soup and the other ingredients a good addition but never the stars.

Angus Pho House is quickly becoming my favourite place in the city. The dining room is small but brightly coloured artwork adorns the walls. I continuously get the beef brisket and beef tendon noodle soup ($7.95 for a small and $8.95 for the large): the brisket can be hit or miss (at times a few too many chewy bits) but the tendon always soft and sticky.


Aside from their great flavourful broth that’s not oily, the noodles are quickly cooked so they retain a delicate bite. The toppings – green onion, red onion, bean sprouts and Thai basil – are the traditional favourites and plentiful.

Sometimes, we also succumb to the Vietnamese spring rolls ($5.95), even though they’re not required given the sheer amount of noodles in the small bowl. The fillings also vary in quality, at times the taro overtaking the bits of minced pork inside. However, they have always arrived freshly fried with a crisp crust.



Angus Pho House’s menu offers a variety of options above the typical grilled meat on rice. Judging by other diners, their curry with roti, fried noodles and laksa noodles are also popular. Perhaps, maybe, who knows… I will try these other offerings. For now, I am satisfied with a hot steaming bowl of pho.

Overall mark - 8 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 5443 Yonge Street

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:

Click to add a blog post for Angus Pho House on Zomato


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