CLOSED: A La Carte at the Gardiner (Toronto)

Posted on Saturday, January 31, 2015 by


A La Carte at the Gardiner has been opened for almost two years, occupying the space from the former Jamie Kennedy restaurant. However, they’re not new to the block; they’ve been involved with catering at the Gardiner Museum, so if you’ve attended an event there you’ve likely tried their creations.  

Situated on the third floor, the space is wonderful with high ceilings and soaring windows overlooking University. Having reconfigured the dining room’s layout, the space is much larger with a bright airy feeling to it. With beautiful wooden floors, a baby grand piano and sculptures by the entrance, it’s comfortable, contemporary and elegant.

Their prices are surprisingly reasonable for their prime location. The charcuterie board arrives with cured ham, Calabrese salami, prosciutto, chicken terrine and plenty of accompaniments for only $14. So, even if you’re not in the mood for a meal, it’d be a great option for resting, a small bite and drinks after checking out the Museum’s exhibits (or any of the other tourist destinations in the area). With glasses of wine for $10 and cocktails at $12 it’s an affordable option.


The meat on the charcuterie was decent but what I enjoyed most was the house-made julienned pickled vegetables served with it. They’re vinegary and crunchy, a great way to start the meal. Along with cornichons (small French pickles), olives and toasted crostini this was a full and satisfying platter.

Despite the above, we couldn’t help but dig into the complimentary bread as well. It was accompanied with a great za'atar spice mixture which had a chili, citrusy and savoury essence to it.


I have a love-hate relationship with paella – love the Westernized versions but still acquiring the taste for those I’ve tried in Barcelona. At a la Carte, if you’re ordering this expecting paella ($16), you may be disappointed. Unfortunately, it lacked the saffron essence, fluffy rice and caramelized crust quality that really makes the dish become paella.


Nonetheless, it wasn’t a bad dish. It had great flavours and plenty of ingredients (chicken, bay scallops, chorizo, a tiger shrimp and mussel). For me, the dish would be more aptly described as a seafood jambalaya risotto. With the abundance of the holy trinity, chorizo (that is so similar to andouille) and spicy kick, it made me reminiscent of New Orleans. The creamy Arborio rice and saucier finish is where it deviates from a jambalaya, hence the addition of ‘risotto’ required in the description.

My husband was more than satisfied with the catch of the week ($17) – in this case a lobster mac ‘n’ cheese. It arrived bubbling giving off such a fragrant aroma of butter, cheese and lobster. Thankfully, for my stomach’s sake, it wasn’t overly creamy. But, it’s not exactly healthy either as there was still plenty of butter and cheese mixed into the pasta.


I enjoyed the hint of lemon added to the dish, which helped to brighten it up. In the end, it reminded me of a cross between mac ‘n’ cheese and scampi shrimp. The frisee salad had a delicious unexpected dressing on it: vinegary and savoury but also a hint of spice - perhaps curry and/or tamarind?

What I liked enjoyed most about a la Carte was their hushed and elegant but not stuffy environment. It’s a great place to visit where you can actually carry a conversation with fellow dinner guests. Dinner is only served Fridays as events and weddings fill the space the rest of the time. Generally, they are opened for lunch and brunch service. And I’d imagine the daytime view, when you can see everything, would be even better.

 Check out my return visit to the restaurant to try their summer menu.

Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10

 Disclaimer: The above meal was complimentary but the thoughts are still my honest opinion. 

How To Find Them
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 111 Queens Park (3rd floor of the Gardiner Museum)

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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!


CLOSED: Maple Yip Seafood Restaurant 陸羽海鮮酒家 (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2015 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 4227 Sheppard Avenue East
Type of Meal: Dinner

 Some of the best ethnic restaurants are tucked away in a non-descript plaza in the suburbs. Maple Yip is no different and has been a family favourite for years. It’s not a fancy, but perfect for casual family dinners with prices to match.

They are known for some of dishes that require 48 hours advanced notice. Their winter melon soup ($48 for the large) is great for the winter as the soup stays hot within its vessel throughout dinner. For smaller tables they also have a tinier version, simply tell them your table size and they’ll make one accordingly. However, large tables can always opt for a medium one as there is just so much soup! With ten of us and the large version we each had two bowls and still had plenty leftover.


Winter melon soup is essentially a fragrant broth made with chicken, Chinese cured ham, dried and fresh scallop, shrimp, crab, Chinese mushroom and other dried herbs. It’s all placed into the hollowed out squash and steamed for hours to infuse the melon’s sweet juices into the rich soup.


As it’s eaten, you scrape off the melon’s sides to enjoy with the soup, which is pretty bland by itself but lightens the flavourful broth.


Another dish I highly recommend is the deep fried glutinous rice stuffed chicken ($38). An entire deboned chicken (except the legs and wings) has its cavity filled with a sticky rice mixed with Chinese cured sausage (lap cheung) and mushrooms. After cooking they deep fry it so that the skin is golden red, light and crispy.


On the inside, the chicken meat remains juicy and tender. The sticky rice was the highlight mixed with all the chicken’s juices – it’s fragrant and flavourful.


If you don’t want a full chicken, another dish I’ve enjoyed is their crispy chicken topped with ginger and scallions ($9.95). Unfortunately, it’s not on their regular menus (it’s on one of those papers tacked along the wall). So, be mindful not order the steamed version on their regular menu; this is the crispy one called “yow lum giy” in Cantonese.


The chicken is essentially like the deep fried chicken with rice crackers you’d find at most Chinese restaurants. Then they douse is in a sweet diluted hot soy sauce (similar to what accompanies steamed fish) and top it with tons of green onions, ginger and deseeded chilies. That combination of crispy skin, juicy meat, sweet/salty sauce and fragrant herbs is simply delicious.

Maple Yip’s stir fried double lobsters with green onion and ginger ($34.95) was admittedly not the best. The lobsters, perhaps were smaller than normal, ended up looking shrunken due to the tinier pieces. But, there was a good flavour to the dish.


A special for the night was an old fashioned steamed grouper tail ($27). A meatier fish, the grouper was cooked well and topped with slivers of onion, orange peel and other items which added great flavours against the neutral fish. Its larger bones are also perfect for those who aren’t use to eating bone-in steamed fish and are squeamish about swallowing them in the process.


The stir fried clams ($9.95) had a decent fragrant black bean sauce but the seafood itself was rather small and there wasn’t much to eat.


Maple Yip’s chili shrimp and eggplant ($9.95) certainly has some heat to it. Served in a clay pot it’s piping hot (be careful) and allows it to be left out for a while retaining its temperature. Although timing is not an issue here as they whip out dishes in quick succession. In fact, most of the time, this is the problem with their service: you will have gotten the winter melon soup and before you even finish the first bowl other dishes will start arriving.


The deep fried pork chop with spicy salt and pepper ($7.95) was crispy and satisfying. If you like it spicier, wait for a piece in the middle or bottom that’s covered with the chili and salt mixture.


Meanwhile, the sweet and sour pork ($7.95), although having a great sauce, could have been cut into larger pieces. I found it a tad doughy and lacked the juicy pieces of meat I enjoy.


Most dishes are enjoyed best with steamed rice. But, if you’re already ordering the rice stuffed chicken and would like another starchy dish, the stir fried e fu noodles with mushrooms ($8.95) is reasonably priced and tasty. Just be aware of the spongy texture of the noodles – some may find its softer springy texture strange.


Despite most dishes being under $10, their vegetable dishes are pricier, but the portions are substantial. Below is the stir fried prince mushroom with bean shoots, although $16.95 is a satisfying dish.


Maple Yip is hidden in the corner at the back of the plaza whose entrance can easily be missed. But, it’s worth the search and plenty of people have found it. So, do yourself a favour and make a reservation to avoid disappointment. And be sure to order the winter melon soup or deep fried glutinous rice stuffed chicken if you’re visiting with a crowd.

Overall mark - 8 out of 10
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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!



CLOSED: Barrio Coreano (Toronto)

Posted on Saturday, January 24, 2015 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 642 Bloor Street West
Type of Meal: Dinner

It’s surprising … I’ve never been to Playa Cabana. Me, a person who loves a good taco! But, after a less than ideal visit to Grand Electric, hyped up Mexican restaurants leave a bad taste in my mouth. So, when my friend introduced me to Barrio Coreano, I was surprised to find out it was fourth restaurant from the Playa Cabana family of restaurants.

Situated in Korean Town, Barrio mixes Mexican and Korean flavours amongst an urban feeling cantina. Bright lights and graffiti-like artwork comingles with wrought-iron and exposed bricks. It has a lively and down-to-earth atmosphere and some beautiful gothic elements in the design as well.


Indeed, it doesn’t feel like you’re in Korean Town, except for the sole Coreano movie poster at the back.


As for the food, the menu is predominantly Mexican. The crowd favourite guacamole ($9) and salsa ($6) didn’t have a banchan (Korean side dish) feel to it. Nonetheless, they were satisfying. The guacamole was thick, creamy and intensely savoury (there didn’t appear to be a drop of lime juice or herb in it).


The salsa tasted fresh but could have benefited from more salt. However, its muted flavour did allow us to add hot sauces into it. At each table were four sauces – a hot spicy green habanero, a slightly milder yellow habanero oil with garlic, a tangy red chili sauce and a chili oil. I highly suggest using the green one sparingly as there’s certainly a kick to it.


This was my first experience having a torta – essentially a fluffy, soft, flat bread stuffed with delicious ingredients. We tried the torta Corean with kalbi (grillied and braised short rib; $10) and the de puerco (a shredded Mexican pulled pork $10). Both were tender, flavourful and filled with ingredients that complimented it well – creamy queso cheese & avocado and a crunchy tart cucumber-radish kimchi.


We over ordered having no clue how big Barrio’s tacos were. For the baha fish tacos (1 for $5 or 3 for $13), we paired it with the “salad” option where it’s wrapped with lettuce rather than tortilla. This is a great take on the Korean bo saam. Given the fish was deep fried, the lettuce helped lighten the taco.  The fish was fairly sized and delicious topped with a napa slaw.


The pulpo al carbon (1 for $6 or 3 for $16) contained a large piece of smoky grilled octopus that was tender but still had some bite to it. To lighten the protein, there was a crunchy cabbage slaw and a thick salsa on top. Personally, I found the tortilla (although soft and fresh) was too heavy with it. I actually enjoyed the octopus solely with the toppings and without the wrap.


Unfortunately, we ended off on a sour note as the fried chihuahua cheese taco (1 for $6 or 3 for $16) was generally detested at the table. Perhaps it’s due to it arriving last and thus suffered from sitting around and becoming soggy. But, the fried cheese was essentially a fritter and insanely heavy with the tortilla shells. But, I sense it wouldn’t be any better with the lettuce as that would make it even soggier.


I’d imagine this would taste better if the cheese was coated with bread crumbs instead so it’d be closer to a mozzarella stick consistency than fritter. Additionally, there was such a liberal portion of habanero sauce on it that it left all our mouths scorching.

Luckily, there was a large ice cube in my no love cocktail ($12) so I resourcefully used it to cool down my tongue. The cocktail was delicious and strong made with gin, Pimm’s, watermelon juice and hibiscus syrup.


Since I was stuffed I opted out of the churros poutine ($9). My friends seemed to be enjoying it but the creamy sauce on the bottom was a miss for some individuals.



Overall, I was pleased with my experience at Barrio Coreano and would be interested in trying another restaurant in the Playa Cabana chain. Their tacos are a tad pricier, but also larger and filled with tons of ingredients. So maybe popular Mexican restaurants are not all made the same – the music isn’t overwhelmingly loud, you’re allowed to make reservations and you’re not expected to pack yourself into a shared table. Olé!  

Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10

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____________________________
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!



Have you heard about the Harbord Room's social media contest?

Posted on Thursday, January 15, 2015 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 89 Harbord Street
Website: http://www.theharbordroom.com/

In these increasingly competitive times, it's difficult for most restaurants to make a name for themselves. For the Harbord Room, not only are they known, but they have also thrived. In February 2015 they will be celebrating their 7 year anniversary!

To mark this milestone they will be offering a special 7-course menu, featuring their best selling dishes for $77. Their iconic burger will likely be part of their menu, but I hope their freshly made ricotta doughnuts will be as well.


Contest Details

Additionally, they are also running a contest on social media. The prize is something I hope to experience - a private dinner prepared by Cory Vitiello along with six friends! But, if I'm not lucky enough to win, I hope to hear about it from you!

How to Enter:

  1. Post a picture of your favourite memory (dish, party or cocktail) from the restaurant or repost the image of the burger above on Twitter or Instagram
  2. Tag it with #theharbordroom7
For me, there are two memories both with their individual merits. My best food experience at the Harbord Room was during the Zomato launch. We were spoilt with a rich five-course meal complete with sides. The meal ranged from a stick-to-your-ribs partridge pot-pie topped with a generous slice of foie gras to a lighter grouper and fruit ceviche. You can read the full experience here.

On the other hand, my best experience with the restaurant's space happened a few years ago (sadly, before I started blogging about my meals). My husband and I had simpler fare consisting of their famous burger, a po-boy and those amazing ricotta doughnuts. They were all delicious and satisfying, but what made this memory stand out was the experience.

It was a beautiful summer day so we definitely wanted to sit on the patio. There was only one table left and we were warned that it was under the air conditioner so it could be loud. Indeed, there was the whirr in the background, but for us it just helped to drown out the crowd. Instead, all we could concentrate on was the shining sun and us enjoying it in the shade cooled by a slight breeze, Sure the delicious food helped. But, being able to enjoy food with someone you love, in beautiful weather and in a tranquil setting makes it that much better.  


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Kinton Ramen 4 (North York)

Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2015 by
Location: North York, Canada
Address: 5165 Yonge Street
Website: http://www.kintonramen.com
Type of Meal: Dinner

 If line-ups aren’t your thing, head to Kinton Ramen’s North York location after 10pm. At the later hour, plenty of tables available but there's still enough people mingling that it doesn’t feel empty.

Kinton’s fourth location offers a combo menu made up of a ramen, side dish and drink. Being a financially savvy person, I had to analyze the pricing to see whether it's actually a deal. My verdict is that although you save money, the savings of a $1 is negligible thus fairly worthless. Strangely, the lack of savings is due to Kinton charging more for the side dish as part of the combo than off their regular menu. Thus, this works to negate savings from adding a drink. In the brackets below, I list the combo and a la carte menu prices as a means of comparison.


I stuck with the pork original ramen ($10.90 for both combo and a la carte menu) as a means of comparing the uptown recipe to their Baldwin outpost (you can read about experience with the later here). Made with a shio (salt) base, I went with ‘regular’ strength as I found the ‘light’ one too watery. It was nice, not too salty or oily and had a light pork flavour coming through. So, it’s worth trying the regular first before you opt for the lighter choice.


The thick noodles were just a springy and the pork shoulder having a smoky quality as I enjoyed in my last visit. There’s also bean sprouts, green onions, a piece of nori and my favourite – the egg. Kinton still gives a full egg and at the North York location it’s even more soft-boiled, just look at the gooey brilliant yellow colour!



During another visit, I tried the spicy garlic ramen ($10.90) which really packs some heat in the broth. Following my friend's advice, I removed the ball of garlic on top and gradually added it into the broth to control how garlicky the broth became. In the end, about a third was enough for my taste.


Accompanying the combo, was a pint of Sapporo ($3.80 for combo vs. $5.80 on the a la carte menu). And this, my friends, is where any of the savings actually occurs.

The gyozas ($4.80 for combo vs. $3.80 on the a la carte menu) were deep fried arriving piping hot. Interestingly, they were topped with a zippy Miracle Whip sauce rather than being accompanied by soy sauce. It’s a nice change, but Kinton should consider listing the sauce on their menu as some people may be put off by the creamy sauce if they were expecting naked dumplings.


I wanted to know more about said sauce, but our waiter was no help: simply noting he didn’t know what was in it. Frankly, for a place where there’s such a limited menu, it’s sad for someone who works there to actually tell a customer they know nothing about the dishes. At the very least, they should offer to check with the chef or someone else who would know what’s being served.

Which brings me to the biggest difference between Kinton’s Baldwin and North York location – the service. Sure, everyone still shouts as you enter/leave, dishes arrive quickly and generally everyone is cheerful and friendly. But, it’s the small things that are not quite as polished.

The first, as already mentioned, is the lack of knowledge of their menu (at least the person who served us that night). Another example, was when soup was spilled as the table was cleared. Our waiter warned us about the spill (that he caused) but then chose to ignore it rather than cleaning it up. Normally, it wouldn’t matter. However, in this case, the soup was dangerously close to the edge of the table and could drip onto my fellow diner. Moreover, since all our napkins were taken away, we couldn’t even clean it up ourselves.

All in all, the slight service slip aside, I was satisfied with the food. Indeed, compared to other options available in the Yonge and Empress area, the ramen is better. Thankfully, the taste and quality is in line with Kinton’s downtown location; the serving size may even be slightly larger. If only their employees were better trained and their combo pricing strategy reevaluated than I’d be even happier.

Overall mark - 7* out of 10

 * You may notice that I’ve given Kinton’s Baldwin location a “6” and the North York location a “7”.  The uptown location is by no means better than its downtown location. But, due to the uptown branch being so conveniently located and wait times being less than Downtown, I know I will likely return (thus, rendering the 6 as untrue).

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____________________________
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!


Want to Participate in Tin Chef Competition at Mildred's Temple Kitchen?

Posted on Monday, January 05, 2015 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 85 Hanna Avenue (at the Shop at Liberty Village)
Website: http://www.templekitchen.com/mtktinchef/
Do you watch Pressure Cooker or Master Chef and love the excitement of people creating dishes under time constraints and with stipulations? Better yet, do you often think that if you were on the show you'd win? Well, now is your chance to prove it!

As part of the Winterlicious Culinary Events series the Tin Chef Competition is set to happen at Mildred's Temple Kitchen. Five contestants will compete against each other to be crowned the Tin Chef. In just 60 minutes they'll create four portions of a winning dish using the required secret ingredient. But, they do get some help as they can also bring an ingredient from their home to spice up their creation (saffron anyone)?

To win, they will need to impress actual Toronto chefs to bring home the crown and/or last year's contenders to be given the People's Choice Award. If you're interested check out Mildred's website for more instructions on how to apply. But, don't wait too long as applications are due Thursday, January 9th. 
I'll admit, I've always been intrigued about participating (after all, I make decent food). But, who am I kidding, I'd much rather relax and be a spectator instead! So, I'll be attending the event and watching the action as the contestants take on each other. Who knows, perhaps I'll get lucky and the celebrity judges will even save me a taste!

If you want to join me, head over and get a ticket. Together we'll enjoy hor d'oeuvres and food stations throughout the night, drink delicious cocktails from the cash bar and leave with a copy of Donna Dooher's, Chef of Mildred's Temple Kitchen, 'Out to Brunch' cookbook.

Event Details

 When: Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Time: Door open at 6:30pm and event starts at 7:00pm
Location: 85 Hanna Avenue
Tickets: $54.89 (includes taxes and service fee) can be purchased here

 Hurry, based on the event page there are only 8 tickets remaining! If you're planning to go, let me know as I'd love to meet Gastro World's readers in person!



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    Congee Queen 皇后名粥 (Scarborough)

    Posted on Saturday, January 03, 2015 by
    Location: Toronto, Canada
    Address: 3850 Sheppard Avenue East (in Agincourt Mall)
    Website: http://www.congeequeen.com/
    Type of Meal: Dinner
    The “wife” restaurant to the Congee Wong chain is the newer and larger Congee Queen. With a menu branching outside the normal Cantonese dishes, it also offers items such as pad thai (if you like the ketchup variety) and pho (never had it myself but the picture looks nothing like the pho I love).

    There’s also a BBQ meat section that churns out dishes that look on point. I’ve tried the BBQ duck with thick vermicelli in soup ($7.25). The noodles (lai fun) are thicker than vermicelli and tastes nothing like it; they’re a non-doughy texture and resists getting soft. The BBQ duck, although well flavoured, was chewy and difficult to bite through. Needless to say, BBQ meats isn’t something I’ll be going back to order.


    Despite their extensive menu, I normally go for the tried and true favourites – congee, rice noodles with beef, Singapore fried vermicelli, stir fried turnip cakes and salt & pepper fried squid. All are great and arrive in huge portions, sure to satisfy crowds.

    If you’re with at least four people, I’d suggest ordering the seafood and chicken with wintermelon super bowl congee ($10.25), a great combination of ingredients. When I go with less people, we stick with the small bowls. Something simple like the sliced beef congee ($5.50) allows you to enjoy the thick smooth congee. The beef, although boiled, has been tenderized so that it resists becoming tough.


    During a recent visit, I felt like something different. After all, with such a wide-ranging menu they must have other items worth a try. With a craving for lobster, the lobster chow mein ($20.95) seemed to be a good choice – crispy noodles topped with a full lobster. Stir fried in the traditional ginger and green onion sauce, the dusting of flour over each piece was a tad thick. But, once you got through it, the lobster itself was nice and tasted fresh. Moreover, the noodles were thin and remained crispy due to the thicker sauce.


    Based on the picture, you likely won’t be able to tell there are a decent number of pieces of soft shell crab in their fried rice ($11.75). But, buried under the mound of well flavoured rice are lightly fried chunks of soft shell crab. Personally, I find that this relatively flavourless crustacean requires more spices or sauce to enhance it so it was a tad bland in the rice. Also, if you’re going to order this, make sure you finish all the crab in the restaurant, while it’s fresh, as it becomes mushy once reheated.


    To round out the meal, a dish of simple but nicely prepared yu choy (a leafy vegetable) stir fried with beef ($10.75). I must commend Congee Queen on preparing their vegetables – they always seem so well trimmed and cooked perfectly.


    If you’re looking for plain vegetables, their gai lan with oyster sauce ($5.95) satisfies and is a reasonable price.


    Congee Wong will always be my go-to carb filled restaurant. But, with more and more locations opening, it’s just so convenient to head to Congee Queen! So, grab a group of people or be prepared to have a lot of leftovers. The price and selection makes it such a great everyday place to visit. 

     Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10

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    ____________________________
    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!

    Mei Nung Beef Noodle House (Markham)

    Posted on Saturday, January 03, 2015 by
    Location: Markham, Ontario
    Address: 3225 Highway 7 East (at First Markham Place)
    Type of Meal: Dinner

     It’s been a few years since I’ve visited Mei Nung, but one evening (with the onset of Canadian winter), I craved a bowl of hearty beef noodle soup. Unlike pho and ramen, where the soup often plays star to the dish, the beef and noodles is what counts most here. Sure, the beef broth mixed with spices still matters; but it’s the thick noodles and large chunks of beef that entices me.

    Mei Nung is arguably one of the better beef noodle houses in the GTA. At one point, they were so dedicated to it that there was only a handful of items on their menu. Years later, they have branched out to other noodles but most tables still come for their homemade beef noodle soup ($7.99 for large).

    The menu provides a choice of rice, glass or homemade noodles. Trust me, go with the homemade as these springy doughy thick noodles is what pairs best with the hearty meat. Their beef is well braised leaving it tender and flavourful. With plenty of pieces in every bowl, it will certainly last you until the end. To counteract the starch and meat it’s served with blanched Shanghai bok choy and tart pieces of preserved vegetables (shun choy).


    We also tried the homemade noodle with minced meat sauce in soup ($7.99 for large), which reminded me of ramen but with a lighter beef broth. The noodles are the same thick variety but topped with corn, bean sprouts, bok choy and a star anise spiced ground beef. It’s a lighter dish and worth a try if you’re tired of their star offering.


    Both broths were not spicy. So, if you want to add a kick there are two hot sauces on the table to help spice it up. The first, is the typical red chili variety while the second is a secret concoction of chilies mixed into a paste. Yes, the dark brown container that looks deceivingly like sweet hoisin sauce is a hot sauce. It’s rather thick but is meant to be placed into the soup so that it melts throughout.


    As a warning, the restaurant doesn’t smell pleasant. That’s because Mei Nung also serves deep fried tofu ($7.50), which the menu fails to mention is the stinky variety.

    Luckily, Canada doesn’t allow the traditional brining fermentation method that is used in Asian countries as it can be much worse. My first (and only other experience) with stinky tofu occurred in Hong Kong: I was determined to seek out the elusive street food my parents spoke so fondly about from their childhood. We had no problems locating it as the smell was so strong that it could be smelt from a block away! At that point, little did I know the putrid scent that slightly stung the nostrils was what I was searching for. Sadly, it tasted horrible and with one bite I passed it along to my parents. But, they noted that it wasn’t prepared properly as the piece was much too thick and dense.

    Since that time I haven’t tried it again. Even when I learnt Mei Nung offered a version of it, I refrained from ordering it on account of the terrible Hong Kong experience. So, I don’t know what go into me - perhaps it was knowing that I would write this post and wanting to share an experience with you – but I ordered it.


    It wasn’t that bad. You could certainly smell it but the offending smell didn’t leech into the taste. Since they were smaller pieces, the sweet hoisin sauce that accompanies it ended up being what I tasted most (try adding a hit of the red chili sauce as well). Even so, I wouldn’t want it again. Due to the soaking process, the tofu gets tough; so, there’s a dense dry texture to it. Personally, I’d much rather order the light fluffy, crispy, non-smelly varieties found at congee restaurants.


    Also, the tofu’s portion size is much too big for a table of two (best eaten with a table of four). Since it’s fairly heavy, I only wanted a few pieces. And, in hindsight, we really didn’t need the large sized noodles as there was no way we could finish everything. I guess when you’re craving noodles the stomach sometimes gets the best of you.

    In the end, if you can withstand the slightly offending smell of the restaurant, visit Mei Nung for their noodles. It’s hot, comforting and really sticks to the bones – perfect for battling the winter ahead of us.  

    Overall mark - 8 out of 10

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    ____________________________
    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!

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