RaviSoups

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curried lamb wrap

I had some extra time to kill before class so I decided to make my way over to RaviSoups on Adelaide between Peter and John. Despite their somewhat out of the way location, they seem to have a pretty big following and I can see why. The menu is pretty limited, 5 kinds of soups and 4 kinds of wraps...but what they do they do well.

I got the curried lamb wrap ($8.99 + tax) which also came with a small side salad. In the wrap there were roasted yams, baby spinach, mango pineapple salsa, mint cilantro chutney, and of course the curried lamb. Now I know that all sounds pretty pretentious and yuppie but it actually all worked together and tasted delicious. The lamb especially had a nice strong curry flavour that was balanced out by the sweetness of the yams.

I've also tried the roasted pork shoulder wrap on a previous visit which was also very good. Though I forgot to try one of their soups this time (which I've heard are also all delicious) I'll definitely be getting one next time and probably get a wrap and soup combo ($10.99 + tax).

RaviSoups
322 Adelaide St. West
Toronto, ON
RATING:

Toong Korean Restaurant

Beef Ribs/ Spicy Rice Cake

First of all, I must apologize for my lack of updates. I’ve just been very busy with my own things for the past few weeks that I never had time to review (plus I broke my iphone and lost all my pictures). Basically, I couldn’t write anything for a while since I had nothing to write about.

Anyways, a dinner with my university friends brought us to Toong, located around the Yonge and Finch area. We ordered 2 combos that include a dish and either 5 beers or soju, which is korean vodka in my opinion). One was the table cooking beef ribs with 5 beers (32.99 + tax) and the other was the rice cake with a soju (25.99 + tax). I can honestly say, both of the dishes were mediocre at best. The meat wasn’t as thick and juicy as it should be and the rice cake was your average korean rice cake. Nothing special, nothing out of the ordinary. The portion wasn’t a lot as well and we had to order a bibimbap (korean rice mixed, 7.99 + tax), which I forgot to take a picture until after I finished it. However, the bimbimbap was decent and better than the two previous dishes.

Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this place, especially since Nak Won (not sure about the spelling but it is another korean restaurant that has exactly the same stuff and more) is just right beside it. Hopefully, I’ll go to Nak Won soon.

Toong Korean Restaurant
5588 Yonge St.
North York, ON

RATING: (the bibimbap saved it, and because it's not SO bad that it deserves worse)

Yueh Tung Restaurant

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manchurian chicken / chili chicken....or is it the other way around

Back to school and back to being downtown so this is hopefully the first of many posts covering the area....unless I of course get that swine flu. But anyway, Yueh Tung is located right behind city hall off of Dundas, upstairs above some japanese restaurants. Always busy with nearby office workers, Yueh Tung is the place to go for a quick...big greasy plate of meat and rice. Pretty well known for their chili chicken, it's what I always get whenever I go.

We ordered a plate of the usual, chili chicken and rice ($6.25 + tax/tip) and also a manchurian chicken and rice ($6.25 + tax/tip). Both look exactly the same don't they? That's because they pretty much are with the exception that the chili chicken has onions and the manchurian chicken doesn't (finally settling an argument between me and my friend). The chili chicken here is usually pretty consistent, always a generous portion of chicken, rice, and grease...maybe a bit too generous on the grease though. It's definitely not something you want to be eating that often or before class (or you're going to sleep through it or spend it in the washroom).

Yueh Tung Restaurant
126 Elizabeth St.
Toronto, ON
RATING: ...unless you love grease then it's

Tasty House

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grapefruit bubble tea / black milk tea...bubble tea

Bubble tea? First Markham food court? Again? I'm pretty sure I just did one of these...but anyway it was Tasty House's turn this time after my usual pork katsu dinner. In the corner right beside the other bubble tea shop - Fruitti Mix, Tasty House is the one with the bright green neon sign and the big red banner advertising their "10th" anniversary special, all bubble tea $2.50 + tax (I think it's been their 10th anniversary for like the past 3 years lol).

I just got the usual, black milk tea with tapioca while my friend Justin chose to try something different this time and got a grapefruit bubble tea. Black milk tea is usually all the same no matter where you go and it's no exception here, pretty good but the tapioca I thought was too chewy. The grapefruit on the other hand wasn't good. Even though it did taste like grapefruit like I guess it should have...maybe it tasted a bit too much like grapefruit and wasn't sweet enough.

I'd say Tasty House is just slightly better than the bubble tea at Fruitti Mix though Fruitti Mix is cheaper....and anything is better than Rainbow.

Tasty House (in the First Markham Place food court)
3255 Highway 7 East
Markham, ON
RATING: for value / for taste

369 Shanghai Dim Sum

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beef noodle soup

Another meal, another bowl of beef noodle soup...this time at 369 Shanghai Dim Sum in Markham at Peachtree Centre/New Kennedy Square. Like the name suggests, they serve all the usual Shanghainese(?) stuff like steamed pork soup dumplings and whatnot....but I just went for lunch so I just got the noodles.

But anyway, a bowl of beef noodle soup here costs $6.25 + tax/tip. Beef was decent, nice and soft though they use the beef shank which some people might prefer but I personally don't. Soup was ok and I thought would have been better if it were a bit spicier. The noodles I thought had a good texture...but still just a pretty average bowl of beef noodle soup.

369 Shanghai Dim Sum (at Peachtree Centre/New Kennedy Square)
8380 Kennedy Rd
Markham, ON
RATING:

Made In China Hot Pot Restaurant

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the sauce tray / MEAT

Hot pot this time...Made In China Hot Pot in Scarborough close to Midland/Finch right beside the korean bbq place. A bit nicer looking than some of the other hot pot places I've been to, dinner on a weekend cost us $17.99 + tax/tip a person with drinks included (all you can iced tea/pop/plum juice). Late night menu is also offered after 10pm for $15.99 + tax/tip.

Selection was good with too many things to comment on individually but I'd say they had all the hot pot bases covered and then some. There was MEAT (beef/pork/chicken/lamb), BALLS (beef, fish, a different kind of fish...and a different kind of beef), innards (tripe, intestine, spam?), noodles (yellow noodles, udon), and vegetables (uhh green ones). We also got a one time plate of seafood, with oysters and shrimp and salmon and such. Selection for the sauces was also good though if you ever want to refill or make adjustments you have to ask for the tray back...and for the eggs.

I'm starting to sound repetitive here but the service was also pretty good...maybe a bit too good according to my friend Wey when they kept taking away his garbage plate lol. But other than that, servers were constantly refilling our drinks and pots (though only with water, not soup) and taking away empty trays. Another thing to note is this place has dessert because what's better than ice cream after eating like 10 plates of beef and lamb?

Overall I was pretty surprised with Made In China Hot Pot and would definitely consider returning....though not for a while...or anywhere with beef or lamb for that matter...no more meat...

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seafood plate / no more meat

Made In China Hot Pot Restaurant
3280 Midland Ave
Scarborough, ON
RATING:

Free Burger King breakfast sandwich - Friday Sept 18

Pixel 8 Lounge

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Pixel 8 in Markham is a japanese ramen type place that also serves bubble tea...I think. To be honest I really didn't get a good look at the menu because I went there for one reason only, $6.99 prime rib. I love prime rib and I love being cheap so when I heard of this special I was all over this like icing on a pie. After a few delays I finally ended up going last week and it was certainly worth the wait.

The prime rib lunch special ($6.99 + tax/tip) comes with your choice of rice or ramen, black or green tea, and of course the prime rib...well you can just look at the picture. This wasn't advertised on the menu and was only shown on one of those plastic standing things that they had hidden by the counter which we had to ask for....so yea, they're kind of sneaky like that.

Just to be clear, this is a restaurant that mostly serves ramen and it's $6.99 so obviously this wasn't going to be steakhouse quality meat. So was it good? Well maybe not when you compare it to other places but other places don't sell their prime rib for $6.99 either. So I guess a better question is was it $6.99 good? And I'd say it sure was.

It came covered in a peppercorn sauce and was cooked fine though I'd probably ask for it rare next time instead of medium rare. The ramen was just ok, nothing special about it at all, but I'd still recommend it over the rice just for sheer value (unless you just love your rice). And finally the black tea...it wasn't black milk tea like I was expecting but at least it was still something other than water or hot tea.

So prime rib for $6.99? How can you go wrong? ....I guess unless you get sick.

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prime rib lunch special - black tea, ramen, prime rib

Pixel 8 Lounge
50 Bur Oak Ave.
Markham, ON

Rainbow Speedy Snacks & Drinks

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green milk tea with tapioca

A while ago I wrote about Fruitti Mix in the First Markham food court being the cheapest bubble tea I knew of ($2.25/tax in). Recently a new place, Rainbow Speedy Snacks & Drinks (also in the First Markham food court), matched that price so of course I had to try. Now even though Fruitti Mix doesn't have the best bubble tea, it's cheap and it's tasty while Rainbow Speedy Snacks & Drinks...well it's just cheap.

I got a green milk tea with tapioca ($2.00/tax in) which was actually cheaper than what was advertised. I assume price this also applies for black milk tea and the extra 25 cents is only for powdered flavours giving this place the title of cheapest bubble tea...but too bad it's not any good. The tea itself wasn't sweet at all and the tapioca was way too firm and chewy. A friend got a taro milk tea with tapioca ($2.25/tax in) which was also pretty bad, saying it tasted really powdery and wasn't mixed well enough.

So unless you're really cheap and need to save that 25 cents, I'd recommend Fruitti Mix over this place as the bubble tea here...prettay prettay preettaaaaay bad.

Rainbow Speedy Snacks & Drinks (in the First Markham Place food court)
3255 Highway 7 East
Markham, ON

Day & Night Firewood Steakhouse

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lobster soup

A few of us ended up going to Day & Night a little while ago for lunch. For pure value Day & Night does pretty well in that department as all of their lunch combos come with lobster soup, bread, and unlimited access to their all-you-can-salad bar (which some of us seemed to enjoy more than others lol). The salad bar itself isn't too special...it has...salad and just some random fruits and vegetables but there's just something about a buffet that makes you want to try and fit as much food as you can on a plate like so. Also did I mention it's unlimited?

all you can salad

I ended up getting some sort of....well I don't remember what it was called on the menu but it was pieces of cut up steak with pasta in a tomato sauce ($8.99 + tax/tip) which I ate like a quarter of and mixed all up before I remembered to take a picture. The pasta wasn't bad and neither was the steak though the pieces of meat were cut up pretty small so I wasn't able to judge that well the quality of the meat...but it was good enough for lunch. The rest of the guys all got the lunch special which was a steak with noodles in a tomato broth ($9.99 + tax/tip). This apparently wasn't very good though...something about steak sitting in a bowl of soup which I'd imagine not going well together.

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semi eaten steak with pasta in tomato sauce / steak with noodles in tomato broth

Day & Night Firewood Steakhouse
2 Fenton Road
Markham, ON

Macau/Portuguese Food

Hainanese Chicken

One day the guys and I went to a place recommended by one of our friends in the Peachtree Foodcourt. Apparently, this place has one of the best pork chop rice and the chef used to work for a hotel back in Macau (how he ended up in the foodcourt of a mediocre chinese mall will remain a mystery). I was about to order the pork chop rice as well until I saw the sign “Famous Hainanese Chicken Rice”. Sticking with the pact, I ordered the Hainanese Chicken ($5.99 + tax) in the end.

I was in a bit of a dilemma of what I would expect from this place. On one hand, it’s in the foodcourt so I don’t expect a lot, but on the other hand, it’s made by a chef who previously worked in a famous hotel in Macau, which means that it must be good. Anyways, the food came and I was surprised by a few things. First off, they gave me the chicken separately in a box, which means more quantity because they actually had to fill the box. The quality of the chicken was also very good, as it was tender and flavourful. The rice, however, was a bit too dry and did not have the genuine Hainanese Chicken rice that I would expect. There wasn’t a soup that came with the meal too, but that didn’t change what I think of this meal much. Overall, a good meal for the price that I paid, although I hope their rice would improve overtime.

Pork Chop Rice

On a separate note, Jon ordered the pork chop rice ($5.50 + tax) along with the rest of the guys. He highly recommends the rice as it has good quality, sauce and quantity. He was pretty full at the end of the meal and from what I observe, it is also a good meal for the price considering there was so much pork chop and rice in the dish.

Macau/Portuguese Food (Peachtree Center Foodcourt)
8392 Kennedy Street
Markham, ON

Queen Slice Pizza & Pita

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lamb plate / chicken shawarma plate

Students with classes around the south-west side of campus at UofT probably already know all about Queen Slice but anyway...the menu at Queen Slice is a strange mix of pizza, panzerottis, burgers, and shawarma but most people seem to just go for the shawarma plate. A decent place for a quick tasty lunch or for people watching the "interesting" business going on upstairs. (it's a whore house lol)

I got the lamb plate ($7.99 + tax, but I got it for $6.99), while Leo got the classic, #3, the chicken shawarma plate ($6.99 + tax). Both plates came with salad, rice, half a potato, and the meat all covered in hot sauce and their "special shawarma sauce" (thousand island dressing lol). The lamb was surprisingly decent, it was a nice sized lamb shank and the meat was pretty tender. I didn't try any of the chicken, which just looked like a bunch of chopped up chicken, but it gets Leo's seal of approval though he does warn it can be really greasy sometimes.

Queen Slice Pizza & Pita
177 College Street
Toronto, ON

Oriental Cafe

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chef special chunked beef noodle soup

Sadly with the great Mr. Sun's now closed, I now need to find a new place for my beef noodle soup fix and a definite contender for that role is Oriental Cafe located in Richmond Hill just north of Leslie/16th. They used to run a stall in the First Markham food court and apparently moved here a while ago.

Walking past the restaurant the first thing I noticed was a big yellow poster advertising their chef special chunked beef noodle in soup so of course I had to try that. From 12pm-6pm, it costs $7.25 + tax/tip but otherwise it's $7.99. The beef was good. Soft, not too fatty, no bad pieces. The soup was also pretty good and very flavorful. The noodles though were just ok and just like any other noodle you'd get elsewhere. So while they weren't terrible, they weren't anything special like Mr. Sun's.

We all got the beef noodle soup except for Leo. And Leo being Leo, he of course got the hainanese chicken ($7.25 + tax/tip). The rice according to Leo was very good, "creamy yet had that essense and smell and taste of hainanese chicken". But the chicken was too rough and dry and disappointing compared to the rice.

Though a little expensive for what it is, the beef noodle soup here is very good and I'd definitely return.....but it's still no Mr. Sun's.

haianese chicken

Oriental Cafe
9425 Leslie Street
Richmond Hill, ON