Honey & Garlic Cuisine

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food

Ah afternoon dim sum, is there anything better in life? Well except for maybe millions of dollars, or 2 girls at the same time, or....well it's still up there. I always end up going in the afternoon because 1) none of my friends can wake up earlier than 12 on a weekend/day off and 2) we're all cheap. That day we decided to go to Honey & Garlic Cuisine by Kennedy/Denison where it's $2.20 after 2:00 on weekends or $.1.90 after 1:30 on weekdays.

I'm pretty lazy so I'll let the pictures to the talking. I'm sure I'm missing a few things though since I had to keep reminding myself to stop eating and take pictures. But anyway, we got around 20 dishes and it worked out to be around $10 a person for the 6 of us. Everything was pretty decent as usual though the quality got pretty bad near the end when they stopped going around with the carts and we ordered off the sheet. That usually doesn't happen though so I'll keep coming back as long as it's cheap.

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more food

Honey & Garlic Cuisine
1661 Denison St.
Markham, ON

Taipei Chin Yuan Pai Ku (台北金園排骨)

fried pork chop rice (pai ku faan)

As you may all know, if there is one thing Jon likes, it's pork chops. So, a while ago I took Jon and the guys to Chin Yuan Pai Ku located in the food court of Metro Square (Steeles/Warden) for their fried pork chop rice ($6.00 + tax). Apparently, this is the best place for fried pork chop rice according to my Taiwanese friends, so you can't go wrong when even Taiwanese people like the place. After the meal was done, it was certified amazing by Jon and a good recommendation from me.

I myself tried it a couple of times before and I thought it was pretty good as well, seeing as how I personally am not a big fan of pork and pork chops. The chops just simply had something normal chinese or american pork chops don't have and I can't quite pinpoint what it is. But it was good, real good. The portion was big too, enough to fill me up at least. Also, aside from the piece of pork chop, you also get some pickled relishes and carrots, a tofu side dish, vegetables (it was brocolli when I took the pic but it changes) and an egg.

Recently, I went back to Chin Yuan again feeling for some nice fried pork chop rice. Boy was I disappointed. It had lost what brought me back to this place over and over again even if it was so damn far away (I live in Richmond Hill so the drive is at least 15-20mins). The pork chop was smaller, drier and too oily for my liking. Now, when you are famous for fried pork chop and you fail to match the standard you once had, then that's just sad. On the plus side, though, there was more rice! *thumps up*

So, it looks as though Chin Yuan has lost its title of best fried pork chop rice in my opinion. Hopefully, one of you guys curious enough to try it yourselves will find it as good as when I first had it a long time ago. And if you do, be sure to come back and tell me because as for now, I'm gonna go and explore other places, searching for the next champion of fried pork chop rice.

Rating: 6.5/10

Chin Yuan Pai Ku (台北金園排骨)
3636 Steeles Ave E Unit 105A (Metro Square food court)
Markham, ON

New Contributer: Leo

So my friend Leo is going to start writing for this blog too. More content, more updates, more fun? Well that's the plan anyway...unless we both become really lazy...or eaten by bears...or something.

Pho Ling's

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pork and spring roll vermicelli / lemon grass pork chop and spring roll on rice

Probably my second favourite place in the First Markham Place food is Pho Ling's. I usually grab something from here when I'm not feeling for pork katsu. Coincidentally located right beside the pork katsu place, Pho Ling's serves the typical vietnamese fare but for slightly cheaper as it is in a food court afterall.

I got the lemon grass pork chop with spring roll on rice ($5.75 inc. tax). Including a drink (iced tea!), it's a decent meal for $5.75. The spring roll was tasty as always, the pork chop was good but maybe a little small and hard to cut with a plastic knife, and the lettuce was...well it's just lettuce.

Actually what I usually come here for is the pork and spring roll vermicelli ($5.75 inc. tax), which my friend got that day and probably gets that as much as I get the pork katsu (hint: alot). This also comes with a drink and not really any complaints about this one, it's all pretty good. Maybe it could be a little bigger but that's probably just the fatass in me talking...

Pho Ling's (in the First Markham Place food court)
3255 Highway 7 East
Markham, ON

Lebanese Gourmet

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falafel wrap

Working right above a food court has its advantages like when it's raining and I forget my umbrella or I'm just plain lazy. For days like those I sometimes go to Lebanese Gourmet at the food court in the City Centre.

That day I got the falafel wrap but I've also tried the beef and chicken shawarma from here as well, all of which are $3.99 + tax. Nothing too special, I've had better falafels elsewhere but it does the job for a quick lunch. I guess the main draw of this place for me is that it's cheap(under $5) and it's close. The beef and chicken shawarma also aren't anything special either and especially after discovering Shawarma Max I don't find myself coming here very often ...unless of course it's raining...like it has been all week.

Lebanese Gourmet (in the food court)
5150 Yonge St.
North York, ON

Sushi Bong

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looks like your ordinary sushi restaurant right? bong!

Sushi Bong...despite what the name says, they only focus on sushi. Apparently the owner or chef's last name is Bong and only learned of the other meaning after already naming the restaurant. At the bottom of a condo complex south of Finch just off of Yonge, Sushi Bong is tiny. There are like 6 seats in the whole restaurant but most people just grab takeout from here anyway.

First thing to know about Sushi Bong is that the rolls here are big. They're like ordered those pills off the internet big and for just as cheap too. I got the dynamite roll ($5.98 + tax) and some salmon maki ($3.50 + tax). And it's not like they just give you a ton of rice, both rolls were packed with ingredients. The salmon maki was good and I was particularly impressed with the amount of salmon they give. The dynamite roll was decent, not anything amazing in terms of taste, but it was big and definitely filling - good value. After all that (and a bubble tea haha) I was very full...no ordinary feat mind you, so the portions get a thumbs up (Y) from me.

So go for the sushi or just for the name, Sushi Bong is worth a try....though it would be pretty good if you're......

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dynamite roll and salmon maki

Sushi Bong
5 Northtown Way
North York, ON

Pho Delight

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large beef brisket pho / semi eaten BBQ pork and spring roll vermicelli

I was delighted (get it? get it?) to find a place for pho close to work that's not Pho88 (a bad one). I actually ended up going again since I first went and that's how slack I've been with this blog. But anyway, Pho Delight is your typical vietnamese restaurant serving up pho, vermicelli, spring rolls, lemongrass porkchop/chicken on rice....though the menu is a bit more limited than most (no pho bo kho!).

First time I went I got the large beef brisket pho ($5.95 + tax for small, $6.95 + tax for large). Broth was good, noodles were good, the meat I got a few bad pieces, size wasn't the largest but it was enough that I was full, and overall pretty decent.

The next time I went I got the BBQ pork and spring roll vermicelli which was $6.75 + tax (I think...). I thought the spring roll was a little small but otherwise tasted ok, the BBQ pork was really good, and the noodles were ehh maybe they just needed more of that fish sauce mixture....but man was that pork tasty and it more than made up for everything else so I'd actually probably get this again.

Prices are maybe a little bit higher than what I'm used to paying for a bowl of pho but the food is good and definitely alot better than the Pho88 across the street.

Pho Delight
5252 Yonge St.
North York, ON