Saturday 4 April 2015

Inspire Restaurant :: First Visit

Hawaiian Ahi Poke ($13)
ahi tuna cubes marinated in chilli sesame soy + green onions + crispy shallots served with semolina crisp

I absolutely adore Hawaiian Ahi Poke - it's something I definitely crave when I dream about my past vacation in Hawaii. Perhaps, I have a specific definition of what Hawaiian Ahi Poke is in my mind (click here), but I would categorize this dish under Ahi Tuna Tartare instead. The Ahi Tuna was very fresh and the crispy shallots and Semolina crisp was a welcome addition. The menu mentioned that there was a chilli sesame soy, but I didn't really taste it - would have been an absolutely perfect ahi tuna tartare with just a little bit more soy sauce!

Panko Scotch Egg ($5)
pork, gold nori egg, spicy berry compote

The Panko Scotch Egg was delicious. Loved the contrasting texture of the crisp panko-crusted pork cashing against the hard-boiled egg. Each bite was quite flavourful - definitely recommend everyone to try it at least once!

Udon Carbonara ($18)
spicy italian sausage, braised beef, honey mushrooms in creamy reduction topped with quail egg

Mmmmm... This dish was absolutely heaven!!! It's a combination of my two favourite food items in the world - udon noodles and carbonara sauce! Each bite was a glorious symphony of the perfect amount of udon, carbonara sauce, with the slight kick from the spicy italian sausage. I absolutely adore egg yolks on top of dishes and this was no exception (I wish there was just a tiny bit more - perhaps a second egg? But I feel that would be a little too much for most people). The crispy daikon/lotus crisp was a deliciously enjoyable crunchy contrast to all the soft udon and spicy italian sausage. Definitely strongly recommend everyone who visits Inspire to try this dish!

Banana Leaf Salmon ($22)
atlantic salmon in banana leaf, coconut rice, seasonal vegetables with kaffir lime leaf, citrus buerre-blanc

My mother had this dish and she was extremely happy with it - she said it was very flavourful and delicious. 

Pulled Pork "Grilled Cheese" Pizza Pie ($15)
time-honoured braised pulled pork, fresh homemade waffles, aged cheddar, pickled diakon, fresh herb

My father had the Pulled Pork Pizza Pie and he said was quite good, though albeit on the smaller side and he wasn't really full after eating this. The waiter recommended to him and mentioned that it was on the slightly smaller side but hypothesized that it would be "just the right amount" without overly filling him up. Perhaps for a lunch portion it's filling enough but my family enjoys a heftier portion at dinner.

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This was my first visit to Inspire Restaurant and was pleasantly surprised with my experience. Inspire Restaurant is definitely one of the hidden gems in Markham and I would definitely recommend it to all my family and friends. The restaurant was neat and clean with a relaxing atmosphere. The service was wonderful and the wait staff were all knowledgeable about the menu and made great recommendations.  All the wait staff were happy and eager to please. One of our waiters even told us that it was his first day (didn't show at all!) and that he only started working at Inspire because he loved the food so much! The menu is featured a unique and variable range in Asian and Western cuisine. Food was beautifully plated and deliciously rich in flavour. Only downside was that some of the dishes were slightly on the small side, but we were well aware as the waiter informed us before hand.

Inspire Restaurant
144 Main Street Markham N #1
Markham, ON L3P 5T3
(905) 554-2889
Inspire Restaurant on Urbanspoon

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