Smash Kitchen & Bar :: Brunch with the Parents

Smash French Toast ($13)

challah blocks, golden syrup, cinnamon sugar

Chicken Noodle Soup

Crab Cakes Benedict ($15)

2 poached eggs, crab cakes, hollandaise, pico de gallo, sm’hash browns

Earl Grey Tea
mighty leaf organic earl grey whole leaf pouch

Smash Kitchen & Bar

4261 Highway 7 East

Unionville, Ontario

905.940.2000

website

Mi-Ne :: After Lab Dinner with the Parents

Complimentary Salad & Miso Soup with Mi-Ne Special Dinner

Tako & Salt Spring Mussel Udon ($18)

CD-8 Mi-Ne Special Dinner ($28.95)

4 pcs of shrimp tempura, 7 pcs sushi & maki, 12 pcs sashimi and teriyaki with beef

Mi-Ne Special Dinner - Shrimp Tempura

Mi-Ne Special Dinner - Beef Teriyaki

Mi-Ne Special Dinner - Sushi & Maki

Torch Rainbow Dragon Roll ($18)

torched rainbow dragon roll with spicy sauce

Mi-Ne Sushi

8865 Woodbine Ave D5
Markham, ON L3R 5G1

website

Le Modern Japanese Cuisine :: First Impressions

Lobster Miso Soup ($5)

Nothing particularly special about the Lobster Miso Soup aside from the fact that there's a lobster claw in it. It would have been nicer if the miso soup was boiled with lobsters such that every of sip of the soup broth is laced with lobster flavour opposed to having to literally bite into the lobster to get it. In addition to the standard miso soup, the lobster itself was slightly dry. I would skip this appetizer.

Tuna Carpaccio ($16)

This is just your standard tuna carpaccio - but I did enjoy it. I did like the sauce and how it was slightly on the sour side. However, for the price, I wouldn't order it again as it was quite pricy and wasn't outstanding enough for the price ($2.67 + tax = $3.02 / piece). Traditionally, I've seen tuna carpaccio ordered at other restaurants with more garnishes - such as scallions, daikon crisps, or chopped green onions - in addition to sesame seeds.

Beef Short Ribs ($14)

The beef short ribs were nice, and they were quite large ribs pieces. These had more flavour than majority of the dishes that was ordered. They were nice and buttery, but a little chewy. I would definitely recommend this over the tuna carpaccio for flavour and value.

Avocado Oshizushi ($10)

This is the first time I've ever seen avocado oshizushi and ordered it because I was quite intrigued by it. It was ok, but unfortunately, I was underwhelmed by it. The avocado flavour was overwhelmed by the mango/tangy sauce (which kind of tasted like salad dressing?) and there was too much bland, dry rice in each bite which superseded the avocado. Considering that the entree is called "Avocado Oshizushi", it should be expected that avocado would be the "key" ingredient opposed to the sauce. I love avocados, but I wouldn't order this dish again.

Salmon Oshizushi ($15)

This was the main reason I decided to try out Le Modern Japanese Restaurant. I was hoping for a Markham alternative to my favourite Japanese restaurant's, JaBistro, signature aburi salmon oshizushi. Although the salmon oshizushi was tasty, I still think JaBistro's aburi salmon oshizushi is better (especially for the price difference of $1). What separates Le Modern and JaBistro is that JaBistro tastes as though the entire oshizushi, including the moist rice, melts with flavour in your mouth.  Similar to the avocado oshizushi, I feel that there is a lack of attention paid to the rice component. The rice is a little dry. The salmon can be delicious (like it was here), but the level of  "umami" can be brought down by the dry rice component. Although it's never really the centre of attention, the rice component of oshizushi is just as important as the topping.

Carbonara ($12)

I was interested in trying the carbonara udon as my all time favourite dish at Han Ba Tang is their Creamy Rice Cake, which is essentially carbonara sauce and Korean rice cake. Like the rest of the dishes that were ordered, it was alright. I felt that the carbonara sauce was a little heavy for the udon noodles and the shrimps tasted although they had been boiled in water and simply added to the dish after the udon noodles and sauce was plated.

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Overall, I felt that the dishes at Le Modern Japanese Cuisine were on the bare basics/simple side (perhaps even slightly bland?). However, because they are a newer restaurant I see plenty of room for improvement (so new that I couldn't even geotag my photo on Instagram!). The restaurant's ambience was quite relaxing and the wait staff was courteous. A small detail, but I also noticed that in all dishes that I ordered, pieces came in multiples of six. I did like the restaurant, but for the price point, I rather dine at JaBistro, Kingyo, Guu, Han Ba Tang, or Ten-Ichi (an all you can eat restaurant with decent salmon oshizushi). If the level of flavour improves, I would definitely return as it's location is much more convenient. Perhaps a second visit in a couple of months may prove me wrong.

Le Modern Japanese Cuisine

8920 Woodbine Avenue, Markham, ON L3R 9W9

(905) 604-7800

website :: email

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

website :: menu

Gong Cha :: First Time with Joey

Gong Cha Foam Milk Green Tea

Milk Tea with Pearl

Despite hearing all disappointing reviews on Yelp, I've been wanting to try Gong Cha for quite some time now. I finally got a chance to go today with Joey - and I'm really glad I did! 

I'm a fan of Green Grotto's Iced Japanese Green Tea Latte, but this is way better. The flavours are more unique and tasty (you can actually taste the notes of green tea), plus the experience of drinking through the foam is pretty fun! I found in comparison to Green Grotto, the Gong Cha Foam Milk Green Tea was a better quality. It tastes as though more attention was paid to the tea brewing process and the overall product came out better.

My friends and I always revered Chatime as having the best Milk Tea and the best tapioca in the city. Similar to Chatime, Gong Cha also allows for customization for sugar/sweetness level and ice. I got the Foam Milk Green Tea with 30% sugar and less ice. It was perfect for me, but it can still a little sweet for some as the sweetness was embedded in the milk foam. One of the staff members was kind enough to stop me from stabbing the bubble tea straw through the drink lid and tell me that I should drink the tea through the foam first and when the drink level gets low enough then use the straw. I'm glad they told me to do so because the taste is very different. Surprisingly, between Chatime and Gong Cha, I prefer Gong Cha's milk tea! Joey still prefers Chatime's but I felt the milk tea taste at Gong Cha was more 'pure' and slightly better quality. However, the tapioca at Chatime is by far superior. Next time I visit Gong Cha, I would probably get the same Foam Milk Green Tea but without the tapioca.

PS: Gong Cha also takes the Vicinity Card so if you frequent Chatime, you don't have to carry around another stamp/loyalty card!

Gong Cha

3636 Steeles Ave E

Markham, ON L3R 1K9

905.604.9323

website

Dragon Legend :: Lunch Buffet

Went to Dragon Legend today for lunch to provide a brief review for a company scoping out venues for their upcoming Christmas party.

The indoor and outdoor decor is very similar to Dragon Pearl with the same outdoor figurines, tall chairs, and wood tables. The set up and selection of food was also very similar. The only thing between Dragon Legend and Dragon Pearl was (1) venue size, (2) selection of food, and (3) service.

Dragon Legend is a stand alone restaurant with its own parking lot. Considering the size of the restaurant and the small amount of parking surrounding the restaurant, I wouldn't be surprised if parking is difficult to find on some of the busier days/hours (ie: weekend dinner time). In comparison to Dragon Pearl, Dragon Legend's buffet area and dinning area is also smaller in size.

Although, I only tried the lunch buffet at Dragon Legend and only tried the dinner buffet at Dragon Pearl, it's not difficult to see that food selection is extremely similar at both restaurants. The only difference is that Dragon Legend does not have the hand cut egg noodles and the large dessert ball that Dragon Pearl has to offer. Otherwise, both restaurants share a large variety of fresh sushi, sashimi, maki (including seafood - not like the 'non-raw vegetable' sushi served at Mandarin). It should be noted, that they do limit the quantity of sashimi that you can take in one visit as there is someone who places 3 pieces of each sashimi on your plate each time you go to them. Both restaurants also have a large selection of traditional Chinese dishes such as dim sum, peking duck (only at dinner), stir fry vegetables, sweet and sour pork, soups, desserts (love that they have ginger bean curd jelly), and more. They both also have fresh fruit, ice cream, and a selection of desserts.

In terms of quality, similar to Dragon Pearl, Dragon Legend's food is quite fresh and hot (not warm) since the staff bring out very small portions at a time and replenish it very often. Thus, overall I would have to say that the quality of Dragon Pearl and Dragon Legend's buffet is quite good, especially for a buffet.

However, quality is not lost without the matching price tag.
Prices are as follows:

Lunch Buffet

Adult Kid (5-12)

Monday-Friday: 11:30pm – 3:00pm $14.99 $8.99

Saturday:   11:30pm – 3:30pm $20.99 $11.99

Sunday & Holidays:11:30pm – 3:30pm $20.99 $11.99

Dinner Buffet

Adult Kid (5-12)

Monday-Thursday: 5:00pm – 9:30pm $25.99 $14.99

Friday: 5:00pm – 10:00pm $30.99 $16.99

Saturday: 4:30pm – 10:00pm $30.99 $16.99

Sunday & Holidays: 4:30pm – 9:30pm $30.99 $16.99

*Seniors 65+ with Valid I.D. 20% off. Toddlers (4 or Under) $2.99.

The only negative thing I have to say about this place is the service. The wait staff are super unwelcoming, rude, and silent. This harshly contrasts the excellent and friendly service at Dragon Pearl. The staff at Dragon Legend don't greet you nor do they have a smile on their face. It doesn't seem that they enjoy what they do and it looks like its a job as a means to an end (or they really hate their jobs). Considering that the restaurant business is also a service based industry this was quite alarming and I felt uncomfortable eating there as it seemed like I was inconveniencing the wait staff - despite the fact I was getting up to get my food myself! They don't tell you up front that if you order tea, everyone at the table gets charged for the tea - not just the individual who ordered it (so be weary!!!). They don't ask if you are done with your plate and swoop in to take it away despite there being food still on it. The only time our waitress said something to us was in Mandarin and we had to tell her we didn't speak it and she lifelessly repeated her message in English (though fluently, which is a plus in an Asian restaurant I guess?). Our waitress also abruptly took away the cutlery by grabbing all the knives, forks, spoons, and chopsticks at my table all in one hand and loudly dumping it on her tray to it take away. Even at the end she threw down our bill along with some wet wipes and left to get the credit card machine. Even upon presenting the machine she silently just handed it to us waiting to pay, watched us make the payment, and then took the machine and left without a word. We weren't even sure if we were supposed to leave yet! Until we figured she wasn't coming back we left.

All in all, had the service been better, I would have enjoyed my visit to Dragon Legend. However, due to the lack of service (which is insanely better at Mandarin - those folks are super happy - or at Dragon Pearl), I do not plan on returning to Dragon Legend nor would I recommend it to friends.

Since I was sent there to scope out the venue for a company's Christmas party, I am sending back a report of do not recommend because the rude service would definitely detriment the company's party mood for it's valued partners and clients. I think the company would want its partners or clients walking away from lunch with a 'Wow! The service and the food here is amazing!' opposed to 'The food was good... but the service was terrible!' If location wasn't an issue, I would definitely recommend Dragon Pearl in place of Dragon Legend.

Bottom line: Food is decent, great variety, terrible service. Would not put my name on a recommendation for this place.

Dragon Legend

25 Lanark Rd,

Markham ON L3R 9Y7

905.940.1811

email :: website

Moxies :: Post CFA Exam Celebrations

Tokyo Lemonade ($6.99 Saturday Special)

Calamari ($12)

with popcorn shrimp, crispy jalapenos, candied ginger, sriracha aioli & sweet chili sauce

Mosaic Dip ($13.75)

warm, with quebec goat cheese, mushrooms & fresh tomatoes + tortilla chips

Lobster & Prawn Linguine ($23.75)

grilled lobster & jumbo prawns in a rustic tomato sauce

Full Rack of Slow-Roasted Baby Back Ribs ($25.75)

1.5 lbs fall off the bone tender, served with our stuffed baked potato & seasonal vegetables

Moxie's Grill Bar

159 York Blvd

Richmond Hill, ON

905.764.9500

website

Swiss Chalet :: Monday Dinner

Double Leg Dinner with Caesar Salad Side ($11.99)

Classic Hot Chicken Sandwich ($10.49)

Chicken Pot Pie ($10.99)

Swiss Chalet

725 Markland St

Markham, ON L7C 0G6

order online

Sweet Note Desserts :: Late Night Dessert Adventures with Memie and Gordon

Iced Matcha Latte

Matcha Creme Brulee

Vanilla Souffle with Strawberry Sauce

Chocolate Souffle with Raspberry Sauce

Sweet Note Desserts

Commerce Gate Unit 61-63

505 Highway 7 East

Markham, ON L3T 7T1

905.887.9338

email :: website

Aka Teppan :: GNO with Joey & Fon

Supreme Beef ($8.99)

Pepper lunches are extremely common in Hong Kong and for good reason! It's delicious and amazingly tasty. The Pepper Lunch at Aka Teppan is no different. It was delicious!!! After stirring the beef and rice to allow it to cook (ensure everything is cooked though!). The meat melts in my mouth and the fried rice is buttery goodness (partly due to the butter). The most amazing part is that the food remains hot due to the stone plate! I read other reviews talking about terrible service and long lines, but there was no wait when I went and the service wasn't terrible. This may be attributable to the fact it was a Monday night at 9pm. The waitress was friendly and helpful, but a little slow and absent minded. Based on my experience during this visit I am anticipating my next trip to Aka Teppan and possibly trying their pasta Pepper Lunches!

Aka Teppan

3235 Highway 7 E 

Markham, ON L3R 3P9

905.604.4880

JOEY Markville :: Study Break

Sangria (Saturday Special $6)

Every time it's Saturday and I find myself at JOEY, I always order their sangria special. Normally, I ask for less ice since its usually full to the brim with ice and hardly any sangria but today was slightly disappointing as the glasses arrived not even full and with 2-3 pieces of fruit.

Shrimp Lettuce Wraps ($13 + $2 for chicken or shrimp)

toasted peanuts, crispy noodles, fresh cilantro

The Shrimp Lettuce Wraps were super flavourful and spicy. The combination of the spiciness, crispy noodles and toasted peanuts against the refreshing lettuce is amazing. Even shared amongst 3 people, this appetizer is quite filling.

French Dip & Yam Fries ($17.50 + $2 for Yam Fries)

slow cooked prime rib, housemade roll, beef crackling, au jus

The sandwich was just as described, though it would have been preferable if the beef was not as compact such that when the sandwich is dipped the whole sandwich is able to absorb the au jus. 

Bombay Butter Chicken ($17.75)

aromatic almond basmati rice, grilled naan

The curry, as described, is extremely aromatic and is very flavourful. For individuals who are worried about heat, the Bombay Butter Chicken has some, but it is extremely bearable. The vegetables and the chicken in the curry were moist and tasty. Both the moist naan and the crisp were great for dipping into the curry.

Kobe Style Beef Meatballs ($21)

fettuccine, truffle cream

When JOEY first opened its Eaton Centre location, this was my favourite dish. The Kobe Style Beef Meatballs are delicious and extremely well seasoned, however, they changed the spaghetti and tomato sauce to a fettuccine with truffle cream which I am not a huge fan of. Although the allure of the truffle cream makes the dish sound 'fancier', it doesn't really harmonize well with the meatballs and makes the overall dish quite heavy. 

Similarly to the previous disappointing review I gave to this location, I still feel that this location's organization and service are still not at par. Although the food is starting to reach the standard par set by the Yorkdale, Don Mills, and the Eaton Centre location, I still feel that the Markville location requires improvement. Prior to coming to dine at this location, I went online to put my name onto the guestlist. Upon arriving I was notified that I would have to 're-wait and placed in line again' and wasn't given any explanation on why my online registration didn't work and quickly ushered away without an apology. My email told me I would only have to wait 5 minutes before being seated, however I ended up waiting 35 minutes. Additionally, it was difficult to find a waitress during dinner service and upon asking for water for the entire table she brought back a single glass. Upon being prompted again she said "Oh right" and never returned for the duration of the meal. Lastly, a waiter spilled a dish of soy sauce right beside me which landed near the foot of my chair where my Canada Goose jacket was hanging. He seemed unfazed by this and did not make any acknowledgement of the spill nor did not make an any effort to let me know that he was going help to clean it up or bring extra napkins such that I could do it myself. He just simply walked away, came back to wipe the spill, and walked away. Nonetheless, although the food consistency is better, I see no improvement on the organization or the service of this restaurant in the last 4 months and I am not pleased with this location and will probably not return on my own accord (though I forsee myself going back as it is the closest location with another dining party.)

JOEY Markville

1247-5000 Hwy 7 East

Markham, ON L3R 4M9

905.604.5639

website