Congee Queen

Congee Queen has been opened for many years that I know of, and ever since they have over 6 locations around the GTA. The locations I frequent most is the McCowan/Hwy 7 and Leslie/Hwy 7 Location. Most recently they opened a new location right by Centerpoint Mall on Yonge/Steeles, so
we decided to check it out.

Being at Congee Queen, we must order a bowl of
Congee. Our go-to is the Pork Meatball and Liver Congee (4/5). The Congee itself had a nice consistency as it was neither too thick or too watery. It was flavourful, with the addition of Pork Meatballs and Liver which are great for dipping in Soy Sauce. They do not skimp on the ingredients as you can see in the picture.

A favourite of ours when we visit Congee Queen would be the Fried Chili Turnip Patties (4/5). These are pretty popular at Congee Queen as you can see them on almost every table. I've tried these at 4/6 locations, and I honestly have to say there are some differences. One chef let's say, might be heavy on the chili's while another isn't. Although there are differences, they are small and these tasty patties are always executed properly. At this particular location, this was done right, as the Turnip Patties were Crispy and there was a decent amount of Chili's, meat and egg. This wasn't very spicy which was nice and it was seasoned well.

Another favourite of ours, would be the Deep Fried Crab Claw (4.5/5). This isn't like the average crab claw you would have at Chinese Weddings or events. These are HUGE! I have pretty big hands and all I can say is these are are big as my fist. These always arrive crisp and piping hot!











They do not skimp on the shrimp and crab meat, which is always tender. Add a little Vinegar and you're good to go!

The Beef Brisket and Tendon Lo-Mein (4/5) is another must order here at Congee Queen. With a choice of Thick or Thin Noodles (We usually pick the Thick), these go great with the succulent and tender brisket. The noodles were cooked to perfection as it wasn't chewy or mushy. The tendon is not overly soft or chewy and is always flavourful. The accompanying Wonton Soup was not overly salty.

 The Malaysian Fried Rice (3.5/5), smelled really good as it arrived to the table. The ingredients such as the minced beef and vegetables added a nice textural contrast as well as flavour, as the dish was not too salty. The taste reminded me of Salted Fish and Chicken Fried Rice, minus the salted fish. It was a bit on the oilier side, but nonetheless this was good.











Congee Queen is a great place for decent Chinese Food. They also have items such as Pho and Pad Thai which are definitely worth a try next time. Their service is quick and friendly and seating is usually always available, depending on which location you go to. (Centrepoint Mall and Hwy 7/ Leslie Locations are more spacious).


The Good:

• Great place for Decent Chinese Food
• Congee is not too watery or thick
• Quick and Friendly Service

 The Bad:

•  

Yamamoto Japanese Cuisine

I've heard a lot of great things about Yamamoto Japanese Cuisine ever since it opened back in early 2013. I know, I know, AYCE spots aren't the best places for authentic Japanese cuisine, but hey once in while (Always for me) you have that craving for sushi....what's better than AYCE sushi?! My family and I decided to drop by not once, but twice in a month (Pics are from both visits) to satisfy our cravings. It is fairly easy to find, located right beside Pacific Mall, tucked in between the stores and restaurants outside of Market Village, formerly in the spot of Mongolian Grill.


 **After our first visit, we were informed by one of the waiters about a coupon we could use the next time which would allow us to receive 10% off the entire meal, or a free sample of Uni (Sea Urchin). This coupon can be located in a CouponKing Magazine which can be found outside of Asian supermarkets such as T&T or
Oriental Supermarket, or you can call
them prior to ask about their new promotions.**




 On to the food shall we! We decided to get
a sample of their Uni (5/5). This was a generous portion even for 5 people, and judging by the looks it was indeed very fresh. Creamy, smooth and sweet, this was one very tasty and was a great way to start things off! This Uni in particular did not have that distinctive sea water
smell and taste some would have. I love their addition of the seaweed to pair with the Uni, as it
was crisp. This was one of the freshest Uni I've ever had, which I did not expect from an AYCE spot.

Next up, the Assorted Sashimi (4.5/5) consisting of Salmon, Hokkigai (Surf Clam) and Tako (Octopus). Again, this was glistening as soon as it arrived at the table, and it was definitely very fresh! The salmon and Octopus was cut nice and thick, and the salmon itself was nice and fatty. None of the sashimi had a fishy taste which was good.

Piping hot, the Gyozas (3/5) arrived next looking
nice and crisp. These were indeed very crispy
as they were deep fried and not pan-fried like
some Japanese Restaurants. The interior could
use a little more work as the minced meat and
vegetable wasn't very flavourful.

The next fried item that arrived was the
Deep Fried Cuttlefish Balls (5/5). These
are a must try in my books. Crispy, Crunchy
and flavourful, these deep fried balls of goodness
were loaded with tender cuttlefish pieces and fried to perfection. I just wished they had some kind of dipping sauce to dip these in! Maybe some sweet and sour sauce or plum sauce would've done the trick!

One of my favourite items to order at any
Japanese Restaurant would definitely be
the Deep Fried Shrimp Tempura (4.5/5). One
of my pet peeves when it comes to anything
that is tempura fried, is when it is battered too thick,
or is fried then served after a period of time which
results in cold, soggy tempura which isn't at all pleasant. That was definitely not the case here as the Shrimp was fried to a perfect crispy and was tender.

It was about time the sushi arrived! We got an
order of their California Rolls (4/5) and
Black Dragon Maki (4/5). One thing I enjoyed
is the fact that they do not stuff their rolls with rice. The California Roll was pretty standard but still did the job as the avocado, crab meat, tobiko and cucumber mix was creamy and crunchy. The Black Dragon Roll was very good as it was topped with Unagi (Eel) and avocado, and stuffed with Shrimp Tempura, which was still somewhat crispy. Their sushi rice is very flavourful and not hard or mushy.

We also tried their Ebi (Shrimp) Nigiri (4/5)
and Salmon Rose Sushi (3.5/5). The shrimp was nice and tender, which balanced well with the
decent amount of sushi rice underneath. The Salmon Rose Sushi was nothing special, as it really was just sushi rice wrapped in salmon sashimi, topped with a seafood mix of Octopus and Tobiko. Nonetheless, this was still very tasty and fresh.

Their Herb Salmon (2/5) and Albacore BC Tuna (3/5) looked pretty good upon its arrival to the table. Sadly, it was only mediocre, as the Herb Salmon was lacking the Herb Flavour and simply just tasted like a piece of Salmon Sashimi except it had a fishy taste. Not very pleasant. The Albacore BC Tuna on the other hand, was fairly decent as it was fresh and the accompanying ponzu sauce added a nice kick to it.

Luckily, the Deep Fried Chicken Wings (4/5)
arrived next, just as I was wondering if I ordered them or not. These were very juicy and crispy!
I think I burnt my tongue with the first bite as these were piping hot!










Craving some more sushi, we decided to try a few more of their
specialty rolls that being the (Left to Right) Spider Roll (4/5), Dynamite Maki (3.5/5) and the Mango Roll (4/5). These were all pretty good as the rice was not overcooked like and the ingredients were fresh. The Mango Roll was very tasty as the
Mango on top added a hint of sweetness and
was tangy.

We also ordered a combination of Nigiri's such
as the Inari (Sweet Tofu) (4/5) , Tamago (Sweet Egg) (4/5), and Sake (Salmon) (4/5). All were made with very fresh ingredients and there wasn't too much rice underneath which was a plus.

My sister, being the adventurous person she is, decided to try the Seafood Ramen (3/5). I mean, we were at a Japanese AYCE, how badly could they screw this up? It actually exceeded our expectations as the Ramen itself was tender and the broth was a nice miso base. It was a tad bit salty, but it was definitely decent for an AYCE spot. *Check out the size of that spoon!

Another one of my favourites that being the
Takoyaki (4/5), arrived piping hot like the other items we had. These had a nice crispy exterior and a nice and fluffy inside. The octopus ball was tender and this had a hint of ginger which I thought made the dish more vibrant. The addition of mayo on top I thought was unnecessary as it tasted pretty heavy with it.





The dessert portion of their menu is pretty standard compared to other Japanese AYCE spots, but they offer goodies such as the Creme Brule (5/5), Mango Yogurt (3/5) and Durian Mousse (4/5). The Creme Brule was incredibly delicious and well executed as the custard was not overly sweet and was the right texture. The sugar topping had a nice crunch and with a spoon you could actually hear it break through. This was even better than some of the Creme Brules I've had by far! The Mango Yogurt was pretty basic as it was essentially coconut milk pudding topped with Mango Puree. It was light and not too sweet. The Durian Mousse has the consistency of pudding than a mousse but overall it was very tasty as the taste of Durian was evident and it was very smooth.


My experience at Yamamoto during these two visits there were great. The staff are very friendly, but are sometimes hard to get ahold of as they are usually very busy, which is common for AYCE spots. The food here is very fresh, particularily their sashimi. All the hot items we've tried arrived piping hot which is a huge plus. One thing that they could improve on is making sure everything we ordered comes, as some of the items we ordered did not arrive at all even though we ordered it 2-3 times. Upon leaving, I noticed that they also serve A La Carte goodies such as specialty fish like Hamachi, Oysters, Toro, Kobe Beef and Etc. They also have Bento Box sets for lunch as well as Ramen combos. If you love a good AYCE spot, Yamamoto is definitely a place I would highly recommend. 


The Good:

• Fresh Ingredients
• Sushi does not have too much Rice
• Hot items come piping hot
• They do not skimp on ingredients

The Bad:

• Might be hard to get ahold of the staff
• Some ordered items might not arrive
• When they're busy there is usually a 2 hr time limit

Vietnam Noodle Star

It was a cold, summer night....Yup, you read that right! Cold!
This 'Summer' hasn't really felt like Summer to me. I love the Sun, heat warnings and warm nights...not the cold! Anyways, I was craving for some Pho and being right by one of my favourite places to get some, you know I HAD to stop by!
Located in an Asian Strip Mall on Finch/Midland Ave, Vietnam Noodle Star, has been in the business for almost 3 decades. That's when you know there is something special about the place.
Vietnam Noodle Star features a fairly decent menu, composed of
Vietnamese and Thai favourites such as Pho (Which I came for), Lemongrass Chicken,
Bian Hoi, Satay, Pad Thai and variety of snacks. With many tables and seats, the wait
is usually pretty short, depending on what time you go. Usually busier later on at night,
as they close at 12am. Let's get to the food shall we :)

With a variety of toppings and noodles to choose from, we decided to go with a bowl of Lemongrass Chicken Pho. Burning my tongue hot, the broth was rich and mildy sweet. The broth wasn't very salty and exhibited a nice aromatic taste. The Lemongrass chicken was tender and  still maintained it's crispiness and displayed a nice lemongrass flavour. We got the fresh noodles, which made this even more amazing as it was not overly soft and it went well with the broth and chicken.

Next up, we got one of my favourites, that being the Sliced Cooked Beef Pho. Arriving scorching hot,
the broth was just as good with the right level of rich and mildy sweet flavour. With a generous amount, the sliced cooked beef was deliciously tender and flavourful. We ordered the same fresh noodles, which once again, went well with the broth and the beef. The green and white onions add a boost of flavour to the broth which makes it even more tasty!










Vietnam Noodle Star is a great place for Pho and other Vietnamese and Thai favourites. I love how they don't skimp on the toppings and noodles, and really, it's a bang for your buck. The service here is okay, I mean it's a busy restaurant and the people just keep on coming! I know I'll be back for sure to try some other items on the menu!

Da Fu Seafood Cuisine

Just recently I've heard friends and family talk about their favourite places to get some Dimsum. Now, being the type of person I am, always on the hunt for some good food, I had to get in on this conversation!
A Majority of them recommended Da Fu Seafood Cuisine located right in the plaza on Steeles/Middlefield Road beside Milliken Park. With lots of parking and T&T right on the opposite end, I decided to spend my glorious Thursday afternoon there.

Instead of using Push-Carts, Da Fu lets you order off their DimSum menu, which I find great in a way, as the food that comes out will almost always be fresh, instead of sitting on the push-carts for quite sometime. This also lets you order exactly what you want without the possibility of  missing some of your DimSum favourites on Push-Carts. (We've all had that happened to us before)



First to arrive, were these massive Steamed Beef Balls (3/5). These were pretty decent, as they arrived piping hot. The beef was nice and soft with a nice bite and there were notable hints of Spring onion. I would've liked a bit more flavour, as they were pretty bland and instead of using Napa Cabbage at the bottom while steaming, I would've preferred the traditional
bean curd. The Worchestershire sauce helped make these more enjoyable to eat.

Up next, the Deep Fried Squid Tentacles (3.5/5) arrived piping hot once again. Right off the bat, these looked and were extremely greasy, as they were glistening from the amount of oil. Aside from the grease, these were crispy and full of Five Spice Flavour. These had a nice snap as well and were tender. After finishing these though, we noticed the puddle of oil which kind of made me regret eating like 4 pcs, haha.

Another greasy dish to arrive, were the Shrimp Paste Stuffed Eggplant (3.5/5). These were quite tasty, as the giant pieces of eggplant were not fried to the point where they were mushy and still retained it's flavour, and the shrimp paste had a nice bouncy snap to it. The Black bean sauce didn't do much justice as it was more oil infused than anything else. Other than that, these were bigger than most Shrimp Paste Stuffed Eggplant dishes I've tried at other Restaurants such as Ginger & Onion and Perfect Chinese Cuisine.

We were glad these Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (4/5) arrived next, after having two extremely greasy dishes in a row! Man, were these fantastic! Fully loaded  as you can see, bursting out of the bun, these were filled with large pieces of BBQ Pork! The bun was soft, and the sweetness from the BBQ Pork made each bite superb! These are a must try here at Da Fu! They don't skimp on the BBQ Pork!

Another must try at Da Fu, are these Steamed Chicken Feet in Black Bean Sauce (4/5). Loaded with diced garlic and notable amounts of Chili and black bean (Underneath), these were very flavourful and addicting. Yes...Chicken Feet. The skin and meat on the Chicken Feet were fall off the bone tender and you could definitely taste a kick from the Chili at the end. One thing though, was that the Chicken Feet was not a whole piece, meaning it was cut up so that you were eating a quarter of half of the Chicken Feet. Nonetheless, the portion was huge and these I would totally recommend!

Last but not least, the Steamed Chiu Chow Dumplings (Fun Gor) (3.5/5) arrived plump and piping hot like all the dishes we've had this meal. These were huge! Loaded with peanuts, celery, garlic, daikon, cilantro and ground pork these were a delight! The mixture inside was flavourful while being crunchy from the fresh ingredients and the dumpling skin was not too thick. They were not too thin either, and were easily picked up with chopsticks instead of falling apart.


Overall the Dimsum here that I've tried so far here at Da Fu, were pretty decent as two of them became my favourites, that being the BBQ Pork and Chicken Feet. Spacious, with comfortable seating, Da Fu is a great place to enjoy some quality DimSum for a decent price.
I've noticed some waiters holding trays of food, which
you can order right away, (Might cost a little more than the items on the Dimsum Menu)
such as the BBQ Pork Stuffed Pineapple Bun and Fried Chive and Pork Dumplings which I have to
try on my next visit for sure!


The Good:

• Inexpensive
• Spacious
• Everything arrives Piping Hot
• Ingredients are Fresh

The Bad:

• A little too much Grease

Oishii Ramen

Located in the Plaza on SilverStar and Midland, Oishii Ramen is a new relatively new Ramen spot that opened a few months ago back in December. With a limited amount of items on the menu, we ordered based on the server's recommendations.
                                                                                   

First up, we had the Deep Fried Chicken Wings. (4/5). Served hot, these were very crispy and large. The batter was a tad too thick in my opinion but it still retained all the juices inside. You could taste the chicken was brined prior to frying as a hint of wine was evident . These were a pretty good start to our meal.













Next we had the Char Siu Ramen $6.99 (3/5) + $0.50 for a miso based soup. The good thing about this place is their large portions of Ramen. The texture of the noodles were okay, not being too mushy and too dense. The flavour of the soup was there but you can tell it wasn't authentic type of Ramen you would eat at Japanese owned spots. The Char-Siu was flavourful and tender, but I wish there was more of it, as you can see from the picture. The beansprouts and garnish added some crunch and was pretty fresh. I would have to say this was pretty mediocre, as nothing really stood out.

We ordered another bowl to try some of their other offerings. We got the Tenderous Ribs Ramen $8.50 (3/5). Again, another generous portion of Ramen. Still would've liked some more meat, as the tenderous ribs were quite....tender :) . The ribs were flavourful and added a nice balance to the soup and the ramen. Like the previous bowl of Ramen, this was pretty standard, nothing really special. The soup was the typical miso base, (MSG was quite evident)  don't know why i had to add an extra $0.50 for miso base soup for the other bowl of Ramen..


Oishii Ramen is a great place for a large bowl of Ramen, especially on cold nights. Great place for late eats as well and if you're craving some Ramen. The
wait for our dishes took quite sometime. There were only 4 tables of two, and two servers during the time I went. Their menu is quite small and standard for a Ramen joint,
 but offerings many toppings you can add to your Ramen for a
 decent amount such as extra meat, extra noodles and Char Siu.

The Good:

• Generous Portion of Ramen
• Big Bowls
• Friendly Service
• Decent Price

The Bad:

• More Meat would'be been nice
• The Wait can be quite long (Depends on what time you go)
• Pretty Average Ramen

Breakfast at IKEA

For some reason I love shopping at IKEA. The shiny 

lights? The Comfortable Sofas? The Play Place? I think it's the restaurant :) . Ending at 11am, IKEA's $1 breakfast attracts a lot of people. AND I MEAN A LOT !!!!Like so much that the line extends all the way back to the end of the restaurant! I recently had to go to IKEA to get some stuff for my new house and decided to drop by earlier for some breakfast. Man, the line was just as long as it was years ago. Lined up, cafeteria style, IKEA offers Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner for shoppers who want stop by and grab a bite. From Swedish meatballs, to Fish and Chips, the IKEA restaurant offers something for everyone. They even have Kid's meals ranging from Mac & Cheese to Dinosaur Shaped Chicken Nuggets. Their $1 breakfast hasn't really changed over the past few years except the fact that you have to pay $0.75 extra for a slice of bacon. The scrambled eggs were the same fluffy, pillowy type. The sausage was just as salty or saltier than before. The hashbrowns were okay. For $1, it is what it is and you can't really complain. 

Dim Sum at OMEI Restaurant!

Growing up in a Chinese family, going out for Dim Sum on the weekends were the usual. Aside from frequenting places such as Ginger & Onion Restaurant ( Beside Market Village), one place we would often visit would be OMEI Seafood Restaurant. Is it just me or are push-cart dimsum spots becoming a rare sight? 

Tucked inside a small Chinese Plaza in Richmond Hill, OMEI is known for it's quality 5-course lobster dinner and it's seafood. This time around we were here for their Dim Sum, another specialty of theirs.
OMEI does not use the push-carts to serve their dimsum, instead you get their dimsum menu and check off what you want to order, which ensures that it's fresh and not roaming on the push-carts for a certain amount of time.
PICTURES WERE TAKEN FROM TWO VISITS


Up first were the Deep Fried Squid Tentacles (5/5). Arriving Piping hot and fresh, these were a delight. Unlike the battered fried ones you find at other dim sum spots, these were tender and bouncy and the squid had a nice snap and was well seasoned. These were quite addicting as well, couldn't stop eating them!



Up next were the Shrimp Sui Mai. (5/5) These were enormous.Looking around, we could see that almost every table had an order, so we knew these were a must. Topped with Masago (Fish Eggs) and Dried Scallop Shavings, these were a hit. One bit into one of these goodies, we immediately realized why these were so popular here at OMEI. Filled with Shrimp Mousse, dried mushroom and large pieces of shrimp, these offered a nice crunchy snap and were very well seasoned. It was like eating a giant wonton from all the shrimp it had! The Masago added a hint of saltiness while the Dried Mushroom and Dried Scallop shavings added a smoky flavour. These are an absolute must when you come to OMEI!







Add a little Soy Sauce and Chili Oil.....Oh man.

Enough of the drooling from the Sui Mai. Arriving piping hot next was the Stuffed Eggplant with Black Bean Sauce. (3.5/5). This was a generous portion once again.
The eggplant was fried up nicely, not being too mushy and retaining it's flavour. The fish paste offered a nice meaty texture to the eggplant but was rather salty and with the addition of the black bean sauce the whole dish sort of fell apart. Have you ever eaten something so salty, it made your tongue itch? This was how salty it was. Maybe the chef added a tad too much salt? Usually when I come to OMEI and order this, it's normally not as salty as it was this recent visit! The black bean sauce was relatively thick but did not lack it's black bean flavour. Overall maybe if this dish wasn't this salty, it would've been pretty decent in my books. Maybe it was an unlucky visit? Ha.

Coming steaming hot to the table was the Beef Rice Noodle Roll aka Cheung-Fun. (4.5/5). I'm a huge fan
of Cheung-Fun and it's a staple at every dim sum spot I go to. OMEI I would say has one of the best Cheung-Fun because of the soft texture of the Rice Noodle Roll. The Rice noodle roll at many dim sum places I've been to, are often very thick and unpleasantly chewy and hard. Overall any type of Cheung-Fun is not good served cold, and the one at OMEI is always served piping Hot. Drenched in a lightly sweet soy sauce, the texture of the rice noodle roll had a slight chew but was relatively soft and toothsome.Unlike some dimsum spots where the beef tastes soft and mushy, the beef had a nice meaty texture and complimented the rice noodle roll very well. Along with Green Onion the  beef also had hints of Orange Peel, which added a nice flavour to the overall dish.




Another dimsum favourite of ours is the Deep Fried Stuffed Bean Curd Roll. (4.5/5). I prefer the fried version over the steamed, because the bean curd offers a nice crispy texture and keeps in the flavours of the filling inside. The version at OMEI has Wood Ear Mushrooms, Carrots, Dried Mushroom and baby corn in it's filling, which I find tasty because all of them add a nice crunch. The flavours in this dish were on point and all the ingredients were fresh. With a splash of Worchestershire Sauce and Hot Sauce ... Mmmmm!






Have you ever had a craving for something out of blue? Like just randomly, thinking and the thought of that food just entered your mind? Well recently I've been craving 
Turnip Cake. Steamed or Pan-Fried....It didn't matter.      

 I couldn't get my mind off them! I finally got a chance to get an order of Pan-Fried Turnip Cake.(3.5/5) What makes a good turnip cake? Well fresh turnips and a nice balance of ingredients of course! Loaded with an ample amount of Chinese sausage and Dried Mushroom and Dried Shrimp these were okay. The turnip cake was kind of dry, so the ingredients didn't mesh as well together. I would've like to see more turnip, which would've brought more moisture to the dish. Well at least it was good enough to fulfill my craving!

Lastly we got an order of Deep Fried Glutinous Dumplings aka Ham Sui Gok (3.5/4) These were fried up nicely and arrived piping hot. The filling consisted of the average being , Ground Pork, Onions, Chives and Dried mushroom. I would've liked if they had a little more filling as the flour on the outside was a bit thick. Overall this was an average dish, nothing special. Don't forget your complimentary dessert of Red Bean Soup!

OMEI offers a variety of Dimsum as well as some specialty dishes such as their Braised Beef and Turnip, and Braised Tripe and Tendon. Although quite pricey, the generous portions make up for that. The service here is also great as well, and the wait for food isn't that long.

The Good: 

• Generous Portions
• Fresh Ingredients
• Food is always served HOT
• Good Service

The Bad:

• Quite Pricey
• Food is a tad too salty