Cha Kee has been on my list of restaurants to try since their Richmond Hill location opened last year, but the tales of long lines always deterred us from visiting. With a new wave of restrictions and lockdowns rolling over Ontario, ordering takeout has become an attractive alternative.

Ordering: As always, I look for a way to order directly from the restaurant and Cha Kee has an online ordering system set up on their website! The interface is simple and easy to use. The default language for me is Chinese, there’s a language option in the menu. All the menu items (except french fries) had a photo and the usual customization options when adding to cart (ie. rice or noodles). The majority of the menu items also include a free drink, so don’t forget to add that to your cart separately. During checkout, there’s the ability to select whether to pick up ASAP with a time estimate or to schedule a later time on the same day. There is an option to pay online or at the store with a 10% discount for cash payment at the store.

Pickup: We picked up this order when indoor dining was still open in York region, so half of the tables inside were occupied. A portion of the dining space had been converted to service pick up orders only and Stephen was in and out. Being a small restaurant, there is only one entrance and not enough space to create a one way racetrack. We paid online, which made the pickup process faster with minimal contact.

Food: We were cautioned by Cha Kee regulars not to order anything fried for takeout as it may not stay crispy during the drive home. With that in mind, we decided on the Curry Beef Brisket with rice and Baked Pork Chop, Portugese Style with rice. One thing I’ve really missed about going to Hong Kong cafes is the milk tea and Cha Kee’s hit the spot. As for our mains, Stephen and I both preferred the pork chop, while Alivia ate a ton of the brisket. The pork chop was tender and cheesy, the sauce was delicious and I really enjoyed the seasoned rice underneath. As for the brisket, I liked that it was mild enough for Alivia’s tastebuds and the meat was quite tender. The texture of the rice was a bit on the mushy side, too soft for my preference and the potato was lacklustre.

Portions for both dishes were large and we had enough leftovers for a whole other meal. I would love to try their Crispy Chicken and all the gooey egg dishes one day.

Overall, our experience at Cha Kee was a moderate success. Stephen’s been inspired to recreate their Portugese Pork Chop at home and I’m looking forward to tasting more of their menu items dine-in post pandemic.

Stephen, Alivia and I have been slowly exploring our new neighbourhood. From splash pads to libraries to restaurants, we’re getting to know Richmond Hill and looking for our new favourite eats, I had read good things about Clay Pot King on Instagram and decided to have lunch there with my parents for my mom’s birthday. While our lobster pot was impressively plated and service was phenomenal, we weren’t as taken by the flavour of our dishes.

Atmosphere: Claypot King is one of the newer Asian restaurants in Richmond Hill with an elegant decor including crystal chandeliers, tufted leather benches and a mirror wall. We arrived at 5pm for an early dinner and was one of two occupied tables. Keep in mind that there are lots of restaurants in the plaza and parking can fill up quickly.

Service: This was one of our first dinners out with Alivia and I was nervous. I had prepped my parents that there was a good chance we’d have to make a quick exit. We settled into our corner seat with Alivia in her booster and some books to keep her entertained. Our server was very friendly, giving her lots of smiles and waves even after helping us pick up the many utensils Alivia dropped. Dishes were served quickly and arranged away from tiny grabby hands.

Food: The word claypot usually brings to mind crispy, crunchy rice topped with flavourful proteins like Chinese sausage and braised chicken. At Claypot King, the word describes a stew/casserole-like dish that’s served in a black metal pot and kept warm using a circular ring stand.

The main dish I wanted to try was their Lobster special. To round out the meal, we also ordered a duck congee pot and some side dishes, Shanghai style fried fish, green onion pancakes and fried dough fritters. Compared to other restaurants serving the same dish, Clay Pot King’s fried fish was good. It had a tasty sauce and good texture. The green onion pancake meanwhile was underwhelming, plain.

Between the Lobster pot and Congee, it was actually the duck congee that was my favourite (and Alivia’s!). The congee had a good thick texture, was savoury and well seasoned. The lobster was disappointing on a few points. First, for the price the quantity of lobster was low. There were lots of filler ingredients like rice cakes and tofu sheets. Second, the flavour of the dish was very one dimensional. Every bite tasted the same, there was no depth in the flavour and there was a lack of acidity. We did order the dish with no spice and I wonder if this impacted the taste of the dish.

Overall, although our meal wasn’t amazing I would give Clay Pot King a second chance based on the friendly service and promising side dishes.

Atmosphere: The quick service restaurant was located on the first floor of Dragon Tower at Spadina and Dundas with their own entrance on Dundas St. The layout was reminiscent of any fast food shop with an order counter, self-service utensils, a condiment station and movable square tables. While the restaurant was busy, turnover was quick and I was able to find a seat while Stephen ordered. Additional seating was available inside the lobby of the building.

Service: After placing our order, we were given a buzzer that would ring when it was ready to be picked up. Our baos were ready quickly and hot from the kitchen. Soy sauce, Chinese vinegar and hot sauce were available self serve with little plastic dixie cups. Adding a serving of sliced ginger to each order of baos would be a great addition.

Food: Juicy Dumpling’s menu was simple with an assortment of steamed and fried xiao long baos (listed as mini soup dumplings), dumplings and some traditional Shanghainese snacks. Stephen and I ordered two trays of the steamed pork baos, one order of pan fried juicy buns (their version of sheng jian bao) and a bowl of shrimp wontons with spicy sauce.

The baos were good. The skins were a bit thicker than I prefer but consistently even and the filling well seasoned with a good amount of soup. When picked up, the baos lacked the signature xiao long bao droop. I may have liked the fried version better with crispy bottoms that masked the shortfalls. The pan fried juicy buns were also fine, good filling with a similar skin as the soup dumplings, but not quite sheng jian baos (still a thin wrapper but more yeasty in texture).

I did really like the shrimp wontons, more specifically the chili oil that was super fragrant and sweet without being overly spicy. This was one of the more expensive menu item at $7.99 for 8 pieces. Funny enough, I see lots of online reviews of this dish disliking the very aspects that I liked. Too sweet, not spicy. So to each their own.

Overall, our meal at Juicy Dumpling was satisfying and the value undeniable. I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit, but if I was already in the neighbourhood hungry, they’d be a top contender for a meal.

Sansotei opened their Richmond Hill location last year, while we were still renovating the house and spending our weekends building kitchen cabinets. I was very excited for the new arrival to our neighbourhood. Stephen and I stopped by within the first week we moved and I visited again with a friend in May. While Sansotei’s downtown location has consistently served up delicious bowls everytime I visit, I’m finding that not to be the case at their other locations.

Atmosphere: On both visits I arrived just after 5pm before the dinner rush and was greeted with an empty restaurant. I only saw tables for couples or groups of four. There were two corner booths at the front of the restaurant, but they would still only seat 3-4 people comfortably. Larger groups would have to be split between a few tables. Decor was modern and similar to their other locations with a decorative rope wall, lots of natural wood and shiny brass pendants. By 6pm, every table was full.

Service: Service was friendly and quick, even during my first visit when they had recently opened. We were greeted right away and offered one of the booth tables as I was 9 month pregnant at the time. The extra space was welcomed. On my first visit, our bowls arrived quickly and hot from the kitchen. On my second visit, it took some time for my bowl to come out and I found the broth lukewarm.

Food: On our first visit, Stephen and I both ordered the Tonkotsu Black while my brother chose the regular Tonkotsu. The broth was rich, milky, flavourful and had a great sheen of oil on top. A healthy amount of black garlic oil added umami to each slurp. I choose thin noodles, which were firm and had a great chew. My toppings were also as delicious as ever with two slices of rolled chashu, a soft boiled egg and black fungus. Overall, exactly as I had expected.

On my second visit, I ordered the Miso Black that ended up being quite lacklustre. The noodles and toppings were great, but the broth wasn’t piping hot, and there was barely enough to cover the noodles. Overall an ok bowl, but not the amazing one I expected, especially being their most expensive menu item.

Based on one good and one meh dinner, I guess I need one more visit to break the tie.

For summerlicious this year I only made it out to one restaurant, partly due to scheduling and partly due to budgeting (we bought a house! Future dedicated post to come!). Looking through the list of restaurants priced at $28 or $38 for dinner, the one menu that jumped out was Biff’s, which also met the criteria of being located downtown and a new spot for me. I have friends who visit weekly for their $1 after 5pm oyster deal and generally all had positive thoughts about the French Bistro.

Atmosphere: Biff’s decor was traditional with intimate lighting, leather benches and dark wood tables. The restaurant was pretty big with a bar area, main dining area and multiple private rooms. I could see this being a popular venue for corporate events during the holidays. With our reservation being just after 5pm on a Thursday the restaurant was fairly quiet, even during Summerlicious, but started to fill up around 7pm. Many of the diners around us at tables were much older while a more suit and tie audience occupied the bar.

Service: Our server was very friendly. He chatted with us, checked in on us often and I felt like he genuinely wanted to make sure we enjoyed our dinner. However, when he came by to top up my friend’s beer, he poured it straight into the glass making it all head to the point where the glass even spilled over once he left. I appreciated the good intention, but it was a bizarre move. Either he didn’t know how to properly pour beer, or forgot the can was beer. Either way, he walked away before we could react beyond being a bit shocked. Aside from that misstep, service was great. Our dishes arrived promptly. The bill did as well, without being asked for, which was again a bit odd. However, our server did tell us to take our time and that it wasn’t a rush. Maybe he was changing shifts?

Food: To start, I choose the Tomato and Cucumber Gazpacho for my appetizer, my go to whenever I see it on a Summerlicious menu. The bowl of cold soup was served with slices of cucumber and a sweet balsamic drizzle, refreshing for a hot summer day. A touch more olive oil would have been nice.

For my main, my friend went with the safe bet of Beef Tri-tip Steak while my curiosity was piqued by the Maple Mustard Pork Croquette. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I do wish I had stuck to the steak. The croquette was made of seasoned shredded pork, battered and fried, served on a crushed potato salad with cabbage and a smoky aioli. I liked the flavour of the croquette, but it was a lot of pork and after eating half, the texture was quite monotonous. I wouldn’t got as far as to say I didn’t like the dish, but I do think I would’ve enjoyed another entree more.

Both of us went with Chocolate Cake for dessert which was dense and rich. Overall, summerlicious at Biff’s was good, not amazing and fairly priced.

Game of Cheese is a new restaurant in Markham from the mind of Chef Frank, head chef at Kaka All You Can Eat, featuring a menu of fusion dishes that stars, of course, cheese. When I first heard about the concept, I wasn’t sure what kind of cuisine to expect. Cheese boards? Fondues? Cheesecake? Luckily, I was invited to discover the menu for myself, which turned out to be a fusion of Japanese, French and Italian flavours.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Dinner began with a tall parfait each for Stephen and I. His had passionfruit, mine had mango and both were creamy and topped with a scoop of refreshing, incredibly tasty sorbet. I was so surprised with how much natural flavour was packed into the housemade dessert. Add in the textures of jelly, cream and fruit slush, this parfait was really good.

From the food menu, we started with an order of Baked mussels with cheese and mentaiko mayo. The melted cheese was gooey and the mayo had a generous amount of mentaiko adding lots of umami and seafood flavour to the meaty mussel. A touch of furikake added even more seasoning, making the dish addictive slurp after slurp.

Aside from appetizers, the other two main sections of the menu were pastas and pizzas. Stephen and I couldn’t resist the Black Truffle Carbonara Tagliatelle with smoked pancetta, plenty of parmesan cheese and tons of truffle. Topping the plate of creamy pasta was a poached egg with the perfect runny yolk. With so much earthy flavour from the truffle in the dish, I felt like the chunks of button mushrooms in the sauce weren’t needed and distracted a bit from the pasta. Priced at under $20, the plate was such a good value and made with good quality ingredients. For anyone who’s never tasted black truffle before, the Black Truffle Carbonara Tagliatelle would be a great initiation. For our pizza, Stephen and I tried the Seafood Pizza, which was loaded with salmon, scallops, and crab on a yuzu cream sauce base, and topped with wasabi mayo and tobiko. I found the pizza had a lot of potential but was actually overloaded with toppings and sauce. I really enjoyed the flavours but could have done without the salmon and perhaps only one sauce. Looking at the Game of Cheese menu on their website today, I couldn’t find this exact pizza listed. One thing I really respect is when a restaurant takes feedback from their diners seriously and continues to evolve their menu. Game of the Cheese is still a fairly new restaurant and it’s great to see Chef Frank refine and fine tune his dishes.

The dessert section was less cheesy but had a wide variety of items. I loved the Layered Creme Fraiche Panna Cotta with sake jelly, cherry blossom and a lychee raspberry compote. So so good. Getting a spoonful with each layer was sweet and tart, creamy and jelly. Topping all the layers was a scoop of Chef Frank’s delicious sorbet. This dessert may only be a seasonal item, I would say if it’s on the menu, get it! We also tried the Oreo Green Tea Cheesecake, which had a dense texture and a strong matcha flavour. If Chef Frank ever decided to open a dessert cafe, I’ll be there when the doors open!

A few weeks ago, Stephen and I met up with friends in Markham for an afternoon of board games. Before diving into hours of dice rolling and strategic meeple moves, we met up to grab brunch at Alchemy Coffee. The popular Unionville spot usually has a line out the door and I’ve heard great reviews about both their drinks and food menu. I was eager to try their version of my favourite brunch dishes, Fried Chicken and Waffles.

Atmosphere: Alchemy Coffee was a small shop located in a strip mall on Highway 7. Free parking was available but spots were limited. The restaurant was cozy with a rustic decor and felt more like a coffee shop than restaurant. Some diners lingered over mugs of coffee with a book while others just grabbed coffee to go. Bar seats lined the windows and one wall while the the rest of the dining room had square tables, which could be rearranged to fit any party size.

Service: Although there were tables, the coffee shop was self serve when it came to finding a seat. Our party of 5 ended up waiting for about 30 minutes with a few people in front of us. Luckily a table of 4 left as we were next in line and we were able to grab an extra chair. We placed our orders at the counter and once they were ready, each plate was brought to our table. Milk and sugar for coffees were set up at a self-service counter along the wall.

Food: Between the two of us, Stephen and I split the Fried Chicken and Waffles and Eggs Benny with Peameal Bacon. First the good, I really liked the eggs benny. The poached eggs had the perfect runny yolk and the hollandaise sauce was glossy and flavourful. A touch more sauce would’ve been nice. I also liked how crispy the house fries were and the seasoning on them.

As for the Chicken and Waffles, I felt like the thought behind the dish was great but the execution wasn’t. The plate came with three drumsticks, great I like dark meat, but they were small. A drumstick and thigh would’ve been much more appetizing. The batter on the chicken was also mildly seasoned and not all that crispy. Not bad, but not on par with other spots in the city. The waffles were fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside, a good bite but I would have liked them to be a touch sweeter. A dallop of the spicy syrup served alongside was needed to add some dimension.

In addition to food, I had a flat white and Stephen opted for an americano. My drink was creamy and smooth. While some of the dishes were disappointing, Alchemy Coffee’s espresso drinks were very well made.

I’ve heard only great things about WVRST since they opened in 2011 and their popularity has steadily increased year after year. Although they don’t take reservations for groups less than 8, and there’s no time limit once you’re in, we decided to brave the line on a Friday night. Our plan was to arrive at 6pm with hopes to beat the dinner rush. What we didn’t plan for was the students, the many many students. Stephen and I arrived at WVRST just after 6pm to meet our friends and there was already a line down the stairs. We joined the queue and waited about 30 minutes to get in.

Atmosphere: Inside, WVRST’s beer hall setup was reminiscent of a cafeteria. Orders were placed at the counter and assigned a number placard. 90% of the seating was large communal tables (like the Great Hall at Hogwarts) and diners were left to their own devices when it came to finding a seat. This means it can be difficult to sit together if you’re in a large group. The servers will do their best to help accommodate, which was nice. The music was loud and conversations lively. My voice was pretty strained after an hour of shouting over our beers.

Service: Being a mostly self-serve restaurant, we didn’t interact much with the staff at WVRST. I did appreciate the line keeper who was fair with the rules and didn’t make exceptions. Food and drink orders were taken at one counter and there was another bar for just drinks. We found a spot of 4 seats together, after a group of 30+ rearranged themselves, and took turns ordering. After sitting back down with our number placards, our food and beer arrived quickly.

Food: Reading through the drink menu, I was impressed with the breadth of variety and beers available. WVRST was true to its beerhall them and stocked plenty of local craft brews. Some were even vintages from previous years and the prices also varied in range. Stephen chose a pilsner while I opted for the cider sampler, 6 pre-selected samples ranging in sweetness and acidity. I liked almost all of the samples and I’m always a fan of flights, the more variety the better.

From the sausage menu, Stephen picked the Duck with foie gras while I stuck to a traditional Oktoberfest topped with sweet peppers and sauteed onions, both on toasted buns. We also shared a plate duck fat fries topped with melted Swiss Raclette Cheese for the table. One of our friends was vegetarian so sadly he missed out on the fries, but he added melted cheese on his sausage for some cheesy goodness. I liked the how crispy the fries were and the Chipotle dipping sauce was delicious. Quite a few of the dips caught my eye and I’d be interested to try the Honey Dill and Jalapeno Cilantro flavours one day.

As for the sausage, my Oktoberfest was well seasoned and juicy. The toppings were a bit overpowering but you could still taste the savoury meat flavour with every bite. I thought there was a good amount of fat and the texture of the grind was good. Stephen on the other hand did not love his. The flavour of the foie gras rang true and was great, but the texture of the sausage was squishy, almost pate like. It was hard to bite through the casing without the filling oozing out every which way. He also thought the sausage was slightly underseasoned.

Our bill came to over $60 for the two of us, which was quite a bit for two drinks, sausages and a split side. I can easily see the vast drink menu and laid back, raucous atmosphere being a draw for many. Personally, if I’m going out to eat, I am starting to prefer a quieter space.

While Oakville isn’t my usual neighbourhood, with my parents in East Mississauga, the suburb’s always been just a block away (literally). When I was invited to check out one of Oakville’s top rated restaurants, I was happy to drive just a little farther for lunch before hanging out with my parents for the afternoon. Maro’s Bistro was located in downtown Oakville with a menu full of classic Middle Eastern dishes and Maro’s own unique creations.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Atmosphere: Stephen and I visited Maro’s on a Sunday around 11am. Plenty of parking was available behind the restaurant. When we walked in, only one other table was taken so we had our pick of seats. Sunlight streamed into the restaurant from the large storefront windows, so of course we opted for a table close to them. The service was friendly and relaxed. I really liked the natural wood tables and the open kitchen.

Food: To start, I couldn’t resist a cup of Turkish Coffee. Spiced with herbs, the coffee was fragrant and velvety smooth. I’d highly recommend giving it a try regardless of how you feel about regular coffee.. As we sipped on our mugs, a platter of dips (the Meza Plate) arrived with spiced pita bread. The four dips were hummus, baba ganoush, tahini maraina and roasted eggplant. Of the four my favourite was the hummus, which was creamy, garlicky and perfectly seasoned. Compared to that, the baba ganoush was much milder in flavour. I also really enjoyed the roasted eggplant that was charred goodness.

Onto our entrees. Stephen ordered one of Maro’s Signatures, the Lunch in Beirut, sauteed onions and peppers with beef marinated in Middle Eastern spices on a bed of hummus. The plate also had a side of pickled beets and fresh cucumber slices. I was waffling between the salad options and our server recommended I try The Veggie Tower, grilled seasonal vegetables on a bed of Moroccan couscous with chickpeas and hummus. To go along with all the vegetables, I added a side of Tandoori Grilled Chicken Breast. The portions were massive. After munching on dips and pita, there was no chance that Stephen and I would be able to finish our mains. We ended up taking away half of each platter. Along with our mains, a bottle of garlic sauce was brought over that we promptly poured over each plate. That sauce was liquid gold.

Both the meat dishes were well seasoned and had a lot of flavour. The chicken was tender and had tasty crispy bits. Stephen found the texture of the beef a bit grainy. My Veggie Tower had roasted peppers, carrots, onions and zucchini, all coated with the couscous. The vegetables were still firm and was mildly seasoned. A few chunks of avocado was included, but I could’ve done without them as they were not ripe.

Our meal ended on a sweet note with a lovely cup of Persian Tea.

Japanese Izakayas are one of my favourite types of restaurants and I’m always on the lookout for new ones in Toronto. For me, the best kind of izakaya has a lively atmosphere, fresh sashimi, a variety of tapas dishes and an amazing drink menu. At first glance, Ebisu fits all of those requirements. The new restaurant hails from Vancouver and opened their first Toronto location on Queen St last year. I had the chance to attend the grand opening, which included a live Tuna Cutting show and Sake ceremony. Since then, Ebisu has continued to evolve and adapt their menu to the tastes of the city. I stopped by recently to check out their new dishes and enjoy some of their classics.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Ebisu’s dinner menu was expansive, to a point where it was a little overwhelming, especially when your table orders 20+ dishes. However, after nibbling at everything, I’m not sure what items I’d cut. In addition to their regular menu, Ebisu also offers daily specials of both food and drinks. I stuck to a lychee plum wine cocktail for the evening and really liked the salt rim.

The first two dishes to arrive was the Sashimi Salad, greens topped with slices of fresh fish and a sesame dressing, and a platter of freshly shucked oysters. I’m always up for oysters and eagerly slurped down a few of these east coast ones. Each oyster was clean, salty and not a trace of shell. The platter was served with a small bottle of Tobasco sauce and wedges of lemon. Some fresh horseradish or a mignette would have also been great additions.

Following this was pretty much a nonstop parade of dishes from both the kitchen and sushi bar. A few of the dishes stood out as odd to have at an izakaya (ie. Fish and Chips and Clam Chowder) while others were not easily sharable (bowls of ramen). The ramen at Ebisu was ok with a flavourful broth but the bowl doesn’t stand up to the many ramen shops nearby.

Of the cooked items, I really liked the Gyoza, Beef Tongue, Seared Mackerel, and Grilled Black Cod. The Gyoza were plump and pan fried to a perfect crispy on both sides. The thin slices of Beef Tongue were served raw with a little stone grill to be cooked at the table, fun and very tender beef. I also liked how the Seared Mackerel was finished tableside, adding a bit of entertainment and excitement.

In term of sushi and sashimi, we ordered a platter of Today’s Sashimi, 5 types, which included scallop and sweet shrimp. It would have been nice to know how many pieces of each type of sashimi would be served to make sure everyone at the table would get at least one piece of each. The fish was fresh and sweet, quite on par with other izakayas downtown. My favourite dish that night was the Seared Box Sushi. We tried both the Yellowtail and Salmon. Each piece of the Yellowtail pressed sushi was topped with a thin slice of jalapeno, which added a wonderful smokiness and heat with torched. The salmon sushi had a thin slice of lemon, which caramelized when torched and tasted amazing with the fish. We also tried a few of Ebisu’s signature rolls which were tasty, although heavy on the sauce. I wasn’t a fan of the Ebisu Roll because it included cream cheese, which I never like in any type of roll.

After all that food, we still had a pot of Sukiyaki and a few bowls of Ramen. I was pretty full by this point and only had a few spoonfuls from bowl. Nothing quite enticed me to stretch my pants more. If you still have room, I would recommend trying the Black Sesame Creme Brulee that was super tasty.