Congee and rice rolls, the kind of comfort food I crave during cold weather, stress, or simply when it’s been awhile. When I noticed Millstone Rice Rolls pop up on Uber Eats this year, I was checking all of those boxes and so ready to order.

Ordering: I ordered via Uber Eats for delivery and it looks like they are available on DoorDash and SkipTheDishes as well. Looking at their website today, it’s also possible to order via Snappy. A popup opens to the order link when you first load the webpage and you can refresh to get the link again. Searching on Google, I also saw the “order pickup” button on their location listing.

Food: For Stephen, Alivia and I, we ordered a Fried Dough Fritter, Street Style Offal and 3 Rice Rolls (BBQ Pork, Special Minced Pork and Pork Liver). If you can, order directly from the restaurant to pick-up to avoid Uber’s $1-$2 markup and service fees. The rice rolls were fantastic, a great texture, seasoned proteins and plenty of sauce on the side. At first glance, the Special Minced Pork didn’t look the most appetizing, but it was our favourite for taste. I liked the pork liver as well and Alivia enjoyed the BBQ pork, a safe toddler friendly option. I loved the texture of the cheung fun, not too thick, not too floury, with the perfect amount of slurp and bite. The style of cheung fun served was scrunched vs rolled with the topping inside, and I really liked it.

The Street Style Offal had a good variety and was on par with our usual dim sum spots. The chili oil that was served with it, amazing. So much heat with lots of spice. Millstone’s dough fritters are fried fresh daily. They were soft and spongy on the inside with a crispy exterior, even with the travel of delivery. Overall, lunch from Millstone was filling and flavourful. I look forward to being able to dine in.

I’ve blogged about Phoenix Restaurant before and they are still one of our favourite Hong Kong cafes. Since moving to Richmond Hill, we’re closer to their Bayview location and have picked up takeout a few times during the past year. Basically whenever we’re craving Hainanese chicken.

Ordering: The first time we ordered, I called the restaurant to place my order and referenced their menu online. Since then, Phoenix has set up an online ordering system that serves 3 of their 4 locations for pick up orders. They are also available on delivery apps like Uber Eats, Doordash and Asian apps like CMEOW and F.O.D. Considering their extensive menu, the online ordering tool had lots of photos available and sections for combos similar to the dine-in menu.

Pickup: Parking was plentiful at the Bayview location, although sometimes busy, shared with other restaurants and retailers in the same plaza. While dine in was closed, the restaurant had created a one way route for pickup from one door of the entrance to the other. The area was fully enclosed with plexiglass and there were only a few employees on site. I’m not sure how the layout has changed with dine in open again, however the experience felt very safe the times we’ve visited.

Food: My usual order at Phoenix is the Yunnan Noodle Soup with ho fan noodles, while Stephen gets the Hainanese Chicken (that we share). Our first time getting those dishes for takeout though, I found the fish broth was extra fishy and the noodles didn’t quite hold up in transport even packed separately. The Hainanese chicken was still delicious, tender and flavourful with the perfect fragrant rice. Instead of my noodles, we decided to try the Beef Brisket Malaysian Curry with a side of roti. The brisket was well cooked, had a good chew but still soft, and the curry was rich with just a touch of heat.

The malaysian curry came with a side of rice but the roti was a great upgrade, flakey and soft. Neither of the dishes we ordered were available for a drink combo at the time, which was a bummer as their Hong Kong milk tea is always a treat. While at first glance, the portion of curry looked small, there was plenty of sauce and we had even enough leftovers for another meal.

Overall picking up takeout from Phoenix was a convenient and tasty experience, remaining our go to spot for Hainanese chicken.

Happy 2021! Nearing a year of being in a pandemic is an odd anniversary to approach. It’s a new year, and like previous ones, nothing magically changed when the calendar pages flipped. Stephen and I are still working from home. Alivia is still home with us, with the help of my in-laws, and we’re still searching for some semblance of balance. A year ago, Stephen started baking weekly loaves of bread for us. We didn’t jump on the sourdough starter trend, opting for a no knead recipe instead. This year, we’ve discovered Crust Baking Co., a local bakery that opened near us last year. Their fresh croissants, tarts and sourdough loaves have quickly become a necessity and weekly treat.

Pickup: Crust Baking Co. is located in the lobby of a Condo on Yonge St, south of Major Mackenzie. Commercial parking is available at the back of the condo and there has always been empty spots whenever we go. There is an entrance on Yonge and another through the back of the building, through the condo lobby. Currently, indoor dining is closed in York Region, so only pickup is available. Samples of bread loaves are displayed on shelves and fresh treats are at the counter. We order at the counter and everything is packed in individual paper bags. All regular seating has been stacked and roped off.

Food: In addition to loaves of sourdough bread, a 3 day process to bake, we’ve been enjoying the croissants, pain au chocolat and tarts from Crust Baking Co. So far, we’ve tried their regular croissant, almond croissant, wild blueberry tart, raspberry tart, Boston cream donut and danishes. Every treat has been a delight so far! The croissants flakey and buttery, the fruit tarts decadent without being overly sweet and the bread freshly baked with a perfect crust. Stephen’s grilled cheeses have levelled up considerably. Almond croissants are Stephen’s favourite, not usually my thing, but the ones from Crust have changed my mind. The marzipan filling is plentiful with a great rich, natural flavour!

We usually visit in the morning, but even the croissant I picked up one afternoon had retained its flaky texture. Other menu items I’ve been eyeing are the giant chocolate chip cookies, madeleines and cinnamon sugar donut. Crust also offers fresh espresso beverages, coffee beans for purchase and a selection of sandwiches, salads and quiches. Looking through their social media accounts, I see macarons, but have not encountered them myself yet. Custom cakes are also available to order via email. A photo of fresh sesame bagels was just posted on their Instagram account and I’m eager to get my hands on one.

Overall, I’m very happy to have Crust Baking Co. so close to us and look forward to exploring more of their menu.

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.

December 1st, 2020 and I officially cannot remember the last time Stephen and I enjoyed a meal inside a restaurant (I looked it up, it was October 2019). Eating out was such an integral part of my day to day routine and something I’ve missed dearly this year. The continuous announcements of Toronto restaurant closures have been disheartening and a constant reminder to support local businesses. Stephen and I have been trying to order takeout at least once a week from local spots since the summer and I’m eager to start sharing our food adventures again, albeit with a 2020 lens. First up is Yu Seafood, our new go to dimsum restaurant, which surprisingly we had never been to pre-pandemic.

Ordering: My preference is to order pickup directly from restaurants, avoiding any third party apps and additional fees for myself and the restaurant. Lots of restaurants have set up their own online ordering platforms, which greatly increases the ease of placing an order. Yu Seafood uses Snappy, a platform also used by Chatime and many Chinese restaurants in the GTA. The menu is English and Chinese. There are no photos so the first few times I ordered, lots of time was spent Google translating the Chinese menu names. Now that we’ve ordered from them several times, it’s not an issue to distinguish BBQ Pork Bun Pastry with Baked BBQ Pork Bun Pastry. Your order history is also stored for reference. We try to place our order during off peak times, weekday lunch or early weekend lunch time, to avoid any delays. I have heard of very long order times during events like Mother’s day but we’ve had no issues so far.

Pickup: Once your order is ready for pickup, a text message is sent for notification. Our house is a 15-20 minutes drive to Yu Seafood and we place our order right before we leave. 4/5 times, the order is ready by the time we arrive. Masks are required for entry and your temperature is checked by a gate using your wrist. You do have to walk through the dining area to the cash to pick up (now that indoor dining is allowed there are people at the tables) but it is a one way track to the exit through a side door. Overall the pickup experiences we’ve had have all been quick and felt safe. We do purposefully avoid peak times.

Food: Prices per dish range from $3.60 to $6.30, quite reasonable for the quality and serving size. Our bill totals ~$80 each meal for Stephen, myself, Alivia and a set of grandparents with plenty of leftovers. Each dish is packed in a leak proof takeout container, which we wash to reuse and have now amassed quite the collection.

By now, I’ve tired 90% of their dim sum menu and all of the items are fresh, delicious and flavourful. The classics, har gow and siu mai, both transport great. Meat dishes like chicken feet, steamed tripe and steamed spare ribs also stay warm and don’t lose much of the experience with takeout. Similarly the baked and steamed buns still taste great at home. I do find the texture on the rice rolls can get a bit chewy once the dish cools and the fried dishes are not as crispy compared to fresh at a restaurant.

Some of our new staple dishes from Yu Garden are their BBQ Pork Puff Pastry, so flakey, and Deep Fried Durian Puff Pastry for Stephen, so fragrant. Alivia loves their Steamed Sweet Egg Yolk Layer Cake that’s soft and airy, and always asks if we ordered the black buns (Bamboo Charcoal & Egg Yolk Bun). We’ve also tried their Deep Fried Shrimp Dumpling with Foie Gras Paste, but prefer the normal steamed shrimp dumplings. The foie gras was subtle.

Overall, pickup from Yu Seafood has been a delicious treat this year and has become our new way of satisfying those dim sum cravings.

Since going back to work after my maternity leave, finding time for just Stephen and I to connect has been a challenge. We’ve had the best intentions for monthly date nights but between work, constantly having a cold and trying to find time for ourselves, going out has not been realistic. What has worked is aligning our work from home days and going out for lunch dates! We’re exploring our neighbourhood and get a chance to feel like an adult. One such date took us to Toshi Ryoriten, a Japanese restaurant at Major Mackenzie and Leslie with a more upscale menu.

Atmosphere: Although Toshi Ryoriten is located in a strip mall next to a grocery store and Tim Hortons, the restaurant had all the trimmings of high end sushi bar. Plenty of natural wood decor, modern pendant light fixtures and a live edge counter at the sushi bar. At lunch on a weekday, the clientele was casual and moderately busy. There were seats at the sushi bar, tables at the front of the restaurant and more booths around the corner, in an almost separate dining room. Stephen and I sat at the sushi bar and next to us was an older group who sounded like regulars, greeting the chef by name and talking about catering for a private event. Cozy and familiar.

Service: Sitting at the sushi bar, most of our interaction was with the sushi chef. There was one server who greeted and seated us and brought us tea. Our meal was prepared quickly from the kitchen and sushi bar. I do wish the chef had listed the fish that were on the plate instead of silence. With how separate the dining areas were, it was a challenge for her to manage both areas once the restaurant became busier. We did have to wait a bit to get our bill, but not unpleasantly long. Chef Shinji Mori was very friendly and lively with the group of regulars next to us, which did create a feeling of different levels of service.

Food: Originally, I had planned to order the Chirashi Sushi Lunch ($17) but Stephen convinced me to splurge on the Premium Sashimi Platter that came with chutoro and uni ($60). My platter was beautiful and the quality of fish was top notch. The uni and chu-toro were on par with omakase restaurants in the city, not a surprise as Toshi Ryoriten does offer omakase at dinner and feature fish flown in directly from Japan. The uni was excellent in flavour, rich, creamy and tasted like the ocean with no aftertaste. It was also a generous portion.

While the quality was superb, I was a bit disappointed by the variety, only 6 types. Without any info from the chef (I’m aware I could have asked), I recognized sea bream and amberjack, but something unique or a more diverse selection would’ve taken the meal from good to exceptional. In hindsight, ordering the Chirashi Lunch ($17) and adding an order of Uni Sashimi ($16) would’ve been a better value.

Stephen balanced my splurge lunch with his Tempura lunch bento. The bento box was packed with tempura, rice, salad and a complementar bite of beans with a sesame dressing. The tempura was light, excellently cooked and fresh, not at all oily. All of the vegetable pieces were just cooked, sweet and in season.

Overall, lunch at Toshi Ryoriten was ok with glimmers of amazing. The menu is extensive and ranges from casual Japanese fare to premium sushi. They would be a good choice for a group of diners with varying paletes and budgets.

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.

After moving into a new neighbourhood, my usual MO is to try all well reviewed restaurants nearby. In North York, this was a daunting task. In Richmond Hill, the list of places to try was shorter but more planning was required, especially with Alivia in tow. One of our first stops was 3 Coins Open Kitchen, an all-day breakfast diner on Yonge north of Major Mackenzie.

Atmosphere: 3 Coins was a quintessential diner with lots of primary colours, bar seating and cozy leather booths, mini jukeboxes included. Each booth also had its own coat hook, which was a great touch. The diner had two seating areas and a lot more tables than it appeared from the outside. Most tables were occupied with families and groups of friends. There was one other baby while we were there.

Service: Parking was available behind the restaurant off Arnold Cres, one benefit of the suburbs that I will not tire of. Our server was friendly, brought us over a high chair and even wiped it off for us. So far in my experience dining out with Alivia, this is not a common occurrence and I really appreciated the extra attention. Plates arrived quickly and our coffees were refilled before they were empty.

Food: Stephen ordered the classic 3 eggs special with bacon, home fries and toast while I ordered my usual, eggs benedict with bacon for protein and a side of home fries. We added a side order of breakfast sausages, a plate of 4, that we had trouble finishing. Stephen’s plate was solid and a filling meal for under $10. His over-easy eggs were cooked well with runny yolks and the toast well buttered. The cook on the bacon was a tad crispier than how we fry it at home, but no complaints. I really liked their home made hash, which was well seasoned and crispy.

My eggs benedict had perfectly poached eggs (makes me want to ask what mould they’re using) and a creamy, lemony yellow hollandaise sauce. This was A+ sauce in terms of the smooth texture and rich flavour. Overall our breakfast at 3 Coins Open Kitchen was comforting and homey.

Ai Sushi’s Richmond Hill location has become my go to for whenever a sushi craving hits, which means we stop by pretty much every other week. Stephen and I have our usual order, #705, but I’ve also tried their chirashis and larger platters. Their quality and price are hard to beat but I have noticed a few competitors popping up in the neighbourhood. While our last meal at their Markham location was lacklustre, I have my fingers crossed that the Richmond Hill location remains consistent.

Atmosphere: By now, Stephen and I have eaten at Ai Sushi as often as we’ve ordered platters to go. The shop has three wooden bar height tables that can seat 4 people, a few bar seats along the front windows and one large communal live edge table that could comfortably sit around 14 people. Orders are taken at the counter and diners seat themselves. Typically when we visit at lunch on the weekend, the dining area has been mostly empty with the majority of customers taking out. On our last visit though, every seat was taken. Luckily one couple was just leaving. The menu specials were drawn up on a chalkboard wall and a handful of chefs are always working behind the sushi bar.

Service: When we’re eating in, once we place our order and take a seat, someone comes by with soy sauce, a cup of water, cutlery and a complimentary bowl of miso soup. Aside from that, service is fairly minimal. Servers were quick to clear tables and we’ve never had to wait long for our order. Wooden high chairs were available and platters are cash only. If possible, I would recommend ordering ahead of time, even the day before, on long weekends or holidays.

Food: Our usual order is a small sushi, sashimi and roll platter that comes with 40 pieces for the two of us. The platter has 3 rolls, including one spicy salmon or tuna, and a california roll topped with tobiko. Pairs of nigiri sushi and an assortment of sashimi pieces completes the tray. There are usually a few slices of scallop sashimi but no uni, ikura or sweet shrimp. The quality of the fish has always been fresh and flavourful. I especially enjoy the fatty salmon and surf clam. The tuna was also great quality.

Sashimi only platters do come with sweet shrimp and herring roe. Slices of squid sashimi were presented wrapped around thinly sliced cucumber and tobiko, a great combination of textures and taste. The rolls were well made with a thin layer of rice and plentiful fillings. Ordered individually regular and special rolls are priced from $3.99 to $5.99 each, a good deal for those with bigger appetites.

So far, I’ve tried the Deluxe Kaisendon and Unadon. The Unadon was a very generous portion of bbq eel on steamed rice. Delicious and a good choice for anyone who doesn’t eat raw sushi. My Kaisendon was topped with 12 different pieces of sashimi and so good. There was ikura, sweet shrimp, a bite of uni salmon belly and scallop. After tax, the bowl was around $18 and worth the price. I still have to try out their non deluxe chirashi bowls to compare the value.

Overall, Ai Sushi’s Richmond Hill location offers excellent quality sushi at a very reasonable price point.

Since moving to Richmond Hill, Alivia and I have spent lots of time at Hillcrest shopping, walking and napping. The mall is currently going under a $90M renovation that includes a cosmetic face lift to the interior, updated modern entrances and a slew of new stores. Hillcrest’s transformation began in 2015 with the expansion of The Bay and the opening of Sporting Life and H&M. Today, the mall is already home to some of my favourite stores like Aritzia and Miniso. Tomorrow, there will be even more to love and I am seriously worried about my shopping budget.

Disclaimer: Behind the scenes tour of Hillcrest was organized by Matte PR. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

At the beginning of September, I had the opportunity to tour the new north wing, which will house HomeSense, Marshalls, Old Navy and Indigo. HomeSense and Marshalls opened on Sept 18 with Old Navy to follow in October and Indigo in November. Being a true pillar of the community, Hillcrest will be hosting a donation drive collecting housewares, toiletries, clothing and toys for Sandgate Women’s Shelter in support of domestic abuse survivors. Donations will be accepted from September 22nd to October 5th at the centre court display setup in partnership with HomeSense.

Another newly opened store I love is Westcoast Kids, which carries the cutest and some of my favourite baby brands like Uppababy, Louloulollipop and Babybjorn. They also host great events for parents like sleep clinics, product launches and CPR classes.

Also, Uncle Tetsu just opened!

Our tour ended with a visit to the Hillcrest honey bees, who live on the mall’s rooftop. The two hives produce honey flavoured by the neighbourhood and changes every year. We had the chance to get up close with the bees and taste the fresh honey.

Hillcrest’s transformation ensures that they remain the shopping destination in Richmond Hill and even beyond. I’m excited to see how the space continues to grow and what else is in store.

(Photos by @kaileemandel)