HSz's Profile
Early Bird Dim Sum
Spring Villa Chinese Cuisine:
7301 Woodbine Avenue, Markham, ON
(905) 940-2888
Intersection of Woodbine/Denison (just north of Steeles Avenue).
Sign for new Longo's on Laird Dr South of Eglinton Now Up
Site address is 85 Laird. :)
Sign for new Longo's on Laird Dr South of Eglinton Now Up
Spring 2012 is very optimistic. The entire retail development (Longo's plus other buildings on this area) had the tender closing today... so any expectation for stuff by say... June 19, 2012 (last day of Spring) needs to get through winter construction.
Best Chinese Savoury 'Turnip Cake' in town?!
I can't speak about the various supermarket efforts but I've had an Auntie give me white turnip (lo bok) cakes for a few years now and I guess the one from the Golden Court Abalone restaurant (up in Richmond Hill) is pretty good. Although, perhaps I'm used to my mother's cooking and her lo bok go always has a lot of lo bok (since I'm the one shredding the veggies). :)
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Golden Court Abalone Restaurant
270 West Beaver Creek, Thornhill, ON L4B3Y9, CA
Dim Sum at 'Ka Lung Court', Richmond Hill - Not bad at all!!
I'm not sure what's happened, but apparently Ka Lung Court is now dark. :(
I had not yet been able to try their spicy squid! :( :(
Sesame shrimp in a mayo sauce? Anyone know what I mean?
Or better yet, this blogpost: http://the-cooking-of-joy.blogspot.com/2009/01/mayonnaise-shrimp.html
Sesame shrimp in a mayo sauce? Anyone know what I mean?
Try this photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/janiceangstrom/2832795815/
Sesame shrimp in a mayo sauce? Anyone know what I mean?
I've seen the mayo/shrimp as 'salad sauce fried shrimp' - although the recipe from the NYT covers how I remember it being made at cantonese restaurants...
Mind you, the sauce was not chilled but rather stirred and heated through a wok and then the fried prawns/shrimps mixed in until lightly covered.
http://events.nytimes.com/recipes/2673/1988/02/10/Sweet-Shrimp-With-Mayonnaise-Sauce/recipe.html
Lunch recommendations near MEC
I had some very tasty burger and pulled pork sammies at the Grindhouse which is across the street from MEC. Plus, a decent poutine. :D
'New Choice Restaurant' - An acceptable wok-hay alternative to Fantasy Eatery until a better one is found!
It's true that they have acceptable levels of wok-hay, but sometimes you have to watch out for their levels of saltiness. :/
Absolutely HORRENDOUS meal at.......wait for it!..........'Fantasy Eatery, Scarborough'!!!
+1 on the over-cornstarchiness.
I've given up on the Midland location of FE because they love to ignore the queued lines and give tables to their 'nearest and dearest' while others (us, lesser folks) sometimes wait in ignorance (or frustration).
Asian Course - Thornhill, Ontario - Opinions?
Be prepared for higher prices. I cannot speak of the food quality, but the takeout flyer that was delivered in the neighborhood was certainly on the high side in terms of price points.
CNE is coming....what to eat?
I cannot find the proper reference to last year's CNE Food thread, but I remembered the pizza on a stick and it was the usual slice threaded through a paint-stick-stirrer-type of stick and not quite worth the hullabaloo of being able to walk around with a slice in hand. ^_^;
Apple Fritter Search!
I haven't seen the classic apple fritter in various GTA locations (mostly bakeries and doughnut shops) recently, but I did see apple fritters (the kind shown above) at Wegmanns when I was in Niagara Falls last weekend. That, and lovely doughnuts. A goodly distance away from the GTA but if folks were headed towards the border areas... ;-)
CNE is coming....what to eat?
I'm hoping that the Poutinery in the Food building will be there... :)
What should I order from Sam Woo Chinese BBQ? I am unfamiliar with this cuisine.. menu pics included
I don't know about the mystical sauce, but usually, I've seen the 'green scallion sauce' as a side dip (better yet, would be the ginger and scallion minced dip) -- finely minced ginger, scallions, all in an oil base. Usually had with chicken, but also very tasty with both the roast and BBQ pork. See this picture and also the reference to the chinese characters at: URL: http://kitschow.blogspot.com/2008/07/112-ginger-scallion-sauce-recipe.html
Cantonese style noodles (Quandong Chow Mein) based on the past when I've tried it, has sliced chicken, sliced bbq pork, some shrimp, some cuttlefish, and some vegetables (maybe yu-choy, or else, guilan). Preserved vegetables are usually preserved mustard greens - but these are relatively salty and I can't say that I've seen it on a plate of Cantonese style noodles.
If you wanted vegetarian fried noodles, I would have suggested the number 111 (Mixed Chinese Vegetables Fried Noodles). That has been meat-free, and usually has the preserved black fungus vegetables, bean sprouts, some baby corn, water chestnuts, some knotted dried lily bulbs, sliced carrots, and maybe some tofu, and yes, a few pieces of green vegetable (more of the Chinese yu choy?).
About the BBQ chicken wings - the preparation and cooking of these wings (were they reddish on the outside?) is more like how BBQ pork is cooked (baked/broiled) as opposed to being fried (wings). Hence, best had either fresh out of the ovens, or else, as a cold meat. :)
Best Doughnuts in Toronto
Ah, tough situation with the lack of KK's at Costco. I think I saw them only a few times on my usual (weekly) trips to Costco... always stacked in the fruits/veggies area on a pallet.
I don't know if you'd like the Tiny Tom's doughnuts but there *is* there store up at Woodbine (just north of Steeles) in Markham. I know... you're already halfway on the 401 to Brittania by that point. ;-)
Best Doughnuts in Toronto
Although very late, I did see boxed KK's at the local Costco (Woodbine/Hwy 7 location) so you might have some luck at the Costco locations in Durham region. :)
Biltong
Definitely not downtown, but I passed by a shop that had Biltong on the windows (along with Beef Jerky on the other window) at the Shoppes at the Promenade Village Shoppes (the shoppes that back onto the intersection of Centre St. and Bathurst).
2 Dim Sum desserts and where to find them
Elegantview has both dimsum by order AND carts... at different times. :)
Weekend morning tea (up to about 2-ish I think), it's by cart. After that, you're ordering separately. On the weekdays, I think it's mostly by order.
2 Dim Sum desserts and where to find them
The first would be: 西米布甸 (Sago/Tapioca Pudding) and the second would be: 椰汁糕 (Coconut Gao).
I've seen these at various uptown restaurants - both Elegantview and Mui's Garden had it during the lunch service.
Hopefully, other CH-er's will be able to recommend good places for these two desserts. :D
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Elegantview
3601 Victoria Park Ave, Toronto, ON M1W, CA
How much variation in size, specialties are in the 5 COSTCO locations in the GTA?
All locations carry the same base of products, but each of the stores will also carry a selection of goods that may be more popular to their local-group of members. For example, the Costco at Woodbine/Highway 7 may see a higher degree of Asian members which is reflected in their product selections, while the Costco's at Yorkdale and/or Woodbridge (Weston/Highway 7) will see a different segment of the population (more Italian products are carried that I've seen).
Having gone to each of the Costco's within the GTA (from Pickering westwards to the St. Catherine's area), each store has the same selection of goods when it comes to the basics (groceries and whatnot), but it's the specialty selections that will differ.
Delighful Fluffy buttery croissants
I don't know what Campbell Avenue has to do with the address, but it is indeed on Bathurst (7380).
I've had their pastries and those are very good. :)
Toronto's Best Fried Chicken
Chiming in for Stockyards. Went by there this early afternoon with my CH-sibling and it was a delectable lunch of succulent chicken with a crispy outside and moist meat inside. Although it's a crowded space, we grabbed the meal to go and ended up not eating outside, but rather, seated in a cramped car space, unable to wait for even the short trip over to a park bench to taste the very delicious meal.
It's so nice to be able to see everything fried up fresh. :D
The Grindhouse on King Street
I stopped by the Grindhouse this evening/last night? for a pre-Theatre dinner. A nice quiet place that had two three tables of four by the time I left (~7pm). A signature burger ordered to medium rare was nice and pink (just the way I wanted it), and the poutine was a nice portion. Although, at 6, the poutine might strike as a bit on the more expensive side, I considered the cup, the gravy, and the curds to be a good combination. Dinner for one might have been a little bit more than I was intending to spend at 15.75 (burger, poutine + Boylan's), but well worth it to have a burger done to order.
New to Ontario - Where are the best casinos buffets?
I've eaten at the Fallsview Casino Grand Buffet and will agree that the quality (and variety) has declined significantly. The seafood buffet seems to have shrunk down to the peeled shrimp and calamari whereas I remember when Weekend dinner offerings included King Crab Legs etc. The prime rib seems to have morphed to a 'roast beef' offering (there was no rib that I could see, and this is when they set out a fresh slab of meat to cut from).
I've found that given the same price (or slightly cheaper price) at the Casino Niagara (the original one?) - the Market Buffet offers a slightly better cut of beef, and their fried chicken is a good option. During the NFL football season, the weekend offerings include ribs and lamb - so a bit different from what's available at Fallsview Casino's buffet.
ISO: Skyflake Crackers
They no longer come in tins, but in plastic containers. I've seen them at both various Asian grocers (T&T, The Oriental Supermarket chain) and mainstream locations (Loblaws, No Frills, et al).
Nathan's Hot Dogs
Hmm. I admit that I've never taken a closer look at the bag. I shall need to ask my friends what they're buying at the store. All I know is that I've never tasted the same snap in the hotdogs I've had up here. Every time I've gone and visited NJ, we've always grilled a package :D
Nathan's Hot Dogs
I'm so glad that you've mentioned Thumann's - indeed, I've had hotdogs (from dirty water to those at the various ball parks) and nothing I've tasted thus far matches the great snap and taste of Thumann's. Everytime that I've visited NJ, I've asked my friends to fire up the grill and let me cook some Thumann's. :)
ISO: Good burgers and fries
I see that the request of my friends is not only breaking my brain but also those of the CH-ers. :)
If I had any confidence in not burning beef patties into hockey pucks, then I'd already have had the option of stopping by the butcher's and picking up some good meat and grinding it. Unfortunately, my culinary skills are not meant to make people want to reach for the Tums and the extinguisher at the same time, so it'll probably be some place not at home for this round of dinner. :)
