Asian Legend

The other night we decided to go out to Asian Legend in Scarborough for some good Chinese food.  There are a few of these restaurants in the city of Toronto but this one is close to my place so we decided to hit this one tonight. 

We got there around nine in the evening and were greeted by the waitress who told us we had half an hour to order before the kitchen closes. We sat down and quickly ordered a little bit of everything.  We ordered pork dumplings, snow pea shoots with garlic sauce, mince meat in tofu also known as Mah Po Tofu and Shrimp Noodles. 

The food came out flying.  We also a few rum and cokes for this evening as we were there for a mini celebration.  The snow pea shoots arrived first and were very delicious.  The pea shoots were soft and not too chewy.  Sometimes you can get these really old stalks, usually when it’s not in season, and the snow pea shoots become very chewy and difficult to swallow.  Tonight however, they were soft and perfectly seasoned.

Snow Pea Shoots

Mah Po Tofu

Next came the noodles.  Not too dry and not too moist, this shrimp noodle was a good stomach filler.  It was actually very tasty and not too salty.  Some noodles tend to be heavy on the MSG however these noodles tonight were perfect in taste. 

The Mah Po Tofu came next and for those who don’t know about this dish, it’s usually pretty spicy and it’s usually eaten with rice to ease some of the spiciness. For reasons unknown, the three of us decided to eat this dish as is with no rice on top and truthfully it was pretty good but yes pretty spicy.  I only ate a small amount of it however one of my friends there was able to douse it all on her own.  Kudos to her because it was actually quite spicy.

Shrimp Noodles

Pork Dumplings

The last thing that came out were the pork dumplings and they were very delicious.  For every Asian Legend restaurant, I think this is their signature dish.  They only come in 6 per servings.  The insides of these dumplings are mostly pork however they have a bit of juice in them which makes them very tasty.  When one is consuming this, one has to make sure that they are careful not to burn themselves because it can be super hot.  Otherwise enjoy this wonderful meal.  We enjoyed it so much we actually ordered 2 more just as they were announcing last call in the kitchen.

Overall it was a pleasant night.  Although we could have enjoyed it more had we shown up earlier, they were extremely courteous and allowed us to stay past closing.  Plenty of free parking and spacious on the side, it is a great place for a casual dinner or for bringing a date.  Overall I give it a 4.5 out of 5.

Asian Legend
4452 Sheppard Avenue East
Toronto Ontario
M1S 1V2
416-298-8081

Kenzo Japanese Noodle House

Today I had the opportunity to have lunch/dinner over at Kenzo Japanese Noodle House in the heart of downtown Toronto.  This noodle house has been in business for quite sometime and although it is a rather small place, it has one of the best Ramen's in the city.  We went with a couple of our friends.  We had to bring the stroller in with the little one but despite the limited space, we were actually able to bring the stroller in with the baby to the back and up the stairs of the restaurant.

Shi-O Ramen

We ordered 3 different dishes tonight.  We ordered the Shi-O Ramen, the King of the Kings Ramen and the Tonkotsu Ramen.   I guess if one was to say did we order one of each "level" of ramens it certainly was not our intention, it just turned out that way.

The Shi-O Ramen was mostly mine. It certainly was the most basic of the three ordered tonight.  With mostly two pieces of meat, a couple of big pieces of seaweed, onions and salted soup this ramen didn't really provide too much with respect to taste.  The soup base was unremarkable.  The noodles certainly had its egg taste but otherwise it was a simple and plain noodle.

Tonkotu Ramen

The next one was the Tonkotsu Ramen.  This ramen contained mostly sliced pork, half a soft boiled egg, green onions and its meat flavored broth.  Compared to the Shi-O Ramen this was far more superior in taste and overall quality.  For a dollar or two more, you certainly got more bang for the dollar.

King of the Kings Ramen

 The final ramen was the King of the Kings Ramen and this ramen had everything in it.  It was labeled to be a spicy ramen however if you are spicy loving person you'll probably find this ramen to be only mildly hot. I was told however afterwards that should one want this noodle to be even more hotter, one can request the chef to make it extra spicier.  The mild spicy noodle today certainly was not the type that would cause one's nose to run.  The broth was beautifully made which included amongst things a couple different types of meat, onions, half a soft boiled egg and seaweed.  The price on this one was about $10.50 and it certainly did not disappoint according to my fellow peers.

All in all it was a good wonderful first experience for me.  I rarely go downtown unlike some of my other friends so unfortunately I do miss out on a lot of these great restaurants down there.  Unfortunately like all downtowns, paid parking is the way to go should one drive down there.  I have to say that pound for pound, I thought that the Tonkotsu Ramen was the best one of them all.  I certainly will order it the next time I am in there.  Overall I give this place a 4.25 out of 5.

Kenzo Restaurant
138 Dundas Street West
Toronto Ontario

416-205-1155

Aoyama Sushi

Tonight we decided to head out to Aoyama Sushi located in North York to try out another Japanese Restaurant.  We were told that this place has some pretty good authentic Japanese sushi and sashimi.  Armed with our daughter in one hand, we marched into the restaurant with a couple of friends and decided to give a whirl.  The place was rather small with only 7-8 tables available.  I find that most smaller sushi places tend to house some of the best sushi in the city. 

We decided to order some of the food from the menu and some from a "fish" tree.  Tonight we tried the Winter Sashimi Platter Special with Sake, the Avenue Sushi special, the Sashimi Omakase Special, Udon, Spicy Salmon Hand Roll, Scallop Hand Rolls, Squid, Fish Liver, Hamashi Belly, Black Sesame Ice Cream and Mango Mochi.

We started off with the Udon. Coming soupless and with it's own condiments it was a good way to start the evening.  The noodles were tasteless but with a little soya sauce and condiment it was a light appetizer that got the night rolling right.

The Sashimi Omakase special arrived next and it was great. There were plenty of fish including the hamashi belly fish, tuna, salmon, toko and unii.  It was absolutely amazing!!  The fish was very fresh, not iced and very tasty.

Udon

Sashimi Omakase Special

Squid

Sake

The Winter Sashimi Platter Special with Sake came next and it was amazing x 2!!! Yes one can say that the fish was similar to the omakase special however with sashimi this good, eating everything almost twice was just pleasing to the stomach. 

The fish liver and squid came next. Although it was slightly salty, it had the absolute freshness in its taste.  The pieces were very "sweet" as it capture the true taste and freshness of the fish.  Eating at these places, freshness is one of the top things I look for and this place did not disappoint.  The Avenue 10-piece sushi special arrived next and it too was amazing.  Loaded with hamashi, shrimp, tuna and unagi sushi, it was quite filling with each piece having just enough wasabi to make it a perfect sushi. 

Spicy Salmon Hand Roll

Spicy Scallop Hand Roll

Fish Liver

Hatashi Belly

The hand rolls came next and if there was disappointing part of the night it was this part. The scallop hand rolls according to my friends and wife were rolled perfectly.  Mildly spicy, it was a perfect hand roll for the evening.  The spicy salmon was good however it missed the spiciness.  Actually there was no spiciness in it at all.  Although the hand roll was delicious, it missed out the spiciness as advertised on their "fish" tree.

The hamashi belly fish was amazing!!!!  I have had it before but this time it just melted in my mouth.  The slightly buttery taste of the fish was perfect.  So fresh, so tasty, it was well worth the price.  It came with 4 pieces and every piece was delicious!!!!

Sashimi Platter Special + Sake

Black Sesame Ice Cream

Mango Mochi

The best part of the night was the desert.  We ordered the black sesame ice cream and the mango mochi.  There were two scoops per order of the ice cream and it was fantastic.  It got a little heavy near the end but each scoop was loaded with a perfect mix of the black sesame ice cream.  The mango mochi was by far one of the best things I have ever tasted!!!!  I absolutely loved it.  Eating this on a warm and hot summer night, the mango was perfect chilled on the inside of the mochi.  The skin was thin and light and it perfectly complimented the mango.  The mango was sweet.  It was amazing!!!!

Avenue Sushi Special

Overall, an amazing night.  The final tally was about 50 dollars per person but it was all well worth it.  There is limited free parking however there is plenty of parking in the adjacent mall.  The place was clean and it was a great atmosphere for some of the best authentic Japanese sushi and sashimi ever.  I have always said anyone can open a sushi place but the absolute best places must have fresh sushi and this place did not disappoint.  I give this place a 5 out of 5 with a definitely must go again!!

Aoyama Sushi
2766 Victoria Park Ave
North York, ON M2J 4A8

Royal York Hotel - Library Bar Afternoon Tea

Today we decided to venture into downtown Toronto on a beautiful Sunday afternoon to have afternoon tea down at the Royal York Hotel. We have had other high tea sessions and we were told that this one was one of the better ones.  Our little one tagged along in her stroller.  The hotel was very accommodating. We got there a couple of minutes late however we had reservations at the restaurant so that was not a problem.

Seasonal Berry Cocktail

We went with another couple and the four of us, decided to order two different types of teas.  My wife got the Earl Grey Tea while they got the Green Tea.  The Earl Grey Tea was quite strong in taste. It certainly was more bitter than what you get from the tea bags.  Even with the addition of sugar and milk it was in my mind a little harder to stomach.

For appetizers we had a Seasonal Berry Cocktail.  Mixed with blueberry and raspberry fruit the entire cocktail along with its "pancake" was a good combination.  The pancake was glazed I believe and it certainly was light enough so that it didn't ruin the rest of the meal. 

Next we had the traditional finger sandwiches.  There were four different types of sandwiches.  There were the PEI Lobster in Mango Salad, Nova Scotia Smoked Salmon, Smoked Turkey Breast and Ontario Brie with Strawberry, Apple and Peach Reserve.

The Four Sandwiches

We tried the strawberry reserve first.  The sandwich was sweet in strawberries.  Couldn't really taste the peach or the apple pieces however.  The fruits were definitely very fresh.  At first, I thought I was not going to like the goat cheese with it however it was rather light and not too heavy.  It contrasted with the fruits very well.  We next tried the Smoked Turkey Sandwich.  It also had arugula cress, apple chutney and dried cranberries.  Honestly it was difficult to taste the smoked turkey.  It actually tasted like a normal ham sandwich with little to taste from.  The smoked salmon was next.  It had some cucumber, arugula cress and wasabi chive with it as well however the only thing I could taste was the smoked salmon.  The rest of the ingredients did not dominate the sandwich and again one could barely taste the other ingredients.  The waiter says that some will be able to taste the wasabi however I would like to differ.  We saved the best for last.  The lobster sandwich was loaded with mango salad and lobster meat and it did not disappoint.  It was juicy on every bite and by far the best one of the four.

The pastries

The pastries came next and it all came on the tall tray.  The Choux Pastry Swans were the first pastries we tried.  Loaded with organic cream, the pastry was quite creamy.  Personally I thought it was a tad too heavy.  Since I am not a cream loving person, to me this pastry was a little too much for me.  I tried the Fresh Fruit Clafouti next also known as the strawberry tart.  The strawberries were glazed with either sugar or honey.  Regardless it didn't quite stick with the tart too well and with one bite the strawberries were all gone and the tart was left sitting on the plate.  As well, some of the tarts were seared or burned on the outside.  Next up was the Chocolate Crunch Flourless Cake. It was fluffy and the chocolate was okay but unfortunately I took one bite and I was done.  The Royal York Rooftop Honey and White Chocolate Madelaine was next.  This honey I believe actually comes from the bees that are on the rooftop of this hotel hence the name.  I remember reading about it in a local newspaper a couple of years back and the fresh honey certainly did not disappoint  It was certainly the best pastry of the four.  Moist and very sweet it was certainly a huge contrast compared to the more drier pastries that were present. 

House Baked Cranberry Scones

Finally the House Baked Cranberry Scones were next.  I don't know about many of you but these scones were dry, floury and somewhat difficult to eat.  I grabbed a raspberry jam that was on the table and threw the whole jar on the scone.  It was the only way to eat it.  Otherwise, it would stick to your throat and would make it quite difficult to swallow. 

All in all the experience was a fair one.  Located inside the library bar, it's antique and richness in history made it an unique experience.  All four of us had a free coupon for the day so the entire meal was free. However we still placed a gratuity on the table when the meal was done.  The entire meal is actually $35.00 per person.  We parked over at the Esplanade which is about a 5-10 minute walk.  It was a Sunday afternoon so certainly parking in downtown was plentiful and cheaper than a weekday.  Probably the only thing I would say about Afternoon Teas are that they are never filling.  The pastries just make you want to stop eating.  The thickness and throat sticking experience will make you want to stop.  Some will say this is the way of the higher class and some will say that one can stretch the $35.00 a lot more.  Personally other than the lobster sandwich, everything else seem to be like any other sandwich.  Next time I will profile another Afternoon Tea at another restaurant.  I enjoyed the social afternoon with our friends however I can tell everyone was glad no one had to pay for this food.  None of them were actually full and one can tell everyone was wondering when the next meal was going to be.  I give this place a 3.5 out of 5. 

Rural Restaurant

I know many of you must wonder why I am eating at another Hong Kong Style Tea Restaurant.  The answer is that they are filling, cheap and more often than not, quite satisfying.  You can have them at breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Their set menus usually comes in a dollar or two cheaper than even a happy meal at McDonald's.  Today I had the opportunity to visit Rural Restaurant in Scarborough.

Many times, what you want is on these laminated boards at the side of the table.  Although there are probably many other choices to choose from in their main menu, most people will just order what is in these set menus. I decided to order the Instant Noodles with Luncheon Meat, my wife ordered fried noodles and congree with duck eggs while our friend ordered the Shredded Chicken and Ham With Cream Corn Sauce on Spaghetti. 

Fried Noodles, Congree with Salty Duck Eggs

My food arrived quickly.  I also made a side order of condensed milk toast, fries with gravy and sausage.  I know most people who read this must wonder how could one go wrong with instant noodles and luncheon meat.  There wasn't really anything wrong however I have always felt that the soup base is probably the weakest here at this restaurant.  I have always felt that without a strong base it fails to bring the good taste of an instant noodle.  When the toast arrived, it came with butter in the middle instead of the condensed milk that I had ordered.  When the correct toast did arrive, the condensed milk toast was probably as basic as it gets.  Whereas some other restaurants may cover their toasts end to end with condensed milk, this place often only covers a smatter of it in the middle of the toast.

Instant Noodle with Luncheon Meat

Shredded Chicken and Ham With Cream Corn Sauce on Spaghetti.

The fried noodles and duck egg congee were simple in nature yet even then again a lot can go wrong.  For this day however everything went alright.  The noodles were not too moist, oily nor too dry.  A touch of sesame gave it that extra flavor. 

Condensed milk toast, fries with gravy and sausage

Our friend found the creamy spaghetti to be good.  However for whatever reason on this day, a second screwup occurred.  Although my friend wasn't going to put up much of a fuss, he did however order this meal on rice not spaghetti.  Although he did eat it without complaining, one can tell he wanted the rice instead of the spaghetti.

Overall it was a strange experience.  I do eat here once a month and today was definitely an off day.  They weren't too busy but two screw ups in one day is one too many.  Lots of parking and very stroller friendly, it is a good place to sit back and relax.  Can't really give good marks on service on this day nor can one with the screw ups in the orders.  I would give this place a 3.25 out of 5.

Rural Restaurant

8 Glen Watford Dr
Scarborough, ON M1S 2C1
(416) 321-3354

Keung's Delight

Today we had a chance to have brunch over at Keung's Delight located in a very busy plaza along Warden and Steeles Avenue in Markham Ontario.  This places serves everything from breakfast, lunch and dinner including congee, noodles and even crab and lobster in the evenings.  This morning a group of five of us went over there for a good brunch. 

With plenty of parking and a nice cushion corner seat, the five of us had plenty to choose from through their extensive menu.  We brought the little one with us although I have to admit bringing a stroller may not be the best of ideas as there is limited space in between tables.  They do however has special plastic sets and high chairs for the little one.

We decided to order a combination of congree, noodles and chicken.  We ordered a geoduck congee, a rice vermicelli noodle, rice noodle roll and half a chicken.  There was a special red bean ice cream drink ordered as well.

Although the place was fairly packed, the food arrived fairly quickly.  The first thing that arrived was the congree.  The meat was tender, tasty and certainly didn't dominate the congee.  Even though congee alone is very bland, the geoduck certainly was not so salty to the point where it made the congree too salty to eat.  It was actually quite nice and not too heavy on MSG. 

Rice vermicelli noodle

Geoduck Congee

The rice vermicelli arrived next and it was good.  Dry but not to the point where it was too dry to eat, a touch of sliced peppers, dried seafood and egg white certainly made this dish a must try..  Again, some people who may be concerned with the salt content need not to worry with this dish.  It actually is not oily or too salty at all. 

Rice Noodle Roll

Chicken

The chicken was slightly on the thin side however.  Although this chicken usually is somewhat like this, it was mostly skin with little meat.  Tasty, however a little meat with the chicken wouldn't have hurt but we can't blame the chefs on this one. The chicken also comes with a ginger/onion "sauce" that one dips the chicken into it to give it that extra zing. 

The rice noodle roll is a delightful treat.  Often bland on taste alone, when added with a peanut soya sauce and a touch of sesame on top, it certainly makes it a very tasty dish.  Personally it is a dish that I knew nothing about until I met my wife but certainly it is something that I will often try whenever I get the opportunity. 

Red Bean Ice Cream Drink

A very nice restaurant that has been there for quite some time, the place is fairly clean and the waiters and waitresses were very quick to respond to any of our requests.  Total price was 50 bucks including tax which was split among 5 people.  Filled up every one of our stomachs with food to spare.  Great place to bring your friends out for brunch.  I give it a 4 out of 5.

Keung's Delght
7030 Warden Avenue
Markham, ON L3R 5Y2

(905) 948-9000

Toronto Rib Fest

This past weekend we had a chance to partake at one of Toronto's Outdoor RibFest. There are usually 2 or 3 of these ribfests throughout the city but this weekend we decided to try the one in North Scarborough.  When we got there, there were about a couple thousand people.  There were 4 different grills firing at the same time from 4 different companies.  We weren't too sure who were the good ones were however the two in the middle had a lot of trophies and a lot of awards attached to their big company name.  We decided to try the 2 companies on the outside.One of my friends had surveyed the crowd and asked one of the many participants which one was the best one and they said the far right one was the best one.  So tonight we decided to go heads up on the ribs with the far right one also known as Brickyard BBQ and the far left one known as Blazin BBQ Ribhouse.

We had a couple of people line up for Blazin BBQ Ribhouse and a couple for Brickyard BBQ.  The line up for Blazin BBQ Ribhouse took approximately 20 minutes while Brickyard BBQ took 40 minutes. At Brickyard BBQ we also got a BBQ chicken and grilled corn from another stall.  We brought the food back for comsumption. 

Ribs from Brickyard BBQ

Brickyard BBQ (left) Blazin BBQ Ribhouse (right)

We will start with Blazin BBQ Ribhouse.  The ribs were severely over grilled.  It was like eating beef jerky.  The meat was tough and the BBQ sauce was kind of  dry.  I actually found it difficult to eat.  At $22 a rack it was probably one of the worst set of ribs I have ever had.  When we tried the ribs from Brickyard BBQ, it was like night and day.  The ribs were so juicy and the meat just fell off the bone. The BBQ sauce was perfect.  It was like one of the best ribs I have ever had.  The grilled corn and the chicken that we got from this place was also decent but all the talk was on the ribs.  It was fantastic and definitely well worth the extra wait. 

BBQ Chicken from Brickyard BBQ

In the end the ribs from Brickyard BBQ were absolutely amazing.  Brickyard BBQ completely blew away Blazin BBQ Ribhouse.  In retrospect we should have lined up for all 4 companies.  We will definitely do that next time.  With plenty of parking, live entertainment and an absolutely wonderful day, we were treated with some really good ribs, well from one company anyways..  While Blazin BBQ Ribhouse will get a 2.5 out of 5 from me, Brickyard BBQ definitely gets full marks and will get my 2nd 5 out of 5.