Miu Garden Restaurant

 

They always say you will always remember where you were when Michael Jackson died.  For me, I will always remember where I was when I first heard the news that Whitney Houston had passed away.  I was having a ten course meal over at Mui Gardens in the heart of Market Village when our phones were buzzing with the information. 

Meat and Seafood Platter

This dinner was in celebration of Chinese New Year.  We waited a couple of weeks later in order to have this dinner as we wanted to avoid the crowds and have a more comfortable meal where we would not be rushed out of the restaurant. 

First to arrive was the meat platter.  It had various meat including pork, jelly fish and duck.  The meats were all a decent starter meal.  There was plenty of meat and it served all ten of us at the table.   

Next to arrive was the broccoli and mushroom platter.  There was also some seafood mixed in the dish.  There was a mushroom sauce poured over the dish which gave the dish a nice flavor to it.  The broccoli was nicely cooked and the mushroom was pretty tasty from the sauce. 

Mushroom and Broccoli Vegetable Dish

Shrimp Claw

Next to arrive were the shrimp claws.  Yes you heard right shrimp claws.  I don’t know why it was what it was.  I thought we were eating crab claws but this is certainly the first time I had shrimp claws.  The shrimp ball meat was a little mushy.  The meat actually fell out of the ball.  Taste wise it was about the same as the crab claw however the texture is definitely quite different.  Personally if we’re paying this much money for a ten course meal I would prefer to have crab claws. 

Next was the chicken mixed with ginger and onion sauce.  This was somewhat shocking.  Not so much the chicken but what and when arrived.  There was almost a twenty five minute wait from the last meal to this one.  The waitresses just brought it over and told us while holding onto the chicken that they ran out of Crispy Chicken and Shrimp Chips. 

and that this is all they had left.  We basically had no choice but to take it.  Certainly didn’t see them give us a discount for screwing this one up.  At the most they could have asked us what substitute we want not take it or leave it with this chicken.

The lobster was okay.  I think everyone was a little shocked still with the last meal.  The lobster was well cooked and laced with garlic and green onions.  There was nothing really spectacular with this meal even though it was lobster.

Chicken

Lobster with Green Onion

Next to arrive was the bok choy, mushroom and abalone dish.  Oddly the sauce poured on top was very similar to the mushroom sauce used in the second dish.  The taste was very similar.  The abalone was tender and tasted alright.  No complaints here. 

Last to arrive was the fish.  They served two fish were covered in soya sauce and green onions.  The meat fell off the bones and the meat was juicy.  The fish was fresh and again there were no complaints here. 

Abalone with Mushroom and Baby Bok CHoy

Fish

The meal concluded with the typical rice and noodles and dessert.  The dessert was really funny because they served us sponge cake and red bean cookies.  The dessert was definitely not something worth waiting for.  I had never been served sponge cake for dessert before.  It was like they couldn’t even run down the hallway to grab some oranges at the local supermarket.  What was equally odd was the fact they were pushing a trolley around selling frozen lobster, mushroom and other various vegetarian products.  Again this was another first for me as they rarely happens during dinner time.  I don’t know whether it is a real smart marketing ploy or if business was that slow that they need to scrounge an extra 20 bucks from you.

Overall, it was a so-so evening.  I really can’t say that it was A-class performance when you run out of Crispy Chicken and Shrimp Chips.  It seemed somewhat cheap as they cheaped out on the chicken and with the shrimp claws.  And to see them pushing a trolley around selling stuff made things look bad.  I have been here for dim sum before and it was okay so tonight was somewhat disappointing.  Overall I give this a 2.5 out of 5. 

Miu Gardens

4390 Steeles Avenue East  Markham, ON, Canada
(905) 477-3822