Took the TTC from Agincourt to come here with a couple co-workers. A hole in the wall place across from the ROM. So what's so great about this place, compared to any other Vietnamese restaurant in Agincourt? Banh xeo - it's the only reason I come to Pho Hung.
There are mixed reviews on the pho out on the interwebs but that's not what I come here for. If you've never had banh xeo, you must try it.
If you know where to find it in or near Agincourt, please please PLEASE let me know where! I'd much prefer a closer place, but there isn't any!
Date/time of visit: Fri, June 24, 2011 2:00pm
Food: The banh xeo is wonderful; pretty much just like my mom/relatives make it.
Service: Ok - it takes a while to make the banh xeo (which we were warned about), so if you are extremely hungry, order an appetizer. Or if you`re in a hurry... don`t bother!
Portions: Ample. It was enough for lunch.
Cost: Fair value. $8 for banh xeo.
Atmosphere: Kind of old, nothing fancy, but lots of seating. (416) 963-5080. 200 Bloor Street West Toronto, ON M5S 1T8. You probably have to pay for parking as it is downtown. Take the TTC instead if you can, and exit at St. George station.
Ate:
Banh xeo! $8. Really tasty! Came with all the fixings - fresh lettuce, Viet mint, bean sprouts, picked carrot and chinese turnip, nuoc cham
I like to cut up the omelette part of it in bit size pieces then tear the lettuce and mint over top and then pour the nouc cham over everything and then feast. I could definitely have more than one of these at a time - that is what we used to do as a family when I was a kid! Someday, I will try to make it myself - and once I learn... I may have to open up my own banh xeo restaurant, or else I`ll eat it all myself!
Sunday, 26 June 2011
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
Asian Legend (Chinese cuisine at Sheppard & Brimley)
Came here with a couple co-workers. Fantastic atmosphere. Kind of like Congee Queen, which I think they are competing with. This is a chain - there's another location at Leslie and Finch. Go to their website for more info on other locations.
We plan to return with a larger group next time.
Date/time of visit: Mon, June 20, 2011 12:00pm
Food: Very nice.
Service: Good - fast.
Portions: Ample. It was enough for lunch.
Cost: Fair value. Ordered three dishes. Came to about $33. See menu on their website.
Atmosphere: Beautiful decor, open and airy, bright and clean. Lots of seating; enough for large groups.
Other info: http://www.asianlegend.ca/ (416) 298 8081. Reservations accepted. 4452 Sheppard Ave. E. Scarborough. Free parking; additional parking available behind the building.
Ate:
Steamed Soup Filled Dumplings with Carb meat & Pork(6) $7.25 - delicious. Comes with the traditional ginger sauce. I think I like Dumpling King's more, but this one was also good.
Rolled Onion Pancake with Sliced Beef - $5.95 - also delicious. Similar to Dumpling King's but not as greasy as DK's. The scallion pancake wrap was really nice and crisp and very scallion-packed. Mmmm...
Surimi with Broccoli $13.95 - YUM. Not as good as some other dim sum places I've been to (i.e. Very Fair Chinese Restaurant aka "Basement dim sum"), but still good. I never knew this was the name for this dish, and based on wikipedia's definition, I actually don't think surimi is the right word. Anyway, it is basically soft egg with crabmeat on top of steamed broccoli. It's usually served with a kind of vinaigrette poured on top. This version was different from others I've had in that the egg was fully cooked when we got the dish. Normally, it's just sitting on top and you mix it into the hot broccoli/crabmeat. (sort of like the Korean dish bibimbap) Also this dish didn't have as much crabmeat as the Basement dim sum place; and it had grated carrot on top. So, still good, but that's the difference.
We plan to return with a larger group next time.
Date/time of visit: Mon, June 20, 2011 12:00pm
Food: Very nice.
Service: Good - fast.
Portions: Ample. It was enough for lunch.
Cost: Fair value. Ordered three dishes. Came to about $33. See menu on their website.
Atmosphere: Beautiful decor, open and airy, bright and clean. Lots of seating; enough for large groups.
Other info: http://www.asianlegend.ca/ (416) 298 8081. Reservations accepted. 4452 Sheppard Ave. E. Scarborough. Free parking; additional parking available behind the building.
Ate:
Steamed Soup Filled Dumplings with Carb meat & Pork(6) $7.25 - delicious. Comes with the traditional ginger sauce. I think I like Dumpling King's more, but this one was also good.
Rolled Onion Pancake with Sliced Beef - $5.95 - also delicious. Similar to Dumpling King's but not as greasy as DK's. The scallion pancake wrap was really nice and crisp and very scallion-packed. Mmmm...
Surimi with Broccoli $13.95 - YUM. Not as good as some other dim sum places I've been to (i.e. Very Fair Chinese Restaurant aka "Basement dim sum"), but still good. I never knew this was the name for this dish, and based on wikipedia's definition, I actually don't think surimi is the right word. Anyway, it is basically soft egg with crabmeat on top of steamed broccoli. It's usually served with a kind of vinaigrette poured on top. This version was different from others I've had in that the egg was fully cooked when we got the dish. Normally, it's just sitting on top and you mix it into the hot broccoli/crabmeat. (sort of like the Korean dish bibimbap) Also this dish didn't have as much crabmeat as the Basement dim sum place; and it had grated carrot on top. So, still good, but that's the difference.
Friday, 17 June 2011
Pho Vietnam (Kennedy, south of Ellesmere)
Came here with a couple co-workers. Was pretty good. I heard the pho isn`t that great (not as good as Pho 88 at Warden and Steeles, supposedly), so I tried the vermicelli instead which was good. I`ll come back again. I don't think they had Rainbow Ice Drink (Three-colour drink) on the menu. Wah. :( And they definitely didn't have Banh Xeo, but I'll be having that next week with some friends downtown on Bloor across from the ROM at Pho Hung. Can't wait!
Date/time of visit: Thu, Jun 16, 2011 12:00pm
Food: Decent. I had the vermicelli with Vietnamese spring roll and shrimp paste on sugar cane. There were bean sprouts, mint, pickled carrot and white turnip, lettuce, fried green onion, with fish sauce on the side. Very fresh. Spring roll was as expected.
Service: Good - fast.
Portions: Ample. It was enough for lunch.
Cost: Fair value. 7.50 for my vermicelli.
Atmosphere: Nice decor, bright and clean.
Other info: No website. (416) 755-0909. 1280 Kennedy Road Scarborough, ON M1P 2L5. Free parking.
Date/time of visit: Thu, Jun 16, 2011 12:00pm
Food: Decent. I had the vermicelli with Vietnamese spring roll and shrimp paste on sugar cane. There were bean sprouts, mint, pickled carrot and white turnip, lettuce, fried green onion, with fish sauce on the side. Very fresh. Spring roll was as expected.
Service: Good - fast.
Portions: Ample. It was enough for lunch.
Cost: Fair value. 7.50 for my vermicelli.
Atmosphere: Nice decor, bright and clean.
Other info: No website. (416) 755-0909. 1280 Kennedy Road Scarborough, ON M1P 2L5. Free parking.
Saturday, 11 June 2011
Big Boy's Burgers (Burger joint in Pickering - Whites Road)
Went to Big Boy's Burgers in Pickering with some co-workers - 3 "big boys" - so yeah, as a petite, 100-something pound female, I had my work cut out for me!
Date/time of visit: Thu, June 2, 2011 12:00pm
Food: AWWWW YEAH! Deeelicious.
Service: Good - fast. You order up front and take your food to a table or take-out.
Portions: It isn`t called Big Boy`s for nothing.
Cost: Fair value. About $8 - see the website for details
Atmosphere: Only a few tables. 50s style. The chairs are racecar seats - COOLIO.
Other info: http://bigboysburgers.com Free parking.
Ate:
The Original Burger - AWESOME - quarter pound burger comes on a toasted kaiser bun and your choice of toppings. I think I could have taken on the Big Boy Burger - half pound!
Onion Rings - AWESOME.
Fries - Really good. I had a deal to share half and half of the Onion Rings and Fries.
Deep Fried Mars Bar - we split this baby to taste - really befitting dessert to our heart attack inducing lunch!
Note: If you are any shorter than me (about 5 feet), you will probably need a booster seat at the tables - the seats are really low-riding and non-adjustable!
Another Note: You would think that I would have been in a food coma for the rest of the day after this meal (as I normally do even after McDonalds or Wendys), but I actually felt OK, amazing enough! What is the secret ingredient - if you figure it, let me know!
Date/time of visit: Thu, June 2, 2011 12:00pm
Food: AWWWW YEAH! Deeelicious.
Service: Good - fast. You order up front and take your food to a table or take-out.
Portions: It isn`t called Big Boy`s for nothing.
Cost: Fair value. About $8 - see the website for details
Atmosphere: Only a few tables. 50s style. The chairs are racecar seats - COOLIO.
Other info: http://bigboysburgers.com Free parking.
Ate:
The Original Burger - AWESOME - quarter pound burger comes on a toasted kaiser bun and your choice of toppings. I think I could have taken on the Big Boy Burger - half pound!
Onion Rings - AWESOME.
Fries - Really good. I had a deal to share half and half of the Onion Rings and Fries.
Deep Fried Mars Bar - we split this baby to taste - really befitting dessert to our heart attack inducing lunch!
Note: If you are any shorter than me (about 5 feet), you will probably need a booster seat at the tables - the seats are really low-riding and non-adjustable!
Another Note: You would think that I would have been in a food coma for the rest of the day after this meal (as I normally do even after McDonalds or Wendys), but I actually felt OK, amazing enough! What is the secret ingredient - if you figure it, let me know!
Matsu (Japanese/Thai cuisine at York Mills & Don Mills)
Went to Matsu (in the same plaza as Dragon Pearl Buffet) with a couple of fellow foodies from work for the All-You-Can-Taste lunch menu. It includes sushi, sashimi, grilled items, appetizer, salad, soup, dessert, curry, noodle and rice options. An awesome selection! Check out the website for this lunch menu.
I'll be back (after I work off all the calories). Next time I will try the weird rolls I've never heard of before, e.g. Jungle roll, Rock n Roll, Virgin Sunshine roll.
Date/time of visit: Fri June 10, 2011 2:00pm
Food: Great! Ordered from All-You-Can-Taste menu. The serving sizes for most of the items are small so that you can taste a bigger variety!
Service: Good - the food came to us pretty fast with minimal screw-ups. And if they do screw up, it's no biggie. You might get to try something you wouldn't have otherwise!
Portions: Small so you can order a bigger variety. The sushi comes in 6 pieces so it's good to try what others have ordered. The noodle/rice bowls are sort of on the larger side (a bit larger than a standard Chinese rice bowl), so you may want to share these as well.
Cost: $12.99 for M-F lunch - check out the website for other pricing; an AMAZING value for the quality and selection
Atmosphere: Elegant decor; casual; great for friends, coworkers, family.
Other info: http://www.matsucuisine.com/ Free parking.
Ate:
Miso soup - very good
Seaweed salad - very good (nice small portion)
Coconut Shrimp - EXCELLENT
Sushi - Rainbow roll, California roll, Dancing Eel roll - All were good, the eel roll had cream cheese in it I think though - I think I would prefer it without which I'll order next time (under the Sushi/Sashimi section)
I also tried my buddy's spicy salmon roll, which was good - an interesting observation was made that the salmon is kind of.... "lemony" - which we weren't used to. It isn't bad, per se, just... different.
Beef roll with enoki - EXCELLENT - the beef rolls grilled items and are tiny so you might want to order more than one, but give it a try first!
Beef roll with asparagus - very good
Green curry with chicken - very good, comes with a small roti
Deep fried banana, vanilla ice cream, mango ice cream - you get 2 slices of deep fried banana - EXCELLENT
I'll be back (after I work off all the calories). Next time I will try the weird rolls I've never heard of before, e.g. Jungle roll, Rock n Roll, Virgin Sunshine roll.
Date/time of visit: Fri June 10, 2011 2:00pm
Food: Great! Ordered from All-You-Can-Taste menu. The serving sizes for most of the items are small so that you can taste a bigger variety!
Service: Good - the food came to us pretty fast with minimal screw-ups. And if they do screw up, it's no biggie. You might get to try something you wouldn't have otherwise!
Portions: Small so you can order a bigger variety. The sushi comes in 6 pieces so it's good to try what others have ordered. The noodle/rice bowls are sort of on the larger side (a bit larger than a standard Chinese rice bowl), so you may want to share these as well.
Cost: $12.99 for M-F lunch - check out the website for other pricing; an AMAZING value for the quality and selection
Atmosphere: Elegant decor; casual; great for friends, coworkers, family.
Other info: http://www.matsucuisine.com/ Free parking.
Ate:
Miso soup - very good
Seaweed salad - very good (nice small portion)
Coconut Shrimp - EXCELLENT
Sushi - Rainbow roll, California roll, Dancing Eel roll - All were good, the eel roll had cream cheese in it I think though - I think I would prefer it without which I'll order next time (under the Sushi/Sashimi section)
I also tried my buddy's spicy salmon roll, which was good - an interesting observation was made that the salmon is kind of.... "lemony" - which we weren't used to. It isn't bad, per se, just... different.
Beef roll with enoki - EXCELLENT - the beef rolls grilled items and are tiny so you might want to order more than one, but give it a try first!
Beef roll with asparagus - very good
Green curry with chicken - very good, comes with a small roti
Deep fried banana, vanilla ice cream, mango ice cream - you get 2 slices of deep fried banana - EXCELLENT
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