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Restaurant Reviews

New Captain’s Boil Location in Newmarket

5 September 2020

With several locations across Canada, The Captain’s Boil is rapidly expanding – and with good reason too! If you’ve never heard of them, think steaming lobster, king crab legs, shrimp, mussels, and more boiled in mouthwatering cajun-inspired sauces. Customers can pick from one of three special sauces along with their preferred level of spice. They also serve other dishes including rice, chicken, and (our fave) cajun fries.

Now, Newmarket residents can rejoice! The Captain’s Boil just opened up at Yonge and Mulock, so you don’t have to travel down south to enjoy delicious seafood boil. Their official grand opening is this Friday, January 20th. And for two weeks (until February 3), customers can receive 10% off starting January 20th by claiming a Facebook offer or checking in on Yelp. Students can also take advantage of their special lunch deals.

A couple of Markham Food representatives had a chance to visit the Newmarket location before its grand opening. Like the rest of their restaurants, the attention to detail in the decor is evident. The Newmarket restaurant is spacious, has a sports bar separate from the dining area, and a VIP room with speakers and TVs.

Anyone who loves seafood would have an amazing time at The Captain’s Boil.

Happy dining!

Photos by Christy Yao Photos.

This post was sponsored by The Captain’s Boil.

Restaurant Reviews

Dining in Markham, York Region

26 September 2018

There are tons of delicious and diverse options if you’re looking for a place to eat in Markham. Being the largest municipality in York Region, fourth-largest city in the Greater Toronto Area, and Canada’s 16th largest city (source), there’s no doubt that the food scene is constantly growing.

We’ve highlighted four places across Markham that we hope you’ll enjoy.

Ding Tai Fung (First Markham Place)

This restaurant isn’t connected to the official Din Tai Fung in Taiwan, but it’s been around for about a decade and still a very popular choice for diners. We highly recommend ordering the spicy shrimp wonton and their famous xiao long bao (soup dumplings) shown above.

Cacao 70 (Downtown Markham)

Cacao 70’s Dip Shop just opened this summer and is already a hit among those with a sweet tooth. Their store is conveniently located near a lot of fantastic restaurants and across Cineplex Cinemas Markham & VIP. After your dinner and movie, stop by and indulge in some fondue or ice cream. Both the shop and their items are insta-worthy, so don’t forget to snap a pic and hashtag #MarkhamFood!

Old Firehall Confectionary (Main Street Unionville)

Another dessert option is the Old Firehall on Main Street Unionville (not to be confused with the other quaint area further east called Main Street Markham!). They have an assortment of ice cream cones, fine chocolates, and pastries to choose from. Once you’ve picked your dessert, take a stroll and admire the Unionville area.

19th Avenue Farmer’s Market (Markham North)

If you’re interested in seeing what some of York Region’s farmers have to offer, head north to the 19th Avenue Farmer’s Market! The market is always stocked with fresh produce sold both individually and in batches. There are also many more farms and farmers’ markets across the region – download the York Farm Fresh Map to find them all!

Regardless of where you go, York Region is full of amazing places to eat. Through YorkSafe, the York Region government is working to keep the restaurants you love safe and clean. For more information, visit yor k .ca.

This post was sponsored by York Region for World Tourism Day. Official hashtags are #LoveYR #WorldTourismDay and #WTD2018.

The Regional Municipality of York is not affiliated with Ding Tai Fung, Cacao 70, 19th Avenue Farmer’s Market, or the Old Firehall Confectionary.

Restaurant Reviews

Lunch at Diana’s Oyster Bar & Grill

24 March 2018

Established in Scarborough in 2010, Diana Oyster Bar & Grill has been a longtime favourite for seafood-lovers in the Toronto area. Those who know about Diana’s seafood would talk about their juicy oysters and fresh seafood options.

To our excitement, Diana’s opened their doors in Markham three years ago! We had the pleasure of attending their grand opening event back then, alongside Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti and other notable individuals. This new location is spacious and beautifully designed with a menu completely different from their Scarborough spot.

Please note the only lunch menu item above is the Lobster & Crab Roll. The rest are available through their regular menu and priced separately.

One thing many people forget about is Diana’s set lunch options, which we had the pleasure of trying recently. Each item on this menu is $18 and all sandwiches are served with coleslaw and a choice of fresh cut potato wedges, soup of the day, mixed greens, or clam chowder.

While we haven’t tried everything on their lunch menu, we heard the Lobster & Crab Roll was a popular item and gave it a go. This was perfect! The roll was perfectly toasted and there was a generous amount of lobster and crab chunks.

And if you visit them on a Tuesday or Wednesday, you’ll be able to take advantage of their all-day oyster special! Get a dozen Malpeque oysters for $15 or a dozen Fanny Bays for $24.

Other dishes you should check out…

Serrano Tuna– Albacore tuna, cucumber, avocado, serrano chili, and ponzu dressing

We loved the mix of textures and flavours in this appetizer. It looks small, but it’s a great size for 2-3 people to share while waiting for their main dishes.

Grilled AAA Black Angus Striploin – AAA Black Angus striploin steak, portobello mushrooms, garlic mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables, and veal jus

For those who can pack in a little more during lunch, why not try the steak? This juicy steak was done medium rare (just the way we like it) and the garlic mashed potatoes was DELICIOUS!

Bouillabaisse – Lobster tail, shrimp, mussels, clams, assorted fish, vegetable-fish broth, and rouille-croutons

This dish is for the true seafood lover. The lobster tail was large and the clams and mussels were fat and juicy. Everything went really well with the broth and is best eaten immediately while it’s warm! (We took a while to get to this because we were busy taking all of the above photos!)

This post was sponsored by Diana’s Oyster Bar & Grill.

Restaurant Reviews

Teriyaki Experience Coupons

13 February 2017

We’re excited to announce that Teriyaki Experience is launching their new Winter Warmers Soup Collection this month! A new soup broth, ramen (with soybean paste, pork bone, or served cold), and miso soup have been introduced to their menu and are available at all Teriyaki Experience locations.

We ordered the chicken ramen with mild broth and shrimp ramen with spicy broth along with six gyoza dumplings.

Interested in trying one of the new Winter Warmers items? We have two coupons for you!

Get $1.00 off any soup and a BOGO free ramen coupon by signing up here!

Looking for a Teriyaki Experience location in the York Region? Check out their full list of locations.

This post was sponsored by Teriyaki Experience.

Guest Blogger Restaurant Reviews

Good and Quick Lunches Around Markham and Richmond Hill

13 September 2016

I admit that I’ve been a big foodie since I graduated. I only started aggressively blogging about food and restaurants since the start of 2016. I have worked around the Markham and Richmond Hill areas for 10+ years. Throughout the years, I have sampled many cuisines from many of the restaurants in the area and have even helped organize corporate food events.

During some days of the work week, my colleagues and I may have only 1 hour available for lunch. Most of the time, it is really good to get out of the office and enjoy great food to refresh the mind and spirit.

Here are my recommendations for quick – but good – lunches in the area depending on the type of cuisine you are craving for.

Restaurant #1: Pho 88

Cuisine Type: Vietnamese

Reasons: Though this location is in Scarborough, it is close enough to the York Region border that those who work in Markham can access it easily. Once you get a table, the pho dishes come out really fast (like within five minutes). The restaurant is styled like a cafeteria and you get seats pretty quickly. Fast and good food, consistent taste, and fast service with no nonsense. I used to eat only bun (vermicelli) dishes, but their restaurant had such great pho it converted me and I never went back. My favourite dish is the Satay Pho above.

Restaurant #2: Mei Nung Beef Noodle House

Cuisine Type: Taiwanese

Reasons: If you want to taste Taiwan, these is the closest thing. This restaurant is famous for their beef noodle soups and stinky tofu side dish. The dishes normally come out quickly. Beware of the clothing you wear into the restaurant because the stinky tofu smell can stay on you.

Restaurant #3: Northern Dumpling Kitchen

Cuisine Type: Northern Chinese

Reasons: This place offers great tasting dumplings and other northern Chinese cuisine for very reasonable prices. My friends and I really like their steamed, boiled, and fried dumplings along with the shredded pork cold dish. I personally think that their xiao long bao is the best in Toronto. Their service speed is good for a fast lunch.

Restaurant #4: Phoenix Restaurant

Cuisine Type: Hong Kong Style Cafe

Reasons: Even though there are three locations, this location has more space for seating and parking. They have a large menu when it comes to HK-style foods. Their meals are very consistent with each visit. The pricing isn’t too expensive and you will definitely leave feeling full. Their dishes come out very quickly (within 5-10 minutes). My favourite dish is the Fried Pork Chop with Maggi Sauce on Rice.

Written by guest blogger, Gordon.

Restaurant Reviews

Smash Kitchen Review

27 March 2016

Back in February, we co-hosted a blogger tasting event with Smash Kitchen at their restaurant to try out some of the new items on their menu. Not only did we have amazing food that night, but we had the best company! The 10 bloggers who attended this tasting were well-fed and had an amazing time socializing and trying out Smash Kitchen’s dishes. Some of us were return visitors, while others were trying the place for the first time. Here’s a look at some of the things we had.

No tasting is complete without drinks. ; ) These are the Red and White Sangrias with fresh fruit. Yum!

Above: Ahi Tuna Wontons // Below: Beef Cheek Poutine

Out of the eight different appetizers we tried, the Beef Cheek Poutine was crowd favourite as we devoured it almost immediately (after taking our pics, of course).

The Sunday Family Platter was so epic that we had to show it to you from different angles. Consisting of buttermilk fried chicken, BBQ ribs, homemade maple bacon & cheddar biscuits, L.A. mac & cheese, grilled andouille sausage, and grilled corn, this platter will feed your entire family! We shared two platters between 10 people and that was more than enough considering we had a lot of appetizers to begin with.

Above: Apple Smash 2.0 // Below: Smash Mini Donuts (Background: Strawberries & Cream Mini Donuts)

Two of our favourite desserts from the six we had that night… the delicious hot apple cinnamon crumble underneath cold maple walnut ice cream and the tiny donuts dusted with cinnamon sugar and caramel sauce. *insert heart eyes emoji* All of their desserts were good to be honest, but these were amaazzinggg and perfect for sharing!

Hope we made you hungry. ; )

Guest Blogger Restaurant Reviews

Top Places for Dates in Markham

13 February 2016

For the First Date

Chit-Chat Play Board Game Café
Get to know your date in a fun and casual environment where you can stir up some healthy competition between the two of you. Chit-Chat is a small, but popular board game cafe with more than 400 adult- and kid-friendly games to choose AND buy from. There are also plenty of yummy desserts including gelato, waffles, and cheesecakes if you want to treat your date to a sweet surprise!
Bonus: there’s no time limit here so you can stay as long you’d like (our record was 5 hours!).
Price: $12 per person on weekends for unlimited play and a drink valued at $3.25 (or upsize for extra charge)

Initium Co.
Want to really impress your date? Initium takes “going out for coffee” to the next level with their extravagant lattes. From cotton candy espresso drip drinks (‘cause who doesn’t want a fluffy cloud of goodness?) to their beautiful latte art, their drinks are worth going for the picture alone! They’re almost too pretty to drink. Almost. In addition to the fun drinks they also have a small brunch menu where you can get light snacks such as smoked salmon and croissants!

For the Ones Who’ve Just Dropped the “L Bomb”

Inspire Restaurant
Looking for something out of the ordinary? Enter Inspire Restaurant, where their dishes truly are “inspired” with Asian-fusion. From a variety of cool dishes such as Udon Carbonara or Butter Chicken Serpentini (pictured above), they take common Italian dishes and spin it to include Asian flavours. We say Asian flavours because you’ll see flavours from all corners of Asia from Korea to Japan to China to India. Prepare yourself for the nap you’ll want to take after eating here because their dishes are decadent, rich, and oh-so indulgent. We suggest their Inspire Burger with Pulled Pork Frites (above) – it is DELISH.

Levetto
Homemade pasta? Check. Huge portions? Check. Seriously, Levetto’s best feature is their portion size to price point – it’s impressive. The pastas are definitely one of the biggest highlights of the menu (as in you NEED to order it!) – they have their very own extruder in-house so pasta is made fresh on site and the result is a variety of shapes that are each dense, chewy, and delicious. We recommend splitting a pizza and a pasta between the two of you. You won’t regret it!

For the Couples Who Have Put WORK in

Tapagria Spanish Tapas Restaurant
Don’t want to trek all the way downtown for Spanish food? You don’t have to. Tapagria offers a variety of pintxos, cold and hot tapas, and our favourite, paella! If you really want to treat your sig-o out, order the $72 Chuleton Asado, a massive 32 oz roasted rib-eye that is seasoned and marinated with beautiful flavours. Served with roasted potatoes, romesco, and charred scallions, this brings a welcome and elevated twist to your classic steak and potatoes.

Zen Japanese Restaurant
Previously located in Toronto, Zen has moved uptown to grace Markham with its presence. This humble features delicate and incredibly fresh pieces of sushi. Opt for a spot by the bar and have the sushi chefs personally place sushi one-by-one in front of you, Jiro-Dreams-of-Sushi-style. Enjoy their MASSIVE Spider Roll which has some of the meatiest soft shell crabs we’ve ever seen. We dare you to try to eat it in one bite (we deem it impossible)! Don’t forget to leave space in your tummy to end your meal off with a slice of their Mandarin Pie – tangy and a refreshing dessert to a delicious meal.
Who said you need to drive all the way to Toronto to have a nice night out? Whether you’re just getting to know a person or you’re the long-term couple, we hope you enjoy these as our top places for a special date in Markham!

Written by guest blogger, cjnoms.