Dining Out: Truffle Fries, Beef Bourguignon Eggs Benedict, Confit de Canard Eggs Benedict, and 15th's French Toast at 15th Avenue

After months of construction, 15th Avenue is finally open for business! It's a brunch restaurant that specializes in "bistro modern dining." (Note that their menu is still changing because they're in soft opening right now.) They're only open until 4:00PM, but since I ended work at 3:00PM today for the long weekend, Minji, Daniel, and I managed to get in there by 3:15PM for a super-late brunch (frankly, it was almost a linner at this point, but potato, potahto). 

Truffle fries

We started with the truffle fries to share since Minji was craving them, and who am I to say no to truffle fries? They were honestly pretty perfect — the fries themselves are super crispy and perfectly golden on the outside, but delightfully fluffy on the inside without being overly starchy. (They do suspiciously remind me of Costco fries, actually. Which might be my favourite fast food fry out there.) The truffle and parmesan flavours are prominent, and the truffle aioli is delicious. However, the portion size definitely does not merit a $12 price tag. So, unless you're with a pregnant friend who begs you to share truffle fries with her, I would say the truffle fries aren't worth it, as delicious as they are. 

Beef Bourguignon and Confit de Canard Eggs Benedict

Minji and I decided to split the beef bourguignon and confit de canard eggs Benedict because we couldn't decide on which one we wanted to try more. After tasting both, though, we agreed that the beef was significantly better than the duck. They're both served with poached eggs and hollandaise on English muffins, but the beef bourguignon, which has red wine jus and horseradish aioli, was perfectly tender and flavourful. The duck confit's texture was moist and juicy, but was noticeably under-seasoned — to the point where neither of us could taste any duck flavour at all. It was the first time in a long time that I really wanted to add salt to my dish. It's served with Bosc pears, but I only found two small pieces on mine and they lacked any sweetness so the whole thing ended up being extremely bland. I thought it was just me, but Minji said the same thing. (To be fair, our server did ask if we needed salt, pepper, or ketchup. I declined because I believe a dish at a restaurant like this should be served exactly as the chef intends it to be tasted.) Not sure how the other Benedicts fare, but I'd say go for the beef bourguignon — it's delicious and the most unique option on the menu. Oh, it's also worth noting that the Benedicts are currently served with their regular fries — not home fries, as it says on the menu. 

15th's French toast

No meal would be complete without dessert. So, obviously, we had to get the French toast. 15th Avenue's version is a HK-style brick toast with Biscoff spread and maple beurre monté, and then deep-fried, topped with icing sugar and fresh berries, and served with a side of maple syrup. For $18, we definitely thought it was going to be bigger, but it was very, very, very delicious. I'm not sure how much fat and sugar it has in it, but it's definitely guilt-inducing — and I shared it with two other people. (Still, it's not as much of a monster as the French toast at Pears which even is thicker, contains custard, and comes served sizzling in oil. Had to take a 45-minute walk right after that one.) Overall, brunch at 15th Avenue was delightful and our server was excellent — super nice, attentive, efficient, and patient (we had a 15-month-old with us, and we ended up staying 30 minutes after their official closing time and they never once rushed us out) — but it is definitely pricey for what it is. For three mains and two shareables with no drinks, we each ended up paying $45 after tax and tip. As with most restaurants in Downtown Markham, I would come back for a special occasion, but it's a bit too expensive for regular outings. 

15th Avenue

169 Enterprise Blvd., Unit 103

Markham, ON L6G 1B3

(905) 305-1885

Dining Out: Mother's Day Brunch at Pears Restaurant

Sometime in late February, Pears Restaurant announced that they would be collaborating with sister restaurant, Glass Kitchen, to create a "new brunch experience." I'm actually not really sure how they've collaborated since they're both restaurants by Chef Keith Pears and they both feature Asian fusion cuisine, but the marketing e-mail says it brings together "the refined elegance of Pears with the vibrant creativity of Glass Kitchen." Suffice it to say, I was curious. But I wanted to wait a bit — for the hype to die down, of course, but also so the chefs could get more comfortable with the menu and tweak dishes as necessary. So I finally took the opportunity to try Pears' "First Light" Brunch with my mom for Mother's Day.

Char siu short rib eggs Benedict with kimchi pancakes, pickled cucumbers, poached eggs, and hollandaise
The char siu short rib eggs Benedict was excellent. The meat was flavourful and melt-in-your-mouth tender; the spicy-sour flavour of the kimchi pancakes and tartness of the pickled cucumbers was offset beautifully by creamy poached eggs and rich hollandaise sauce. The home fries also deserve a huge shout-out — these are extra crunchy like they're double-fried (maybe even triple-fried), and perfectly seasoned. I usually think home fries are boring and bland, but these were incredible. Totally worth ordering as a side on their own (which they offer for $7).

Shakshouka with gochujang tomato eggplant stew, lamb merguez sausage, and crispy mantou bao
The shakshouka was good — the flavours were bright and flavourful, kind of like a spicy tomato-based pasta sauce. Mixed with the poached eggs, it became a richer, creamier, more decadent stew. (My mom thought it was good, but "nothing special." So take that as you will.) The mantou buns were great for dipping; I'm glad they went with fried mantou instead of the regular steamed ones just for some texture contrast. Surprisingly, I actually wasn't a huge fan of the lamb sausage. I was expecting some gaminess, which I typically like, but this sausage was so gamey it almost veered on metallic, as if I was eating blood sausage. I ate it, anyway, but those who can't stand that iron/metallic aftertaste of blood will probably not be able to stomach the sausage.

Wagyu beef siu mai with black garlic nori sauce
The wagyu beef siu mai were… disappointing. Both my mom and I liked the texture of them, but hated the flavour. There's a kind of earthy pungent aftertaste that we didn't like — whether it was from the beef or the black garlic nori sauce or both. Weirdly enough, my mom and I usually have differing opinions on food, but we both agreed on this one. Also, you can't tell whether it's wagyu beef or some much cheaper cut of beef, anyway, because it's ground. So while these dumplings look amazing and the presentation is lovely, I just can't recommend them.

Thai tea French toast stuffed with coconut custard and topped with Thai tea anglaise and strawberries

The French toast is insane. In the best way possible. It is a giant brick toast, stuffed with coconut custard, and then deep-fried, and topped with some sort of Thai tea glaze and then torched. And then served on a sizzling hot plate. With a side of Thai tea to make it even sweeter. (We added a dash of the Thai tea, but it really wasn't necessary.) To be quite honest, this French toast didn't really taste like Thai tea to me. It actually tasted exactly like crème brûlée, and it was… absolutely dreamy. It's crunchy on the outside and soft and plush and creamy on the inside, and it was almost a transcendent experience. It's the kind of dessert I will think about for years to come. Save stomach space, because the French toast is an absolute must-order here. 

The food did take quite a long time to get to our table — just over 35 minutes for the first dish to arrive — though all of our dishes arrived within a span of five minutes after the first. It wasn't a dealbreaker to us, but it is worth noting, especially if you're on a schedule or are extremely hungry. (If you weren't hungry going in, you definitely will be by the time the food arrives.) I am also really glad to report that service has vastly improved from the first and only time I came here (which was during their soft opening last February). Actually, the server from that initial visit was the sole reason I didn't want to go back again. But our server this time was lovely. Pleasant, welcoming, attentive but not cloying, and most importantly, didn't try to push us to order anything we didn't want. Overall, a delightful experience that both my mom and I enjoyed. There are a bunch of other dishes I want to try from the brunch menu (mini lobster crab rolls, smoked salmon donut sliders, rice cake Bolognese?!), but frankly, I would come back just for that French toast if nothing else.

Pears Restaurant

170 Enterprise Blvd., Unit J105

Markham, ON L6A 0A2

(365) 608-0939

Dining Out: Breakfast Sampler at IHOP

We are finally in Newark to see Jin on his RUNSEOKJIN_TOUR.EP tour! Not gonna lie, we did have a somewhat rough start to this trip with a nearly two-hour delay to our flight. We wanted to have a nice dinner at Fornos of Spain (we had dreams of paella) and then make a trip to Target to do some American snack shopping, but that plan was quickly kiboshed after we arrived in Newark at 9:00PM instead of 7:00PM. (We did manage to go to Target, though. Bless them for having late hours.) So after last night's super-late dinner of Sonic cheeseburgers (it was our first time having Sonic because it's not available in Canada, and it's actually quite good — but definitely not worth paying $55 USD through Uber Eats to deliver to our hotel), we decided to get brunch at IHOP this morning because it's down the street from Prudential Center and we needed to be there for 1:30PM for VIP check-in.

Breakfast Sampler

Buttermilk pancakes

The last time I was at IHOP was almost exactly a year ago at the Niagara Falls location and that meal was ABYSMAL, so I decided to get breakfast food this time — which is really what IHOP is known for, anyway. Happy to report that the Breakfast Sampler — eggs, bacon, ham, breakfast sausage, hash browns, and buttermilk pancakes — was both delicious and satisfying. (And the hash browns were actually cooked and seasoned properly!) Kinda hard to fuck up breakfast foods, to be honest, but this was exactly what I wanted and what I expect from IHOP. Perfect pre-concert fuel.

IHOP

915 Broad St.

Newark, NJ 07102 USA

(973) 732-2530

Dining Out: Iced HK Milk Tea, Dong Po Rou Benny, and Korean Bulgogi Breakfast Poutine at Sugar Cafe and Lounge

Had the most impeccable brunch with Minji and Daniel (and baby Lillian) at the newly-opened Sugar Cafe and Lounge:

Iced HK milk tea

The iced HK milk tea, which features an iced tea mould in the shape of a cat in a lion dance costume (yes, just wrap your head around that for a sec), is the single cutest iteration of an iced tea I have ever seen in my life. (You're supposed to make a wish, kiss the "gold coin" on the top of its head, and then push the whole mould into the cup so it can dissolve into the rest of the tea. If I win the lottery, I will give this milk tea its dues.) Not only is it adorable, but it has a great deep tea flavour and a creamy consistency that somehow never seems diluted despite the ice. (The tea mould is truly genius.)

Dong Po Rou Benny: two thick cuts of classic Chinese pork belly with spinach on Japanese milk bread, topped with hollandaise sauce

Korean Bulgogi Breakfast Poutine: Beef bulgogi with a poached egg, cheese curds, and garlic home fries, topped with hollandaise sauce, sriracha mayo drizzle, sesame seeds, and green onion

Both Minji and I ordered the Dong Po Rou Benny, and it was phenomenal — the pork belly was soft and tender and intensely flavourful, which worked beautifully with the mellow flavours of the (perfectly) poached eggs and hollandaise. The Japanese milk bread toast is perfect here to absorb all the sauce and drippings to provide a perfect bite each time. It also comes with your choice of house salad or garlic home fries, but we decided on salads (which includes spring mix, sun-dried tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta with a delicious tangy-sweet creamy dressing) since we wanted to share the Korean Bulgogi Breakfast Poutine — which we were all absolutely delighted with. It not only came with a generous amount of (perfectly) marinated beef, but also includes actual cheese curds (!!!), and an incredible combination of Asian-influenced flavours. The hollandaise, mayo, and egg yolk provide an excellent amount of sauce that gravy would normally provide in a poutine, and the garlic home fries are just crispy enough that they never get soggy underneath all those toppings. Honestly, these two dishes are perfect examples of Asian fusion done right.

Service was notably excellent, too — our server was welcoming and cheerful without veering into annoying, and accommodating and attentive without hovering. She was always prepared for our needs, made delightful conversation without being cloying, gave compliments without seeming over-the-top — this woman is stacked with people skills and extremely experienced in customer service and genuinely deserves generous tips (unlike many, many, many other servers out there, who feel entitled to a minimum 18% tip for doing the bare minimum). According to our receipt, her name is Michelle, and SHE IS WONDERFUL. I will absolutely come back here, and hopefully soon — their entire menu looks incredible, and we had a truly delightful time today. And what sets Sugar Cafe apart from other brunch places is that brunch service doesn't end until 4:00PM every day (except Mondays, 'cause they're closed). This is especially nice for those of us who work Monday to Friday but really like to sleep in on weekends...

Sugar Cafe and Lounge

Times Square Richmond Hill

550 Highway 7, Building E, Floor 2, Unit 281

Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3Z4

(647) 802-1268

Dining Out: BBQ Eel Croissant, Duck Confit Pancakes, and Truffle Fries at NextDoor Restaurant

Met up with my mom to go look at my new car model (the new VW 2025 GTI just arrived in the showrooms) so we decided to have a little Saturday brunch moment beforehand at NextDoor:

BBQ Eel Croissant: unagi, 2 scrambled eggs, masago, tare sauce, baby spinach, and nori on a butter croissant

Duck Confit Pancakes: crispy duck leg, maple hoisin glaze, sunny-side up egg, green onions, and cashew crumble on a stack of pancakes

Truffle Fries with parmesan and garlic aioli

We usually come here in the evening, so I hadn't really explored NextDoor's brunch menu but am happy to report it's just as good as their dinner menu. The BBQ Eel Croissant is especially delicious; definitely a must-order if you like unagi. (Who knew I could get BBQ eel for breakfast?) The Duck Confit Pancakes have an incredible sweet-savoury flavour combo and the duck meat was nice and tender, but I do wish there was a little more of the maple hoisin sauce as the pancakes start getting a little dry. The Truffle Fries — a last minute addition because we saw another table having them — were surprisingly excellent. Not only do they have a good amount of truffle flavour (a lot of places skimp on the truffle oil), but the texture of these fries are perfect. Every single fry was crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside even after sitting at the table for half an hour. SO GOOD, SO ADDICTIVE.

Man, I really need to get out for brunch more. 

NextDoor Restaurant

Unionville Planing Mill

139 Main St. Unionville

Unionville, ON L3R 2G6

(905) 604-6983

Orlando 2024 Travel Log: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida — Day 2: Traditional Breakfast with Pumpkin Juice at Leaky Cauldron

We decided to start our second day at Universal back in Diagon Alley for breakfast at Leaky Cauldron. There was only one thing we knew we had to try: the Traditional Breakfast (a.k.a. a full English).

Traditional Breakfast

Scrambled eggs, sausage links, black pudding, English bacon, baked beans, grilled tomato, sautéed mushrooms, breakfast potatoes, and a croissant. The croissant kind of threw me off because a full English usually has fried bread or toast, but I'm guessing it's because they have to serve so many people and it's easier to just toss a store-bought croissant on a plate than it is to constantly make toast. The eggs are scrambled (you don't get a choice here, probably because most people can eat scrambled eggs but a lot of people don't or can't eat raw egg yolks), anyway, so I guess you don't really need toast to dip in yolk. Regardless, I have no complaints; this was a delicious, hearty meal, and I actually enjoyed every component — even the black pudding (it my first time trying it), which is similar to Korean sundae but more meaty. It actually tasted like the regular English sausage but with a hint of liver (you know, that kind of metallic aftertaste) without the gross texture of liver. Anyway, the Traditional Breakfast is the one to go for if you want a truer Harry Potter or UK experience.

Pumpkin juice and hot Butterbeer

Each breakfast comes with a small beverage, so I decided on the pumpkin juice, which is absolutely delicious — it's like cold apple cider with pumpkin spice, somehow refreshing and cozy at the same time; and Minji got the hot Butterbeer, which reminded me of Second Cup's white hot chocolate or a much sweeter version of Starbucks' vanilla steamer — a tasty choice for those who want a hot caffeine-free beverage. While cold Butterbeer is available almost anywhere beverages are sold in both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, the hot Butterbeer is only available at the two sit-down restaurants (Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley and Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade) and two bars (The Hopping Pot in Diagon Alley and Hog's Head in Hogsmeade), in case you want to try all types of Butterbeer. Anyway, if you want to get breakfast here, you want to get an early start — they stop serving breakfast at 10:30AM. 

Leaky Cauldron

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley

Universal Studios Florida 

6000 Universal Blvd.

Orlando, FL 32819, USA

(407) 224-4233

New York City 2024 Travel Log: Day 2 — A Relaxing Outdoor Brunch at Bryant Park Grill

What to do on a beautiful Saturday morning in NYC? Go for a classic American brunch with the whole family (including my 4-month-old nephew, who is adorably acclimating to the outdoors) at Bryant Park Grill:

Eggs Benedict

I ordered the Eggs Benedict, of course. Because when in New York, do as the New Yorkers do. 

Bryant Park Grill

25 W 40th St.

New York, NY 10018

(212) 840-6500

Dining Out: Mother's Day Brunch at NextDoor Restaurant

Since her birthday dinner in February, my mom's been talking about how good NextDoor is and how we should go back to eat there, so I took her there for Mother's Day brunch:

Brunch Tower

Top Tier: Pineapple yogurt buttermilk pancakes with blueberries and oats

Bottom Tier: Malaysian scrambled eggs, lamb sausage, double-smoked bacon, Brussels sprout and potato hash, roasted tomatoes and mushrooms, shakshouka, and grilled toast and preserves

INCREDIBLE. We didn't think we'd actually finish everything because it is A LOT of food but, you know, we are champion eaters. (My mom, eating the last piece of toast: "I'm so full. But this is too good. I can't stop eating." This is where I get it from.) Sometimes it's totally worth leaving your home on the weekend. This is one of those times. 

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms! 🌷🌸🌹🌼🌺

NextDoor Restaurant

Unionville Planing Mill

139 Main St. Unionville

Markham, ON L3R 2G6

(905) 604-6983

Hong Kong 2024 Travel Log: Day 10 — All Day Breakfast Pancake Set and Uji Matcha Soufflé Pancake at Pan de Pain

On our first day in Hong Kong, we passed by an adorable pancake restaurant aptly named Pan de Pain, and I made a note to try it out at least once during our trip. So as our trip is nearly ending, we finally decided to go there for brunch today:

All Day Breakfast Pancake Set
Uji Matcha Soufflé Pancake

The all-day breakfast pancake plate was excellent; it satisfied all my Western breakfast cravings (because, as it turns out, there is such a thing as too much dim sum) and was just the perfect portion size to be able to fit in dessert afterwards. Which worked out great, because one thing I didn't have a chance to eat in Japan was soufflé pancakes, so I was able to make up for it by getting the delightful Uji Matcha Soufflé Pancake here. Perfectly creamy and jiggly and not too sweet, served with matcha cream, matcha syrup, matcha ice cream, matcha mochi, and azuki beans — the ultimate matcha lover's dessert. A rousing success, 10/10, would absolutely eat again.

Pan de Pain

K11 Art Mall, B1/F, Unit B111B

18 Hanoi Rd.

Tsim Tsa Tsui, Kowloon

Hong Kong

(852) 2576-1968

Hong Kong 2024 Travel Log: Day 2 — Ham and Macaroni Soup, Scrambled Eggs with Toast, HK-Style Milk Coffee, and Steamed Milk Pudding at Australia Dairy Company

THIS. THIS IS WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR IN A CHA CHAAN TENG.

Ham and macaroni soup

Scrambled eggs with toast

HK-style milk coffee

Steamed milk pudding
A breakfast of (Hong Kong) champions: Ham and macaroni in piping hot chicken broth; buttery whipped eggs with buttery fluffy white toast; rich creamy coffee... and steamed milk pudding (a silky, sweet, milk-based custard served hot) for dessert, of course. (In case you're wondering, no, this place is not Australian, nor a dairy company, for that matter.) And if the line-up down the block at 8:30AM is any indication, it's what everyone else is looking for in a cha chaan teng as well.

Australia Dairy Company

47 Parkes St.

Jordan, Kowloon

Hong Kong

(825) 2730-1356

Hong Kong 2024 Travel Log: Day 1 — Breakfast Buffet at Cafe

Greetings from Hong Kong!

After a 15-hour flight and arriving at 4:30AM local time, my mom and I decided to slowly make our way to our hotel. Except it's Hong Kong, where efficiency is king. So even with taking our time going through immigration, running speed-walking to the smoking area outside to smoke three cigarettes back-to-back, using the bathroom, and taking a taxi, we still got to our hotel by 6:00AM. Since check-in isn't until 3:00PM, the lady at concierge registered us in the system and stored our luggage for us, but as the sun hadn't risen yet, we had A LOT of time to kill. But better way to start time-killing than with all-you-can-eat breakfast?

Croissant with fresh fruit

Smoked salmon, soba, and hiyayakko tofu

Sunny side-up eggs, bacon, hash browns, sausage, roast cherry tomatoes, and sliced baguette

Assorted flaky pastries

There was actually a LOT more food than we could fit in (there are entire sections for Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and Western breakfast foods, plus a pancake/waffle station, a cereal station, a juice station, and a salad bar) as well as all-you-can-drink coffee (that is actually GOOD), but alas, we only have so much stomach space. We were so satisfied with this breakfast that we thought it was entirely worth it even if there wasn't a 40% off promotion for hotel guests right now (it's normally about $50 CAD per person). It's occurred to me that I haven't been to a breakfast buffet in over two decades and I don't know how I deprived myself of this ABSOLUTE JOY AND DELIGHT for so long. 

Cafe

Hyatt Regency Hong Kong

18 Hanoi Rd., L/F

Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon

Hong Kong

(852) 2311-1234

Cooking at Home: Boxing Day French Toast

Challah French toast
My boss always gives me a loaf of challah bread for the holidays, so I obviously did what I always do and made French toast for brunch today. Apparently, this is what I did last year, too, so I guess this is now my Boxing Day tradition. A brilliant decision, if I do say so myself. (And infinitely better than going into a mall today. Getting war flashbacks as I type this.)

Dining Out: Smoked Salmon Benny, Schnitzel Benedict, and Challah French Toast at Ramona's Kitchen

After three years of casually perusing their menu, I finally went to check out Ramona's Kitchen with Ronsee:

Smoked Salmon Benny
Schnitzel Benedict
Challah French Toast

They serve a lot of diner favourites like burgers, sandwiches, and poutine, but the main draw for us here was the all-day breakfast. Because how many restaurants serve Eggs Benedict all day long? (The answer is very, very few. In fact, this might be the only place I know of.) Thus, between the two of us, we had the Smoked Salmon Benny with tri-coloured home fries, the Schnitzel Benny with mixed greens, and the Challah French Toast for dessert. The food was excellent and we were completely satisfied with our choices (Ronsee had never had challah French toast before, and has confirmed that it's a game-changer). Breakfast for dinner is basically my favourite thing, ever, and they do it really well here.

However, if there's one critique I have to make, it's that they desperately need to hire more servers. This place is extremely busy — the whole inside of the restaurant was packed (on a random weekday evening, mind you), so we ended up having to sit in the makeshift patio in the centre of the parking lot — but there was only one server for the ENTIRE RESTAURANT. This poor girl, who was sweet and lovely, was running around like crazy trying to take orders, deliver drinks and food, check up on all the tables, and cash people out all by herself during DINNER RUSH. It took us maybe 10 minutes for her to come out to take our order, another 10 to get our drinks, and then another 30 minutes to get our food, and I can't even blame her. 

Anyway, I'll hopefully come back again soon, maybe during off-hours. There are just too many Benedicts I want to try.

Ramona's Kitchen

7355 Bayview Ave., Unit 2

Thornhill, ON L3T 5Z2

(905) 597-9220

Seoul 2023 Travel Log: Day 2 — Breakfast at Napoleon Boutique Bakery

Napoleon Boutique Bakery
Cheesy pull-apart bread, bacon-wrapped sausage buns, and lattes
After our walk through Yeouido Park, we decided to go across the street to IFC Mall in search of some breakfast. Sadly, the restaurants were still closed when we got there, but we noticed a fancy-looking bakery called Napoleon that was open and already had several people in line to purchase their baked goods so we joined them. As both Carmen and I prefer savoury breakfast foods, we decided to get bacon-wrapped sausage buns and the cheesy pull-apart bread that was fresh out of the oven. A cinnamon latte for me, a hazelnut latte for her, and we had a most delicious, ultra-fatty, super-carby breakfast. (The best kind of breakfast there is.) 

Napoleon Boutique Bakery

10 IFC 몰 B1, Yeongdeungpo-gu

Gukjegeumyung-ro, Seoul, South Korea

+82-02-6137-5900

Cooking at Home: The Thickest Challah French Toast

Thick-cut challah French toast
My boss gave me another loaf of challah bread, which means it's French toast time! I think this is my favourite variation: ultra thick-cut (thicccccccccc, those three slices are nearly half a loaf of bread) with strawberries, blueberries, and an unhealthy amount of maple syrup. What a glorious start to my Sunday.

Cooking at Home: Challah French Toast

I got a loaf of challah from my boss for Hanukkah. So obviously, I made French toast.

Challah French Toast
1.5-inch slices. The thickest French toast I could possibly make that would still be able to cook through in a pan. They barely fit on my plate. Yes, I just ate half a loaf of bread and way too much maple syrup and it was glorious. Happy holidays, indeed!

Dining Out: Dim Sum Brunch at Providential 9

Our fam jam feasting ended with an epic dim sum brunch at Providential 9:

Steamed scallop, prawn, and veggie dumplings
Steamed king prawn har gow
Steamed wild mushroom and snow pea leaf dumplings
Steamed siu mai with foie gras
Beef tendon and tofu puffs in satay sauce
Steamed ginger chicken buns
Steamed chicken feet in abalone sauce with wood ear mushrooms
Steamed pork and shrimp spring roll cheung fun
Pan-fried prawn and leek dumplings
Deep-fried taro and mushroom dumplings
Baked BBQ pork buns

It was our first time trying this restaurant, and while I would say Chef 88 Elite is still my all-time fave for dim sum in terms of quality, Providential 9 comes in at a close second. They definitely win for having the most unique and decadent variety of dim sum (um, foie gras on siu mai?), which made for one of the most deliciously interesting dim sum brunches we've ever had. 

Providential 9

8425 Woodbine Ave., Unit A

Markham, ON L3R 2P4

(905) 305-1338