Dining Out: Sashimi Platter and Hoe-Deopbap at Mi-Ne Sushi

Ever just crave a shit ton of raw fish?

Sashimi platter
Hoe-deobap

Well, I do, so I went with Chelsea and Braden to Mi-Ne Sushi, where we shared the sashimi platter and then I proceeded to get the hoe-deopbap because I hadn't had it in nearly four years and OH MY GOD, IT WAS SO FUCKING GOOD. Firstly, I don't know why I hadn't gotten it in so long. Probably because most sushi restaurants don't offer it unless they're Korean-owned... Which leads me to a second point: I don't know why I haven't gone to Mi-Ne Sushi in so long. They've been open for over a decade in the same location, which is very close to where I live now, and I keep forgoing it to try out newer sushi places. But if this dinner is any indication, their quality is incredible and, most importantly, CONSISTENT. I have never had anything less than an excellent experience here. Their fish is fresh and abundant, portions are fair given the price, the presentation is always beautiful, and their service goes above and beyond. I need to make Mi-Ne my regular sushi spot.

Mi-Ne Sushi

8865 Woodbine Ave.

Markham, ON L3R 5G1

(905) 470-1688

Dining Out: California Spring Salad, Spinach & Artichoke Dip, Fried Basa Fish Tacos, and Blackened Chicken Alfredo at Milestones

Milestones has been around for years — it was one of my go-to restaurants in high school — but I hadn't gone there in over a decade, until my boss took me there for a few employee lunches over the past year. (My office is really close to one, so my company does of a lot of business lunches there.) I was randomly craving their California Spring Salad (yes, I know, I have CHANGED), so when my mom asked where I wanted to go for dinner this afternoon, I told her to meet me at Milestones.

California Spring Salad with goat cheese, strawberries, avocado, red onion, candied pecans, and honey mustard vinaigrette
Spinach & Artichoke Dip with fresh cut salsa, Italian cheeses, and tortilla chips
Fried Basa Fish Tacos with cabbage slaw, fresh cut salsa, avocado, and chili avocado aioli
Blackened Chicken Alfredo with mushrooms, spinach, brie, feta, roasted garlic, fettuccine, and garlic focaccia

And we discovered that they have a HAPPY HOUR MENU! Obviously, there are many drink specials but, more importantly, there's a number of food items that are cheaper from the hours of 3:00PM to 6:00PM everyday! So aside from the salad I was craving (which is unfortunately not on the Happy Hour menu but is totally worth paying full price for), we got the spinach and artichoke dip ($16 instead of $19!), the fried basa fish tacos ($6 each instead of $24 for 2!!!), and the blackened chicken alfredo ($23 instead of $27!). I don't go to chain restaurants often, but I will obviously be coming back for happy hour again.

Milestones

169 Enterprise Blvd. Unit I109

Markham, ON L6G 1B3

(437) 525-4596

Dining Out: Fresh Watermelon Bingsu at Snowday Bingsu Cafe

So we came back from NYC to an insane heatwave this week (like, over 40℃ each day on the humidex). And I met up with Minji and Daniel today for lunch at Red Lobster (Minji is 9 months pregnant and was craving seafood and Cheddar Bay biscuits, so how could we deny her?) all the way in Thornhill. So we obviously had to go Snowday Bingsu for dessert. You know, to avoid heatstroke. And it was there that I inadvertently found the ultimate summer dessert:

Fresh watermelon bingsu

Unlike the other bingsu options there, this one uses fresh watermelon rather than frozen fruit and is topped with freshly made watermelon sorbet. (It's also supposed to come with chocolate chips to mimic watermelon seeds but I asked for mine without them because, frankly, it already has enough sugar.) It's light and refreshing, sweet and milky, thirst-quenching and happiness-inducing PERFECTION. (Also, maybe it's because I haven't had bingsu in a long time, but I didn't realize they made these smaller cup sizes. It's perfect for one person.) Basically, I'll be back for more.

Snowday Bingsu Cafe

5 Glen Cameron Rd.

Thornhill, ON L3T 5W2

(905) 597-8838

New York City Summer 2026 Travel Log: Day 3 — Country Sausage Benedict at EJ's Luncheonette

For our final meal in NYC, we went for brunch at the iconic diner, EJ's Luncheonette:

Country Sausage Benedict: Poached eggs and breakfast sausage on buttermilk biscuits, topped with sausage gravy and served with home fries

I went for the Country Sausage Benedict — a Southern twist on a New York classic. I've never actually been to the Southern US or, like, Cracker Barrel, so this is pretty much as close as I'm gonna get to Southern food. (Actually, this Benedict originally comes with grits on the side, but I didn't feel like I was ready for that step yet...) This is one of those dishes that tastes like it'll clog your arteries, so basically, it's tasty AF and I'm now sort of obsessed with sausage gravy. A truly delightful ending to this year's decadently delicious NYC trip.

EJ's Luncheonette

1271 3rd Ave. 

New York, NY 10021

(212) 472-0600

New York City Summer 2026 Travel Log: Day 2 — A Feast of "Bites" at NR

We went for an early dinner (like, really early, as in happy hour early, because our schedule revolves around the babies' nap times) to a gorgeous Japanese fusion eatery called NR, where we had a feast of appetizers (or "bites," as they call them):

Spicy Tuna: Tuna, anchovies, truffle, shallot, porcini mushroom, spicy mayo, and lime zest in filo cups

Deviled Egg + Egg + Egg: Sea urchin, caviar, tosa vinegar jelly, dashi, wasabi, Japanese mustard, mayo, and shiso on quail eggs

Seafood Tower (Bottom): Fresh oysters

Seafood Tower (Middle): Uni + salmon red caviar jelly, hamachi sashimi, tuna with cucumber foam

Seafood Tower (Top): Fried shrimp and fries

Pork Buns: Pork belly with lettuce, scallion, teriyaki, and tartar 

Miso Glazed Eggplant: Deep fried eggplant, miso, pomegranate, mint, and dill

Incredible flavours and ingredient combinations — this was honestly one of the most interesting meals I've had in a long time, and there is no shortage of Asian fusion restaurants back home. We were unfortunately too full after the apps, but I'm really hoping we get to come back for the ramen, which is actually what NR is known for. I mean, there is a $42 USD wagyu and bone marrow ramen on the menu that is just too indulgent to not try once in my lifetime...

(Oh, and in case you're wondering, we managed to do just over 11,000 steps today. So, yes, we feasted, but at least we felt slightly less guilty about it!)

NR

339 E 75th St.

New York, NY 10021

(646) 226-4874

New York City Summer 2026 Travel Log: Day 2 — Matcha Latte and Assorted Italian Cookies at Sant Ambroeus

What to do when it's raining outside but the kids are napping so you have just over an hour to entertain your family visiting you from Canada?

Matcha latte with pistachio milk

Assorted Italian cookies

Well, my brother takes us to fancy Italian cafes for lattes, cookies, and family gossip. Indeed, a great way to spend an afternoon!

Sant Ambroeus Coffee Bar

1334 York Ave.

New York, NY 10021

(212) 606-7070

New York City Summer 2026 Travel Log: Day 2 — Prime Steak Tartare, Poulpe Grillé, Moules Frites Marinières, and Croque Madame at Match 65 Brasserie

Met up with my brother and his family at Match 65 Brasserie this morning for a most délicieux brunch:

Prime steak tartare: Black Angus sirloin, quail egg, cornichons, and toasted baguette

Poulpe grillé: Grilled octopus, olive oil, lemon, herbs, and capers

Moules frites marinières: Mussels, white wine, shallots, roasted garlic, fresh herbs, and toasted baguette served with fries

Croque madame with fries

Yep, that's a lot of calories and fat grams to consume before noon... And that's not even including the leftover piece of brioche French toast from my nephew's plate that I shared with my mom for "dessert"... So we'll have to walk a lot today, rain be damned. (Good thing I wore my new Hokas.) But it was TOTALLY WORTH IT. 

Match 65 Brasserie

29 E 65th St.

New York, NY 10065

(212) 737-4400

New York City Summer 2026 Travel Log: Day 1 — Market Vegetables and the Steak Sandwich at Westville

Greetings from NYC! We're back for our annual trip to visit my brother and his family — and finally meeting my 8-month-old niece, Amelia, for the first time! (She is, objectively, the most adorable baby I've ever seen with the smiliest face, squishiest rolls, and most perfect milky skin. No bias, of course.) We arrived late afternoon so, to see the kids before their bedtime, my brother suggested an early dinner at their favourite NYC chain, Westville. They're known for their fresh produce, with a menu featuring over 20 different vegetable sides. Outside of vegetarian/vegan restaurants, I don't think I've ever actually heard of any restaurant that specializes in vegetable dishes, but here are. So we ordered 6 veggie plates to share:

Beets with goat cheese and walnuts

Brussels sprouts with honey dijon

Yuca fries with chipotle mayo

Roasted mushrooms with fresh herbs

Esquite (Mexican roasted corn kernels with chipotle mayo and cojita cheese)

Roasted carrots with fresh herbs

Steak sandwich with caramelized onions and horseradish mayo on a club roll and a side of sweet potato fries

And I got the steak sandwich as my main because, you know, balance. All the vegetable sides were delicious — my favourites were the beets and yuca fries — but I'm happy to report that Westville does their other dishes equally well because my steak sandwich was excellent. The steak was tender and cooked perfectly medium rare, the bun had a good chew but didn't hurt the roof of my mouth, and the horseradish was just spicy enough to feel a clearing in the nasal passages but not enough to overwhelm. It was the perfect accompaniment to a vegetable feast.

I can see why Westville opened up so many locations in NYC. Honestly, it's a great concept — delicious but (mostly) healthy dishes that also promotes fresh produce and local farmers — and the prices are reasonable. I wish they would open one closer to home. I can see this doing really well in the Toronto area. Then again, it took Shake Shack two decades to come to Canada, so I'm not holding my breath. 

Westville

1359 1st Ave.

New York, NY 10021

(212) 257-2133

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: Spicy Tteokbokki and Garlic Crunch Boneless Chicken at Bb.q Chicken

Minji and I wanted to watch The Devil Wears Prada 2 so we decided to have a girls' night (our first one in nearly 2 years!) and went for dinner beforehand at Bb.q Chicken.

Spicy tteokbokki

Garlic Crunch boneless chicken

Got the classic spicy tteokbokki, of course, and decided to try their new Garlic Crunch chicken (we got boneless because Bb.q actually serves dark meat for their boneless option), which we both loved — there's actually no dry rub garlic option on their regular menu (both Soy Garlic and Honey Garlic are sauced), so this was a really welcome flavour. It's definitely more garlicky than the sauced options, but there is a hint of sweetness in it that keeps it from being too overwhelming. (Be warned, the dragon breath is unreal.)

As for the movie — the first one I've watched in theatres in nearly a decade — it was good, but not great. It's still fun and funny, but it definitely lacks the sassiness and charm and witty one-liners of the first one. Andy Sachs, sadly, is still annoying (albeit slightly less naive), though Miranda and Emily are still queens, and Nigel finally gets the credit he deserves. I also found the premise of prestigious print publications having to modernize to clickbait-y, short-form digital content very realistic. However, Andy's romantic relationship was completely unnecessary and, honestly, a little befuddling, and I also hated how utterly unrealistic it was for Andy to be able to afford what looks like a 1,500-sq. ft. luxury apartment in the middle of Manhattan on a salary that is presumably less than $1 million. But, I digress. 

Bb.q Chicken

8110 Birchmount Rd., Unit 1 and 2

Markham, ON L6G 0E3

(905) 305-8110

Dining Out: An Epic Dim Sum Feast at Auric King

I decided to take a half-day off from work today since I had some time owing, so I met up with my friends Minji and Daniel (who are on early parental leave since Minji is now in her third trimester and thus have a lot of free time) for dim sum. Minji had asked me to ask my mom for a good dim sum option (because like most Hong Kong immigrants in their 70s here, my mom is a dim sum pro) and she suggested Auric King since they have some more unique options than the average dim sum restaurant, so we decided to try it out.

"Dim Sum Combinations": A selection of steamed dumplings
Steamed pork soup dumplings
Steamed crab meat and truffle dumplings
Steamed house special crystal shrimp dumplings
Steamed BBQ pork buns
Baked milk tarts with bird's nest
Baked shredded turnip puff pastries
Fried glutinous rice pork dumplings
Steamed Chinese sausage buns
Deep-fried creamy custard sesame balls

When we got there, I was immediately impressed with the interior. It is a huge, huge space — it took over the unit that The Pickle Barrel used to occupy at Markville Mall — and it looks freaking fancy AF. Massive mirrored pillars, gilded walls with intricate phoenix designs, huge modern chandeliers, tufted ivory leather chairs... I honestly forgot I was in a mall. It was also crazy busy — most dim sum places in Markham won't have a wait for a table on a weekday, but at 1:00PM on this Friday afternoon, we did have to add ourselves to the waitlist. (Granted, the wait itself was only about 10 minutes, but it is worth noting.) 

We let Minji pick the dishes since she's pregnant and arrived starving (and you do not get in the way of a hungry pregnant woman). Of course, that also meant she ordered 11 dishes. For 3 people. (The standard ordering at dim sum is generally 2 plates per person, maybe 3 if everyone is very hungry, so we definitely knew we'd have leftovers.) But I will say, despite being on the pricier side, the dim sum here is excellent quality and, as my mom had mentioned, more interesting than the usual yum cha fare. Highlights for me were the "dim sum combinations" platter (which includes 6 random steamed dumplings), the crab meat and truffle dumplings, the crystal shrimp dumplings, and the shredded turnip puff pastries. But we were all very pleased with the dishes and the presentation. Tea is served in a sleek clear pot over a holder with a lit tea candle underneath to keep it hot, and a massive metal pitcher of hot water is also provided for refills. Service is also attentive and very efficient considering how busy it was. A 12% service charge is included in the total (also worth noting since it is not mentioned upfront), but I thought for $42 a person after tax and tip with a big box of leftovers to bring home was actually not too bad. There are about 12 more dim sum dishes I want to try here, so I'll definitely come back for another visit.

Auric King

Markville Mall

5000 Highway 7, Unit 2006L

Markham, ON L3R 4M9

(905) 477-7222

Dining Out: Dad's Birthday Dinner at The Big Brother 大師兄新派順德菜

I asked my dad what he wanted to eat for his 74th birthday dinner, and he just requested Chinese food (as usual) so my mom and I decided to take him to The Big Brother since we enjoyed it so much last time.

Deep-fried shrimp tossed in Thousand Island dressing with seasonal fruit
Special made puffy fish tofu with clams, sponge gourd, and mixed mushrooms in broth
Salt and pepper crispy fried silver fish
Traditional salt-baked crispy skin chicken

Again, the food was excellent. I never thought I'd need blueberries and honeydew with my deep-fried shrimp, but here we are, and it's freaking DELICIOUS. Honestly, that would be my must-order of the night. The fried silverfish (also known as icefish or noodlefish, NOT the insect) were also perfectly golden and crispy and an absolute DELIGHT. The broth for the fish tofu puffs and clams was milky and mellow — great for accompanying the deep-fried foods. The traditional salted chicken, which we also ordered last time, did take quite a long time to get to the table (they did say it would take 20 minutes to prepare, but it definitely took longer than that because but we were nearly done the rest of the other dishes by the time the chicken came out), but was still as tasty as I remember it being — perfectly crispy, salty skin, and juicy, tender meat. And again, service was great — welcoming, accommodating, and efficient. I think we might have found a new go-to special occasion Chinese restaurant.

The Big Brother 大師兄新派順德菜

328 Highway 7

Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3P7

(905) 881-3333

Dining Out: Insalata Costa; Pizza Bianca al Tartufo; Linguine di Gragnano Cozze, Vongole e Peperoncini; and Pizza di Crema con Gelato alla Zuppa at Costa Sorrento

I hadn't seen my friend Ronsee since last December (because adulting) so when he asked if I was free for dinner this evening, I was like, "We gotta make this worth it." So I told him to meet me at Costa Sorrento, my favourite Italian restaurant, where he had never been before.

Insalata Costa: Baby arugula, radicchio, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and Grana Padano
Pizza Bianca al Tartufo: Fior di latte, mixed mushrooms, shaved black truffle, and white truffle oil
Linguine di Gragnano Cozze, Vongole e Peperoncini: P.E.I. mussels, clams, shishito peppers, and white wine sauce
As per usual, we decided to share everything to get more variety out of our meal. I had never been disappointed with a single visit here before, but unfortunately, that wasn't the case tonight. I'm not sure if it's because it's a weekday (I'd only ever come here on the weekend), or if the majority of the dishes we ordered were off the regular menu instead of the daily specials, or if they hired different chefs, but the only dish we both absolutely loved was the pizza. Whatever dressing they put in the salad was so salty that, added together with the Padano cheese, was like a bitter assault to my tastebuds. (I initially wondered if it was because I recently quit smoking cigarettes and flavours are just FLAVOURING HARDER now but Ronsee, who is not a smoker, agreed that it was excessively salty.) The pasta was okay, but all the shellfish was quite sandy, and with a total of four mussels and six baby clams in a portion of pasta that is definitely not made for sharing, we didn't think it was worth $40. (Sorry, but I've eaten bowls of cereal bigger than this.)

Pizza di Crema con Gelato alla Zuppa (Daily Special): Neapolitan pie with vanilla and chocolate custard cream, walnuts, peaches, and walnuts, with zuppa inglese gelato

We got one of the desserts off the daily specials menu, the Pizza di Crema con Gelato alla Zuppa. The pie itself was decent, surprisingly not too sweet with a nice firm texture and a buttery crust. But the zuppa inglese gelato was... horrendous. I'm not sure what I was expecting — maybe just a mellow, vanilla or milky flavour to complement the pie — but this tasted exactly like the smell of gasoline. Or pure rubbing alcohol. With a hint of permanent marker. Suffice it to say, it was the second assault to my tastebuds in the same dinner. I've never been so disappointed in a meal, let alone from one of my favourite restaurants. I hadn't been back here since November (during which I had a phenomenal meal) and a lot can change in 5 months, but I'm not ready to give up on them yet. I'll have to come back on a weekend next time and see if it's just a bad one-off or if they've truly gotten worse over time. 

Costa Sorrento

179 Enterprise Blvd.

Markham, ON L6G 0E7

(905) 604-2019