Dining Out: Burrata & Prosciutto and Fusilli Beef Tenderloin & Mushrooms in Peppercorn Cream Sauce at Il Postino

It has been nearly two years since I've been to Il Postino because I had, admittedly, been cheating on them with Costa Sorrento for my Italian food needs. But since Chelsea and I were going to be visiting Main Street Unionville, anyway, it would've been churlish not to make a reservation for dinner at Il Postino.

Burrata & Prosciutto
Crusty rosemary Italian bread drizzled with olive oil
Daily pasta special: Fusilli with beef tenderloin, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes in a peppercorn cream sauce

As per usual, we shared our favourite burrata and prosciutto to start (mostly because it's just freaking delicious, but partly because Chelsea, who has many food allergies, can actually eat it), which I absolutely slathered all over olive oil-drizzled, crusty rosemary bread. For our mains, both Chelsea and I got the daily pasta special: fusilli (well, gluten-free penne for Chelsea) with beef tenderloin, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes in a creamy peppercorn sauce. Topped with parmesan and chili oil, and it was absolutely DIVINE.

After my last visit to Costa Sorrento, which was surprisingly disappointing, I will say that for what they offer in variety, Il Postino makes up for in consistency. Il Postino's permanent menu consists of 24 dishes that has not changed in the last decade and they limit daily specials to three (usually a pasta, a meat dish, and a seafood dish) but they execute each one exceptionally well, and I will say that in the last 15 or so years, I have never been disappointed in their food (or service). So, I'm sorry I cheated on you, Il Postino. I promise to come back more often.

Il Postino

186 Main St. Unionville

Unionville, ON L3R 2G9

(905) 940-1555

Dining Out: Thanksgiving Dinner 2026 at Swiss Chalet

As per Thanksgiving tradition, I spent the day binge-watching Season 1 of Gilmore Girls and then went for dinner with my mom at Swiss Chalet. We got there just before 6:00PM so we didn't have to wait for a table, but we did notice an increase in big families there, so clearly more and more people are realizing that cooking Thanksgiving dinner at home is totally not worth it. (Which is fair. Also, chicken is honestly just so much better than turkey.)

Chalet chicken soup
Thanksgiving Feast: Quarter rotisserie chicken with stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, and dinner roll
Pumpkin pie

We got the Thanksgiving Feast, of course, but this is the first year that they wouldn't let us add an extra quarter chicken to make a double-leg dinner (which is what we do every year because a quarter chicken dinner is never enough for us). Not sure if it's because the kitchen wouldn't have enough dark meat for other customers (in this area, people generally prefer dark meat to white meat, which is fair, because same) or if the management changed and they can't figure out how to charge the Thanksgiving Feast with an extra quarter chicken (which, frankly, would make them morons), so I'm hoping it's the former. I ended up getting the chicken soup to start instead, which is always tasty and comforting. It is somewhat overpriced at $5.99 per bowl but I figured out what they do with all that extra white meat they don't sell.

I obviously got the pumpkin pie for dessert because it's the only time of year that I can get it, and as per tradition, I am left wishing I got the pecan or apple pie instead. Anyway, I hope everyone had a safe and delicious Thanksgiving!

Swiss Chalet

Markville Mall

5070 Highway 7

Markham, ON L3R 4M9

(905) 305-1809

Dining Out: Half and Half Mandu, Bossam Kalguksu, and Haemul Pajeon at OnGi Korean Noodle & Soup

There's a new Korean noodle restaurant that just opened up in Koreatown North called OnGi that I've been seeing all over IG, and as I was in the middle of drooling, I sent one of the reels over to Minji to make plans to eat there immediately. And what better time to go than during Thanksgiving long weekend?

Half and half mandu (kimchi and pork with vegetables)

We ordered the half and half mandu (that includes three kimchi dumplings and three pork and veg dumplings) and the haemul pajeon (seafood pancake) to share, and then Daniel and I both decided on the bossam kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup with steamed pork) while Minji got the tteokguk (rice cake soup). They also give each table a big container of geotjeori kimchi as a side dish. It is crisp, sweet, garlicky, and ULTRA-ADDICTIVE. Eat it with everything. You won't regret it.

The mandu are huge and plump and — most importantly — retain their moisture. I find that once mandu cool down, they get kinda grainy and dry, but these ones don't. I preferred the kimchi ones as the pork ones were just a little too bland for me (though Daniel preferred the pork ones because he can't eat spice and Minji liked both equally, so it's really subjective here), but overall, the mandu here are delicious. You can add two mandu to any bowl of noodles for $4.99, but an order of six is $15.95, so if you have people to share with or just have a really hearty appetite, it's well worth it to get a full order.

Bossam kalguksu
Next, the noodles. The pièce de résistance, and for good reason. The kalguksu here is SUBLIME. Smooth and springy with a great chew and overall mouthfeel. They're served in a rich, flavourful, perfectly salted, almost milky beef broth that is so addictive that I actually drank half the broth on its own once I finished the noodles. This is noteworthy because I usually leave the broth due to sodium overload but IT IS WORTH EVERY DAMN SIP HERE. Also the bossam is soft and tender and juicy and flavourful, and will absolutely up your kalguksu game. This bowl of noodles was worth every goddamn penny.

Haemul pajeon

Finally, the haemul pajeon arrived. The variation here is thicker than the usual pajeon, but also way more jam-packed with seafood and green onions. It seems like it was double-battered just to hold the sheer amount of ingredients in it, because it had a phenomenally crunchy texture, almost as if it was deep-fried. Basically, it's a HEFTY boy and Minji and I agreed — it's our new favourite haemul pajeon in the city. (Her toddler also agreed with an "MMMM!!!") However, if you prefer thin pajeon, then you might not enjoy this one as much... but frankly, it's worth trying, anyway.

Overall, the portions are great, value is excellent, service is friendly and efficient, and the space is cozy and spotlessly clean. It currently holds a 4.9 rating on Google, and I actually think it's well-deserved. (Note: We got there around 2:45PM today and didn't have to wait for a table, but there was a steady stream of customers for the entire hour that we were there. So if you're coming on a weekend day, I would definitely avoid prime meal hours if you don't want to line-up.)

OnGi Korean Noodle & Soup

5529 Yonge St.

North York, ON M2N 5S3

(647) 435-2700

Dining Out: Stir-Fried Beef & Snow Pea Claypot and Seafood & Egg Dumpling Soup Claypot at Miss Qu Claypot & BBQ

Went back to Miss Qu Claypot & BBQ, this time for dinner with my mom:

Stir-fried beef and snow pea claypot
Seafood and egg dumpling soup claypot

Both of these were delicious — savoury but not too salty; great contrast in textures and flavours; excellent balance of meat/seafood and vegetables; good portions while being pretty reasonably priced. We also got a side of steamed lotus buns (not pictured because, frankly, they're not that exciting to look at) because we weren't in the mood for rice, and they were perfect to stuff all that beef in. Like the tofu and seafood soup claypot I had last time, the seafood and egg dumpling one is also mellow and comforting — perfect for this cooler weather.

We got to the restaurant around 5:15PM today and there were actually quite a few tables filled already (mostly families with kids), but by the time 6:00PM rolled around, there was a line-up out the door with people continually coming in to add their names to the wait list. It was actually crazy, given that it's a MONDAY. (As it turns out, the hype is REAL.) So, fair warning, either go early or go late, otherwise you'll be waiting at least 45 minutes for a table. But I gotta say, I do see why it's so busy here because I've only been here twice and I'm quite impressed with the food and the service. I can definitely see it becoming one of my go-to Chinese restaurants once the hype dies down a little. 

Miss Qu Claypot & BBQ

3828 Highway 7, Unit 2

Markham, ON L3R 0B5

(905) 415-9900

Dining Out: Mid-Autumn Festival 2026 Dinner at NKS Banquet Hall

Another Mid-Autumn Festival dinner at NKS Banquet Hall, but with just my mom and her bestie:

Stir-fried beef tenderloin with celery, snow peas, and cashews
Deep-fried stuffed Chinese sausage and mushroom tofu with broccoli
Stir-fried gai lan with garlic
Crispy skin free-range chicken with shrimp chips

Got all our favourites, of course. We were contemplating getting Peking duck again, but the restaurant actually had a curated menu just for Mid-Autumn Festival and when we saw that Peking duck was a whopping $65.99 just for today, we did a hard pass. (They do a $25.99 Peking duck special on Tuesdays. I think if it was double the price, we still would've gone for it. But more than that? No, thanks.) Not a huge loss, though, because their other dishes are delicious enough on their own; they're always cooked perfectly and we always leave satisfied, and tonight was no different. No moon cakes for me because they're too expensive (seriously, $12+ for one), too high in sugar, and frankly, I don't even like them. But I made up for it by having a scoop of Kawartha Dairy's Death by Chocolate ice cream at home while looking at the full moon from my window.

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

NKS Banquet Hall

New Kennedy Square

8360 Kennedy Rd., Unit B06

Markham, ON L3R 9W5

(905) 948-8668

Dining Out: Mid-Autumn Festival 2026 Family Banquet Dinner at NKS Banquet Hall

Had a big nine-person banquet dinner/fam jam for Mid-Autumn Festival at NKS Banquet Hall:

Peking duck
Seafood egg white drop soup
Stir-fried Cantonese garlic ginger lobster
Baby bok choy with enoki mushrooms
Shredded Peking duck with lettuce cups
Deep-fried panko-crusted oysters
Steamed bass with scallions and ginger in soy sauce
Deep-fried garlic chili pork ribs
Sweet and sour pork

This is the first time that I've come here for a multi-course Chinese banquet dinner, which was quite exciting because that means we got to try so many more dishes. Everything was delicious, but the Peking duck and deep-fried oysters were definite highlights for me. (I always want to get the Peking duck here and my mom always say we'll come on a Tuesday because it's half-price, but we never end up making it.) I haven't been back here since February for Chinese New Year dinner, and I am happy to report that NKS is still just as excellent and underrated as ever before. (And also fantastic value — all this food was just under $40 a head after tax and tip. Anywhere else, it'd be at least $50 per person.) 

Happy Asian Thanksgiving!

NKS Banquet Hall

New Kennedy Square

8360 Kennedy Rd., Unit B06

Markham, ON L3R 9W5

(905) 948-8668

Take Out: Margherita and Custom Pizzas from Piazza Italian Eatery & Mercato

Pizza and game night at Chelsea's!

Got some delicious pizzas from Piazza Italian Eatery & Mercato: two Margheritas (this was my vote, which I admit is safe and can be boring, but it's CLASSIC and I find is the best pie to see how authentic the place is), two mushroom and pepperoni pizzas (also pretty safe), and a Make Your Own Pizza that Brayden chose that had way too much stuff on it (but honestly ended up being pretty damn tasty). Chelsea also got a gluten-free Hawaiian pizza for herself because she's allergic to basically everything. We didn't touch this one, but she insists it was amazing. 

Margherita: Tomato sauce, fior di latte, parmigiano, fresh basil, olive oil, and balsamic glaze
Pepperoni and mushroom pizza
Make Your Own Pizza: Tomato sauce, mozzarella, prosciutto cotto, sweet bell peppers, mushrooms, and caramelized onions

We then played 11 rounds of Five Crowns, took their dogs for a long walk around the neighbourhood, and then indulged in pistachio and raspberry gelato while watching Gilmore Girls re-runs. Indeed, it was a pretty perfect Saturday night in.

Piazza Italian Eatery & Mercato

15198 Yonge St.

Aurora, ON L4G 1L9

(905) 727-9911

Dining Out: Seoul Soup, Beast Mode Kimchi Fried Rice, Chicken & Waffles, Korean Milk Bread French Toast, and Golden Corn Cheesecake at Wild Beast Cafe

A new Asian fusion restaurant called Wild Beast Cafe started popping up all over my Instagram over the past month and the food looked amazing, so I saved it into my "visit soon" list. Then Minji messaged me a week later with a reel featuring the same restaurant, so we knew we had to make a date to try it. Apparently, Wild Beast Cafe is a re-branding of Glass Kitchen, but Keith Pears isn't associated with it so I'm guessing there are different owners involved but the same kitchen staff. While Glass Kitchen had completely separate brunch and dinner menus, Wild Beast has a more curated, singular, all-day brunch menu. They are only open until 3:30PM from Monday to Thursday, but are open for dinner service featuring the same brunch menu from Friday to Sunday. So, Minji, Daniel, and I went to check it out this afternoon and shared a variety of dishes:

Seoul Soup: Gochujang soup with pork belly, tofu, potatoes, zucchini, tomato, onion, and mozzarella, served with baguette
Beast Mode Kimchi Fried Rice: Kimchi fried rice topped with slow-roasted pork belly, creamy corn cheese, sunny-side egg, nori, chili, chives, and perilla oil
The Seoul Soup was excellent, kind of like a sundubu jjigae meets a French onion soup. Savoury, warming, comforting, and super-flavourful with just the perfect amount of spice. Even though we shared this, it is an individual portion and isn't too heavy; you could easily have this as your starter and still have room for a main (and possibly a dessert). Both Minji and I agreed, however, that the star of the meal was the Beast Mode Kimchi Fried Rice. The addition of creamy corn cheese and juicy pork belly to kimchi fried rice makes it insanely addictive — kind of like a Korean BBQ meal all in one bowl, so it's obviously amazing.

Chicken & Waffles: Korean sweet soy fried chicken on black sesame bubble waffles
The Chicken & Waffles features Korean-style fried chicken — we picked sweet soy glaze so Daniel could enjoy it, too, but there is also a "Korean spicy" option — with black sesame HK-style bubble waffles. The chicken had that incredible crunchy skin that Korean fried chicken is known for, and the sweet soy glaze had a great umami flavour. I did find the bubble waffles to be lacking, though — it wasn't firm enough to hold up to the chicken and none of us could detect any actual black sesame flavour despite the colour of the waffles being black. Despite that, the portion is huge — three gigantic pieces of chicken with two huge waffles — so you do get pretty good bang for your buck. And this ended up being Daniel's favourite.

 
Korean Milk Bread French Toast: French toast with a crispy exterior and soft interior, finished with warm butterscotch anglaise, fresh berries, and banana brûlée
Golden Corn Cheesecake: Basque cheesecake with corn anglaise, garnished with grilled corn and sweet & salty popcorn
The French toast was good and satisfied my French toast craving, but I didn't find anything particularly special about it. They use milk bread instead of the usual stale brioche, but once it's pan-fried, they honestly have very similar textures. That having been said, this French toast is very kid-friendly (Minji and Daniel's toddler was obsessed) and the torched banana is a really nice addition. Finally, we got the Golden Corn Cheesecake — Minji's corn and dessert addictions all in one neat package. The basque cheesecake was fantastic — great flavour and perfect texture — though I do wish it had a more intense corn flavour. Like rather than having the corn components added on top of the cheesecake, it would've been more unique to have corn infused into the cake itself. It was tasty, but not a must-order, even for a corn fanatic like Minji.

Still, Wild Beast Cafe has a lot of very interesting, delicious-sounding Asian fusion dishes that I want to try. The prices are also surprisingly reasonable here — all of this ended up being about $45 per person after tax and tip — but it doesn't take away from the great service and the lovely presentation. Minji and I have already agreed to come back to explore more of their menu — the TTC Mussels, Gangnam Rosé Fire Pasta, Inferno Seafood Pasta Jjamppong, and Short Rib Benedict are calling my name.

Wild Beast Cafe

505 Highway 7, Unit # 98 - 99

Thornhill, ON L3T 7T1

(365) 556-0257

Dining Out: Steamed Pork Buns, Lychee Shrimp Balls, and Silken Tofu and Crab Roe Soup Claypot at Miss Qu Claypot & BBQ

Finally went with Iris to try out the newly-opened third location of Miss Qu Claypot & BBQ:

Steamed pork buns
Lychee shrimp balls
Tofu and seafood claypot

While the steamed pork buns were pretty basic and just a little too soft, both the lychee shrimp balls (which, to be clear, are just shaped like lychee, not lychee-flavoured) and the silken tofu claypot were excellent. The shrimp balls contain huge chunks of shrimp and have this delectably crunchy exterior unlike anything else I've ever tried (or seen) — if you like deep-fried shrimp, these are a must-have. The silken tofu claypot was filled to the brim with tofu cubes, shrimp, and crab meat sticks. The vivid yellow colour apparently comes from crab roe, but I didn't find this tasting fishy or particularly seafood-y at all. It's mild, comforting, and oddly addictive. It's also perfect for those who can't eat spicy (like Iris). 

We went just after 3:00PM, thinking that it wouldn't be busy at all since it's just after the typical lunch rush. So I don't know if it's because of the hype (I mean, Miss Qu is so popular that they've managed to open a third location) or because people around here just eat really late lunches, but we managed to snag the last remaining table. So, take note, because I have a feeling there's a really long wait for a table during lunch and dinner rushes. (Although, they close at midnight every single day, so hello, late-night skewers!)

Miss Qu Claypot & BBQ

3828 Highway 7, Unit 2

Markham, ON L3R 0B5

(905) 415-9900

Dining Out: Pina Colada Bingsu at The Cups

After feasting at both Woojoo Bunsik and Daldongnae in the span of three hours, Iris and I somehow managed to find room for dessert. (To be fair, we did walk around 10,000 steps while we were out, which really helps when the two of us ate enough for four people...) It was not a part of our BTS food pilgrimage (I guess BTS doesn't care to eat dessert...?), but since we were in Koreatown North, we thought it would be churlish not to get bingsu. So we went to The Cups.

Pina Colada bingsu

We knew we were going to share one bingsu so we wanted to try a flavor that neither of us had tried before. After some debate, we decided to go with the Pina Colada: Pineapple chunks, green grapes, pineapple purée, whipped cream, and coconut powder. Okay, I know that I waxed poetic about Snowday's watermelon bingsu and I do maintain that it is the perfect summer dessert, but the Pina Colada... Oh. My. Goodness. The way both Iris' and my eyes LIT UP after that first bite... Iris had actually initially been against the Pina Colada, but when I pointed out that it was mostly pineapple and not coconut, she caved. And SHE IS SO GLAD SHE DID because this is our new favourite. Like, as we were eating it, we were talking about when we could eat it again.

Suffice it to say, we had a ridiculously successful outing. God, I can't wait to go on another BTS food pilgrimage.


The Cups
5647 Yonge St.
North York, ON M2M 3T2
(647) 343-7277

Dining Out: The BTS Combo at Daldongnae

Iris and I continued our BTS food pilgrimage at Daldongnae, where the members reportedly visited on FOUR separate occasions while they were in Toronto. Now, we've both been to Daldongnae many times (it's been my go-to K-BBQ restaurant for years), but we went to the location near Yonge and Finch because we were already in the area (it's literally two doors down from Woojoo Bunsik) instead of the one at Yonge and Sheppard, which is the location they actually went to. It doesn't really matter, though, because the main reason for our visit to Daldongnae was the BTS Combo — "a limited-time combo featuring the dishes BTS enjoyed" for $80.99, available at all of their locations until September 23.

Thin-sliced pork belly, pork shoulder butt, and boneless beef short rib
Thin-sliced pork belly (daepae samgyeopsal)
Pork shoulder Butt (moksal)
Pork shoulder Butt (moksal)
Boneless beef short rib (galbisal)
Cold noodle soup with kimchi broth (kimchimari-guksu)

Incredible meal, as always at Daldongnae. This combo is actually meant for three people, but Iris and I ate all of this (plus most of the soybean stew, banchan, corn cheese, and egg that came with it) by ourselves. Granted, we didn't have a lot of carbs with the BBQ, but this was also only an hour after feasting at Woojoo Bunsik... What can I say? It's the power of BTS.

Daldongnae

6034 Yonge St.

North York, ON M2M 3W5

(416) 226-6034

Dining Out: Basil Cream Tteokbokki, Crab Meat Rice Balls, Unagi and Tuna Mayo Rice Tofu Pockets at Woojoo Bunsik

As we were heading back home from the BTS concert a couple Sundays ago, Iris and I decided that we had to make our way over to the Yonge and Finch area to see the BTS Boulevard street signs in person. Because how often does your city add street signs in honour of your favourite band? (For those who don't know, the City of Toronto officially re-named a section of Yonge Street in North York, "BTS Boulevard," in honour of BTS' two concert dates here for their ARIRANG Tour.) And since the signs are only up until September 23, we decided to head over there this weekend to take a look in person and then do a little BTS food pilgrimage while we were in the area.

We decided to start with a trip to Woojoo Bunsik, where J-Hope, V, and Jungkook stopped by to order a whole lot of Korean street food. Take note: the restaurant itself is very, very small — there's an open kitchen behind a counter, with four 2-person tables in a cramped space, so if you go during prime lunch or dinner times, you probably won't get a seat. We went around 4:00PM, which we figured was the least busy time at a restaurant, but there were two tables already taken and another couple came in after us. So, be warned.

Basil cream tteokbokki
Since we had never been there before, we decided to forego most of the "BTS menu" (the restaurant has posted what the BTS members ordered all over their walls as well as their social media), and ordered what sounded the most enticing to us: the basil cream tteokbokki, the crab meat rice balls, plus the unagi and tuna mayo rice tofu pockets. Everything was so immediately delicious that every time we opened our mouths to take a bite, we were met with resounding "MMMMM!!!!" sounds from each other. The basil cream tteokbokki was incredible — mild (this is excellent for those who can't handle spice, like Iris), aromatic, very rich, and extremely creamy. If you can't handle a lot of cream or rich foods in general, I would go with one of the other options, but the best adjective that comes to mind with this dish is unctuous. The actual rice cakes are perfectly thick with the most insane, bouncy, springy chew. I might even go so far as to say this is the best tteokbokki I've ever had. (Yes, even better than the ones I had in Seoul.)

Crab meat rice balls
My friend Minji ordered from Woojoo Bunsik two to three times a week when she lived in North York and highly recommended the rice balls. All the rice balls come with mayo, pickled radish, seaweed, and onion crisps, and we decided to go with the crab meat variation. The "rice balls" come deconstructed in a large bowl — we didn't actually know how big each portion was and definitely should've shared one instead of ordering one each since we got so many other items — and a plastic glove is provided to mix the ingredients and roll them into balls. Oh, my god, this is so freaking good. It's kind of like a mashed up onigiri, but I actually prefer this because the ratio of the rice to the other ingredients is so much more balanced. I definitely need to thank Minji for this recommendation.

Unagi and tuna mayo rice tofu pockets
Finally, we decided to get two variations of the tofu pockets. Partly because J-Hope, V, and Jungkook got the entire menu of them and we wanted to try at least one item that they had ordered here, but mostly because they looked too fucking good to resist. Each tofu pocket comes stuffed with rice mixed with mayo, pickled radish, and onion crisps (yes, it's the same ingredients as their rice balls), and we chose the unagi and the tuna mayo options. One bite into the unagi pocket, and both of us looked at each other with wide eyes and stuffed mouths and exclaimed, "HOLY SHIT." Despite the unagi and tuna mayo having such different flavour profiles, we could not decide which one was better. We just wished we had bigger stomachs, because all of a sudden, it made sense why the three members of BTS ordered all seven variations of these tofu pockets. 

As we were leaving with full stomachs and full hearts, entirely delighted with the unbelievably delicious meal we just had, we were already discussing when we'll be coming back. We've decided it is absolutely necessary to try every item on the menu. 

BTS Boulevard street sign!
And, of course, we got a picture of the street sign, which I almost forgot was the whole point of this trip.


Woojoo Bunsik 

6026 Yonge St. 

North York, ON M2M 3W5 

(416) 218-0026

Dining Out: Mango Bingsu at Snowday Bingsu Cafe

My friend Iris and I decided to take advantage of the total BTS takeover of Toronto this week to go down to the Royal Ontario Museum to take part in their ROM Quest: BTS this afternoon. It's a BTS-themed scavenger hunt that takes you all over the museum to answer questions through Scavify. It's fun and interactive and you get to feel a bit like a kid again going through the museum and all its galleries. Everyone gets a participation prize, too — ours was a ROM pencil that changes colour with heat. In case you're interested and in Toronto, the BTS one is running every weekend through the rest of August!

Mango bingsu

After we left the ROM, we went over to the Eaton Centre to check out the BTS Comeback Fan Zone event (honestly, it was just a big photo op and writing notes to tack up to a wall, kind of disappointing) and the BTS Nike by You event at the Nike store (unfortunately, the line-up was way too long and we didn't love the designs enough to merit waiting), and then took the subway back uptown. On the drive back home, we decided we deserved some bingsu for all the steps we got in today (10,864!), so we dropped by Snowday and shared the mango binsgu. I maintain that the watermelon bingsu is the ultimate summer dessert... but c'mon, I'll never say no to mango. I was my first bingsu love, after all.

Snowday Bingsu Cafe

5 Glen Cameron Rd.

Thornhill, ON L3T 5W2

(905) 597-8838

Dining Out: Chirashi Don at Mi-Ne Sushi

After two back-to-back disappointing dinners this week, I really needed a win. So I went with my mom to Mi-Ne Sushi.

Chirashi don

I got the chirashi don and it was PERFECT. I've always said this, but Mi-Ne consistently serves incredible quality sushi with beautiful presentation and amazing service, and this time was no different. Totally made up for the food disappointments this week. Plus, I said I'd make Mi-Ne my regular sushi spot, and I am making good on my word!

Mi-Ne Sushi

8865 Woodbine Ave.

Markham, ON L3R 5G1

(905) 470-1688

Dining Out: Esquites; Al Pastor, Birria, Sirloin, and Baja Fish Tacos; and Guacamole at La Cantina del Pueblo

For Minji's birthday (and first real outing since she gave birth to her son a month ago), she suggested going for lunch along with Daniel and the kiddos at a new Mexican restaurant in Newmarket that she found on TikTok called La Cantina del Pueblo.

Esquites

We decided to share the esquites and guacamole and then we all got our own tacos. The esquites — sautéed corn kernels with mayo, Cotija cheese, and chili powder — arrived first and was delicious and satisfying as expected. And then it was taco time! We all got two to start; I picked the al pastor (marinated pork with onion and pineapple) and the birria (marinated beef with onion). They give you a tray of extra sauces and toppings (like radish slices, pickled onions, cucumber slices, and lime wedges) to customize your tacos with. And they were also good about putting the cilantro on the side for me and Minji. I was expecting the birria taco to come with broth for dipping, but they don't provide that here for some reason. Overall, the birria taco was decent, but the al pastor taco was better with more flavourful and tender meat.

Al pastor and birria tacos

The tacos here in general are pretty small, so Daniel and I decided to order two more. And that's when we realized that the guacamole hadn't arrived yet. Turns out, our original server didn't input it into their system even though it was the first thing we ordered. Our original server, however, seemed to be busy socializing with his girlfriend/wife/special lady friend (?), so he told the busboy (who was literally still holding a tray and dish rag) to take our order. Thus, we ordered the guacamole again and then our second serving of tacos. He asked if it was for take out, and I said no, it's to eat inside the restaurant. He looked unsure, so between Daniel and I, we confirmed with him THREE TIMES that all of the food was "for here" and even made a hand gesture indicating the table.

Approximately 10 minutes later, all the food we ordered with the busboy? Arrived in takeout containers. I looked at him and said, "No, we didn't want take out. We wanted the food FOR HERE." And he said, "Ohhhhh, I thought it was for take out!" So he apologized and came back with our food on plates. Well, at least he was nice.

Sirloin and Baja fish tacos

After that whole mishap, we finally got to our second serving of tacos. I went with the sirloin and the Baja fish. The sirloin was good and pretty tender, maybe even more so than the meat in the birria taco. But the winner for me was definitely the Baja fish. The piece of fish was huge (almost couldn't wrap the tortilla around it); super soft and plush on the inside, perfectly crunchy on the outside, and paired with pickled onion for a most delightful bite. 

Guacamole with chips

Then we got to the guacamole and WOW, if this wasn't single-handedly the most disappointing guacamole I've ever had in a Mexican restaurant, ever. It was basically smashed avocado with a sprinkling of cubed tomatoes. No salt, no seasoning, no lime, no red onion. Literally nothing but the avocado and the tomato. I don't say this often, truly, but I could've made better guacamole at home. We had to get a salt shaker from another table and the extra lime slice that came with our initial tacos to SEASON OUR OWN GUACAMOLE. At least the chips were crispy, I guess?

Between the miscommunications with the staff (and let it be noted that it was NOT BUSY — there were, at most, two other tables) and the general disappointment we had with the missing item and then the mistaken take out order and the completely unseasoned smashed avocado acting as guacamole, I can't say I would ever come back to La Cantina del Pueblo when there are significantly better Mexican restaurants around. (For example, La Mexicanada is literally down the street.) I just can't believe this place has such a high rating. 

La Cantina del Pueblo

446 Davis Dr.

Newmarket, ON L3Y 2P2

(905) 898-8484