Taste of Asia Night Market

Summer night markets are back in full force! The Taste of Asia festival re-creates popular Asian night markets with vendors selling street eats, nonsense gadgets, toys, and clothing. Each year Kennedy Road (near Pacific Mall) closes down for 2 days.

While my friends and I walked to P Mall, we could smell the looming god awful stench of stinky tofu in the air. Some jump for joy, others dread getting closer. Warning! This isn't for everyone, the street is very crowded, there are long lines for food, and the stench of stinky tofu (some say it smells like rotten garbage) will creep into your clothes and hair, but it is so worth it. It brings back memories of visiting Hong Kong!

{ Jeff enoying his corn, fob style }

{ bbq squid and octopus, $3 }

{ lamb skewers, $1 }

{ takoyaki are squid balls. a very popular street snack in japan, $5 }

{ egg puffs pastry, $3, we ate half before i took a picture }

 { Diana's Seafood shucking away }

{ very meaty fanny bay oysters }

{ $10 for 8 oysters, not bad! }

{ grilled pork jerky }

{ Julian's $5 pineapple drink }

{ steamed rice noodle rolls }

{ rice noodle rolls all dressed up with hoisin, peanut, and hot sauce, $3 } 

{ so good they went for seconds }

{ last but not least, stinky tofu with pickled cabbage. i didn't have any, but i'll "try" to have it the next time! }

{ a make-shift garbage can }

Here are some of my tips for night market adventures:

1. Do not wear nice shoes (the ground is sticky and covered in garbage)
2. Wear clothes you don't mind to getting dirty or smelly (hoards of crowds walking around with skewers of meat. Re: stinky tofu... the smell is that awful)
3. Wear a cross shoulder bag
4. Bring tissue and hand sanitizer
5. Go to the washroom before you leave the house unless you want to use the smelly port-a-potties
6. Have fun and happy nom'ing!

Sashimi House

Sashimi House is my go-to-place for quality sushi at an affordable price. Tucked in a small plaza on Sheppard Ave East (near Fairview Mall), this mom and pop shop has been around for many years. The restaurant is often filled with a busy business lunch crowd during the weekdays. I discovered this place through my uncle... he works there haha. The interior is nothing really special, the chairs aren't the most comfortable, but customers are willing to put that aside for fresh fish.

We came here to celebrate Mother's Day with Julian's family. We ordered a sushi party tray of 80 pieces for the 5 of us ($53). Julian decided to get his usual House B Special ($14.99). Their combos are the best bang for your buck. The portions are generous, sushi dinner combos are between $14-17 and lunch boxes range from $5-9! A-la-carte items are also available. They make a mean spicy salmon roll, it's spicy and actually crispy!

{ sushi party on a boat, woot woot! }

 

{ tofu tempura on the house } 

{ Julian's House B Special with a side of shrimp tempura }

Sashimi House makes amazing banana tempura. Strangely, this dessert isn't on the menu. If they have bananas in stock that day, then you're in luck, never hurts to ask! It is sooooo delicious dipped in maple syrup!

Sashimi House

2038 Sheppard Ave E

Toronto, ON (North York)

(416) 495-1208

San Francisco // Alcatraz

People told me Alcatraz is one of the SF attractions you just "have" to go to. I loved every minute of it. It was eerie, dirty, and felt like cold isolation. The views around the island are spectacular. 

Three prisoners attempted to escape the island. They made three paper-mache heads, placed in their beds at night, and bypassed the prison guards through climbing pipes within walls. They then used a make-shift raft to sail across the bay. No word if their attempt was successful or if they even survived the frigid and rough waters. Who knew prison craft classes would come in handy?! 

Alcatraz also offers a night tour *whichIwastoochickentogoon* :P

Mother's Day at Maple Yip

Maple Yip aka "Look Yu" serves authentic Cantonese-style cuisine, it is one of the BEST Chinese restaurants in the GTA hands down. I've been dining at this restaurant since I was a kid. Thankfully this is one of the few awesome restaurants that hasn't migrated to Markham/Richmond Hill area :P

My family celebrated Mother's Day on a sunny Sunday evening. It's best to make a reservation because this restaurant is always packed during dinner hours. So packed, they took over the next unit to accommodate more tables a couple years ago. Chinese restaurants usually have a set menu available for special occasions. My mom opted for a-la carte items instead. Good choice. *Pssst* many of the restaurant's finest dishes aren't listed in the menu book, they are actually scribbled in Chinese on the colourful strips of paper found on the wall.

We started off our meal with the Winter Melon Soup. Hmm, one of my favourite soups just because it's so refreshing any season you have it. FYI, this soup must be ordered in at least 24 hours in advanced. Mushrooms, pork, and crab are cooked in the whole melon. When served, the waiter scoops out melon from the sides of the shell.



My favourite summer dish at Maple Yip is the Vancouver prawns, we ordered 2 lbs since they're in season, 1 lb just steamed and the other stir-fried with chillies. Look how meaty they are...

A summer staple dish that must be ordered: water spinach. Guangzhou-ers call it "ong choy", HK-ers call it "tung choy".

Guangdong's version of comfort food: cripsy chicken stuffed with glutinous (sticky) rice. This dish that must be ordered in advanced, but it's so worth it. The glutinous rice is cooked with Chinese sausages, stuffed in a chicken. Doesn't sound appealing, but it's delicious.

Sweet and sour pork, a jook sing's favourite. Crispy pork drenched in sweet and sour red sauce, stir-fried with onions, bell peppers and pineapple. The Julian Rule: rice is a must when eating sweet and sour pork.

The next dish, I have no idea what this type of white seafood is called! Any translators? All I know that it's delicious with snow pears and celery!

{ ??? }

{ l: minced pork with cured fish, r: fried oysters }

{ lotus roots and snow peas in a XO sauce }

Of course, dessert is always included. The daily dessert was red bean sweet soup :). The total bill, with tax and tip, came out to be $250. Not too shabby for 12 people! My family always resorts back to this restaurant despite the smaller portions and increase in prices over the years. The interior is nothing fancy, but the food makes up for it.




Maple Yip
4227 Sheppard Avenue East 
Toronto (Scarborough), ON 
M1S 5H5
(416) 297-1438

Happy Mother's Day!