Here is blog post #3 on my list of Hong Kong style Chinese diners in the GTA.
PHOENIX RESTAURANT 金鳳餐廳
With 3 locations around the GTA, there's got to be something about Phoenix Restaurant.
I went to the location at Bayview/Hwy 7 (south of Hwy 7, west side) in the Thornhill area.
We went during the peak time (noon), holiday, and so the wait was around 20-25 minutes for a table.
Once we got to our seats, we were feeling pretty hungry.
With some great visuals, it was hard to decide on just one plate. And addition to that, they had an even longer line up for the lunch set (dish + beverage).
Here's what we ordered:
Baked fish in cream sauce with rice (photo above). The fish was fried and the cream sauce was creamy. Below the sauce and fish, the rice had a slight stir-fry making it even better. At chinese HK style diners, you can never tell if their "cream sauce" is really all that creamy or it just "looks" that way. However, this dish definitely met my expectations.
Vermicelli and brisket in spicy soup (photo above). The soup noodles was a very unique taste. They included star anise and a dried orange peel. The unique flavors made the soup taste to something new for me. I'm not sure I can say that I liked it very much. But the dish was saved for me when I bit into the brisket. The meat was very very very tender and tasty.
Egg noodle with tofu, mushrooms and veggies (photo above). This is a great dish for vegetarians and also for everyone else. They dish is simple and tasty. They gave a lot of sauce which made it even more pleasant to enjoy.
Pig's neck + fried egg with rice (photo above). At first, I was very suspicious about trying it, but I gave it a go and I was delighted that the meat (with a line of fat), was not half bad. It rather tasted like B.B.Q pork, even the sauce flavour was the same. The presentation and portion of this dish, however, was very disappointing. Way too much rice for such thin and small amounts of pig's neck ratio.
Lastly, their HK style hot milk tea. It ran down my throat nice and smooth. Loved it and was happily delighted with the brew that day! =0)
***
Giving allowance to their service on a very busy afternoon (Family Day), their attitudes were very well received. They did not look frazzled or tired, instead I found that they were very pleasant and even started a conversation with one of our waitresses. The prices (lunch sets only) varied between $6.99 - $9.99.
And on a much minor but noticeable detail, this is not your typical HK style diner. Their presentation of the interior was modern, clean and simple. They did not exude the traditional Chinese culture with neon lights and Chinese words on the wall, instead they flanked the interior with images or symbolic-looking fishes, birds and trees, which also tie into the Chinese culture -but in a new and modern manner. I liked that very much!
On my HK Style Chinese Diners List, this diner was very good in taste and service.
Overall, I rate it 3.9/5
