I tried their udon bolognese and duck confit taco and they were both really good! The udon was on the creamy side but not overly creamy which I liked! The taco was crunchy and also really good! I would definitely try their other dishes as well next time! read more

Inspire Restaurant - two hot dogs and french fries in a styrofoam container - Asian Fusion Near Me - Markham, Ontario

Located in Main Street Markham, we went for brunch at Inspire. It was not busy and we were one of few tables dining in. Ordered the iced blueberry matcha latte and smoked salmon eggs Benny. The matcha interestingly came in a Sapporo cup lol! Unfortunately the matcha was not that great, didn't really taste the blueberry flavour either. Would skip this. The smoked salmon eggs Benny was decent but the tater tots that came along on the side were too salty in my opinion. Maybe the regular or non brunch menu items are better, but being so far away from this spot not sure if I would go out of way again to visit. read more

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It's been a few years since I've been to Inspire on Main Street in Markham. We came here in December for a friend's belated birthday celebration, as well as a holiday gathering. Everything on the menu looked great so we each picked a dish to share, starting with Calamari Poutine, before moving on to Loco Moco, Curry Katsu Chicken Rice, Chicken & Waffles, Spicy Vodka Udon, Duck Confit Tacos, and Crab Mac & Cheese. Plating of the dishes was beautiful, matched only by the delicious flavours. We enjoyed every dish, with no clear favourite. It was all good! This is a great spot, offering delicious food with very attractive presentation. The ambiance is cozy and intimate, and our server was outstanding! read more

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This is my 2nd time going to Inspire, and this time, we decided to go for brunch! We got the pad kra pao eggs benny and the chicken and waffles egg benny. Similar to their dinner, the portions are HUGE! The dishes are definitely creative and well thought out. Our server was kind and helpful, and quick to refill our waters. Ambiance was inviting and bright, and windows looked out onto Main St Markham. read more

Inspire Restaurant - Asian Fusion Near Me - Markham, Ontario

First time to inspire just before COVID and the food and service is still great. We came on a snowy Friday nite with reservations. And everything we ordered was great. It's a small place so make sure to make reservations read more

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Found this on yelp and had good ratings so decided to try on the Saturday before Mother's Day. You have to email the restaurant for reservations and for larger parties, they ask for a cc number to be kept on file in case of no shows as it is a small restaurant . The restaurant is located on Main St Markham in a quaint area. There is a parking lot behind the restaurant. We ordered the pad kra pao Benny, the chicken & waffle Benny, the waffle, eggs & bangers, mushroom cheese omelette, the shiitake gravy katsu chicken rice, yuzu shrimp hash, and the pad kra pao cheese frites. The flavours were really good and the Asian flavours for brunch were excellent. Everything tasted great and portions were decent. A great find and would come again but it was a bit far for us as we are not from the area. read more

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Made a reservation on Mother's Day. Friendly service. Not too many options on the menu and the food was average. I had the chicken and waffles, I think it lacked flavour as there was no syrup and a cold nutty macadamia sauce was provided for the chicken. Worth a try, to experience the ambience of the restaurant, not sure if I will come again read more

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Inspire is very cozy with limited seating and a menu to match. Service was good and the food is beyond delicious and creative with the flavours and combinations. The cocktails were excellent and the mixologist did some custom drinks as well. I think this resto falls short on dessert options at least for the night I was there otherwise it's a favourite for their version of chicken and waffles read more

Inspire Restaurant - Cocktail, dinner order of duck tacos and fried chicken - Asian Fusion Near Me - Markham, Ontario

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Food here was amazing and portions were big! Ordered the duck confit tacos and we were so surprised at how big it was! The size of the chicken katsu slaw can serve 2 people! The chicken was very crispy as well. The Loco Moco was another favourite and we loved the coconut rice and toppings. Service was quick and friendly! Seating and decor was nice. read more

Inspire Restaurant - Duck Confit Tacos - Asian Fusion Near Me - Markham, Ontario

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Was excited for their family style take-out menu so called to order takeout dinner during the weekend (Feb 2, 2025) Whoever the hostess that answered the phones that night sounded like the most un-interested person to take calls. When I asked to do their family style take-out, they put me on hold, then came back and blandly stated that they weren't doing take-out that night, which I found odd. No explanation, no apologies, just a blunt emotionless answer. I thanked them and hung up. Not sure if I want to call them for orders again. read more

A low key restaurant in village of Markham that serves a small menu of fusion food. The menu reaches into many different cultures and I love how they incorporate them into their own dishes. The décor and vibe gives off a relaxed environment perfect for enjoying the food they serve. Had a bunch of dishes family style and ordered my favourite dishes: OG Insp burger: This burger was beautifully constructed and served with disastrous amount of fries. Ingredients worked well together, the tarragon aioli was amazing on the fries and the burger. Crab with the noodles: Nice seafood flavour, might have been a bit too heavy handed on the parm because it was a bit too salty. Love the pappardelle that came with the pasta. Wagyu loco moco: Delicious mix of beef + shrimp and a whole lot of different fun textures. Like the dish above, it was a bit too salty for my liking but everything else was nice. Sweet dijon chick burger: I feel like this was overshadowed by the OG burger and so wouldn't even recommend this one. Maybe try the chicken and waffles next time, but that dish is also huge. Shiitake udon carbonara: Interesting concept of udon with carbonara, but it just felt like cream and salt to me, no fun flavours mixed in to make a abit more inspiring =). Waff out loud: I just don't think this combination goes well together. I also did have it after a while, it was sitting on the other end of the table. So this may not be the review for this. Waffles were disappointingly soggy, might be due to time, but will have to try it with the chick'n waffles next time. read more

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Great brunch! I dined in this restaurant with my family on Saturday brunch. We had a fried chicken dish and shrimp dish. Holly Molly both dishes were packed with flavours. They were so fresh and delicious. The portion was very generous. The staff were not very friendly but ok. Service was relatively fast. I will definitely come back. read more

Inspire Restaurant - Asian Fusion Near Me - Markham, Ontario

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OML speechless. This has to be my new favorite restaurant in Markham. The food here was amazing. The service was great and pretty quick. The ambiance was so calming because there were dimmed lights. I literally love their fries so much I would eat it for every meal if I could. The lemongrass chicken fries dish was everyone's favorite! The regular fries with that dipping sauce on the side, chefs kiss . Best fries I've ever tasted. The portion sizes were perfect and the chicken sando & chicken and waffles dish had big pieces of chicken. The chefs definitely made these dishes with passion because the flavours were so unique and delicious. You can tell the food is good when there's only a few items on the menu, and I think they switch out items occasionally (as some of the old reviews were showing food that weren't on the menu when we went) The only thing I disliked was their water, the mint made the water taste toothpaste but, it can be a good palate cleanser. The price for each entree is around $20 which is incredible for the quantity and quality. There were 4 of us eating here, the total bill was around $80-90 (we ordered 5 dishes) we all left satisfied and so stuffed. I would highly recommend this restaurant, we already came here twice and we are definitely going to be coming back here again to try all of their other dishes. read more

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Initially my fiance was a bit hesitant for fusion restaurants but it was better than expected! I ordered the OG INSP burger, while my fiance ordered the Wagyu Loco Moco. I think the burger was pretty good value in the sense that it came with duck confit frites. The price of the frites is $16, and the burger +frites was only $22. There's your hack right there. Now I don't know if the portion for the $16 would be bigger, but I thought the one that came with the burger is already pretty sizeable. The downside is that there's so much fries and not totally enough dipping sauce and if you ask for more, there is an extra charge of ~$1? Overall the food was pretty tasty, I did wish there was a bit more mushroom for my fiance's Loco Moco though. Also a note, the seating area is smaller, especially for two people. Asides from that, service is good, food is good, worth a try! read more

Inspire Restaurant - My fiance had the Wagyu Loco Moco and I had the OG INSP burger with duck confit frites - Asian Fusion Near Me - Markham, Ontario

Portions are amazing, flavour is amazing, price is reasonable. The burger was so juicy and flavourful... and it's never a bad idea to have an egg on your burger. I may have wished that the pork belly was stripped off of the skin so I didn't have to take it out of my mouth when I chewed it. The duck fries were very good but nothing to cal home about. The salted egg aioli was a great idea to pair with duck confit fries, just not for me. I preferred the ketchup haha. The chicken and waffles were the star of the show. The lemon grass flavours really shine through the breading and it was a perfect balance of sweet and savoury with the berry compote. The portions were HUGE! They were very busy as they had reservations fully booked the whole evening. I called and they were able to squeeze us in as we came during off hours (3pm- before all their reservations were booked for) read more

Inspire Restaurant - Asian Fusion Near Me - Markham, Ontario

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Went here for Sunday brunch a couple weeks ago. We normally go here for dinner but have never tried brunch. This has always been our go to spot for anniversaries and birthdays since it is close by our house and we love Asian fusion cuisine. I had the Pad Kra Pao eggs benny and my husband had the Shiitake gravy Katsu chicken rice. Both were amazing. Such great flavours. Eggs Benedict were perfectly runny and came with tater tots which is always a nice surprise. My husband really enjoyed the mushroom Katsu. Service was fast and friendly. We love the ambiance here which is another reason why we keep going back. read more

Inspire Restaurant - Shiitake Katsu - Asian Fusion Near Me - Markham, Ontario

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Came here with a group of friends for dinner as we heard many good things about this restaurant, and we're intrigued by their Asian fusion menu. We all got different items on the menu and all agreed that it was very good and different, and yet very filling as well. I chose the wagyu loco moco and it was very tasty and sweet, mainly because of the coconut rice. Some of my friends tried the carbonara and agreed that the sauce was very flavourful and portion sizes were huge. A few of my friends got their burger, as well as chicken and waffles and everyone enjoyed their meals, dishes were very different and delicious. Would love to come back to try more of the different foods here! read more

Inspire Restaurant - Asian Fusion Near Me - Markham, Ontario

If you want to have fusion food and don't want to go into Toronto, you could do worse than stop here. The prices aren't too high and the food is pretty good. Service is good too. Extra Butter Drunken Crustaceans was pretty good. It had a nice blend of flavours and used fresh seafood. The croutons (or whatever the stuff at the bottom was) absorbed the juices of the dish nicely. The "OG Insp" burger was a tasty burger. The pork belly was a nice addition to contrast with the good quality beef patty. I got an upgrade with the burger to pulled pork frites, which were also great, with a nice blend of flavours. The fries themselves were a bit dry, but came in a huge portion. Towards the end both combined to have an overwhelmingly heavy flavour, though. Udon Carbonara had a lot of beef. The taste was a nice spin on normal carbonara, with some alcohol taste. The lemon pepper calamari was decently fresh, and was spiced differently from normal calamari. The mint ginger chutney was refreshing. The squid could have been crispier though. Waff out loud was nice as it came with both chicken and beef. It was pretty good. The chicken was very crispy, but the beef was better. read more

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Really excited that Inspire was able to arrange a surprise birthday dinner for my boyfriend this past July. What an accommodating group of staff! It is a very small space so if you do need to put in a reservation, I'd recommend calling very early ahead. The menu offering is very fusion/modern and delicious! We're talking chicken and waffles, asian fusion bowls, Loco moco, and I myself had a delicious Shiitake Udon Carbonara. I love mushrooms and pasta and this just was everything I needed in a bowl. I do wish they'd re-think their pricing strategies to appeal to a wider range of people who might not want to have an everyday dining experience with dishes $20+ each, but I can't deny that everything we tried was amazing. We'll definitely keep them in mind for our special occasion dinners where we're looking for something just a bit more special and INSPIREd. read more

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Limited menu. I had fish tacos. The tacos were filled with some kind of spicy ground up item. No idea what it was. Did not taste like fish. Server was pleasant, efficient and friendly. read more

I've been here a couple times. The quality seems to have sunk a bit after the pandemic. Much of the previous items served are no longer in the menu. Food is fresh, I had the salmon burger on my visit, there was a piece of fish bone in my burger. Although I didn't bring it up to the waitress, they need to be more careful as someone else could have gotten an injury. The decor of the place seems out of context. Service was alright, it was cold in the restaurant to a point I had to put on my jacket, I'm not sure if that was done to get me out faster, but it made my stay uncomfortable. read more

Was disappoint with their cocktails twice in a row so I went there with my girlfriends this weekend onlynfor their food. We were all impressed! Ordered the steak benny with tumeric frirs., Loco moco and fried chicken brunch- all were delicious! Too bad their cocktail menu isn't as strong, could have easily won us over! read more

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Great fusion food served under lively ambience. I had the INSP Burger for my first visit and it did not disappoint. Good portions (you will be full) with high-quality ingredient pairing for the burger, where the cheddar cheese melts with the egg yolk juices. The fries were crispy and the seaweed on top was a nice complement. The only deduction for star is that it's quite expensive. If you scan their menu, there are really no "affordable" options. The menu is kind of limited in terms of selections. It's also a bit dark in the restaurant. Overall, loved the food and had a great experience. I appreciate their creativity and the Asian-Canadian fusion inventions. Will for sure re-visit and try their other menu items, despite a bit high-cost. read more

Inspire Restaurant - INSP Burger - Asian Fusion Near Me - Markham, Ontario

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It's our first time in the restaurant - we miss the turn into the parking area next to the building and end up parking behind it all in a Markham village lot. It was an easy walk to the restaurant though. They put a curtain to block the cold which made it nice and cozy. The service was amazing. They check in on you regularly and were super friendly on making recommendations. Looking at other tables, the food all looked amazing. At the end, we ordered the beef rib - with amazing crispy onions on top and a blue cheese mashed potato with the rib sandwiched in between. The rib is super tender. We also ordered the Inspire Burger with awesome flavours and fries. The taste was unique and it was super juicy. You could see the burger on a lot of the tables!! I think this is a relatively hip and modern fusion joint and would definitely recommend~ read more

Inspire Restaurant - Beef rib with mash potato and crispy onions - Asian Fusion Near Me - Markham, Ontario

I got hit with a sudden urge to go to Main Street Markham for some patio dining and Inspire was my first choice! I called around 4 and luckily they were able to still reserve a patio table for us for 5:30 on a Friday night. We started off with some drinks -- the Yuzu G&T ($10) and a mystery beer ($7). No complaints here! Their menu is small, but it wasn't an issue as I sometimes have a hard time choosing when the menu is too big. We ended up getting the Waff Out Loud and the Udon Carbonara. That Waff out loud was no joke -- it was huge! Half steak and half fried chicken with a thick layer of cheese on the waffle (which by the way was still crispy on the outside and soft on the inside). It was definitely a two person job to finish. The only issue I had with the steak was that I ordered it rare and it was definitely overcooked. ($26) Onto the udon carbonara - my boyfriend is not a fan of udon but he loved this dish. So many different flavours and textures and it's always fun to get to pop the runny quail egg yolk. It was well balanced and left us very satisfied. ($22) Service was also superb -- our water cups were always full, they checked in on us frequently but not to the point of it being overwhelming. A great experience for sure! read more

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Beautiful culinary experience - went during pandemic and felt very safe with distancing measures. Reservation is recommended because the restaurant can only seat 10, I believe.. We ordered the lobster roll (originally on the take-out menu but can also be ordered a la carte) and it was PHENOMENAL! The bread was hot and toasty, the lobster had other additions to it that reminded me a little bit of seafood salad, and it was a wonderful combination, the best thing I've eaten all year. We also had duck tacos, my partner loved them as he is a huge fan of tacos. They reminded me a little of peking duck. The taro chips really enhanced it for me. We ordered the INSP burger and Loco Moco as mains. I thought they would taste similar because of similar ingredients, but they were both quite different and both were very satisfying in their own ways. Would get both of these dishes again next time. A wonderful first dining experience of the year, cannot wait to be back! read more

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Location/Service - Along Main St Markham, a bit closer to 16th Ave - Street parking is available, there is also a small parking lot as well - but can get pretty busy during peak hours - Restaurant is about medium size, can probably accommodate large groups (best to reserve in advance) - Nice decor, everything inside has a darker tone, but consistent throughout - Staff were really nice and attentive. I like they kept making sure waters are filled (and it's water with lemon/mint!) Food - Appetizer: Lettuce Pray, which has Crisp Chicken + Bacon & Cheese + Tarragon Aioli + KBBQ + Icebreg/cucumber/carrots. Love the crunchiness of the lettuce and how it blends so well with the chicken. Chicken itself was soft to chew, juicy and packed with flavour on the palette - Main: INSP Loco Moco, which has Grade Prime Beef + Coconut Rice + Shiitake Demi + Crispy Onions + Shrimps + Taro + 2 Sunny Side Eggs. Very comforting food, a great mix of ingredients. The beef was done well, a bit tough to chew, but still good to taste. Quantity wise is perfect, and also shareable. I like how the eggs were incorporated, mixing with the onions and shiitake demi adds an extra kick to the rice. Absolutely loved this place! Couldn't believe I never tried it before. Heard their brunch menu is also amazing, would definitely come back and try. read more

I love taking people to Inspire, be it for a date, or for catching up (relatively quickly as they have a two hour time limit) with friends. The food is always delicious and the service has always been friendly every single time I've been here which definitely boosts the overall experience! Please ensure you make reservations before coming here though as their seating is extremely limited given how small of a restaurant it is. Prior to going here this time around, I emailed ahead of time for two reasons. The first reason was to make reservations! The second reason was to inquire about what vegetarian dishes they offered as I could only really see two or three listed on their website's menu. I'm quite glad I emailed to ask that because they mentioned options that weren't even listed on the menu: -Hanoi Greens -Napa Cobb Salads -Dr. Shroom Burger -Vegetarian Udon Carbonara -Vegetarian Peach Curry on Brown Rice [Vegetarian Udon Carbonara] $17 - this was something that my boyfriend ordered that isn't on their menu. I didn't try any of it as I was already pretty full just from looking at the platter they set in front of me. He assured me that the vegetarian udon was delicious but man, I'm sure nothing could top what I ordered! [Dr. Shroom Burger] $18 - this is a "burger" whose patty is crafted out of a mushroom/chickpea medley, as described on their website. It's also garnished with pickled ginger aioli, crispy enoki, and it comes served on a brioche bun! My goodness, I am salivating just at the thought of this burger despite the fact that it has literally been months since I sank my teeth into it. My favorite vegetarian burger used to be the one at Joey's but I'm pretty sure that this one has dethroned it, which I have to say, I never thought to be possible. I would 100% order this again despite the fact that my go-to dish here always used to be the regular Udon Carbonara. [Side Duck Confit Fries] +$5 - this is the best side you could possibly pay for at Inspire, unless of course, you don't eat meat. I love duck and having it shedded and mixed into fresh cut fries is something that dreams are made out of. It doesn't just stop at having duck on it though. The duck confit fries is also topped with a soy mayo, thai chilis, feta, and crispy onions! Like I said, service here is always phenomenal! I highly highly highly recommend you come here if you find yourself around Main Street Markham but please remember to make reservations before stopping in or you'll be disappointed if they turn you away due to a full reserved restaurant.... YUM read more

Inspire Restaurant - [Vegetarian Udon Carbonara] $17 - I heard it's pretty good for being a vegetarian version! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Markham, Ontario

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Back again last night to my fav restaurant outside the downtown core. As usual they spice things up with new additions to their menu including a salmon risotto which I could not resist. I needed to take a break from my fav salmon burger. Creamy yet perfectly al dents rice. Flavour bursts in your mouth. If I had the time to come every week I would. 5/5 My friend had the Hanoi greens salad and loved it. Perfect flavour with some crunch 5/5. Massive and filling salad. Can add any protein that you wish. We ended it off with a new dessert I have not seen before but it's kinda like an ice cream cone smashed into a Nutella waffle with banana chips , nuts etc. Sooooo good 5/5. As always, I'll be back ! read more

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This place always understands the assignment. Inspire is my favourite place to take people because I can count on the food to be good every single time. Food highlights: Inspire Burger - I have to stop myself from ordering this every single time because it is definitely indulgent. Easily the best gourmet burger I've ever had. 10/10 Chicken and Waffles - Best version of this dish I've ever had. Chicken is juicy and waffles are waffles. I'm not a jam person so the berry compote isn't really for me, but that hasn't stopped me from ordering and enjoying this dish on multiple occasions lol. 9/10 Drunken Crustaceans - Great little appetizer for dates. 8/10 Non-alcoholic drinks - These are awesome and no one has to worry about abstaining from alcohol or being the DD. 9/10 Prices: Prices have definitely increased over the years (I've been coming since 2016 when the Inspire Burger used to be ~$16 - it is now $20) but are still more than reasonable for the quality and portions you get. Value for money (re: entrées) is a 9/10 in my opinion. Pre-Covid Dining: Dining in here is always a great experience because the servers are attentive and the ambience of the restaurant is perfectly low-key in a way that suits any type of meal: family, casual, business, etc. The only downsides to dining in are that the place is rather small so tables are often in close proximity to each other, and getting reservations on the day of can be difficult. Covid Take-out: I've been to Inspire only once during the Covid-era to grab some take-out, and the process for ordering and picking up is smooth. You park your car at the entrance of the restaurant, and an employee will meet you with your food + machine to pay. Food is packaged thoughtfully and carefully, but still nothing beats dining in :-( Overall, I would say that Inspire is one of my favourite restaurants. I have endless great things to say about it, while the biggest downside for me is the difficulty of getting a reservation last-minute. You should come here. Or don't - so I can get a table. read more

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Had been wanting to come here for some time. Told my friend this place had amazing reviews so he came too! Made reservations as suggested. When I called, they only had the bar left. Upon walking in, there were 3-4 tables empty. I asked if we could be seated at a table, but they were all booked! Started off with the duck fries because upon reading reviews, it's a must. However, we did not like it. Since the fries come in a ball, they're soggy. I also dislike how they're thin but brown (like well overcooked instead of a perfect golden). The fries were just not good... The toppings on it were good. We both agreed that they should have put more sauce since that was really the best part. Also the duck in the center was not oily/greasy like duck usually is so that was a pleasant surprise. Our suggestion to those getting the duck fries: mix before eating. All the yummy stuff is on top, and a dense ball of duck meat is in the center. I got the INSP loco moco. I was expecting the beef to be a steak like cut but it was like a hamburger patty. A plain, dense/lean, and burnt hamburger patty. I felt as if there was no seasoning at all in it and did not enjoy the char, texture, or anything about it at all. I wish it wasn't there but it was supposed to be the star of the dish??? Aside from that, the rice underneath was soooo good. I loved how juicy the shitake mushrooms were. The flavour of the sauce was smooth, complex, and rich in flavour. I really enjoyed that. I also liked the crunchy taro chips on top! It was unique and a great compliment to the creamy rice. The shrimp were also huge and juicy! My friend got the udon carbobara which I got to try. The noodles were thick and wonderfully cooked. The creamy sauce held each noodle well, making it very flavourful. I would choose this dish over mine and say it was the best one we got. Even though I came in really hungry, the food filled me up quickly. I took a lot of leftovers home. The portions are large and I found the price to be quite fair for the quality! I would come again on a special occasion to try other dishes. They also have a dessert menu but I didn't take a look. The cucumber infused water is better than lemon! read more

Inspire Restaurant - Duck fries - Asian Fusion Near Me - Markham, Ontario

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This is a solid fusion restaurant. I love the twist they pull for normal dishes. A friend and I went here on a weekday for brunch and were both left happily full and satisfied with our visit. We ordered the INSP burger with duck frites and the loco moco. Both dishes were well prepared with good flavour and I think we would both definitely have the two dishes again in the future. Can't wait to try some of the other options on the menu next time I'm here. Ambiance in the restaurant in nice, nice decor and atmosphere. Service for us was quick -I have no complaints. Would definitely recommend this place if you're in the area read more

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Had REALLY high expectations of this place.. Heard it was amazing. Heard it was hard to get a table. Heard it was soo worth the money...I guess it just didn't live up to expectations. Went for Sunday lunch and it wasn't busy at all, so easy to grab a table. I got the inspire burger with pulled pork fries ($20). Sad but true, the fries were way better than the burger! The burger was average. The pork belly was just way to squishy and hard to eat, and the fried egg was poorly cooked. Although, the fries were amazing! Pulled pork was super crispy, fries had amazing sauce drizzled over it, and it definitely made the meal. As for decor, A+! Super cute on the inside for such as small place and servers were all super friendly. Overall...didn't measure up to the hype, but I heard the chicken and waffles were good, so might return eventually to try that! read more

Inspire Restaurant - Inspire burger with pulled pork frites $20 - Asian Fusion Near Me - Markham, Ontario

Came here with a party of 4 on Saturday for brunch. Amongst us, we ordered 2 corn pancakes, an egg benny, chicken & waffle and a pull pork poutine to share. The portions were really big! We all have pretty big appetites, but we struggled to finish the food. Portion-wise, a dish per person is more than enough food. Out of all the dishes, my favourite was actually the pulled pork fries. The subtle BBQ pulled pork flavour complemented the creamy aioli. There was an interesting addition to what I think were cucumber shreds. It helped cut the greasiness of the dish. I got the cornmeal pancake for my main. I have to say, I was a bit disappointed at the dish. It looks impressive, but the texture and taste was lacking. The pancakes were dry and quite dense. I think they can improve the dish by poaching the eggs instead of scrambling them. The salmon was quite fishy...The pork belly slice was decent. I would suggest they omit the salmon and put another slice of pork belly in the dish. I got to try the chicken and waffles too. Like what the other reviewers have mentioned the waffle was soggy. It seems like their batter contains too much moisture and they did not let the waffle air out on a cooling rack before serving. On the other hand, I enjoyed the fried chicken. It was flavorful and the meat was juicy. Since it is quite a far drive for me and the food is just average, I don't think I will be coming back anytime soon. read more

Inspire Restaurant - Salmon, pork belly pancake! Would recommend to ask if the egg can be poached instead to reduce the dryness of the pancakes. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Markham, Ontario

We ordered the restaurant's Mother's Day Brunch for take out - 4 dishes from their special menu for $75 as advertised on their Instagram. I would rate the food a 3.5/5 stars but my review for this restaurant is 4/5 as my previous experience dining here was a positive one. We called the restaurant the night before to place an order, they texted me a receipt and I etransfered payment to them (a little strange lol). We got: 1. Smashed sausage egg Benedict - this was very yummy surprisingly as takeout. The poached eggs were soft and runny despite being in the box and the tater tots were super crispy. 2. Crab, eggs, guac toast - generous portion of crab in the form of cut up spring rolls on avocado toast. 3. Tempora hot honey hen - this was my least favourite dish. The batter that they used to deep fry the hen was flavourful and crispy but the meat itself was verrryyy dry. The corn bread underneath made up for the chicken. 4. Avocado quinoa salad - this was alright. The dressing was lemony and refreshing but we didn't really enjoy the beets (and there were a lot). The deep fried avocado was interesting. There was a hefty portion of quinoa so very filling. The dishes were big enough to be divided into 4 portions and we were all pretty satiated after the meal. For $75, this was worth it considering Inspire's menu can be $$$. read more

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Today is Valentine's Day 2018. Though not a romantic at heart, I've decided to write some reviews today. Particularly, spots that I view as probably the hot bed of activities on Valentines. If by chance you are a hapless romantic and should you be reading this today, you're probably out of luck! Most places would have overbooked-itis. Some might say I should have written this sooner but that would defeat this as a Valentine's day 2018 review. Catch 22 my friends. Inspire seems to be a very popular place for many. I have been meaning to go for years, but it's a little out of the way for me. From what I know, Chef John Hoy Ouk (from my days at Marlowe) opened it and I wanted to try it. From day one, the reviews have flooded in, as their Chicken and Waffles, Inspire Burger, Duck Confit Fries, Udon Carbonara, and other clever menu items, garnered excellent write ups. Having an evening free and coming back from the east end of town, I decided I must try this place. I was recommended to get a reservation. I did, and for those who didn't - the restaurant was not that busy at 6PM. You can guess that on a Tuesday night with bargain movie dating that they won't fill up until about 7PM onwards. Dinner was Chicken and Waffles, Inspire Burger, and some wine. I had a small piece of the chicken and it was ridiculously infused with sweet flavours but remained crispy. The Burger was piled high and I had to deconstruct it a bit to make it worth eating without embarrassing oneself. Really messy to eat, but packed with flavours. Both dishes are a large size so I would encourage sharing of the meals. Perhaps some of you will have a "Lady and a Tramp" moment with the Udon! The restaurant is small and cozy. Decor is nice and a pleasant place to have a meal - whatever the occasion. Plenty of parking in the lot - depending on what time you get there. Watch for the hours of operations. If you are coming for dinner, expect the doors to remain locked until 6PM. That was a bit of an unexpected lack in customer service, as people waited outside in the cold. I was entertained by watching and listening to the cooks who were "smokin'something" at the side of the building. Cheers! read more

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Side parking is limited but there is ample room at the rear. In my opinion, the curtain/drapery at the front door and within the entrance...Kind of tacky. Why have it there? You can do without it. Inside decor was meh. It didn't provide me with that "oh wow" impression. I don't know what I felt with them fancy modern lightbulbs hanging overhead and that kind of "ugh" red on the walls. Service-wise was fairly good. Smiling, friendly servers take your orders, bring your food out in a timely manner, fill your glasses with H2O. No complaints there. Food...Not bad but I've had better. Portions can be small, especially with the salad dishes. The taste is satisfactory but again...no true "wow" factor hit me. In conclusion...A bit overpriced for what you ask for, but if one is in the neighbourhood, support your local businesses and try out INSPIRE. It may not inspire me to be back (pardon the pun), but it may differ for others. Cheerio for now. read more

Came on a Saturday night for dinner. The restaurant is pretty small so reservations are strongly encouraged. Everything looked tasty on the menu, but on the server's recommendation I ordered the short ribs with mushrooms. And as a starter, split a Taro Tots. The Tots were these crispy fried balls of Taro (I think), topped with cheese, chilies and dried cranberries, and with a mayo sauce. Textures were great, and the taste was good. The short ribs came topped with fried shredded potato and over some mashed potatoes. Once again the contrast of textures was well done. The dish was very infused with the mushroom flavours. Maybe wish there was just a bit more actual short rib. Prices were reasonable, and service was great. Very friendly and checked up on us multiple times. read more

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Finally! A fusion restaurant that does it right! Inspire puts a unique twist on food classics and incorporates Asian elements to bring acidity, sweetness and spice to heavy and rich dishes. To start off, we got the duck tacos. With duck confit, orange salsa, jicama salad, duck egg curried mayo, and feta cheese. Everything was very balanced and this was the perfect appetizer - food that makes you want to eat more. I got the chicken and waffles. Very crispy, and juicy on the inside with soft waffles to provide the perfect delivery for the chicken. The chicken is seasoned similar to a way Taiwanese popcorn chicken is seasoned. I think it's white pepper, and it adds a whole other dimension to the fried chicken. They also sprinkle on pieces of pomegranate seed and pieces of fried basil. They also include maple syrup as well as a berry compote to balance out the dish. Another dish I got was the inspire burger. I'm not a big burger guy, but with this one I make an exception. It hearty, it's fatty and it's so worth it. They use high quality beef, an over easy egg, seared pork belly, American cheddar, and tarragon aioli. It's the perfect combination of decadence and tang. Would definitely recommend it if it's your first time here. You can also upgrade the fries to pull pork fries which is something I suggest you do. You WILL NOT be disappointed. Overall, Inspire makes great food as they understand the balance of flavours tremendously well. Everything that I've had was done well, never too salty, spicy, fatty or overbearing. The place is pretty small, so if you do decide to come here, make sure you make a reservation ahead of time. read more

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Inspiring Taste Buds Everywhere !!! On this night we got the FoodCrew together to head into Inspire Restaurant In Markham Village!! It was most of the group's first time there and luckily we made reservations way before we went as this is a local hotspot that is super busy on weekends. The place has very trendy and inspiring decor, with a great colour scheme that really matches the food. Our servers were awesome as many come to our table during our visit. The kids ordered first and got handmade beef patties on fresh buns with a mountain of hand-cut fries ( I had to help them eat some ). I started with their popular and beautiful take on tacos, the Duck Tacos made with Duck Confit, Jicama Orange Salsa, Duck Egg Curried Mayo, Feta and served on Flour Tortillas!! Man O Man were those good!! Next up were the mains, we ordered the Simply Short Ribs with two Potatoes a very well made and presented take on short ribs made with Blue Cheese, a Shiitake Demi glaze, Spinach Truffle Mash covered in Potato Strings and served with Sweet Corn. Talk about tender, those short ribs were amazing !! For my main course, I had the Famous Shitaki Udon Carbonara made with Spicy Italian Sausage, Braised Beef, Creamy Shiitake sauce, Seasonal Mushrooms, with Parm and topped with Quail Egg!! Now hear this folks!!! It's bigger than it looks and a real filler, I had to take some of this home after.. oh yeah, did I mention how good it was?? If you are looking for great, creative cookin' and looking to be inspired, Inspire is the place to go!! read more

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