For takeout: Sio pao…read moretranslates from Tagalog as "hot bun" and are essentially big fluffy baos filled with a sweet and savoury filling made with pork ($12.75 for 6 buns) or chicken ($14 for 6 buns). Both have the meat cut in large chunks and are tender and flavourful thanks to the asado glaze. The sauce isn't as sweet as what's found in Chinese barbeque pork buns, but it also doesn't need to be as flavourful as the bread, despite the bun's size, is also thinner - especially the bottom, it almost melts into the sauce. Slice into them and you'll see there's also half a hard-boiled egg in the middle. This isn't traditional, rather a twist Lovely Pao made to their recipe. In fact, the business started off as a way to make ends meet, when the owner was unemployed and facing financial difficulties. She made the buns in her kitchen, selling them to friends and family, and worked at perfecting the recipe. Instead of making them too runny, she offered a thicker sauce on the side for people to add themselves.

Teensy casual spot around Wilson to pick up Filipino food…read more The pork siopao is quite big -- each contains half a boiled egg and plenty of savoury, slightly sweet yummy filling. They also serve a variety of hot food, like lomi and lechon. Not sure if I find it to be good value, but there is always a good stream of customers coming through the door. I've picked up their buns a few times and also have gotten Too Good To Go. It wasn't the best experience, as nothing was explained, and some buns (not the siopao) had mold. Parking is okay. Not that many spots, but you'll usually be able to find a spot. Service is fast. Not particularly friendly, unless you are a regular, it seems. That's okay. There are few tables inside, so you can either get takeout or choose to eat in.

They discontinued the roasted pork banh mi so I opted for the classic. The baguette is soft and…read morecrispy and the banh mi itself reminds me a lot of Vietnam. I loved the pickled veg and cilantro. I also ordered a matcha latte, and have to say I was disappointed. The quality of the matcha was just not up to par (you could probably tell by the color of the drink too -- it's not the kind of vibrant, dark green that you hope for). It was grassy, bitter, and overly diluted. I've had my fair share of matcha lattes in Japan, so may be more of a harsher critic than the average person. My friend enjoyed her iced tea though! I would totally go back and try other items on their menu, especially the Vietnamese coffee drinks.

Le Pearl Coffee & Banh Mi is located along Toronto St. between Adelaide and King where the small…read moreshop serves up bahn mis and drinks (coffee, tea, and fruit drinks). The shop is take out only where there is also a small selection of snacks for purchase as well. They open from Mon to Sat where they are closed Sunday. I stopped by Le Pearl Coffee & Banh Mi on a Sat around lunch time. The store was pretty quiet considering that there was quite a bit of snow. I assume they are busier during the weekdays due to it's location in the downtown core. There was an older gentleman there and he made everything I ordered fresh. I opted for an iced Vietnamese coffee as well as a lemongrass chicken banh mi (they were sold out of the beef option). Service was friendly. I sipped on my coffee while heading home. The coffee was made well, not the strongest Vietnamese coffee I've had in the city but it was still pretty good. I had the banh mi at home. The lemongrass chicken flavour was great along with the pickled veggies in the sandwich. The only thing that could be improved upon was the baguette - if it was toasted it would bring the banh mi to the next level. Overall, a decent place for Vietnamese coffee and banh mis in the downtown core!

The restaurant was cute with Tibetan art and fabrics. The service was great. The wait staff was…read morefriendly and helpful. The food was delicious. I ordered Pan Fried Pork Momos and the Shambhala Kitchen Special Chicken appetizer. My buddy ordered Pork Fried Rice. Everything was yummy. Would definitely come again.

Cool little hole-in-the-wall spot that really feels like a hidden gem and worth supporting as a…read morelocal business. First time trying Tibetan & Himalayan cuisine, and it was a really interesting experience. I usually lean more toward other Asian and Southeast Asian flavours, so this was a nice change of pace rather than my usual go-to. Overall, the food and vibe made for a solid visit--unpretentious, authentic, and clearly a place that puts care into what they do. Glad I checked it out and would recommend it if you're looking to try something different.

Been going here for quite some time now so it's about time I review it properly and give this gem…read moreof a restaurant the recognition they deserve! What better way to start of 2022 am I right ?! Norling has some of the best momos Toronto has to offer and their food really does remind me of home. While I can't go visit Calcutta right now I can still hit up Parkdale for a little trip down memory lane for sure! Pictured here is my go to order whenever I visit: - Steamed beef momos - Pan fried chicken momos - Deep fried amdo momos All 3 types are sure to satisfy everyone's preferences, they're all SUPER juicy and delicious! I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for authentic momos. They also have a full Tibetan and Hakka style menu with many other items to try other than their momos, I've tried their gyuma before as well and licked my fingers (no joke). Gyuma is Tibetan style blood sausage and oh so yummy! Their prices are very reasonable and quantity is exceptional, definitely my kind of place. Check them out y'all :)

My second time here, and this time it was because the nearby Himalayan Kitchen was full with at…read moreleast a 45 minute wait. Unfortunately, Norling was a disappointment. It was relatively quiet - quieter than the last time I was here, which was mid week evening, around the same time (7ish). The yellow laphing was spicy, and tasty, and something we hadn't had before. The beef steamed momos were juicy and really bursting with flavour despite the simplicity. The sizzling chicken plate was really disappointing - bland with rubbery chicken. While the service was pleasant, and the menu felt more authentic than the nearby momo places; it was still disappointing.

Very wallet-friendly lunch option…read more They offer various veg options here. I like how they have various chaats as well - nice way to add a little extra snack to your meal. Samosa was big and came with a sweet chutney; it's also decently spicy! My only gripe is the amount of "stuff" that they give you for the curries. The Shahi Paneer scoop had maybe 3 tiny dice-sized cubes of paneer in that entire meal. Same goes with the paneer tikka - most of it was onions/other veggies. Takeout packaging is great! No spillage.

A1 Sweets and Restaurant serves quick takeaway for your family's meals. Their line up queue was…read morewell organized with a hand sanitizer station upon arrival. It feels spacious inside. Very good lineup system. After ordering Chana Bhatura for takeaway, and carrying it home to eat, I was glad that they provided a very decent takeout container. It was black plastic with a transparent cover, divided into 3 parts, and they even wrapped the Bhatura with paper napkins to blot the oil from deep frying. Bhatura was a bit too oily even with the napkin to absorb the oil. Normally this is not the case but perhaps to save time they did not drip dry the oil before packing the takeout container. Will try to order again another day to give them a chance to improve upon this small detail. Otherwise it is a very decent portion size and looks okay. Chana was just okay not very flavourful and it was watery consistency, not given enough cooking time to thicken or absorb spices. At least they provide Pickles, green chilies, sliced purple onions, the Aloo potatoes were spiced with red chilies and flavourful. Note that the sign outside advertises a Chana Bhatura Special on Wednesdays for $3.99!

The food and service were both excellent. The taste profile of the food was very different from the…read moreregular Punjabi food restaurants. I asked the waitress Sandeep about it and she told me that they have a very good chef.

**Extremely Disappointing Customer Service Experience!**…read more We were waiting for our takeout order, and as it was taking longer than expected, my husband, who was very hungry after coming from a medical appointment, purchased Raj Kachori to eat while we waited. He tried to sit at an empty table, but the waitress told him he could not sit there and eat. Instead of apologizing or handling the situation courteously, a group of waitresses began saying that the prices for takeout orders were different. The way this situation was handled was extremely disappointing and left us feeling unwelcome. We are vegetarians, and this restaurant used to be our go-to place. I have also recommended it to many of our friends and family, but after this experience, we will no longer be returning or recommending it to others. Good customer service is just as important as good food, and unfortunately, this experience fell far short of our expectations.

Ginger is an authentic Vietnamese restaurant that's been around town since 1998…read more The quality of the food has largely remained the same over the years. Good place to visit if you're looking for authentic Vietnamese cuisine.

This is one of the 3 locations in Toronto in the heart of the village beside Second Cup…read more Food (3.75/5) - had the steamed chicken Pho. It was pretty decent... broth had some flavour, portion size and meat size was standard, noodles ok... probably came from frozen as some were stuck together. Nothing wrong with it overall... pretty standard and reasonable. Interesting they had some other cuisines on the menu including Indian and other food. Service (4/5) - fairly quick turnaround on the food. You order at front when you walk in and then they bring to your table. Not a place they will come check in on you much since they are behind counter more. Atmosphere (2.75/5) - it definitely is on the grubby side... both the front area, tables and washrooms. Could use some updating and bit more cleaning imo. Overall (3.5/5) - it wasn't bad and a reasonable place to grab a bite if in the area but nothing stands out.

Café de paan is one of those hidden gems of Scarborough serving authentic food in a vibe that will…read moreremind you of home. Whilst the interior is small, there is plenty of seating for what is essentially a snack bar, and definitely somewhere I could see myself spending an evening with friends over a good bite. But I'm not here to talk about that, I'm here to talk about the food!!! The food is incredible. From the tangy Pani Puri/gol gappe, mouthwatering bhel Puri and "chatpata" chaat, there's really something for everyone! Super flavourful and authentic, with tastes that'll remind you of home. Their paan is definitely the best paan I've ever had here in Canada, and made with love and fast service each time! Whilst it does get quite busy especially later into the night, it's definitely worth waiting for these treats. And if you want a proper immersive experience, there's so many snacks like chili Mili sweets and parle G cookies as well as Masala Lays Chips that will really take you back! One to visit for sure!

Medium spice Bombay sandwich chicken is AMAZING. Must eat when going there. Very popular so it…read moretakes around 15 mins to prepare food for 2-3 people. Kind of cramped space but good for groups of 4-6, very good paan, many options. Price could be a bit lower, but very good quality food.