Tag: Sun’s Kitchen

Quick Bites: Sun’s Kitchen, Bei Wei Ju Dumpling House, Perkins

Published on by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Noodles with Spicy Pork from Sun's Kitchen
Noodles with Spicy Pork from Sun’s Kitchen

Sun’s Kitchen is (was?) my favourite restaurant in the Pacific Mall food court, but sadly, it seems that they’ve gone downhill.  I pretty much always order the same thing here (noodles with spicy pork), and mostly, it was just as tasty as ever.  But the real attraction of this place are the delightfully chewy noodles that they hand-pull on site, and on this particular visit they were shockingly mushy.  My dining companion said he had the same experience a few months ago, so I’m not even sure if this was a one-time mistake.  They’ve also stopped serving the soup and soy milk that used to come on the side (and the bowl now comes with an egg), so I wonder if there was a change of ownership.  Either way, I can’t imagine I’ll be back anytime soon, sadly.

Crispy shrimp and pork dumplings from Bei Wei Ju Dumpling House
Crispy shrimp and pork dumplings from Bei Wei Ju Dumpling House

Speaking of the Pacific Mall, I also tried these fried dumplings from Bei Wei Ju Dumpling House, and they were quite satisfying.  The filling could have been a bit more generous (there was a marble-sized ball of meat in the centre of each dumpling, which was otherwise all wrapper), but the exterior had a nice balance of chewiness and crispiness, and the whole thing was very tasty.

Southern Fried Chicken Biscuit Breakfast from Perkins
Southern Fried Chicken Biscuit Breakfast from Perkins

I was actually pretty excited to try Perkins, an American chain with a menu that reminds me of places like Bob Evans and Cracker Barrel (both of which have zero locations in Canada, sadly).  I ordered the Southern Fried Chicken Biscuit Breakfast, and while the whole thing wasn’t unpleasant to eat, I think I could have had roughly the same experience (at a fraction of the price) by going to the supermarket and buying a Hungry Man dinner.

Chewy, Hand-Pulled Noodles at Sun’s Kitchen

Published on by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Sun's KitchenLocation: 4300 Steeles Avenue East, Markham (inside Pacific Mall)
Website: None

There are few things that are more satisfying than a really good bowl of chewy, hand-made noodles.  And Sun’s Kitchen in the Pacific Mall definitely knows how to do it.

If you come at the right time, you can see the noodle maker doing his thing; he pulls the dough again and again and again until a thick piece becomes a handful of noodles, almost as if by magic.  It’s the work of a man who has clearly spent years mastering his craft, and it’s a sight that’s as hypnotic as it is impressive.

Sun's Kitchen

I’ve been here at least a dozen times, and I order the same thing every time: noodles with spicy pork.  I’m occasionally tempted to order something else, but the spicy pork is so damn good, and I don’t come here enough to mess around.

It’s an exceptionally simple dish; it’s just spicy ground pork, a whole bunch of noodles, and some sliced cucumber to cut the richness and the heat of the pork.

It’s outstanding.  The pork is salty, spicy, and intense.  It’s the perfect foil for the amazingly chewy noodles.

It comes with a cup of sweet, citrusy soy milk.  I didn’t like it at first, but now I can’t get enough.  It also comes with a bowl of bland soup that I’m not crazy about.  I keep meaning to tell them to hold the soup, but I always forget.