“ MAPLE’S KITCHEN, Brimley & 14th Ave, Markham “ - Reincarnation of GTA’s defunct iconic Cantonese stir-fry specialist - ‘Maple Yip‘.
Decades ago, one of my first ‘ Chowmeet ‘ was organized at the highly acclaimed and universally acknowledged GTA’s best Cantonese Wok-Hay stri-fred specialist - Maple Yip!
Sadly, the chef/owner decided to retire a few years ago with a timely push from COVID!
Through my brother-in-law as well as posting from fellow fraternity member - Ray T, I got wind of the long anticipated re-opening of this GTA institution. Tonight, my family and I decided to brave the inclement weather and make a long trek east to the far end of Markham to try out this newly resurrected culinary old favorite!
Compared to the old, semi run-down, pseudo-hole-in-the-wall Maple Yip, this newly renamed ‘ Maple’s Kitchen ‘, with its brightly lit, minimalist design and airy front of house is a welcoming change. As in the past, owner Mable was overlooking the operation at her regular elevated cashier front desk. The wait staff, a few familiar and friendly faces.
Our party tried out the following dishes from the a la carte menu. Apart from retaining a few of their old house specialties, quite a few newer, contemporary dishes were added.
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Complimentary soup-of-the-day ( Pork shank and bones, chicken feet and black eye beans )
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Fried jumbo oyster with honey glaze ( Superb! Crunchy and juicy interior. Perfectly cooked and perfectly glazed! )
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Sweet and Sour pork ( Nice and crunchy. The sauce, spot-on, not overly tart. Still one of the best rendition in town )
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Pan fried Tiger prawns with Maggi sauce ( Well executed! Crispy, edible shell and crunchy meat )
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Stir fried sliced beef with Gai Lan ( Loaded with smoky wok-hay and nicely seasoned )
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Double cooked braised pork belly with preserved mustard greens. ( This used to be one of their must-order house special dishes. Sadly, the standard and quality of this current version has slipped. The flavour less concentrated, the cut of meat way too thick and lacked tenderness. IMO, a flop! Sorry! )
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Stir fried BC Clams with black bean sauce ( A half-hearted effort with ho-hum results. Lacking in taste complexity and wok-hay )
Overall, the meal was acceptable, nicely executed and enjoyable. Plating was more refined and elevated than before. Pricing was also fair and good value. Service was most friendly. Sadly, there were some unexpected misses……a result, based on past experiences, was disappointing and not anticipated.
