I drove through two plazas before I could find this place.
First it was Times Square, and then the one directly adjacent to it. All of sudden, common sense returned, and I realized that I had turned too early, and that Commerce Gate was on the south side of Highway 7. (Goodness me.)
As with all Markham plazas during the weekend lunchtime rush, parking wasn't exactly abundant. Thankfully, we happened to encounter two families leaving the establishment soon after turning in.
First it was Times Square, and then the one directly adjacent to it. All of sudden, common sense returned, and I realized that I had turned too early, and that Commerce Gate was on the south side of Highway 7. (Goodness me.)
As with all Markham plazas during the weekend lunchtime rush, parking wasn't exactly abundant. Thankfully, we happened to encounter two families leaving the establishment soon after turning in.
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Consequently acquired from Insta-searches, Grand Noodle offered customizable noodle bowls in addition to a particularly popular series of baked cutlets served on top rice. These carb-heavy dishes have appropriately earned the name "Submarine", likely due to their oblong appearance.
The restaurant was a casual Chinese eatery that also offered several cha-chan-teng - style items. Due to its similar nature to Cattle Cafe, I shall be making direct comparisons between the two. (Yelpers had remarked on a lack of distinguishing features between Grand Noodle and Deer Garden Signatures, another build-your-own-noodle spot which happens to be located directly across, though I have yet to try this nearby competitor and likely will not make plans to do so in the near future.)
The restaurant was a casual Chinese eatery that also offered several cha-chan-teng - style items. Due to its similar nature to Cattle Cafe, I shall be making direct comparisons between the two. (Yelpers had remarked on a lack of distinguishing features between Grand Noodle and Deer Garden Signatures, another build-your-own-noodle spot which happens to be located directly across, though I have yet to try this nearby competitor and likely will not make plans to do so in the near future.)
We were seated immediately upon entering and, much to my contentment, seated in a booth with an optimal amount of diffused natural lighting. Not a single one of the three servers on the floor decided to approach us to explain the ordering system to us first-timers, though the menus/placemats were pretty much self-explanatory.
Labelled one through four, the noodle order form allowed customers to select their preferred choice of: soup base, noodle variety, two complimentary toppings, and the option of adding "premium" toppings or adding a drink to create a combo. The selection was grand, and thus allowed for endless combinations to be made. (Find the full menu here.) Alternatively, one could opt of ordering noodles entirely and munch in the direction of rice plates, simple sandwiches, or snacks such as garlic fries or rice rolls.
Labelled one through four, the noodle order form allowed customers to select their preferred choice of: soup base, noodle variety, two complimentary toppings, and the option of adding "premium" toppings or adding a drink to create a combo. The selection was grand, and thus allowed for endless combinations to be made. (Find the full menu here.) Alternatively, one could opt of ordering noodles entirely and munch in the direction of rice plates, simple sandwiches, or snacks such as garlic fries or rice rolls.
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I swiftly placed Xs on my order form: Signature Pork Bone Soup, Spinach Noodles, and Beef Brisket and Fish Tofu for toppings. Having a cold drink with the combo would result in an additional dollar, while specialty drinks (for example, Matcha Red Bean Slush) were two dollars instead of their regular $3.95.
Hong Kong Milk Tea is a tricky drink to produce properly, but seeing that Cattle Cafe had exceeded expectations, I decided to try out Grand Noodle's ice-less version.
Hong Kong Milk Tea is a tricky drink to produce properly, but seeing that Cattle Cafe had exceeded expectations, I decided to try out Grand Noodle's ice-less version.
Majority of the restaurant had already filled up at the time of our arrival, but service remained as speedy as another Chinese eatery.
View the full album HERE !
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Another customized bowl consisting of Chicken Soup, Spinach Noodles, and Enoki Mushrooms and Beef Slices was also ordered; accompanying it was a hot Hong Kong Milk Tea
The milk teas arrived first. Great when paired with the restaurant's noodle dishes, they were relatively average on their own. The ice-less version of the drink was served in a plastic cup nestled in a shallow pan of finely crushed ice; no ice cubes had been placed into the cup itself, which led me to question how the drink would remain chilled throughout the meal. I discovered the answer to my questions towards the end of the meal, where I witnessed one of the servers place several pre-made cups of milk tea (already poured into the plastic cups) into the refridgerator.
Grand Noodle's Hong Kong Milk Tea was sweet and milky, exhibiting faint hints of black tea. While the ice-less version was a tad sweeter than the hot variation, both had evidently been concocted using milk powder (also known as creamer), a synthetic ingredient found excessively in bubble tea shops. Needless to say, I dread both the sound and taste of this substance and preach the usage of real milk - be it soy or low-fat dairy - in beverages.
Cattle Cafe's ice-less milk tea had been served in a glass milk jug floated atop small chunks of crushed ice, enabling it to remain well-chilled at all times (even though the bowl did take up a good chunk of table space). It was also more pleasing flavour-wise, as it boasted a much more aromatic tea base and wasn't nearly as un-authentically creamy as Grand Noodle's version.
Grand Noodle's Hong Kong Milk Tea was sweet and milky, exhibiting faint hints of black tea. While the ice-less version was a tad sweeter than the hot variation, both had evidently been concocted using milk powder (also known as creamer), a synthetic ingredient found excessively in bubble tea shops. Needless to say, I dread both the sound and taste of this substance and preach the usage of real milk - be it soy or low-fat dairy - in beverages.
Cattle Cafe's ice-less milk tea had been served in a glass milk jug floated atop small chunks of crushed ice, enabling it to remain well-chilled at all times (even though the bowl did take up a good chunk of table space). It was also more pleasing flavour-wise, as it boasted a much more aromatic tea base and wasn't nearly as un-authentically creamy as Grand Noodle's version.
The noodle bowls, on the other hand, were unexpectedly great! Neither bowls were exceedingly MSG-heavy (thank goodness), but maintained a decent depth of flavour all the same.
Selecting the Signature Pork Bone Soup had definitely been a most informed decision - it complimented the chewy Spinach Noodles and fluffy Fish Tofu nicely; the Beef Brisket was amazingly tender as well.
The second bowl was a little less impressive: the Chicken Soup had undoubtedly been derived from a can - Swanson's Chicken Broth if I'm not mistaken, the beef slices were a tad over-tenderized, and the enoki mushrooms were somewhat sticky.
Nonetheless, the portions were generous and definitely satisfying lunch options - Grand Noodle succeeds Cattle Cafe in this aspect!
Selecting the Signature Pork Bone Soup had definitely been a most informed decision - it complimented the chewy Spinach Noodles and fluffy Fish Tofu nicely; the Beef Brisket was amazingly tender as well.
The second bowl was a little less impressive: the Chicken Soup had undoubtedly been derived from a can - Swanson's Chicken Broth if I'm not mistaken, the beef slices were a tad over-tenderized, and the enoki mushrooms were somewhat sticky.
Nonetheless, the portions were generous and definitely satisfying lunch options - Grand Noodle succeeds Cattle Cafe in this aspect!
I would also like to commend the friendly waitstaff: they were willing to respond to customer requests and maintained approachable demeanours despite the tumultuous environment. This was a nice change in contrast to Cattle Cafe's aloof, less-than-proper attitude.
My last word of note would be regarding their washrooms: only one stall is available for each gender, which means that wait times can be long during peak hours. At the same time, malfunctioning equipment will not be fixed when high traffic is being experienced - this means that the restaurant could well be out of accessible stalls for some several hours.
A budget-friendly find at the Western end of Markham, Grand Noodle is a place I can definitely envision myself making numerous re-visits to. (Though perhaps I'll steer clear of the slightly saddening milk tea next time...)
Prior to heading back, we stopped over at Wooffles & Cream.
My last word of note would be regarding their washrooms: only one stall is available for each gender, which means that wait times can be long during peak hours. At the same time, malfunctioning equipment will not be fixed when high traffic is being experienced - this means that the restaurant could well be out of accessible stalls for some several hours.
A budget-friendly find at the Western end of Markham, Grand Noodle is a place I can definitely envision myself making numerous re-visits to. (Though perhaps I'll steer clear of the slightly saddening milk tea next time...)
Prior to heading back, we stopped over at Wooffles & Cream.
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< Pictured above: Coconut 'n' Sticky Rice Cake Wooffle w/ Green Tea-Vanilla Twist Soft Serve + Lap Cheong 'n' Seaweed Wooffle w/ Green Tea Soft Serve >
Along with the ultimate fan favourite (aka Lap Cheong 'n' Seaweed), I also decided to give their newly-released Coconut 'n' Sticky Rice Wooffle a go.
Introduced just in time for Chinese New Year (come to me, red envelopes!), this creation comprises of toasted shredded coconut and sticky rice cake (better known as "nian gao / 年糕) embedded between consistently crispy/fluffy layers of their signature egg waffles. I must admit: carbs on carbs - or rather, carbs in carbs - have never tasted so good before.
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The last stop of the day was Pacific Mall to pick up a few Korean beauty products. (Note to self: Never go to P-Mall after 12 pm unless you want to encounter a parking nightmare.)
Heading back to Mississauga, I picked up a meal from the Basil Box for dinner.
The box-Thai Iced Tea-Trail Mix trio was graciously provided to me by the Basil Box as a result of a concise, candid review I had revealed on this space several months prior.
Venturing into new, spicier heights, I decided to challenge my taste buds with a layered box of rice noodles, sweet potatoes, peppers, and lime juice-enhanced shrimp immersed in a mixture of their Sweet Chili Lime and Penang Curry sauces. I was breathing fire within a few bites, though that didn't stop me from devouring the remainder of the box. And of course, the Thai Iced Tea had been once again made to perfection.
Venturing into new, spicier heights, I decided to challenge my taste buds with a layered box of rice noodles, sweet potatoes, peppers, and lime juice-enhanced shrimp immersed in a mixture of their Sweet Chili Lime and Penang Curry sauces. I was breathing fire within a few bites, though that didn't stop me from devouring the remainder of the box. And of course, the Thai Iced Tea had been once again made to perfection.
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The next morning, I opened the Trail Mix and indulged in the package like granola. Peanuts, pumpkin seeds, dried papaya, crispy coconut flakes, and bits of crystallized ginger formed a perfect salty-sweet harmony. As with the Thai Iced Tea, the several handfuls-worth of yummy goodness disappeared before I knew it.
Thank you again, Basil Box!
Countdown to CNY: 2 weeks!!
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