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Federick Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Chinese Restaurants Indian Chinese, Indian
1920 Ellesmere RdScarborough, ON M1H 2V6
Neighbourhood: Scarborough
(416) 439-9234
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 11 pm
Sun 4 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
21 reviews for Federick Restaurant
Review Highlights
"Their most popular dish if chili chicken."
(in 11 reviews)
"...are in Scarborough and like Hakka Chinese -- def worth a..."
(in 10 reviews)
"This place rivals Lin Garden for awfulness."
(in 2 reviews)
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21 reviews in English
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Review from Josephine C.
Markham, ON
2/9/2012
Federick is a nice Hakka Chinese place to go to in Scarborough.
This was my second time here, tonight we ordered chicken pakora, mixed fried rice, and tofu with beef. Chicken pakora was great as always, nice and spicy. Tofu with beef was soft and very nice, mixed fried rice was a little too mushy and had a slightly burnt taste.
I hear Federick and Lucky are the two best places in Scarborough for Hakka Chinese food. -
Review from Joel S.
Dundas, ON
12/22/2011
I checked out this Scarborough hole-in-the-wall based on it's rating and good reviews here on yelp...
It did not live up to expectations.
Staff was unfriendly and dismissive. The fact that they do not speak English, and I do speak English only does not excuse rude and dismissive treatment of customers.
Food was unimpressive. I ordered the chili chicken and the crispy shrimp, both dishes that were reccomended by yelpers. The chili chicken arrived lukewarm. which makes me suspicious that it was reheated, rather than freshly made. The shrimp were more in line with what I would expect from Mandarin, doughy batter and rubbery, overcooked shrimp. In addition, the rice that was supposed to accompany my chili chicken did not arrive until the end of the meal -- regardless of my many pleadings attempts to flag down passing staff.
Not impressed. Take all positive reviews with a grain of salt, and do not expect fireworks. More like run on the mill food. -
Review from Miggs D.
North York, ON
9/4/2011
Federicks is a classic Hakka Chinese staple in Scarborough.
I have been going to Federicks for 5 years. The food is good and keeps me wanting to come back. It is the local restaurant that is not known for it's big restaurant feel inside or outside. The dining room looks like it is in need of a major renovation. The service is okay. The servers/waiters are quick and to the point (no real chatter and or upselling that they try to do with you).
Some key notes about Federick. It is busy on the weekends, be forewarned. They have a dedicated take out window in between the front door and the entrance to the dinning room. If you are going to get take out, be sure to call ahead and order to avoid line ups. Parking can get packed on the weekends and the location can often be passed as it is located in small place next to TD Bank.
The food is reasonable priced and won`t break the bank.
My recommendations are the Chili Chicken and Shanghai noodles.
If you are in Scarborough and like Hakka Chinese -- def worth a try. -
Review from Eva Z.
9/2/2011 5 Check-ins Here
Federick my neighborhood hero for when you're starving. Always an eager line of people waiting for take out. Better to call in ahead and come in for pick up to bypass the wait. Even though I always say it's my last time eating here, I always find that I come back when I'm super hungry and need a quick fix.
Szeshuan fried rice is my favorite, spicy with an incredible amount of shrimp.
I always order the squid with mixed vegetables, I do find it to be a bit overly sauced with a gelatinous like mixture.
The breaded shrimps are a fun bite especially for kids. It's a good sized portion, served with sweet red sauce.
Beef with broccoli is alright as well.
Their 'famous' chili chicken is richly coated with spices, I don't think it's the best, it's quite dry meat slathered in spicy sauce. Haven't ordered it for years, and probably never will again.
Fish in red sauce with pineapple is overly sweet for my liking.
Fish Pakora is nothing worth mentioning.
Overall, the food is not great, in fact when I think of it it's not even good, people come here because they are creatures of habit, and there aren't too many other options of better quality in this Scarborough neighborhood. To give this place a 4 or 5 stars means you live under a rock and need to get out more. -
Review from Real B.
Toronto, ON
7/9/2011
On a Hakka food crazed search lately. This place rivals Lin Garden for awfulness. No I take that back, it's worse... :(
ZERO ZERO ZERO
How do places like this stay in business? someone tell me please. -
Review from Galt R.
North York, ON
10/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
My girlfriend and I came here at noon on Saturday and the restaurant was pretty much empty. Food came out very quickly. Food was average. Chicken dishes were best among all the dishes. Chicken was moist and well marinated. Manchurian fried rice was colorful but tasteless (very disappointing). We asked for chili chicken and chili eggplant dishes to be extra spicy but they came out very mild. In summary, the food here was not bad but we have had better.
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Review from Coy W.
6/4/2011
I had a craving for Hakka-Indo food the last time I was in TO and we dropped into Federick's. It's been awhile since I've been here and they did a pretty good job at renovating it.
There was one dish and one dish only that I really wanted. Chili chicken, dry and spicy! We also ordered some Hakka noodles as well as mixture of pakoras.
When the chili chicken come out and I bit into it I remembered why I loved the chili chicken so much. It's absolutely delicious! I found the noodles a little oily but the meal itself was great.
I made my friend get me an order of chili chicken take out from here when he came to Ottawa the following week. It was delicious cold and also delicious reheated! -
Review from Giuliana B.
SCARBOROUGH, ON
9/22/2010
I was really looking forward to this place. I love Hakka - Chinese food, and I hadn't had any in a while, so I was really craving some spicy goodness! I came here with high hopes for a delicious dinner, and left with the bitter taste of disappointment and bad food in my mouth.
We ordered the chili chicken, fish pakoras, and "famous" corn soup, which everyone recommends and seems to love. My mouth was watering at the thought of the feast that awaited us. The corn soup arrived first, and it was basically semi coagulated jello with bits and chunks of crab and corn kernels. The crab was fishy, and although it was real crab, it tasted so damn fishy, I could hardly bring my self to swallow it. I'm still trying to erase the gelatinous memory of that soup from my mind.
The fish pakoras were OK. Pretty bland, and the fish inside was somewhat mushy and not seasoned at all. They weren't terrible, but not good either. In fact they were the only non terrible part of this meal.
The chili chicken. I almost cried when I tasted this. I absolutely love chili chicken, however their version of it was just a plain pathetic excuse of this dish. First of all, it had no spice at all, no heat, no kick! It was cold, as if it had been left out for a while before being served to us. The chicken wasn't lightly battered, and the sauce was basically just a stickier version of soya sauce. It had no onions, and I only found one single chili pepper in the entire thing. Terrible. In fact this was so bad, that I would have rather had Machu Wok than this. Sad :(
The waitress was rather rude and inattentive, but whatever. I could have experienced stellar service and it still wouldn't have made a difference. On the way out I saw a lot of newspaper clippings of all the press and praise this place has received. Really? I wonder what kind of people enjoy such mediocre food, but certainly not me. Won't ever be coming here again. -
Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
9/21/2010
It feels like I'm in an Out-of-Town Chinese restaurant from the outside and the interior design. We're only in Scarborough but it's nice to have a feeling that I'm Out-of-Town as a getaway from work this morning.
I'm pretty new to Hakka/Indian food/restaurants so my review is based on the simplicity of what my personal preference tells me I like or dislike.
Fish Pakora($8.25) reminded me of Clam Cakes from Rhode Island except the Crab Corn Soup($7.50) wasn't the perfect accompaniment like how Clam Chowder goes perfectly with Clam Cakes.
Fish Pakora had that doughy spongy texture and small chunks of Fish meat inside. Crab Corn Soup was below average as I've had plenty of those before and as a Chinese descendant I can make my own that isn't as overly Corn Starched. Real Crab Meat, but probably not the fresh variety.
Chili Chicken($11.50) was a bit bland with the Soya Sauce more dominant than the Chili flavour which even as a non-spice eater, it lacked the Chili aspect however the dish did have a couple whole Chilis but I wish the sauce was where the heat should be.Listed in: This is why I'm Hot!, Hakka Cuisine - Indian…
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Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
Updated - 9/21/2010 11 photos
Federick, you really disappointed me!!
When your kitchen's cooking is worse than mine, I really have an issue!!
The Corn with Crab soup is so starchy that basically my spoon can just stuck there upright! The Crab though not fake crab are the previously frozen/canned varieties and is so fishy! I definitely can make my soup from the canned corn from the supermarket and makes it so much better! The whole table even have a hard time even finishing their small bowl.
The Chilli Chicken has no chilli, no spicy, no fire... It is not even wok hot! The reason I am eating out in an restaurant because I want the dish to be fresh and serve hot directly from the wok.... It taste like something I get from T&T hot food department...
The Fish Pakora hardly have any favour... but at least it is the best out of the 3...
The indifference waiterstaffs with no smile I can get over since this is normal for Chinese restaurant.. but medicore food.. I really cannot stand!
I hope my experience is just an off night from the kitchen.. it is so sad when this happen... Will I be back? Sorry, maybe not!Listed in: Lunch Specials in Scarborough, I don't think I will ever come…, 4 and 5 Stars Venues That Did…, Hakka Restaurants I been to!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/3/2010
I wish I don't have to go lunch all by myself!
I wish I can try out more different dishes!
Dropped by… Read more »
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Review from Samira J.
Toronto, ON
8/9/2011
Finally made the trek out yesterday.. We had the chili chicken, Szechuan chicken, and shrimp fried rice. The Szechuan chicken tasted a little too gingery, but everything else was delicious! Service wasn't anything to write home abt, but with the quantity of great food you get for the price, I'm not complaining! Look fwd to going back!
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Review from A.J. S.
4/4/2010
Deep in the Heart of "ScarGhetto" (sorry I live in Detroit now, I'm highly doubtful of Scarborough's Ghettoness now) is a little store called Fredricks. It's easy to miss, as it is fairly modest from the outside. Inside it's not really a whole lot better. But the food is pretty awesome.
The food in this restaurant is what many people call Hakka Chinese. As I have said before, a number of people immigrated from the Hakka region to India; consequently people think this is Hakka. It's not, at least not anymore than Sweet and Sour Chicken Balls is authentic Chinese Food. It is food made by people often from the Hakka region, it has traveled from China to India and now it's in North America. I definitely like it. Though I don't like Kingfisher beer.
The food is probably one of the best examples of Fusion foods, the food is really worth trying, -
Review from Sameer D.
Markham, ON
1/18/2010 ROTD 4/5/2010
Frederick's is the OG of hakka cuisine restaurants. It seems as if this place has been there forever! Though there have been a ton of knock offs open up in the last 5 years or so, I don't think any other place will take over as the most successful hakka restaurant in the tdot.
They have an entirely separate take out window, which is always packed with people waiting for their orders. There is often a lineup for the restaurant itself on weekends, and on long weekends, forget about it.
What's good? Oh man, what's not good? My traditional orders are chilli chicken, crispy beef, sweet and sour chicken balls, vegetable chow mein, beef fried rice, chicken fried rice, chicken pakoras, and my favourite is the chicken corn soup which I must deem essential.
The staff are very friendly and helpful, and the food is always stellar. The only downside I would say about this restaurant would be the wait times since I despise waiting in line.
Frederick Restaurant - 5/5 stars. If you don't know what this place is about, you're really missing out.Listed in: Halal…
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Review from Anita L.
8/7/2008
Man oh man. This restaurant has got to be one of those places where you wouldn't expect to find great hot and sour soup, but it does. Strangely, this place serves "Indian Chinese" food. They have Sichuan style Chinese food but also, serves things like pakoras and Indian influenced food.
The original owners are ethnically Chinese but worked in India at the Oberoi Hotel. When they moved to Canada, they opened a restaurant and with them brought the influences of their time in India with them. The new owners have retained the restaurant's original flavors, and why not? It has definitely worked -- why change a good thing?
You will find many Indian clientele in here as well as Chinese. Honestly, this place has the best hot and sour soup I've ever had -- even in Asia -- as they make it with just the right amount of kick to it!
Our friends who are regulars ordered so I'm not sure what the names of the dishes are, but they were all very good! -
Review from John S.
Scarborough, ON
5/23/2011
I went here the other night not knowing what to expect, having heard of them primarily from their ad on tv. I was pleasantly surprised. we ordered a medium hot and sour soup, which was enough for two, AND leftovers for the next day, and it had tons of tofu, and was really hot, and tasted awesome. Then the fish pakoras, which was equally huge, and delicious, AND hot. I had the lo mein (that's what I call it) with shrimp, and my husband had the orange chicken. Our only complaint was that the chicken was not very orangey, but it wasn't bad. For under $40, tip included, we had a feast, with lunch the next day. The restaurant itself is pretty utilitarian, and non-descript. but I would go again any day for the food. The take out was doing a brisk business as an aside.
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Review from Devan R.
Toronto, ON
2/12/2009
Federick's restaurant is a Hakka joint I've been going to since as far back as I can remember. I remember how shocked I was many years ago to see one of their Chinese chefs speaking fluent Punjabi!
These chaps are known for their solid cuisine, and most importantly their chili chicken. Below is my ideal order.
Crab Corn Soup
Chili Chicken
Chicken Pakora
Manchurian Fried Rice
Manchurian Noodles
Kingfisher Beer (India)
A very close match to Federick's is Lin Garden, I will have a review for Lin Garden up soon as many people feel it is superior to Federick's. In my opinion, it's a two way tie.
*Please note this resto does not serve authentic Hakka dishes, but the Indian Chinese style Hakka cuisine. -
Review from Kiki I.
Toronto, ON
8/9/2009 1 Check-in Here
Not a fancy restaurant in the least but you can always count on great food. The menu is huge (as are the portions) with plenty of choices making it hard to choose just one dish (Great for sharing with friends).
My top fav's are:
Shrimp Pakora, Chili Chicken & the Hakka Chow (Chicken or Veg) and the prices are affordable on any budget. -
Review from Helen L.
Toronto, ON
1/17/2010
Federick is one of those places that everyone in Scarborough knows about and loves. It looks pretty unappealing both outside and inside of the restaurant...i probably wouldn't have gone in if it wasn't for all the raves they get from pretty much everyone I know. For a restaurant this size, they are insanely busy all the time. Every time I've been there, the line up for takeout is just crazy and their small take out area that is also the entrance into the restaurant doesn't help the issue at all. If you are lucky, you can call and place an order before you go but most of the time, they are too busy to pick up the phone.
Their most popular dish if chili chicken. Its so good that even my chicken hating dad loves it. When I ate meat, my other 2 fav dishes to get were beef&broccoli and shrimp pakora. As a vegetarian, they still have quite a few options: chili tofu, veg pakora, spring rolls are my typical order. I believe they're halal and no pork on the menu.
Cash and visa only. -
Review from Steve A.
Maple, ON
You want great haka food? Then this is the place for you. I've been a regular at this place for over a decade. Sure the dining room decor is less than spectacular, but the food speaks for itself. Order the chili chicken and prepare your taste buds for a flavour explosion.
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Review from Vinesha P.
3/6/2010
The food is good, but the service is slow. Some waiters were not friendly also. You are better off doing take-out as you could call ahead and give your order. If you drop by for take-out without calling ahead, expect a long line.
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Review from Mary C.
Toronto, ON
2/9/2009
Chicken Pakora rocks! Especially when it's made at Frederick's. I'm not a big fan of spicy food, but i can make an exception for this dish: Crisp, spicy outside and moist and flavourful on the inside. Manchurian Noodle is equally as spicy with loads of flavor. I'm looking forward to experiencing the other Hakka Chinese dishes.
