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Ginger & Onion Cuisine
Category: Restaurants Chinese Dim Sum Dim Sum [Edit]
E3 - 7131 Kennedy RdMarkham, ON L3R 0T4
(905) 479-7730
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 8 am - 10:30 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
29 reviews for Ginger & Onion Cuisine
Review Highlights
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"Great place for Peking duck, which is sliced thin but with..." In 3 reviews -
"...dim sum restaurant with push carts is definitely a winner." In 3 reviews -
"For dessert we had the sweet tofu." In 4 reviews
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29 reviews in English
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Review from Cindy H.
4/12/2012
Great variety and selection of dim sum, Ginger and Onion offers a very large seating area, which is especially nice on those busy weekends.
Arrived on a Saturday morning at 10:30am and seated immediately.
Deep fried sesame balls, egg tarts, rice noodle rolls (cheong fun), steamed shrimp dumplings (har gow), steamed dumplings and many more dishes were timed well for our table. My parents especially liked the chicken feet.
The large line-up began shortly after 11:00am and was out the door when we left so getting there early is a good idea.
Dim sum cost us $32 for four.
I think Ginger & Onion is one of those staples that people continuously go back to because it offers standard, delicious dishes. I've heard the dinners are good as well. -
Review from Billy K.
Markham, ON
4/15/2012
Came with some Chinese friends for dinner. I don't know what I ate as they ordered fin chinese. I thought it was good but nothing special. We had a fish dish that didn't taste very fresh to me. Spicy eggplant was good. Vegies also good. Beef dishes were good but found some of the food greasy.
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Review from John M.
Markham, ON
5/9/2012
Good selection of dim sum, the price is very reasonable! Would not reccommend for dinner or lunch though.
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Review from Archimedes T.
Toronto, ON
11/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
To start with, I was sorely disappointed with the dimsum experience there.
This is my second time to this place, I had been there for dinner before and they had the best fried crab claw (and because I didn't have much cash then I only at a little the first time I went there).
Anyway I started with the ham-sui-kok. Ordered two actually (that was a mistake) the quality was well below par. I'd say it was just one below from a cheap bakery where I can get wads of this at a cheap rate. Though still better than China Buffet King's.
I then ordered their deep fried, air-filled sesame balls. It wasn't bad, but I had better ones. Theirs was a bit over oiled. It felt a bit yucky on my mouth.
I then had their deep fried shrimp paste tofu. That one was quite good actually, their shrimp paste was better than most places I have eaten at. So I made note of that.
I tried their Siaw Long Pao. It was a different style than what I am used to as theirs had the soup outside the dumplings rather than inside when I get it at Ding Tai Fung. Suffice to say I wasn't impressed. At around this point, I think I realized anything with pork wasn't going to be good.
So I ordered some Shrimp Har Gaw and Shrimp Chung Fan, and those were good. However, I think the MSG level were a bit high on those as when I got home I slept for 5 hours when it finally kicked in.
Overall my tummy was feeling bloated and my mouth was feeling wonky during the time of the meal, usually that's an indication to me that the food wasn't too good.
Apparently for this place, unlike other places I have been to, the bill must be taken by the suited folk, the middle class men (those that don't push the carts around) do not pick up the bill. I had to wait a long while for the person to come by. Or it could just be the sub-standard service I really should expect when going to a Chinese restaurant.
This is probably the last time I am coming here at least on my own volition and would not recommend this place to anyone.
I really hope the dim sum place at New Century opens up again. For now if you are in the area just shift a little and go to Chung King. -
Review from G J.
Toronto, ON
2/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great tasting food for the Chinese New Year. Efficient service. Great Peking Duck, meaty lobsters. Perfectly cooked and good tasting greens.
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Review from Charlotte W.
North York, ON
6/13/2011
This restaurant is definitely categorized as CHEAP eat. Great for large groups. Don't come here if you want fine dining, but, if you want to appear as if you have tons of money and want fresh fish, Peking duck, lobster, rice, seafood soup, vegetables and dessert - all for around $100 for 12-13 people, welcome to Ginger and Onion!
Intro. I read some previous reviews and they mostly are about the Dim Sum, but I am writing about Ginger's dinners. The one thing that my family ALWAYS gets is the Peking duck, because it is so cheap here. For $25 bucks, you can get a Peking duck, and if part of a dinner package as mentioned above, you can get all the seafood luxury fixes and trimmings for so a very non-wallet-breaking price (it really bears mentioning again and again). At LTH, the Peking duck alone will cost around $50 bucks.
But is the food really any good?
Food. This restaurant is like a mass production facility, churning Peking ducks by the table. Ginger and Onion obviously makes their money by quantity. The quality is hard to explain...the food is not bad but it's not out of this world either. I don't eat the Peking duck here because it is mostly fat and it looks too greasy for my liking. The Pork and Squash dish is covered in thick corn starch sauce, yet it is my favourite dish. I don't touch the lobster nor the fish as I am not a big seafood person, but these really are popular; every other table has the seafood platters. The food is heavy, often smothered with heavy sauces, but at the end of the day, the meat tastes like meat, the lobster tastes like lobster etc...etc...
Ambiance. The place is a bit older, and some might find the appearance on the dirtier side. As I mentioned, not fine dining. Service is actually not bad, efficient where it needs to be. Take note of the white boards on the walls near the fish tanks where they list all the specials (most of them for only $6.00!!), but the catch is only one special dish per table.
FYI. Reservations are recommended because this place fills up so fast. -
Review from John M.
Brampton, ON
12/28/2011
In more than 30 years of eating dimsum in Toronto, I can say, in all honesty, that I have never had better dimsum than my family and I had this morning, at Ginger and Onion. There was a steady stream of carts with a great variety of fresh, tasty offerings. The serving staff were extremely friendly and helpful. The few times the server did not speak English, they quickly found someone who could translate for them. The price was excellent, $45 total for 15 dishes which filled the 6 of us. We left full and content and eager to return. Thank you Ginger and Onion for a wonderful dining experience!
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Review from Yvonne Y.
8/22/2011
So so dim sum but they definitely deliver on quantity.
Worth re-ordering: beef balls, chives and shrimp dumpling, BBQ pork puff, pork dumpling (siu mai)
ok dishes: shrimp dumpling (har gow) cause the shrimp wasn't tasty and the wrapping was way too sticky and thick, rice crepes over fried dough (Zha leung), the dough was not crispy and the rice crepes were too thick. -
Review from bun b.
7/6/2011
I went here for dinner after shopping during my visit to Toronto. It's a decent dinner place. The beef with ginger & scallion was a bit on the oily side, but it's tasty. Dinner special (discounted price dishes) available when you spend $10 or above (which is easy). We got the discount dish of lobster. Lobster was small, but taste good. I think it's a good deal.
Service was very good, all the waiters and waitresses are being very helpful. I was eyeing on one of the dish that came out of the kitchen, not really knowing what it is coz it's half covered. She waitress that was serving the table next to us actually saw me wondering and told me what it is. lol... -
Review from Cindy C.
North York, ON
10/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
didnt find it worth my money. Service was bad. Maybe i was there too early on a Sunday .
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Review from Erwin M.
Ajax, ON
12/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here once because all the other dimsum joints were packed. We must've came early because surprisingly the place wasn't as full. It's not disappointing. It tastes like all the other ones I've been to. There wasn't really anything that stood out.
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Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
10/7/2010 7 photos
Ginger & Onion as another traditional dim sum restaurant with push carts is definitely a winner!
It is the sister restaurant of Honey Garlic just up the street. However, for how the seating are set up, I like it better here because it is more open and the push carts trolley have enough spaces to do their rounds.
They have the all day specials of One Price for all Sizes of dim sum offers here and the prices are based on the time when you are visiting the restaurant. For value, best to come before 11 am or after 2 pm.
The push cart's ladies are definitely a lot less aggressive at this restaurant. They do ask if you if you like some of their offerings but no "hardselling" involved.
They also has a list of specials for noodles and other non dim sum item. BTW, the steamed veggie here is $3.95 and a lobster noodle is $9.95...(should have order that!)
The dim sum here is really good for the prices $2.20 a dish.. I am not complaining.
When we leaving at around 12:30 pm, there is a wait for table and it is a weekday lunch.. imagine on Saturdays and Sundays?! -
Review from Giuliana B.
SCARBOROUGH, ON
10/14/2010
****3.5 STARS******
This was only the second time I had ever had Dim Sum. We orders a variety of dishes including the shrimp dumplings,chicken bun,fried squid,and egg tarts. YUMMMM!
Everything was truly tasty and I like the consistency and thickness of the dumplings here and they did not fall apart when I picked them up.
The ladies bringing out the food in the traditional push carts were nice and not very pushy when trying to get to pick their offerings.
The ambiance here is also pretty loud and vibrant and its such a treat to have Dim Sum in a traditional setting.
Overall a good experience and I definitely want to come back for more. Maybe my rating will go up as I try more of their dishes (Their desserts specially looked yummy).
Our bill for all the dishes we had was very low ( less than $30.00) and I noticed as we left that a crowd was starting to gather at the entrance, so I guess this place is pretty popular and tends to get very busy.
Thanks to my fellow yelpers for introducing me to the deliciousness and fun that is Dim Sum!!!! -
Review from Sandra T.
Toronto, ON
10/31/2010
So disappointed :( After such a great experience at Sam Woo's, I expected Ginger and Onion to be fantastic as well.
Service was abrupt, unfriendly, and hurried - no smiles.
Food - meh meh meh - a lot of the dishes were cold and uninspiring.
Bathrooms - icky!
Not sure why this place was packed. -
Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
10/13/2010
G&O shares space with Pacific Mall and Market Village but it's further away from that central core therefore anyone walking towards the entrance area is either coming to G&O or the Vegetarian Restaurant next door, but mostly for G&O.
Why that is useful is because you know if you should walk or run to the door and get your queue/table. Not to worry, for Dim Sum I'm sure most of you can outrun the grannies, I hope. :p
I observed that the younger generation actually chose this place over the immediate area Dim Sum restaurants in either Pacific Mall or Market Village. I also find that with their sister restaurant, Honey & Garlic, G&O also uses partitions to section off some tables while using a clear-glass to section off a more large-group tables.
The Dim Sum here has the size and shape of the more traditional historical Dim Sum of my past. That said, it also has that uniform size and shape of even the frozen Dim Sum you can find in your local Asian grocery store.
The Push Cart ladies are less pushy but maybe because they have a large area to cover therefore making them On-the-Go consistently so if you missed them, you might have to move your ASS or wait for the second round if they ever come back again that is.Listed in: Southern Chinese Food
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Review from Edwin A.
2/7/2011
The good,
Decor is nice. A modern looking chinese restaurant w/ creams walls, dark walnut wood panels, hanging monochromatic artwork and spot lighting.
This place features some excellent dim sum not typically offered:
The baked custard sago with red bean center (rare to find) and the crispy taro dumpling (best I've had anywhere). Also they had some hot dessert soups and stews, not common.
The bad,
Push cart dim sum service was terribly slow. By the time the cart makes it around to your table your item may not be available any longer. It happened a couple times to us. Would be nice if they implemented a, a la carte tick off menu plus push cart the most popular items to increase efficiency.
But anyways.. we will give the the place another try some time in the future as it offered some different choices. -
Review from Patty S.
4/10/2011
A bit off the beaten path as it's not in downtown Toronto Chinatown. As a visitor, we weren't 100% sure what we were getting ourselves into, but am glad that we found this place. We got there around 1p and only waited about 15 mins for a table. This place is quite big with a few random rooms in the corners. (I'm sure these rooms are used as private/banquet rooms during non-dim sum time.) Unfortunately we were seated way in the back of one of these rooms and I think we felt quite neglected. A lot of carts just didn't make it back them - my hunch is that they ran out of the dish while they were going around in the main area. My suggestion is if you see them seating you in of of these areas, asked for a different table in the main room.
Even though we got there a bit late for "normal dim-sum time," there was still quite a few options and everything tasted very fresh and didn't taste like it has been sitting around for hours. I can honestly say that I think I had the best shao mai I've ever had. You could taste all the different ingredients in it and it was all very fresh. The rice noodle rolls were quite good as well and we got both the shrimp and beef. On of my favorites is the egg tart. If I don't get this dish during dim sum, then I don't feel like I've had a complete meal. Their was still warm off the cart, not too sweet and was just a bit of heaven.
I would definitely go back the next time I visit Toronto and get my dim sum fix! -
Review from Annie L.
Markham, ON
My girlfriend and I are a FAN!
When we think dim sum, this is it. Why? Tasty food and price. Portions are big and reasonable to share. We've ordered 5 dishes and it came to $14 something. It's usually crowded on weekends but we like to come during weekdays just before lunch starts cause you may wait up to 20 to 30 minutes. No kidding!
I've been coming to this place forever! My parents originally introduced me to this place. It hasn't changed much, other than decor. I've brought my friends and they love this place!
No matter who you come with, you'll find something to eat. Unless, you have one that's exceptional picky. You know who you are. -
Review from Jennifer M.
Toronto, ON
8/12/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I can't even imagine my life without Ginger & Onion.
This is my parters family favorite restaurant and they have been going here weekly for YEARS. Since I have been adopted into the family we make the weekly trip to Ginger and Onion ourselves for my absolute favorite Chinese Food in the GTA.
I usually order some of the less authentic dishes, (Braised Bean Curd and Mushroom, Ginger and Spring Onion Lobster & Sweet and Sour Fish with Pineapple being my favorites) But my SO's mother has ordered and insisted I try some more intimidating treats. :)
The best part of the whole meal is the dessert, Tofu-Fa which is one of my favorite things to eat in the world, and G&O does it best.
For value, they bring a (pork bone?) soup as the starter free of charge.
To be clear, I don't speak a WORD of Mandarin (except "thank you") and I have a Canadian name. I don't have any problems ever, and the staff is always friendly.
They do have specials listed in Chinese characters only on the walls, but they have an English menu too. There is a specific menu where a large selection of dishes are $9.95 each.Listed in: Associasian Eats, Best of the Best, Markham Asian Eats.
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Review from Devan R.
11/23/2009 3 photos
Ginger & Onion offers one of the finest dim sum experiences in the GTA. Below I will recount my experiences at G & O while providing you with a synopsis as to what dim dum is all about.
In a nutshell, dim sum refers to a collection of light dishes served typically in steamer baskets or small plates. It is typically served in the morning time until early afternoon and the dishes are cheaper then they are at dinner, similar concept to a "happy hour". Dim sum may also be referred to as "yum cha" which directly translates to "drinking tea", this term can be used instead of "dim sum" to describe the entire dining experience. Standard teas offered are fermented black tea, chrysanthemum, oolong or green tea.
All of the dishes that I have tried at G & O have always been fresh and delicious. I have listed 10 of my staples below but there are dozens and dozens and dozens of others, so a typical dim sum order is by no means limited to the items below.
"chau siu baau" - a steamed BBQ pork bun. The texture of the white bun is uniquely fluffy and the BBQ pork filling is sweet and savoury. This item goes great with the house hot sauce.
"siu mai" - refers to a steamed dumpling. The version I am a custom to consists of pork, shrimp, mushroom and a series of other ingredients topped with roe. This item is delicious in flavour, unique in texture and is complimented well with house hot sauce, red rice vinegar, soy sauce or a combination of each.
"cheong fun" - is a steamed rice noodle roll. It is similar in shape to manicotti, however it is made from a wide sheet of rice noodle. My favourite renditions contain shrimp, pork or beef. These rolls are topped with soy sauce when served and have that standard rice noodle jelly-like texture. There is also a version of this roll which contains a donut like substance and is outstanding, it is served with a mixture of hoisin and peanut sauce and is to die for.
"chicken feet" - a major staple in dim sum, is literally chicken feet and can be referred to as phoenix talons. It is steamed or deep fried prior to being simmered in a sauce consisting of fermented beans and sugar. Eating these feet takes practice as there are a lot of bones to maneuver around but the ROI is worth it.
"crispy fried octopus" - the octopus tentacles are deep fried in a batter that tastes like that of a funnel cake?!? It is served with a sweet and sour sauce along with a mixture of salt and pepper, a dish similar to calamari.
"spare ribs" - pork spare ribs steamed along with fermented black beans. These ribs are served piping hot and sweet in flavour.
"ginger scallion beef tripe" - this particular tripe is derived from the stomach lining of a cow. It is lightly seasoned with ginger, scallions and garlic. Due to the unique texture and flavour it needs little seasoning and the whiter the tripe the better.
"har gao" - a steamed dumpling stuffed with shrimp either whole or chopped and may contain other ingredients such as bamboo, ginger, pepper and sesame oil. The wrap or outer layer of this dumpling is thin, translucent and chewy. In my experiences this item is one of the most popular dishes and pairs great with hot sauce, soy sauce or red rice vinegar.
"turnip cake" - a patty like cake made of shredded daikon, rice flour and water. Some versions contain dried shrimp, Chinese sausage and shitake mushrooms. The cake boasts great texture as the inside is very soft and chewy and the outside slightly crispy.
In addition to the items above there are dozens and dozens of other delectable dim sum items available at G & O. One of the major highlights for me at this restaurant is their peking duck. It is not available as a dim sum item but we order it off the dinner menu because it is so good. The skin is perfectly crisp and mostly separated from the meat. We eat the duck as is and also with the pancakes (similar to mini tortillas), scallions, carrots, cucumber and hoisin sauce.
The dim sum is made available to you by trolleys passing between tables, however if you arrive in the heart of lunchtime or have a big group at the table who knows what they need, I highly recommend requesting a menu and filling in an order sheet.
Overall I always have a great experience at this restaurant. The menu is well priced, staff are very courteous and the restaurant is clean and well kept. If you decide to partake in some sum on a Sunday morning, I suggest you show up well early or be prepared to wait in line.
4.2/5 -
Review from Min Min T.
Scarborough, ON
6/9/2009
Another place that I go to regularly with my family. If you visit on the weekends, make sure you arrive early, probably before 6 pm, if you don't want to be waiting for a table. It gets pretty packed here!
For vegetarian options, there is soft tofu with bok choy, as well as spicy fried tofu with cashews. Like typical Chinese restaurants, rice is ordered separately by the bowl. And like typical Chinese restaurants, they put in MSG to pump up the flavours.
Desserts are included, often with a choice between soft tofu with ginger, red bean soup or black sesame dessert (I don't know how to translate the names properly!!). A little secret: green tea ice-cream is not offered, but if you ask, the waitresses will grudgingly bring it out.Listed in: Scarborough Hangouts
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Review from Lynda W.
Toronto, ON
10/20/2008
This place is super busy like almost always for Dim Sum. Weekends are a write off, especially since you'll have to make your way through the bumper cars of a plaza, called Pacific Mall. This place I think thrives on Dim Sum alone, and I've been here hundreds of times (weekly at one point in my sad existence), so I know the food is pretty good and cheap. A side note I should mention, this place is somehow related to (maybe same owners) to Honey & Garlic which is just up the street. Also super busy, but their interior is much nicer (the location used to be a Swiss Chalet and I don't think they changed the seating arrangement at all).
Ginger & Onion cuisine is a fav for my parents. my mom and dad come here for their b-day/mom/father's day celebration. Their peeking duck is pretty popular, you get the dough wrappers with the duck skin and then lettuce wrappers with the duck meat and stir fried with other stuff. It's a lot of food, but for a hefty $30, it better be.
You get a big pot of soup with every meal as well as a choice of three desserts. It's a pretty good place for larger groups, if you like that type of Chinese food. it's in a weird category, not really fast-food Chinese food, but also not really a fancy place... -
Review from Lori A.
8/22/2011
This place has been our favorite Dim Sum spot, each time we come home for vacation. We have since found a new place but this is still solid good Dim Sum we have enjoyed for 5 years. Affordable and good for groups of people.
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Review from Andrew Y.
1/8/2010
Went here for dim sum today. It was for my grandma's birthday. Coincidentally we were seated beneath the symbol for birthday so it was going to be a good day. Anyway, we were seated and the food games began. We got almost two of everything that wasn't dessert and when we did get dessert, we got two.
All the usual suspects were there. Siu Mai, chicken feet, beef tendon, some kind of fish, rice noodle, duck feet, pig feet, noodles, chnese broccoli, and sticky rice. For dessert we had the sweet tofu.
My biggest complaint is that the food came out slower and slower as our meal went on. It was almost like they wanted your brain to catch up with your stomach. There were times when our table had no food on it.
All in all it was a good time. If you can believe it, we had 8 people and the meal was less than $80!
Lots of parking but be warned that I've heard this place can have quite the line. -
Review from Rockie E.
Scarborough, ON
12/1/2010
Did not enjoy it at all! Went here bc of the reviews and honestly have to say will not be back! First if all the place is disgustingly dirty. We went @ around 3pm and the place was empty. There were 3 asian customers seated in the centre while us and another non asian couple was seated next to the bathrooms and dirty dishes that were left on the carts. The place looked as if it was in midst of renovations as well as a party on the other side. The fish tank was dirty which was killing my appetite as I was sitting right across it. The ladies bringing the food had gloves on however they were rolling the dirty carts and stuffing food in their mouths at the same time which im sure with the same gloves. Needless to say I came home and was sick! Never again!
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Review from Helen W.
5/18/2011
I was in toronto for a weekend and I wasn't happy with the dim sum in chinatown. It was very americanized. This place was better. They had variety and it was decently priced.
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Review from Lawrence L.
1/5/2010
This is a family favourite. Great place for Peking duck, which is sliced thin but with tender meat. During today's dinner, the lobster was small but flavourful. The fried baby bok choy was very clean and tasty. We also had an interesting Chicken and Squash plate. For dessert I discovered a Sesame-based sweet soup which was quite nice.
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Review from S. S.
Toronto, ON
8/8/2008
Great place for dimsum on the weekends. If you get there before 9am, you will get a seat. Anytime after that, expect to wait at least 30 mins for a table. Not so bad for tables of 2-4, but anything more than that, you have to wait for a family to complete eating before you can sit and order.
Food is pretty tasty, and price is affordable. -
Review from Winston W.
7/14/2009
When I was visting T-Dot we had a big old family dinner at this restaurant. Free range chicken at a chinese restaurant, this is a first for me and it was really enjoyable. A memorable dish was the King Do Spare Ribs, they used a type of dry rub and added a type of winter squash which was an amazing combination. You also get a choice of what kind of sweet soup you get when you are done which was a delightful ending to an enjoyable dinner. The place is extremely busy on a Tuesday night and I can just imagine how hectic the weekends would be.
