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47 reviews
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- Dec 31, 2012
Garden was located right across the street from our Hotel. From the outside the tinted windows made it seem like the place was closed, but if you go close enough you can see people digging in.
The vegetable fried rice and the spicy chicken wings were awesome. It was enough to share for two people.
Free hot tea
Reasonably priced
we got the refreshing oranges after the meal and our fortune cookie
Gotta love the hot oil and the soy sauce combination for a kick of flavor.Helpful 3Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Denham E.Toronto, ON183May 14, 2019
Garden Restaurant on Dundas.
It's so sad that this place was closed down.
This was the greatest, most phenomenal, Chinese food restaurant in North America. I'm prone to embellishment.
Food quality was really good; and they were always busy, so that's hard.
The waiters were there forever and worked so hard.
They renovated in early 2000 and they were closed for a while and the new setup was good but not as authentic as the old joint.
Oh their general tso was ballistic.
The wonton soup broth was nuanced.
They slit the calamari down the side a whole bunch of times and then fried it up and tossed it in the spicy MSG. Then they laid it on the bed of crunchy noodles. It made me so happy.
I'm not the only one who knows this. It was an institution.
If someone could find one of those chefs and find Andy, the head waiter. They could re-create that.
Maybe not ¯\_(ツ)_/¯Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Sharky L.Toronto, ON550219351Oct 25, 2014
Been here about a year ago and food was very good. Came back yesterday and was quite disappointed. We ordered the Satay Beef and Snow Pea Leaves Dish with a boiled rice.
The Snow Pea Leaves in Garlic Sauce dish was well made and tasty but at $12.50 was over price from what we are use to.
The Sizzling Beef in Satay sauce was a major disappointment. It lacked flavour and it had a chunk of Satay not mixed into the dish.
Decor is nice and modern but they are missing many of the details. Experience was pretty much the same as in any Chinese restaurant but with nicer decor and cleaner restaurant.
Would normally give it a two star but had a good experience the first time so average to 3 stars.
Food 3.0/5
Service 3.5/5
Ambiance 4.0/5
Value 3.2/5
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Overall 3.32/5Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - AilÃs H.Newmarket, ON1521Mar 23, 2017
This place had the BEST CHILLI CHICKEN Ever!!! Disappointed that they closed down, it was one of my favourite late night eats. FYI Hong Shing which is in the same area makes a pretty close version of their Chilli Chicken.
Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Darwin F.Toronto, ON8399109Oct 18, 2014
This place is great if you like sodium and MSG. The prices are great. If you want a glass of wine that is is a double and under 6 dollars, this is your place. Personally I'm not a fan of Fast Chinese food. Go for the shawarma next door. If u are hungry after midnight.
Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Briana M.Brooklyn, United States84369729Jun 11, 2009
It's all about the chili chicken, baby! So good. Fried white meat, topped with chilis and thin fried noodles, over the most incredibly moist, flavorful fried rice (egg & scallion ONLY). Seriously. I want to get my ass over to Toronto RIGHT NOW just to taste the stuff.
The old digs were sketchy, which I liked, because my friends and I could show up and be the only people in there. It was like a private dining room. + the staff would let us smoke cigarettes if it was late enough. Talk about good service!Helpful 4Thanks 0Love this 7Oh no 0 - Devan R.Toronto, ON206150110Sep 27, 2010
Garden is a staple after a night of clubbing and or serious drinking. I live right near Bay/Dundas so it's great when I'm fiending some proper asian cuisine within walking/stumbling distance of home.
Hot and Sour soup and Crab Meat Corn are my favourite soups. With the corn soups it is always customary for me to add a splash of soya sauce and 2 splashes of chili oil. You must try it.
I will always order deep fried spicy pepper shrimp, they are so addictive. Once you ordr them once you will order them every time you go. The fried rices are all delicious, BBQ pork is solid and the crispy chili chicken is delicious too.
The décor of the restaurant is welcoming in comparison to your average chinese restaurant downtown. The renovations were definitely worth it, this restaurant is packed late at night on weekends, and for fairly good reason. The food is good. It won't blow you away but it's solid asian grub. No complaints.Helpful 2Thanks 0Love this 3Oh no 0 - Raymond W.Toronto, ON157269177Jun 28, 2012
There's two hotels beside this restaurant, I woke up in one of them after a night of heavy drinking. Garden restaurant was at the end of the street, which was as far I could get on two feet at the time. Good enough!
Very discrete sign, tinted windows, small entrance. I must have came here around 1pm on a Saturday morning, and for the state at the time, this place was too nice. Very clean, contemporary décor with smartly dressed service staff.
I was with these two ladies that I met only a week ago, and this was our first time partying together. I struggled to hold myself upright, I must have looked completely pathetic. They kept giggling at me, probably making fun of my utter lack of sobriety.
We ordered the chicken!
Chicken fried rice, spring rolls I think, some beef dish and A LOT of tea. The table wasn't wobbly, but it felt that way..
It took me ten minutes to realize that I was actually eating the food. There I was, chewing away at what was in my bowl, but it was nothing special. Having a hangover doesn't mean I lose my taste for food, yet what I ordered lacked flavour.
The sobering properties of the tea began to take affect, but the food remained unremarkable. I was impressed by how clean and efficient the staff here were, I remember seeing a majority of black & brown.
I was just glad that at least nobody on the street could see pass the tinted windows at my sheer pitiful state. The girls were nice, and paid for the meal, knowing full well that I was in no shape to count.
I think the cheque came out to around $40.
Next thing I remember was sinking into the back seat of someone's BMW while I felt someone's fingers massage at the back of my scalp.
When I woke up again, I was home in my bed holding a takeaway box, and a huge spinach between my teeth.
I heated up the left overs, not so great.
I'm still friends with these women, because you know..this is how friends are made.Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 5Oh no 0 - Edwin A.Toronto, ON44001077Jul 1, 2012Updated review
I've eaten my share here throughout the years. Though I'd like to give them points on nostalgia (I used to eat here practically every day at my first summer job), I'm evaluating based on food only, they can make a mean beef with bok choy with rice combo for lunch but for the rest of the dishes they are just A-OK or below average. Nothing close to the grade one can receive at Congee Queen.
Helpful 2Thanks 0Love this 1Oh no 0Apr 18, 2010Previous reviewthey moved from the heap of a location to this new walkup location next door. inside beautiful black wood decor, big round tables for groups. floor to ceiling windows to light the place.
since it's close to yonge and dundas, you can probably get the odd wierdo or two go in, and a lot of tourists I imagine.
i used to frequent the old location back in the day, about 17 years ago and it was always good.
i ordered a tofu and chicken dish with a side of rice. was excellent. my friends had steamed oyster and that was also very good.
a good chinese restaurant without going to chinatown. check it out if you're in the area (bay & dundas). - Anna C.Toronto, ON42212Feb 14, 2011
The only reason why the Garden Restaurant is worth checking out, is because it's open late (we went for dinner there at 12 am on a weekday) and because you can get vegan friendly chow. If you aren't going there because you need grease in the wee hours of the morning, I would avoid this place.
Numero uno, it isn't real chinese food; numero deux, it is greasy as all hell, perhaps even too greasy. We felt absolutely disgusting after dinner. The food arrives quickly because all the stir-fries are made with frozen vegetables. Several items we ordered from the menu were not even unthawed or the noodles were burned. You don't come here for a culinary delight. It's also waaaaaayyyyy overpriced for what it is.
If you aren't vegan and want a late-night chinese food experience, I recommend walking over to China Town which is just a stones-throw west.Helpful 2Thanks 0Love this 1Oh no 0
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