Restaurants
Congee Wong
Congee Wong, or quite literally, "King of Congee" in Chinese, has quite a big name to live up to. Nestled in a popular Chinese suburban mall, this local favourite has long been the destination for reliable cheap eats. The interior is bright and comfortable, but otherwise unremarkable. Clearly, the focus is on the food and the low prices. Within seconds of entering, we are whisked into a corner booth and handed two menus and a pot of hot tea.
The impressively large menu is broken down into various categories, including congee, noodle in soup, fried rice, etc. Even for regulars, the number of choices might be overwhelming - the congee section alone offers 55 options, featuring everything from seafood to offal.
We go with the simplest - the dried scallop plain congee ($1.95 - top photo). A dauntingly large bowl of steaming hot congee swiftly arrives. Although it looks deceivingly plain, the congee is flavourful and has a wonderful, velvety texture. The preparation of this basic concoction is a test of a congee restaurant's calibre and in this case, Congee Wong certainly delivers.
To accompany the congee, a server brings us the ox-tongue pastry ($1.50), aptly named for its distinctive shape. Perfectly dense and chewy, the lightly sweetened doughnut contrasts well with the light and savoury congee.
From the rice noodle roll section, we opt for the dough fritter rice noodle roll ($2.95): deep-fried bread stick enveloped by a thin layer of rice noodle, served with sweetened soy sauce and two dips. The rice noodle itself is flavourless, but is a smooth and silky textural counterpart to the crispy bread stick. For this dish, I personally prefer a higher rice noodle to bread stick ratio. Nevertheless, the combination of the sauce and nutty dips is delectable.
Longing for some more greasy goodness, we lastly sample the Singaporean fried chili turnip patties ($5.25). In the past, I have had many experiences with this dish going horribly wrong, but Congee Wong delivers a solid execution. On the outside, the turnip patties are perfectly golden and crispy, while the inside maintains the melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. Bits of chicken, scallops, diced garlic and fried eggs are tasty additions and compliment the patties well. One complaint is that the chili, while aromatic, lacks the heat that I'm looking for. Fortunately, chili oil is readily available to spice it up.
Congee Wong is not the sort of place to linger around on a lazy Sunday afternoon. It is evident that the staff is well-trained to work efficiently, and the customer turnover is rather high. During busy hours, it would not be surprising to find the bill arriving at the table even before all the food is gone. But with generous portions, affordable prices, and quality offerings, this Markham eatery cooks up a good recipe for success.
Discussion
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technically the point of an urban culture mag is to invite people to be interested in urban affairs and lifestyles, this review contradicts...
I mean, New York mag would never talk about something cool going on in Jersey City...
Does anyone have any recommendations for congee downtown?
then wait for it...
wait for it!!!
No address or clear directions on were to find direction to a Congee Wong restaurant?
I am Chinese so no big deal to me... I've got a pretty good idea where it could be, but what about the other poor newb congee lovers out there?
Sure we could google it... but this is just poor editing... finals.... what eves... and I've been in both shoes.
Game up people!!
We are reading.
That being said living downtown, King's Noodle is a popular favourite for congee and good eats in general. And they are located on the north west corner of Spadina and Dundas. Right beside a Scotiabank.
My East coast pals prefer the BBQ Duck Congee, while I prefer the hearty beef and codfish congee with extra ginger and onion.
We'll add Congee Wong to the list.
Hoping they have a large assortment of fresh seafood we can add to the congee!!
Thanks for the heads up.
On a side note, the address and phone number IS on the side, but the map is woefully incorrect.
if you're Chinese and have been eating congee since you were a kid, it's hard to find a congee that's the same as Grandma's (or whoever made it for you).
There are a few in Chinatown (like GoldStone, King's) which are pretty good, but it'll always come down to personal taste.
Maybe you should edit your own post before commenting.
GAME UP SONNNNNN!!
Also Toronto is a big sprawly mess of a place unlike the dense 5 boroughs of NYC.
Our city extends north of Bloor, and north of Eglinton even, at that. Shocking, I know. Get over yourselves.