Restaurants
Mainsha Plus
Mainsha Plus is a ray of sunshine in the dreary Jane and Finch Plaza. To step inside is to inhale a deep and instant hunger, as racks of BBQ, fried and jerk-sauced chicken tempt would-be-diners with their spicy scents. Luckily, the long line moves quickly, with staff doling sassy smiles and saucy chicken as the Bob Marley soundtrack reminds patrons not to worry about a ting.
What's there to worry about? With full meals starting at $3--seriously, $3--Mainsha Plus offers a deep discount on flavour. Inspired by the mouth-watering chicken on display, my sweetheart and I order a king's ransom of Caribbean treats: a jerk chicken, stew chicken, and curry goat meal. Unfortunately , the curry goat has all been gobbled by 7pm, so we settle on curry chicken instead. $17 and 2 minutes later our feast arrives, the scents from the brown take-out bag making it hard to concentrate on the drive home.
It's tough not to tear into the sauce-stained bag, but we are rewarded for our patience. The tender pieces of halal chicken would be tasty on their own, but a smoky sweet jerk sauce, earthy bay-leaf stew and sharp yellow curry each stamp indelible brands of delicious on their respective fowl. Soft, earthy of heaps of rice and beans soak up juices, while tiny containers of crisp coleslaw offer the requisite nod to vegetables. We're both hungry, enthusiastic eaters, but even our piggy ways cannot get us through all three containers.
So, for $17 we get an amazing dinner AND lunch for two! We wash it down with Mainsha's homemade juice, a pink guava drink that tastes like a tart, tropical Kool-Aid.
The Mainsha chain, with additional locations on Dufferin and Eglinton West, has expanded their offering of traditional Caribbean by adding "Plus" to the name, and Khmer food to the Jane/Finch location's menu. Although we didn't try it, the fat pink prawns and fish stews made for some good menu-browsing, and I plan to grab some when I return for Mainsha Plus' Toonie Tuesday special: a mini chicken meal for $2.50, tax included.
Mainsha Plus is a place to be proud of: a cultural and culinary marriage that provides comfort food in often uncomfortable surroundings. If neighbourhoods were measured in flavour, then Mainsha Plus proves Jane and Finch is truly rich.
Discussion
23 Comments
Sort By Oldest First / Newest First
Subscribe
terrible picture too
Where abouts in Thorncliffe Park are they located?
The food is delicious and wholesome. It is like eating home made coking but at a bargain price. If I lived closer I would eat there once a day.
Best is either the fried chicken or the BBQ chicken with Rice/Peas with coleslaw and drink for $5.
the food, THE BEST IVE EVER HAD FROM ANY CARRIBEAN RESTAURANT, HANDS DOWN!!!!!
ever since that, they'll never lose my business, no matter how long those lines are, they move FAST!
management team are a funny bunch, in a good sense, they all crack jokes with customers and have laid back personalities, but ive seen cases where they were firm and stood their position on certain policies with professionalism and firmness.
staff? all smiling and cracking jokes with patrons as well as each other even when the pressure is on! most places in general lack customer service, but these guys knew how to hire the right people and it looks like the team's chemistry is that of a family.
on another note, there is a mainsha plus at the downsview flea market. .... not quite the same, though it's a franchise, it just doesnt taste the same, and the customer service there is in one word... SLACK. if you want to get your mainsha plus fix, head to jane n finch. these guys will treat you like royalty and even hook you up on occasion when you begin to come there enough.
best restaurant in toronto, point blank, period.
straight up the best food ON THE BLOCK! IN THE CITY! IN CANADA!!!!