I was in the mood for beef noodle soup especially during our cold winter. I was expecting it to look like Food Ninja N.'s photo of the beef being brown. Instead, I received beef that was pink/red that looked undercooked (raw?). I asked them why it was this colour and was told it was the soup's broth... umm no.
First off, I'm Chinese (banana) but have eaten a lot of Asian food around the world especially in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.
The broth if you want to call it that tasted like salty-sour (rancid?) and the noodles was not Shanghai noodles! Instead they were the pre-package bland udon you can get at Chinese grocery stores. I just ate the noodles and didn't eating the red beef or broth. I am hoping I do not get food poisoned by this place.
Price: $9.99 * 13% tax = $11.29 (he put in $11.30 in the debit machine, was not happy and was very tempted to not leave a tip...). I'm not being cheap, if he had put in the exact amount, I would have left a typical 10% on top of the tax.
I should have listened to my instincts especially how during lunch time on a weekday the place was empty, there is a reason.
Taste: 1/5
Freshness: 1/5
Presentation: 3/5 - looked pretty but not really, I'm used to Chinese food lacking in presentation plating if the food was good
Atmosphere: looks clean but nothing was really fancy-looking.
Overall, I will most definitely not be returning to this place. I honestly feel bad for the people who wrote positive reviews of this place. I am surprised this place has been in business for so long. I would consider this place an embarrassment to all mainland style cooking.
If you are ever in the mood of good beef noodle soup, I would recommend Ding Tai Fung in Markham's First Markham Place. That place is consistently good and no scary pink/red beef surprise.