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| - OK, I've visited Ruyi Garden a few times now so I should probably revise my original review from July 21, 2015.
First, the restaurant is gorgeous inside - they did an amazing job renovating it. If anything, don't do the take-out but go inside and have a meal in there. They can accommodate large groups too. During my first visit, while I waited for my order, I had a nice conversation with the hostess; she was very friendly and welcoming.
Now on to the food: if you prefer Canadian/American style Chinese food (similar to Mandarin), you've found the perfect restaurant. If you're like me and more into authentic Chinese food, then you should really research the menu well and ask questions prior to ordering. They are very friendly and there is no language barrier.
I've had the following dishes:
Yeung Chow Fried Rice - had good flavour and they clearly used good quality ingredients such as lot of lean char siu, shrimp, fresh veggies, etc. I would have preferred that the eggs were incorporated more like an omelette rather than mixed in with the rice. Unfortunately, the rice was a bit overdone for my liking.
Crispy Ginger Beef - also had good flavour and, again, it was good quality - no fat or gristle. We found that it had a little too much batter and the meat should have been cut into all thin, uniform slices to ensure every piece was crispy. Also, the menu indicated it was spicy but we didn't taste any heat.
Shanghai Beef Noodles - the best of all three and authentic. The only issue was the first time I ordered it, the noodles were cooked el dente (like most Asian noodles should be) but the dish lacked salt/seasoning; it was an easy fix with soy sauce though. The second time I ordered it, it was perfectly seasoned BUT the noodles were a bit overdone so forget microwaving it for leftovers the next day as the noodles would just be cooked to mush.
Prices are decent, good portions and placed in nicer take-out containers (not Styrofoam that causes leaks).
I honestly think that if they focussed on being more authentic, they would see far more business. Again, service is friendly but I find it a tad annoying that they phone me two to three times while I'm on my way to tell me the food is ready.
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