Where Toronto November December 2017 | Page 18

25 Cheap e at s the restaurant’s ever-popular soup dumplings. $7.99. 3235 Hwy. 7 E., Markham 19 Hainanese chicken rice Malay Thai Famous Cuisine The food court in First Markham Place is full of gems, including this hearty serving of tender, boneless Hainanese chicken and rice cooked in broth, with even more belly-warming broth on the side. Winter and summer colds, you’ve been warned. $6.99. 3255 Hwy. 7 E., Markham 20 Three-piece chicken dinner Chick-N-Joy Not to be confused with the even-more-east-end chain of the same name, this family-run Leslieville chicken shop has been frying up fowl since 1977. A three-piece dinner here includes a trio of fresh- never-frozen country-fried thighs, legs or breasts, a choice of sides, and a roll. Don’t forget to order the famous yellow gravy for $1 more. $8.05. 1483 Queen St. E. 21 Whitefish dumplings Yan Can Cook This long-time vendor in the food court of First Markham Place has a borderline-overwhelming menu of Chinese dishes. A sure bet is the fish siu mai: five massive dumplings loaded with whitefish and drenched in a homemade chili-garlic soy sauce. $3. First Markham Place, 3255 Hwy. 7 E., Markham 18 where Winter 2017/2018 22 Savoury Chinese crêpe Lamb Kebab Look for the routine lineup at Dundas and Spadina to find the street vendor selling lamb kebabs, stinky tofu and jianbing, delicious savoury Chinese pan- cakes. Made to order on a flat- top grill, the paper-thin crêpes are covered with egg, painted with two sauces (sweet and heat), sprinkled with cilantro, green onions and lettuce, and topped with a couple of crispy crackers before being folded up into a tasty multi-layered mess. $5. 492 Dundas St. W. 23 Chicken mole burrito Carnicero’s The people who hand out those free samples of pork belly right inside the main entrance $6 of St. Lawrence Market have a hidden talent: they make a damn fine burrito. The rich, smoky chicken mole has a distinct dark-chocolate note, and a few pickled jalapeños offer an extra stab of heat to the bundle, which is stuffed with cheese, salsa, lettuce and sour cream. It’s lightly crisped on the grill before serving. $6.99 for a regular, $9.99 for a large. 93 Front St. E., carniceros.ca 24 The Gobernador Taco Seven Lives If you have time for only one taco in Kensington (and there are many), make it this one. Double-shelled to hold the heft of its contents, the gobernador is a delicious mess of shrimp and smoked marlin, all glued together with gooey mozzarella cheese. 69 Kensington Ave.