Fav Cafe

I came in for dinner since a friend of mine highly recomends this place. There’s some soothing music playing on the background. The ambience is quite good. The customer service was good. I was greeted immediately once I was in the restaurant. The food I find came too quickly for the price I am paying. I thought I could finish my appetizer first, but my main course ox tail braised with red wine with rice was served after less than 3 mins. I didn’t even finish my soup. Lol! Luckily, my dish was still quite warm as i tried to finish my soup quickly. The ox tail was delicious. The presentation was not so good though. I don’t really like the look of rice sitting on top of so much sauce. I guess I am really picky. The table was not levelled properly so as I was cutting into the ox tail, a quarter of my milk tea spilled on the table. All in all, it was good. I properly would order something cheaper there since it feels more like a HK styles tea restaurant than a café.

I had Curry Beef Flank over rice from its «classic» lunch menu. Portion is reasonable but not generous on the beef. For its price, which is on the pricy side for Chinese food, you can get more beef flank from somewhere else which is as good. The flavor is pretty good but the potatoes in the curry is bland and had a weird texture. The curry is creamy and has a good balance of spiciness. The steam rice’s texture is too tough. Not moist enough. At the end I felt unsatisfied mostly due to the lack of meat. Incidentally this dish is marked as their «signature» dish on the menu.
Service was slow. I was waved to sit down at a small table by the door. After getting seated, I didn’t get a menu for 5 mins, which is quite atypical for a Hongkongese restaurant.

This café is slightly different from your typical hong Kong style Café. It has more of a western flare and fusion to their dishes.
I’ve gone for brunch a handful of times and I would say it’s alright. My go to is usually a noodle soup (braised beef brisket) for lunch.
I will likely come try their afternoon tea menu or early breakfast menu one day! However, I don’t think it’s super special.
Ps. I’m a lover of hk milk tea and I would say it’s one of the best parts of the meal.

Quick service. Was brought tea and soup right away. Good pasta, good seafood. Moderate prices, ill be coming back. This is like my FAV café.

My Fish Fillet Baked in Dill Rosé Sauce with Rice arrived first. In addition to the dill rosé sauce, there was definitely cheese baked on top of it too. It smelled really great. I found the combination of dill rosé sauce with the cheese to be so delicious! No wonder Baron recommended this dish. It was definitely tasty. The rice grains were smaller than I was used to. I thought that there could have been more fish fillets within the dish however.

Came here for afternoon tea after reading some Unilocal reviews. The place is clean and service courteous. That’s a great start! We ordered :
–pickled veg and pork with vermicelli in soup
Broth is clear and clean. Not too much oil. This one is pretty good.
— deep fried chicken wings with fries
3 full wings with tip, wing and drum attached. Wings tasted good as they added seasoning to the batter
— French style French toast.
I like this one! This is how REAL French toast is supposed to be. A much healthier option. It’s not deep fried. Its soaked in egg batter, then pan fried with a dusting of icing sugar. I can also taste a hint of citrus zest in the batter. Comes with maple syrup on the side.
All three dish were about $ 5 – 6 includes tea/​coffee.
They do charge 50 cents for a plastic takeout box.
This place is pretty refreshing from the usual HK greasy dives in the area. I checked out their lunch menu and interested in trying a few dishes. Though lunch prices are a tad pricier than other places. About $ 10 – 16. But if they offer quality food and care in their cooking then I would be willing to pay a bit more.

My family and I are regulars here. The people that run this place are always super friendly. They have a lot of great dishes, but my favourites are the Nasi Goreng with Chicken Steak, Beef Rib Noodle in Soup, Malaysian Chicken & Rice and the Japanese Beef Curry Rice. Your classic HK /​Western style café, but made with quality ingredients. Would absolutely recommend if you’re in the area.

+.5 for service
Fav Café is a rather small HK style café in Jubilee Centre, which until recently I overlooked since nothing in this plaza attracted me very much. It was a random night when I ate at Pepper Wok when I noticed this place packed with customers, hence why I decided to give it a try recently.
The interior of this place has a unique feel. There are lots of vintage posters across the restaurant filled with old school artist concerts such as Bob Marley, disco music, Oasis, Jack Johnson, etc. Too bad they play top 40 music inside the restaurant, cause I feel 70s-​90s music would be awesome for a place like this.
Anyway, the menu (at least for dinner) isn’t too extensive, but covers the staple HK style specialties quite well. I’ve been here twice now, and I ordered two items from here: Salmon gravlax penne and crabmeat + bacon mac and cheese.
Both meals I had came with starter soups, and the first time I had what seemed to be a mix of cream soup and borscht… and it was very good! The second time was plain old borscht… which I felt it to be watered down. Guess the starter soup really is dependent on what it is that day.
The crabmeat + bacon mac and cheese… was not macaroni, but more like fussili. In fact, the penne was also fussili. I feel they should’ve just mentioned pasta in general since there’s only one type that’s not spaghetti. There wasn’t too much cheese in the food, although bacon and crab meat were a little more abundant. Overall it was good, although the price was a little steep.
The salmon gravlax is one of their specialties, and I’m speaking in terms of someone who doesn’t like fish… this was very good. The salmon was raw, but had that nice smoked feel to it, similar to aburi sushi style. They definitely performed this dish very well, and this dish is actually worth the just over $ 10 in price you pay.
Tea is terrible here, so don’t expect much from that.
Service was great, definitely above standard for an Asian minded place. Price is a little high here, so it won’t be a place that I’ll frequent, but will go occasionally.

3.5
Fav Café is a Hong Kong style café that offers up some dishes normally not served at most other Hk style cafes.
Pros:
High end western dishes available
Great service
Cons:
HK style café food could of been better
When you first come in, you notice that this place is rather small. There are about 8 tables total seating parties of 2, 4, or 6. The atmosphere is pretty good with music just loud enough to enjoy. I find some places tend to play music way too loud when they have it, Fav café gets it just right.
One look at the menu and the $ 100 rib steak immediately catches my eye. Never have I seen such an item that expensive at an HK style café. The menu has completely changed from the menus in the photos for this place on Unilocal.There are quite a bit of higher end western dishes on the menu now. They are much pricier than your everyday HK stlye items. I take it they are trying to be more of higher class of dining? If anybody has tried the $ 100, please message me and tell me how it was.
I ordered the baked seafood on rice with Alfredo sauce and my GF got the baked fish in rose sauce with dill on rice. My seafood rice was OK though it could of really been better portion wise. I could count the amount of seafood with my 2 hands. 2 shirimps, 3 pieces of calamari, 3 small fillets of fish and 1 piece of scallop. I could of used a lot more Alfredo sauce as well. Overall, what I had tasted good, but I was left wanting more after. My GF’s fish was a lot better portion wise and the taste was pretty good too.
Here’s the thing I noticed. The more expensive western dishes were done a whole lot better than the HK style ones. Some of the people there had ordered some of them and they looked very good. I like the fact they have these options, but as a HK style café, you need to make sure you’re morn known dishes are done with the same effort. Just my take.
The service was very good. Previous reviews had me a little worried but the two servers and someone who looked to be the owner had nothing but great interaction with us. They were very good with my little one and she opened up to them in no time which only happens if she feels very conformable with strangers.
Overall, a very nice little place. The HK style could be better but nothing bad enough to keep me away.

I’m really excited to write this review because I really had a great experience here. At first glacé the place is very small and seats about 25 – 30 max. I don’t really like compact restaurants but the place was clean and nicely decorated. The lunch menu was very simple and has limited dishes to choose from when comparing to other HK style cafes. I came with the family so I got to try many different dishes.
My Dad got the curry beef brisket $ 9.95 — the curry flavours were great, the meat was super tender and soft. Portion of meat was very generous. Comes with rice or spaghetti. Very rarely my dad gives the thumbs up but on this occassion he did so that means it was a 5 star when converting into Unilocal stars.
My sister got the crab meat mac n cheese $ 12.95 — before we got this dish we were already speculating that it would be that fake crab meat that you get at the Chinese super market but we were so proven wrong when we saw actual chunks of crab meat. There was a good amount of cheese, great flavours, crab meat a little on the low side but overall it was another great dish. Usually my sister will give me a portion of her food but this time she didn’t want to share so it translates to something near a 5 star in Unilocal terms.
My mom got baked seafood spaghetti with cream sauce $ 11.95 — plenty of seafood, shrimps were very large and overall flavours were good. This one was probably the least impressive dish but still tasted really good to me.
The dish I got was the show stopper. The braised oxtail in red wine sauce for $ 14.95 — The sauce was amazing, the amount of oxtail they give you is amazing, the super tender fall off the bone meat was amazing. This is one of the few oxtail dishes I have had that even surpasses my moms home made oxtail (sorry mommy).
All meals came with milk tea and even the milk tea was smoother and better than most other places. For what is considered a simple HK style diner, this place is definately a few steps above when it comes to quality of food. The prices are a bit higher but so worth it. Not all dishes were 5 stars but because the oxtail blew me away I will give this place a 5 star review and it is officially my Fav Café.

One of the better café’s in the area, with good quality food. Depending on the day and time you go, it can be very busy. With minimal parking and limited tables, you would have to get lucky for a parking spot, and probably call ahead to make a reservation.
Not really a Hong Kong style café, but maybe a mix of cultures. Nice food options from around the world on one menu, and makes choices quite interested. Got the Curry Braised Beef, my mom got an Indonesian Style Chicken on Rice, and my brother got the Tiger Prawn Pasta. The curry was quite good, with enough flavour and spice without overdoing it. The rice looked amazing, beautifully plated and delicious! My brother said the pasta was amazing too, as their prawn were very fresh! Most meals also come with a beverage, which is awesome. Their Milk Tea is very good here, so definitely worth a try!
Service is pretty good, with quick and efficient servers, and food coming out pretty quickly. The servers are also friendly, but probably don’t realize that their tone sometimes comes across as a bit rude or apathetic. Something to think about I guess…
Definitely a good spot to try some different dishes for a decent price. Despite the parking struggles, you will want to try this spot out!

Came in asked the waiter how long is the wait. He said 20. Told me there is two tables and then us. There was a bit of a line. Saw a couple of table paying. After 45min, we are still waiting. Then all of the sudden a big group came marching in and took the two tables. The I asked why. The waiter said they booked, which he didn’t tell us. The owner or manger came talk to us and said «they booked a table, you could book too». WTF! Then I took off and never came try. Now (a few months later) I see they have no more line and not busy at all.

Many of my favourite dishes is served here. I like there are many varieties of cuisine styles available. Favs pork hock, curries, indo fried rice, mussels, ox tail and many more

I came with coworker for a Friday lunch. I ordered a Hainanese Chicken and Rice special which came with a hot beverage. In order of best to worst: coffee, the dipping sauces that came with the order, chicken rice, Hainanese chicken. Plainly state, the chicken was overcooked, the chicken rice was adequately flavourful, the dipping sauces were excellent and remedied the blandness of the chicken, and Fav Café always makes a kickass coffee.

I second the review by Bebe B., photos look great but food is mediocre.
Also service by the guy working there is pretty horrible and rude. When we first arrived with an infant care seat, there were 2 tables available but he gestured us to sit at the high chair tables which definitely not ideal and dangerous for a car seat. When we asked if we could we sit at the table furthest from the door (it was cold) he nonchalantly gestured us to sit at the table closer to the door. We were close to leaving right there and then but decided to give it a shot.
I got the Indonesian chicken which looked great in the pictures but the fried/​baked chicken was ‘OK’ and the rice had too much dried shrimp so it tasted off. Baked spaghetti was dry and too much rosemary or some kind of spice.
Only reason I’m giving it a 2 star compared to 1 star is the women server we got was polite and accommodated us to a new table away from the door.
Never coming back for sure, much smaller and narrower than many other better options for HK Café, rude service, and dated décor.

This review is way overdue. They really do have the best Hainanese Chicken in the city (their Indonesian chicken fried rice is my second favorite). If it weren’t for the traffic congestion in the area and the frustration finding a parking spot In the plaza I’d be there more often.
For a HK style Café they definitely spend more time on the presentation of their food than any other in the city. Service is also friendlier than other HK cafes too!
Seating is limited, so I usually get there by 11:30 am for lunch, or before 6:00 pm for dinner to avoid the wait.

Came here for lunch on the weekend, and was surprised that I have never ventured into this gem, having lived in Richmond Hill all my life. It’s a local Hong Kong Style Café, except it’s fancier, and dishes that come out actually looking like the chef spent more than 2 seconds on. But presentation obviously comes second to the most important trait… taste. No worries, they win on this front too.
Like all the other reviews mention, this place is known for their Hainanese Chicken Rice, and I do say it’s a must order! The chicken is unbelievably moist and smooth, The rice is flavoured with some kind of garlic bits, which made it delicious to eat even on its own.
Most meals come with complimentary beverages, and I went with my go-​to Horlicks beverage. No complaints.
One thing I will mention though, is how small this café is. I’m going to say they have about 30 seats, when realistically they probably should have stopped at 20.

Tried the Hainan Chicken rice again and was disappointed.
— Rice was very hard and dry, no taste
— Chicken had no hainan flavor. Actually, it had no taste overall.

I am always up for trying out new Hong Kong Style Café uptown when I want to stay in during the weekend. Have heard some fab things about Fav Café’s Hainanes Chicken, so I finally made my way there this past weekend.
The space is rather small and tight but love how their wall are filled with concerts poster… should I say non-​Chinese concert poster, posters like Edge Fest and Green Day. The place also look like to be run by young energetic staff, the chefs w/​aprons will sometimes bring out your dishes.
Hong Kong Style Iced Lemon Tea
~ Our meal came with our choice of drinks.
~ I have to say the tea wasn’t dark or bitter enough for HK style tea. I\ll have to try their Milk Tea next time.
Hainanese Chicken Rice 海南雞飯
~ Have been searching for a place for good Hainanese Chicken Rice in Toronto for ages where both the chicken and rice are as delicious.
~ The chicken here are perfectly tender and moist while the rice was completely flavorful packed with chicken flavor without being overly oily.
~ Even the garlic in the garlic chili sauce was filled with fresh chopped garlic while most other places just serve water down store bought version.
~ The soy sauce was cooked and reduce with sugar which result in a thick sweet yummy goodness.
~ The minced ginger oil was perfectly seasoned and used young ginger.
Lotus Leaf wrapped Pork Neck & Salty Fish Fried Rice 荷葉飯
~ Love how the rice itself didn’t have too much of the salty fish or salt itself so that you can actually taste the lotus leaf flavor.
~ Love how it’s served pipping hot which is perfect for these cold winter days that we are having.
Verdict :
~ Love the Hainanese Chicken rice and I am sure I’ll be a regular from now on.
~ They also have the Indonesian Chicken which I will need to try next time.
~ One of the best service I’ve had for a while at a Chinese place and love how energetic and smiling they all are.

The food here tastes pretty bad, they are nicely plated and from the photos you see, it will look like it’s delicious! however it does not taste like what it looks.
I went for lunch, except it was not early enough for the breakfast obviously and it was not late enough for afternoon tea. there was no lunch special (like pepper wok beside it) so had to order off the main menu (dinner) for lunch.
the selection is little, the menu is small, drink choices are minimal also.
The Nasi Goreng with Chicken steak — the chicken steak was nicely flavored however not enough of that soy sauce on top. and the rice was dried and it was a nice color but lacked flavour. $ 8.95
the hainan chicken rice was a bit small and most overpriced out of all the places I’ve had it. $ 8.95
The japanese style beef rice was not what I had imagine, i would not even call this a curry, it was minced beef and rice with an egg on top, not worth the price and did not taste good. $ 7.95
the bolognese spaghetti was large, however it had a weird taste, very sweet. there was enough meat toppings, just the flavour was very off. I did not like it at all. $ 7.95
It still gets 2 stars not because of the food, (cause we did not enjoy it) and we were starving (usually food tastes better when you are extra hungry? it did not) the service was quick, food came quick and I like supporting individual owned businesses, we sat at the back at a high table and there was photos of the owners and their dog, it was cute, and very personal yet welcoming.