A little late on posting this up. Just a little. >_>
All you can eat Maxim's cake buffet!!!
Here's the menu specifically for the day. (Click on it for a better view, which also has a zoom-in option as well). $40 per person for a 4 course meal.
Cute matching mugs.
For appetizer, there was Norwegian smoked salmon with potato latke, foie gras pâté on heart shaped melba toast and sweet heart of palm salad with raspberry vinaigrette. This photo is focused on the Norwegian smoked salmon with potato latke (right). I liked the potato part, crispy outside and soft inside.
This photo is focused on the salad with raspberry vinaigrette. A good sour and sweet starter.
Foie gras pâté on heart shaped melba toast. Not enough foie gras taste but oh well.
Lobster bisque. I really love this soup but usually it's way too salty. Maxim's was still a bit too salty for my liking.
For the main course, there were the choices of:
Love me tenderloin - bacon wrapped, broiled, with sauteed seasonal vegetables, garlic mashed potatoes and baby king mushrooms cabernet franc jus
Lavender honey glazed New Zealand lamb, oven roasted, with sauteed season vegetables, garlic mashed potatoes and rosemary jus
Lobster & seafood assortment, served with angelhair pasta in rosee sauce
Lingcod with tiger shrimps, panseared, with sauteed seasonal vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes, green onion and ginger sweet soy sauce
A fairly simple decision for me, since I don't eat beef, lamb, or shrimp (it's not as crazy as it sounds. Seriously). JT really likes angelhair pasta so we both picked #3, lobster and seafood assortment angelhair pasta.
Seafood (lobster, shrimp, squid, mussel, scallops, fish) in tomato sauce. The lobster and seafood were a bit overcooked but everything tasted fine. Wasn't amazing though. However, the portions were gigantic. I think they wanted to fill us up with the appetizer, soup and main course so that we wouldn't be able to eat much of their desserts. What a sneaky plan. I couldn't eat more than half, such a waste.
Complimenary coffee or tea; we both chose hot lemon tea (helps with digestion after such a filling meal).
And then this is where my real dinner started! Just kidding. Half kidding.
We walked over to the dessert bar, which was right by the entrance of the restaurant, to view the selection of cakes. A friendly older man stood there the entire night, serving customers with cakes to last them for the entire month. I told him I'll be back each time he filled up my plate.
I ended up having 3 plateful of cakes, of course sharing the last two with JT. I won't go into details about each cake, but in all honesty, they weren't that great. The cake part were not moist and spongy, and some came off as weird tasting or too much cream. I expected better from Maxim! However, the yogurt cakes were not too bad though. And no, I didn't actually finish all 3 plates of cakes; I just had a taste of each. :)
BUT... I do have to mention this one. A cute, mini version of their famous strawberry almond meringue cake. So good! Although their usual cakes aren't that great, all of their meringue cakes are wonderful. Crunchy and airy meringue bases (that don't stick to your teeth) and whipped cream to bind them together. The top triangular slice of cake in the second cake picture is a slice of their usual meringue cake.
The meal itself was alright, nothing spectacular or really bad. I'd probably come back just for their meringue cakes. They also take orders in advance for birthday cakes and they also make sugar-free cakes.
I definitely recommend...
their meringue cakes!!! Choice of blueberry, strawberry almond, cappuccino and mango.
They're available for take-out for ~$4.25 a slice.
Here are pictures of the take-out slices of meringues I previously had:
Blueberry meringue (left) and cappuccino meringue (right).
My first slice of meringue cake. Ever. And it was from Maxim (RH location). I forgot what it was but it was so good that I still remember it.
Maxim Restuarant 美心
Richmond Hill location
9665 Bayview Ave., Unit 1-4, Richmond Hill, ON L4C 9V4
(905) 883-1465
North York location (also just purchased the Maxim name from the original HK company; I believe it's a different manager than the RH location so not sure how their food/cakes are)
Cafe Maxim's Patisserie Ltd.
648 Finch Avenue East, North York, ON M2K2E6
(416) 730-1080
I take it they serve not chinese style western food, but western style western food, no? (key being is the pasta al dente?)
$40 sounds reasonable if it includes dessert buffet portion. Do they have it everyday, or just special occasions?
The best meringue cake I had in Toronto was definitely Dufflet's. I wonder if Maxim's could rival that.
btw love your blog! I live downtown and don't drive at all, so this is like feasting vicariously through you.
That's right, they make Western food in the Western style. As for the pasta being al dente, I don't quite remember if this was the case.. perhaps I was too eager for the cakes. So I won't confirm that.
I agree, $40 for a 4 course (filling) meal is very reasonable. To my knowledge, the dessert buffet is only for special occasions but I'm not sure what occasions in particular. Perhaps try giving them a call? I only knew they had it for V-day since I passed by here the Valentine's Day before to purchase a slice of meringue cake >_>
Ahh I've heard good things about Dufflet's! I shall put that on my list of foods to try...
And lastly, thank you!! I can't believe someone actually enjoys my blog haha :)
I love Maxim's cakes; they're not oversugared, they don't use "icing" at all which is a sign of home-made greatness. The Strawberry Almond Meringue they have is better than Dufflet's Meringue. Maxim's Mango Almond Meringue is good but the SAM or Cappucino are probably the best ones.
Cheesecakes, Maxim has a ridiculous variety.
I was there on valentines day too! I recognize that appetizer platter! i loved the lobster soup! The seafood pasta was way too filling. I would have been happy with smaller portions. No overcooked food on my plate, sorry to hear about yours.
I called them and asked how often they do the cake buffet; they only do it on special days like christmas, valentines day, mothers day, etc.
I love Maxim's cakes; they're not oversugared, they don't use "icing" at all which is a sign of home-made greatness. The Strawberry Almond Meringue they have is better than Dufflet's Meringue. Maxim's Mango Almond Meringue is good but the SAM or Cappucino are probably the best ones.
Cheesecakes, Maxim has a ridiculous variety.
I was there on valentines day too! I recognize that appetizer platter! i loved the lobster soup! The seafood pasta was way too filling. I would have been happy with smaller portions. No overcooked food on my plate, sorry to hear about yours.
Not sure when they have the buffet but i know they have it on christmas