I was researching on brunch spots in Vancouver, and I found that Mak N Ming is relaunching their annual Summer Sunday Brunch, starting May 19. This is the 3rd season, and I missed the last two. Mak N Ming is located in Kitsilano, just blocks away from the Kitsilano Beach. They highlight Japanese-meets-French cuisine. With limited seatings, I highly recommend to reserve through OpenTable ahead of time.
I was lucky to reserve a time slot at 10:30am through OpenTable. In order to prevent last-minute bailing, they also require my credit card information for a deposit. I support more restaurants in Vancouver to do this because this would lessen the amount of last-minute bailing. The restaurant has a quaint ambiance. If you are lucky, you can get the two-seat patio all to yourself. Otherwise, you can also enjoy the natural sunlight shining into the restaurant.
The menu is small, but “quality over quantity”! From a classic big breakfast to a Japanese-style omelette, you can get it here. I chose the Ming’s Chilled Soba Bowl and he chose the Mushroom & Spinach Filo Roll. We also got half order of Something Sweet to share.
The price is reasonable, as it is similar to most of the brunch places in Vancouver. But you will not find the classic egg benedict, instead, you will experience more of the Japanese-style meal. I was surprised by the portion, and it looks filing and mouth-watering.
The Ming’s Chilled Soba Bowl is the perfect dish for the upcoming hot weather. Buckwheat noodles are topped with wild garlic prawns and an perfectly-cooked onsen egg. Pickles, daikon, and nori are used as garnish. The sauce is the Japanese cold-noodle sauce that we used for soba, and it gives flavor to the dish. I love this dish because it is refreshing and light. I wish that there is a hint of yellow mustard or wasabi on the side to ease the saltiness from the sauce.
Mushroom & Spinach Filo Roll is a French-influenced dish, which the roasted mushroom and spinach are rolled in the crisp filo pastry. It is served with herbed yogurt sauce and salad. I love the crispness of the filo pastry, which is light and airy. However, the dish can get heavy after the first few bites because of the filling from the filo roll. It would prefer this dish to be for dinner as opposed to brunch. We still love the dish nonetheless.
Last but not least, we cannot skip dessert even during brunch. I am happy that they allow customers to order half order of Something Sweet. Would you believe the photo I showed is a French Toast!?
I was surprised when I saw the rice krispie-covered french toast. This is definitely something unique compared to any French toast I tried before. It has blueberry compote, elderflower jelly, coconut, and whipped cream as garnish. The bread is unexpectedly soft, with a crunchy outside. The elderflower jelly is light and adds a minty and refreshing taste. The half order comes in 2 pieces, and I think it is more than enough for a dessert! I highly recommend this dish if you are craving for something sweet for brunch.
Overall Impression
This petite eatery offers simple yet delicious brunch. After the brunch, you can walk down to the Kitsilano Beach and enjoy the beach view. We both agree this place to be our favourite brunch spot in Vancouver. It is quaint and not too packed, unlike most brunch places out there. I recommend to reserve a table before going, and all dishes we tried were satisfying and filling. Service is great, and price is reasonable. This is definitely a place we would like to return.
Taste : 5/5 • Service: 5/5 • Ambiance: 5/5 • Quality-Price: 5/5
Mak N Ming | Instagram | Facebook |
Address: 1629 Yew Street, Vancouver, BC V6K 3E6 |
Hours: Tue to Sat: 5 PM – CLOSE Sun: 10 AM – 2 PM (summer brunch only) |
All of these dishes sound delicious, but I’m particularly taken with the Ming’s Chilled Soba Bowl. The wild garlic prawns sound divine.
That’s my favourite too! Love that it is cold and just perfect for the hot summer!