Cafe Tea Era 茶座 — Restaurant in Markham

It was my first time here and the last time I guess. My friend brought me here and they said they’ve tried their food few times alrdy, they think their food was good. But after this experience, we will never come back, thanks to the server!! I gave 2 stars only because the Fried Pork Chop and no extra charge for cold drinks.

We ordered Chicken Steak rice, Hainanese Chicken Rice, Fried Pork Chop Rice, Thai Fried Rice, Ham & Egg Sandwich.

The Chicken Steak is a bit overcooked, the meat is not tender and juicy, it’s dried. Hainanese Chicken’s chicken is just so so, rice is ok. The Pork Cutlet is really good, crispy and not oily, and size is big too!! Thai Fried Rice is a bit moist, not dry enough. It tastes like Sweet Chili Thai sauce fried rice. Ham and Egg Sandwich is decent. Good thing is their cold drinks is same price as hot drinks and it’s not small cups. But I guess the price is covered by the meal alrdy.

The worst part of the whole experience was we couldn’t finish all our food, so we asked the server to give us boxes to take the leftover home, but the girl told us, first box is free for each table, second box needs to be charged, we were all shocked, since they are not a self-serve low cost restaurant, their price is more on above average side. Also, the first box they gave us was those paper square box that can only fit the half sandwich and there was still half plate of fried rice left!! We were not being unreasonable for asking extra box. Our bill was around $82 after tax and you were charging us for a few cent for box??!!! We should have just take the whole plate of leftover food home and returned the plate after it. We wanted to take the leftover home is just because we don’t want to waste the food, don’t want to waste the chef’s effort to cook the meal, it’s a respect to chef to bring our leftover home as well!!! My friend was so mad and didn’t bother to take anything home at the end… Atmosphere is only so so, the seating is a bit squishy, should have make a few booths if they are charging...

This was the most mind-boggling experience I’ve had at a cha chaan teng.

TLDR: don’t come here; food is not good but not bad, and the service/business setup is frustrating

My friend and I went there at 12pm noon. I was having lunch and she was having a light brunch. The breakfast menu had eggs and toast (A) + noodles (B) + drink (C) that were available 10am-12:30pm, and you can only do ABC or AC. My friend wanted just BC and there was that combination on the menu starting 12:30pm. She asked the waitress if she could have the BC menu, but the waitress said no. Why can’t she have the noodles, it’s literally the same menu and you already made the food for breakfast? It doesn’t make any sense.

Our drinks (cold lemon tea) came first and it was filled to the brim with ice, and the tea could’ve been more rich and fragrant. Food comes, and it’s just average.

They also don’t give you all the menus, you have to ask for them. I wanted something from their lunch special menu (that started at 12!) that ended up being cheaper and what I was craving.

They cheaped out and heard a Spotify ad over the music.

When we first ordered, my friend got ABC and asked to get a takeout container for A, and the waitress said it’ll be $0.25. My friend was alright with it and got it. I couldn’t finish my Kway Teow (which was mid) and asked for a takeout container and they said it was $0.50. We said “hey the other one is just 25 cents” then they said that they didn’t charge for the first one but charge the second one for $0.5?

It was so confusing. Their food isn’t even that good to be making all of this so confusing. Go somewhere else and save yourself...

This place is not bad. No baked pork chop rice on menu which is very unusual for a Hong Kong cafe. I ordered the popular chicken and pork cutlet dish and it was huge (the pork was bigger but chicken was ok size too) but at $18.50, it better be! It was well fried, hot and crispy. The dish comes with a free drink. I got the cold hk milk tea (at no extra surcharge) didn't really taste like a hk milk tea as it was more like a bbt but at least the drink didn't taste bitter or sour. Maybe hot is better?

Friend got the hainanese chicken and it wasn't that great. Not boneless too. Would not recommend it. I see many people ordered the breakfast special. The room is kind of small. Cannot hold a private conversation cuz everyone can listen in easily with the tables being so close along with some echo. Second floor not opened yet as they are still in soft opening? Staffs were nice, attentive, helpful and friendly but I went on a non busy time. There seems to be only one washroom ? Snacks items not available yet. That awful BBT is still there.

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