Glad幸會 — Restaurant in Markham

Glad is a new, small restaurant located in a tiny strip plaza. Parking is limited but usually sufficient, as there aren’t many other shops nearby. The restaurant can comfortably seat around 20 people, so I highly recommend calling ahead for reservations. I had a reservation and we were seated at the very back. The chairs were wooden and quite firm, but they included round flat pillows, which was a nice touch, even if not essential.

Despite the small space, the dining room feels surprisingly spacious. Service was wonderful and extremely attentive throughout the meal. However, every time the door opened, a noticeable breeze swept through and lingered. I can only imagine how uncomfortable it must be for guests seated closer to the entrance, especially with how chilly the weather has been.

The menu is dainty and small. It took a little over 25 minutes for all the dishes to come out. I had a hard time choosing between two mains and ended up going with the Duck Confit because the Boeuf Bourguignon didn’t come with rice. The beef brisket with potatoes and carrots is about $36, and adding rice costs an extra $3.50, which felt unjustified, especially when similar dishes elsewhere include rice and cost significantly less. Including it as a standard part of the dish would make it feel like better value and a more satisfying meal overall.

The Duck Confit, which was around $38, came with cold, whipped mashed potatoes and a tiny portion of mixed greens with balsamic vinaigrette. If the potatoes had been served warm and the salad portion increased, it would’ve made the dish more enjoyable. I was really looking forward to this one, but unfortunately, the duck was overcooked and dry. The flavors of the dish didn’t come together the way I had hoped, and the cost was high for what it was. I wouldn’t order it again.

The Thai-style fried chicken was the best dish of the night. It was juicy, with a perfectly crisp crust. They recommend pouring the sauce on top, but it might be better served on the side so you can control how much you use. A different plate style might also help, since the flat plate didn’t hold the sauce well.

I’d also pass on the Taiwanese Braised Pork with Rice. The pork wasn’t very flavorful or juicy, and the tofu and egg were both overdone.

Lastly, I tried the Duck Fat Fries with Truffle, which were around $15. They were perfectly fried and the sauce had an addictive truffle flavor, but the portion was far too small for the price.

I’m open to giving it another try someday, but probably not anytime soon. I really hope my next visit...

My rating would be a 3.5/5, but there are no 0.5 ratings. This restaurant recently opened and the interior feels new and clean. There are about six or seven tables in the restaurant.

We were greeted and sat immediately during a Saturday evening. We asked for hot water as it was a chilly night and the servers steamed some water for us and were attentive to when our glasses were only half full. We did not have to ask for a water refill as they always offered.

As I mentioned, it was a chilly February night so whenever the door opened, we felt a cold breeze at our table so some of us chose to keep our jackets on.

The menu is cat-themed and very cute. I ordered the Thai Style Fried Chicken and my friends ordered the Confit de Canard, Taiwanese Braised Pork, and Duck Fat Fries with Truffle Sauce. I thought that the Thai Style Fried Chicken was quite good. They had some garlic and chilis laid on top of the fried chicken with some savory, mildly spicy sauce, and some salad on the side. Although it tasted good, I personally think that $24 for fried chicken is somewhat steep. I understand that this is a sit down restaurant, but I've had similar take out Taiwanese style fried chicken for a third of the price. I don't believe that the sauce and additional cabbage elevated the dish to their selling price. This dish was the best of the four items that we got off the menu.

The mashed potato from the Confit de Canard was smooth and felt like it had a whipped texture. I was intrigued by the temperature of the mashed potato, or lack thereof, as it was cold. I didn't have much of an opinion of the duck leg as I only tried a small piece. For $40, I felt like it should have something more exciting on the plate. I didn't particularly enjoy or dislike the Taiwanese Braised Pork ($17). The Duck Fat Fries with Truffle Sauce was alright, but once again, the portion size was small. The truffle sauce was somewhat unique, but there really weren't enough fries in the basket.

They have a wide variety of offerings on their menu, but it would probably be best if they offered a couple signature items to make their restaurant stand out. I'm not sure if I'd visit Glad again anytime in the near future. Overall, service was wonderful but the they fell short...

Our experience at Glad tonight left us with mixed feelings. On the onset we were very pleased with the cozy and aesthetic vibe of the restaurant. The dining room feels spacious inside despite it being a rather small space. Also LOVE the cat menus. Such a great idea!

We were met by both Charles and Dennis who were extremely friendly and professional. They offered us recommendations on the food which we happily took. Both were very on top of water refills and were at all times kind and courteous. Excellent service here.

Unfortunately the praise ends there for Glad as the food was a bit of a letdown. Especially for the price you pay!!! I’ll leave my honest opinion of the food here so that they might improve. The meal started off quite badly with the XH salad. Dressing was clearly just the premade kewpie sesame dressing, on top of mixed greens and produce from Costco.

Shrimp tacos was next, not bad but the dish is imbalanced. There was too much sauce… coleslaw heavily dressed, then a dollop of guacamole, a dollop of sour cream on top of a scoop of pico salsa and then everything doused in a mango dressing. It’s too much.

Thai fried chicken was probably the best dish. However the sauce needs to be served on the side if it’s that watery. The crispy chicken turns soggy within minutes. I repeat - order the sauce on the side!

Lastly, the Beef bourguignon. It was served room temp… stews should be served hot. The brisket is extremely gristly and not tender at all. I struggled cutting through the beef, which is a huge no, no for a braised item. Flavor isn’t bad, but the preparation is very bad. Also would it kill the chef to cut up the carrots and potatoes a little smaller???

Look if you’re gonna charge these prices - the food needs a lot of improvement guys! I feel like I’m eating at a friends house. This is not restaurant quality. As they are in their soft opening we will entertain the possibility of returning and perhaps if food improves I will...