New Ho King — Restaurant in Toronto

Feb. 20, 2024 - uploaded new photos of my recent delivery order. Notice how squished the dishes are with most of the sauce squeezed into the bag. Tsk, the solution is simple - just package differently with an extra bag!

Overall rating for New Ho King is a 3 star for a few reasons. Not gonna lie, food is consistent. Can I say that all dishes are delicious? Nope but they're good at what they're good at and their portions are huge. I have friends who will only order from them because it's their favourite place to go. Images shown here are from my most recent Uber delivery order. Restaurant is close to Spadina and College, near Kensington market. Bathrooms are in the basement so not wheelchair accessible. Place looks nice and a bit more modern. Review posted here is for a recent Uber delivery order but I've had their food several times now.

Pro - the portions are huge so there was plenty of food to go around. The aforementioned friends were there so thus New Ho King was chosen as the food of choice.

Con - New Ho King does a poor job of packaging your food for delivery and it has nothing to do with the delivery service. I don't have an issue with the tin containers and I appreciate the clear plastic bags that go over each dish. Again, portions are also great. What I have an issue with is that they stack all your dishes into only a few bundles. The sad dishes on the bottom are compressed to the point where all the sauce is now in the clear plastic bag. We had sauce drip all over our kitchen floor before we realized and got a plate to go under it. Considering I got fried rice and some drier dishes, the least you could have done was put them on the bottom!

Here is a quick summary of some of the dishes we ordered.

Cantonese fried noodle: lots of toppings over fried noodles that were decent but I'm convinced the oil has seen better days. Not too salty, tasted okay.

Chicken and mushroom: overall flavour base is good (savoury, oyster sauce flavouring) but would have been a whole lot better probably if all the sauce hadn't been squeezed out and the chicken wasn't all compressed to a solid block. Keep in mind, the portions are huge so the sheer weight of the dishes on top was enough to flatten this dish. They didn't even put cardboard dividers in between the saucy dishes. You can see how compressed the chicken is and all the sauce that dripped out the side. shakes head New image added.

New Ho King Fried rice: friends swear by it, tastes like standard Chinese fried rice to me.

Mixed veggie dish with vermicelli: tastes decent, savoury, lighter in flavour, vermicelli was a solid block in the centre. Broccoli was very much al dente, not a heavy garlic flavour

Pork Chop with Chef’s Special Sauce: flavour was good, sweet and savory but less tart than the standard sweet and sour pork. Large chunks of meat and fewer bones since this is with pork chop. Again, I'm convinced the oil used to fry this up has seen better days. It tasted okay but I could taste the oil wasn't fresh. Also, most of the sauce was in the bag. New image added.

Would I order again? Well, I like my friends and the food is edible so I'll order it again but if I was getting it food for my family, I'd go with another place that serves better tasting food that isn't messy. This isn't the first time I've ordered from them and it happens EVERY time where the saucy dish is inevitably on the bottom. If they'd change how they package their deliveries so I can taste the food with the dish intact, my opinion might change but until then, it's a...

Stepping into New Ho King, a renowned Chinese restaurant nestled on Spadina Avenue in Toronto, was like entering a gateway to an evening of culinary delight. Our group of four friends eagerly anticipated our Sunday dinner, arriving promptly at 7 PM. To our delight, the restaurant wasn't overly crowded, but there was a constant buzz of activity with takeout orders flying out the door.

We were promptly seated at a table that seemed almost too large for our group, adorned with a Lazy Susan at its center. This thoughtful touch allowed us to effortlessly share our dishes, adding an interactive element to our dining experience. As we settled in, we couldn't help but admire the lively atmosphere and the wafting aroma of delectable Chinese cuisine.

With menus in hand, we embarked on a gustatory adventure, selecting a diverse array of dishes that tempted our taste buds. The rice noodles with beef and soy sauce caught our attention, promising a harmonious blend of flavors. The fried rice with barbeque pork beckoned to those craving something savory, while the spicy, crispy beef ignited our palates with a tantalizing heat. We also ordered a delightful combination of tofu and mushrooms, succulent barbeque pork, and sizzling beef served on a hot plate.

As the dishes began to arrive at our table, anticipation grew. The first bite of the rice noodles was like a burst of savory perfection, each strand coated in a rich, flavorful sauce. The tender barbeque pork nestled within the fragrant fried rice, creating a symphony of textures and tastes. The spicy, crispy beef danced on our tongues, leaving us craving more with each bite. The tofu and mushroom dish was a delightful vegetarian option, showcasing the chef's skill in creating a well-balanced medley of flavors.

We couldn't help but indulge ourselves as the evening progressed. The food was so delicious that I found myself returning to the rice noodles and fried rice repeatedly, filling my bowl six to seven times. The quality of each dish was exceptional, a testament to the years of culinary expertise that New Ho King has honed.

Glancing around the restaurant, I couldn't help but appreciate the diverse crowd. People from various backgrounds and cultures had come together, united by their love for the incredible cuisine offered by New Ho King. It was heartwarming to witness such a blend of humanity in one space, sharing smiles and enjoying the flavors that brought us all together.

Throughout our dining experience, the service was attentive and efficient. Despite the restaurant's popularity, the staff made sure our food arrived promptly, ensuring we never had to wait long. Their dedication to providing excellent service was evident, making us feel welcomed and well taken care of throughout the evening.

As our plates emptied and our laughter filled the air, we couldn't help but reflect on the memorable evening we had spent at New Ho King. This restaurant's continued success since the 1970s is no coincidence. It's a testament to their commitment to delivering outstanding Chinese cuisine and providing an inviting atmosphere that keeps customers coming back for more.

Without a doubt, I will be returning to New Ho King for another exceptional dining experience. If you find yourself in Toronto and craving authentic and mouthwatering Chinese cuisine, I wholeheartedly recommend venturing to Spadina Avenue and immersing yourself in the delightful flavors of...

Went in for lunch. Stood at the entrance to survey the floor-plan. It's a relatively narrow place, but it goes all the way to the back with an upper floor and the kitchen in the lower floor. Stairway to washrooms hidden around the corner.

After finishing my look-around, no one came to greet me so I just helped myself in. There seems to only be 2 wait-staff, and they're pretty much just whatever about things, which is alright this is the kind of place I'm used to. One of them was standing there eating a bowl of noodles. Yelp asks if there's waiter service. I'm going to have to pick "not sure".

When asked about seats, one of them just looked around and said "just take the big table", which is pretty nice considering the alternative was a really small table in the corner. I think service-wise, at least they're giving me a good seat and not being stingy about it.

They've got a lot of menus: lunch menu, take-out menu, regular menu, late-night menu, etc. If you're looking for the lunch menu you may have to ask for it if they don't give it to you. Or maybe I was at the big table so they expected me to notice the stack of menus across the table or something.

Lunch options feature all sorts of combinations of meats or vegetables with rice, starting at $5.95; the kind of price-point I like.

I ordered the Hunan Beef with Rice. The portion size was quite large for the price, however that's about the only good thing I can say about it apart from the light show. The dish was amazingly glossy. Like literally, it was shining! I can't remember the last time I had meat or vegetables that had such reflectivity.

Taste just wasn't there. The only thing you can taste was salty sauce. The beef was cooked through all the way and it was so soft that I wasn't sure whether I was eating meat or not.

If you need emergency rations to last you several meals at an inexpensive price, you might consider getting food from this place. Or, of course, if you're a student at UofT and need something at 1 AM since they offer free delivery for UofT students on $10+ orders...

Note that I only tried one dish out of the hundreds that they offer, and this was on their lunch menu as well, so I'm not sure how the more expensive...