Everest Hakka House in Mimico -- Worth the trip to South Etobicoke!

One of the great pleasures of living in Toronto is its truly diverse food "scene". There are, quite literally, restaurants that offer up regional variations from every corner of the world, as well as restaurants that reflect the diversity of cuisine within cultures and nations.

Sometimes, as in the case of the Everest Hakka House in Mimico, they offer what amounts to a fusion of different methods and broader cultures of cooking, in this case of a southern Chinese style of cooking and Indian flavours that many of us are familiar with. There are other Hakka houses in Toronto, though not many and no others in South Etobicoke. A few years ago Everest re-purposed itself from a very good Indian restaurant into one serving an Indian variation of Hakka cooking.

Hakka cuisine is itself diverse. It is both the cuisine of the Hakka people of Southern China, which is closer to what most North Americans would perceive as "Chinese" food, as well as, as is the case with Everest, a type of cuisine that originated in India when restaurateurs of Hakka background added local Indian flavours to their dishes.

Over the years Everest has never disappointed! Of a relatively modest size, with a small front patio, it is nicely decorated, welcoming and very family friendly. It also has an unusually affordable set of lunch specials.

The food is excellent. Along with the dishes below the Malaysian Shrimp Fried Rice ($11.25) is a stand out as are all of the different Hakka style noodle dishes I have tried. The blends of curry flavours and Chinese style sauces are delicious. Also notable are the really delightful and surprising Chinese Biryani dishes.

Some other favourites are:

Vegetarian Spring Rolls $5.50

The spring rolls are a must try as, instead of the ingredients that you might

expect they are instead stuffed with those you would find more normally in a samosa.

Everest Indian Hot Wings $10.25
Any regular reader of this blog knows I love chicken wings, and these are great.

Crispy but very moist, they are served in a terrific and somewhat spicy sauce.

 Gobi Manchurian $11.50

Battered cauliflower that has a perfect texture and bold flavours.

  

Crispy Chilli Beef $13.25

Spicy, tangy and a little bit sweet this dish is very addictive.

Hot Garlic Shrimp $15.25

A total home run. Battered in a fiery, complex sauce.

Szechuan Chicken Noodle $11.50

A terrific fusion dish. 

House Special Mixed Noodle $11.75

A perennial favourite and staple, noodles with a predominantly curry seasoning

that has, as the name implies, a mixture of ingredients like chicken, shrimp, veg, etc. 

Everest is affordable, with friendly service, and well worth heading to Mimico to try. An evening dinner for two with an appetizer and a couple of drinks will run you around $50-60 plus tax and tip. The lunch specials are a steal.

Everest Hakka House is located at 2356 Lake Shore Blvd W., on the 501 Queen Streetcar line, and is a couple blocks east of Mimico Avenue. 416-640-1015. It is fully licensed. It is also located by the lovely Amos Waites Park and the amazing Indian roti restaurant, Maurya.

See also: Yueh Tung -- Hakka & Chinese Cuisine by Toronto City Hall

See also: Swatow Restaurant -- Shrimp Dumpling Noodle Soup & more in the heart of Toronto