Avocado Combo at Maki Maki

Lunch at Maki Maki (I'm having the avocado combo) #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Sep 29, 2016 at 11:42am PDT

I usually have pho at Maki Maki, but decided to have one of the specials. The avocado special came with an avocado roll, several fried soy croquettes, a salad, and a bubble tea (I picked avocado, of course). Wow - this was a huge amount of food. My favourite part was actually the croquettes, which were in a light breading with a rich, dense filling. I took the bubble tea to go as I could not finish it. Even the miso soup at the beginning was very ample. Great value.

Grilled Chicken and Rice at Maki Maki

I have been visiting Maki Maki for pho on a regular basis lately, but wanted to try something different on a lunch stop there this week. Most of the vermicelli bowls had pork, which is a no-no for me, but I noticed grilled chicken and steamed rice with vegetables. The chicken was incredible, with a deep grilled flavour infused with lemongrass. The rice was plain but plentiful, and did well with the soy sauce on the table. The vegetables were just a few cut pieces of fresh tomato and cucumber, and was more like a garnish. The chicken was definitely the star of the plate, and I hope Maki Maki can make a vermicelli bowl with it.

The Pho Files: Brisket Pho at Maki Maki

I had a severe craving for pho over the weekend, and being on Whyte Avenue, my choices were limited. Then, I remembered Maki Maki. I had a bowl of pho with well-done beef brisket. The broth was rich and meaty, the noodles were plentiful, and the meat was so tender it was falling apart in the bowl. And, there was lots of it. Plus, I loved the abundance of cilantro. Piping hot, filling, and totally comforting.

The Pho Files: Maki Maki

On Saturday, I was attending an event at a venue almost directly across the street from Maki Maki. It was well over two years since my first and only visit to the restaurant, and without even knowing it, I ordered the exact same meal! The only difference was the addition of an order of green onion cakes, which were crispy and delicious. Otherwise, I enjoyed the avocado roll, with the crunch of tempura adding texture to the fresh avocado.

The pho tai did not disappoint - it was even better than I remembered. The broth was rich and flavourful, and there was so much meat that I actually ran out of noodles first! Sliced so thin, the steak was amongst the most tender I have ever had in pho.

The Pho Files: Pho Tai at Maki Maki

Maki Maki, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I absolutely had to try the pho at Maki Maki. I was extremely curious to discover how good the pho was, at a restaurant that also serves Japanese food in addition to Vietnamese.

My pho was choice was pho tai, rare steak in beef broth. I was presented with a huge bowl filled with noodles and slices of steak, just turning brown from the heat of the broth. The meat was tender while the broth had a good depth of flavour to it - excellent seasonings.

At around $10 a bowl, the pho on Maki Maki's menu is amongst the most affordable choices there, and in line with the cost of pho elsewhere. If you are on Whyte Avenue, Maki Maki is definitely a great place to go for pho.

Avocado Roll at Maki Maki

Maki Maki, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I went to Maki Maki for the first time today. Since the restaurant has both Japanese and Vietnamese food on the menu, I decided to start my meal with an avocado roll.

Large chunks of avocado were nested in the centre of the roll, along with crispy bits of tempura batter. It was light, yet with substance, and plenty of avocado goodness.