49. Phillipines: Mayette's

Mayette's
3331A Danforth Ave
(east of Victoria Park)
416 463 0338

Mayette's is a unique establishment for several reasons. It's the oldest Filipino restaurant in Canada. It's survived in the highly competitive Toronto restaurant market since 1987 without a liquor licence. But what really makes Mayette's a unique place is Mayette herself. This charming and gracious lady makes you feel truly welcome and appreciated.
As a starter we share an order of Lumpia - Vegetable Egg Rolls, 3 pieces $3.95. We follow this with a huge bowl of Veggie Soup to share which is custom made to order , $6.95. For our main course we order: Pinakbet - a dish of mixed vegetables including squash, eggplant and bitter melon which is beautifully prepared [pictured below], $6.95; Adabo - chicken and pork slow simmered to perfection in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaf and peppercorns, $6.95; and steamed rice $1.50. We enjoy two pots of green tea, $2.00 and share cassava cake and banana fritters for dessert. The latter are lengthwise slices of plantain wrapped in spring roll wrappers. Total for three, an unbelievable $31.70 plus tip.
We have a interesting, lengthy chat with our hostess about the history of the restaurant, cultural differences and how Toronto has changed over the years.
Although the decor is not much to write about, Mayette's has a homey kind of charm. There are many framed photo's of Mayette with various celebrities and potted tropical plants.
There's free parking after 6 pm out front and it's a short walk to Victoria Park subway station however, our only regret is that Mayette's isn't closer to home.


Rating: Ambiance (2)
Service (4)
Food Presentation (2)
Food Quality (4)
Value for Money (4)