Maxim Bakery & Restaurant

I came here recently twice for a weekend lunch and dinner. Both times I was equally satisfied with the service and food. Water was filled without you having to ask and there were enough waiters to serve everyone.
I would classify Maxim as a more upscale HK style café because they have a lot of the dishes typically served in a regular HK style café. The two basic choices between cream and Russian borscht soup also makes me feel this way. There is plenty of variety on the menu like sandwiches, soups, salads, burgers, pasta, curry, rice, steak, lamb and, of course, cakes as they are a bakery. They have regular lunch combos if you want to be frugal, or you can spice things up with more expensive lunch or dinner specials with the choice of salad or lobster bisque as an appetizer and a slice of cake as dessert.
For lunch I ordered some smoked salmon with shrimp pasta which was one of the lunch specials of the day with Russian borscht soup. The free bread they give you with the soup is not good at all. Very tasteless and cold. The actual soup itself was pretty good and I preferred it over the cream soup I also tried. The portion of the pasta was about average and the sauce used was not very good. However, I was able to eat the food from what my party ordered because their portions were much bigger. I really liked their Caesar salad and mashed potatoes. The deluxe club sandwich was really big and unfortunately, it was a hassle to eat because bits of tuna kept falling out. The Black Forest cake they picked out for me to eat was not to my liking, but that’s only because I prefer more sweet cakes.
For dinner I ordered lamb chop with lobster bisque. The soup was made in a HK style which meant the lobster flavour was much more mild than if you were to have it at a typical western restaurant. The lamb was good quality and there was minimal amount of salt, pepper and seasoning which is what I prefer because you get a more clearer taste of the lamb. Others might find it too devoid of seasoning. Maybe it was because the restaurant was almost closing and they had to get rid of their cakes, but they let me choose what type of cake I could have for dessert this time. During my previous lunch visit, I was told there would be an extra $ 2 charge if I wanted to pick the cake out myself. I chose the mango cheesecake which was not very sweet again, but I guess that ends up being healthier.
All in all, this place has existed for a very long time (25+ years?) for a good reason. You might have to wait for a table on weekends. I would recommend Maxim for lunch and dinner and not for the cakes.

I have only eaten here once, but visit several times a year to pick up cakes for any occasion. One of Maxim’s most popular cakes is definitely the meringue (mango/​strawberry); they are quite pricey ($ 32 for an 8″) but are delicious… Two of crunchy meringue (with almonds) and fresh whipped cream in between.
They offer a wide variety of choices for cakes and have always been fresh (black forest, mango mousse, cheesecake/​green tea cheesecake, white chocolate cake, mango yogurt, mocha, many more!).
The one time I had lunch here it was very quiet. The lunch specials are more pricey than your normal westernized HK cafes (ie. Firefly) as they can be up to $ 13 – 20 for a combo… although it comes with soup, main, beverage and a slice of cake. The food itself isn’t bad, but my main complaint is the pathetic size of the cake of choice… it is literally ½ of a normal slice. honestly I don’t think it would hurt to give a full slice. you’d win people like me over who have a sweet tooth :3.
Additionally, my other complaint would be that they charge $ 0.50 for a small chocolate badge if you want writing on certain cakes (i.e. the meringue). The service at the cake counter can be quite lacking although there are plenty of staff chilling behind the counter.
They accept credit card for transactions over $ 30.

Great food ! It was well presented and a great deal for the price, I recommend it ! No complaints rlly, service was good and everyone was polite.

For the cakes, 5 stars.
For the meals — not so much.
I ordered the roasted lamb and was disappointed that is was not seasoned enough. After two bites, I pushed away my meal and sampled my friend’s orders. It takes a very dull meal to stop me from at least attempting to eat it.
From what I tasted, one out of the four orders was appetizing.
Now on to the cakes. The cakes were very good. I would almost wish this restaurant specialized in cakes and desserts. That or bring up the standard of the meal to that of the cakes.

Got a slice of red velvet strawberry shortcake and another slice from a different cake for take out… their price jacked up and I thought okay that’s fine. their cakes are pretty good. only to find that when I opened the box, the strawberry cake was so tiny it could be eaten in three bites…
Worse yet is finding a small bug crawling inside the leaf of the cardboard box…
Overall: 2 small cuts of cake for 10 dollars and a live bug. I used to come here often and like the quality of their desserts. Very dissapointed and I’m never coming back.

Didn’t really know that Maxim was a thing here, as I’ve been to the one’s in Hong Kong. Was pleasantly surprised with the food and the service.
Knew that Maxim did mostly desserts and cakes, but the dinner was pretty good. We ordered off the dinner special menu, so we got soup, coffee/​tea, and a slice of cake with the meal. I had Curry Lamb Shank with Wild Rice, which was very good. Rice was quite nice with a pretty soft lamb. The Seafood Paella was okay as well.
Cakes were quite nice, but ended up really full, so didn’t finish it. We had the Tiramisu, Meringue, and Orange Chocolate Cake.
Service was quite good, as they were very nice. Came by often to see if we needed anything, and quite friendly!

I had a very good experience. The food was hot and served relatively quick despite it being very busy that day with only 2 servers. The food was tasty, and filling. The price is very very good. The meal came with a slice of cake of your choosing afterward, from their large selection of cakes. Very pleasant little bistro in Richmond Hill.

I was told that the place was of Western style cuisine, so don’t expect the place to give you the typical asian dishes you find in Chinese restaurants. I came on a Saturday afternoon with my partner and the place was not extremely packed. We were taken to our tables and the waiter was quite quick to get our order.
I ordered curry chicken with rice while my partner ordered the honey glazed pork chop. The curry tasted quite sweet, and not as curry-​ish as I had expected. The chicken was alright when combined with the curry. The rice, however, was quite dry. Having it with curry didn’t make it much better. As for my friend’s pork chop — it tasted quite bland. It was served with cranberry sauce, which was not a good combination for my friends taste. His dish also came with steamed vegetables — which were basically frozen vegetables. They were also, quite bland. I think the only part I liked from his plate was the cranberry sauce. The portion was pretty large for both our dishes, but for the quality was a bit of a disappointment.
Here is the main reason why we came for a visit: Dessert! I was told from my friend (we are both avid dessert lovers) His favourite being the Mango Meringue Cake offered at Maxim. However, he did warn me the cakes are sometimes really good and sometimes average (inconsistent quality). When we tried it, the meringue was quite delicious. However, there was so much cream and not that much mango bits. So, the proportion didn’t fit quite well, so the experience wasn’t anything special for me. They have other cakes though. I would give them a try again, if I ever visit Toronto again. But perhaps not for the meals.

Though run by Chinese, Maxim is not a Chinese style Western bistro. It is an upscale casual bistro that happens to be run by Chinese. And with this arrangement, Maxim offers exceptional value when compared to other casual fine dining establishments.
Upon entry, I noticed the dim lighting, the white clothed tables, the pleasant and tasteful decoration and, you can’t miss it, a wide selection of cakes in a refrigerated display case.
We ordered from the set dinner menu a Pickled Pork Hock with Sauerkraut and Potato ($ 19) and a Maxim’s Mixed Grills ($ 22). Both came with roll and butter, starter soup, a piece of cake of your choice and a hot beverage. The Pork Hock was well portioned. It was the size of a baseball (see pic). The flavour was bold, though not as complicated as the authentic pork hock at The Muskets. The meat was very juicy. The flavour was unfortunately one dimensional, but the tenderness and the juiciness of the meat made up for it. The Mixed Grills had a mix of steak, pork, sausage, and lamp chops (see pic). My BF said they chops were all tender and flavourful, though maybe salty for some. The cut of the meat was good.
I eagerly awaited the dessert because the cakes looked so pretty in the refrigerated display case. There were maybe 10 types to choose from. Patrons were expected to choose by viewing the case and ordered it through a wait staff back at table. My BF chose a slice of Cappuccino Meringue and I chose a slice of Blueberry Almond Meringue. I must say the Cappuccino Meringue was the better of the two.
Is Maxim good? Yes, food tastes decent. Is Maxim a good deal? Oh 200% yes, if you order from the set menu. The regular menu is rather pricey. Is Maxim French? I am not sure. It tastes more continental to me. The service was efficient and sufficient, yet definitely not refine by the standard of a casual fine dining restaurant.
Maxim is a solid choice if I feel like enjoying a Western meal in class but don’t want to hurt my wallet too much.

Really disappointed. Seated over an hour and our food still wasn’t there. The server made it seems like our fault for asking about our food. I guess it is a custom for customers to wait for food.
Some of us received our food and found that the food was different from what we ordered. The server just say they ran out and did not inform us before hand.
Also, the tip was calculated on the bill already and I honestly think the service wasn’t worth the 15% paid!
A simple apology for the long wait would avoid the disappointment. No matter how good the food, bad service will always turn clients away!
Good for cake but never for food!

Thanks for saving the day Maxims! My wife’s favorite cake was discontinued & deemed a seasonal cake from my usual spot in Scarborough AND La Roca. Without calling & ordering ahead, I was able to walk in & pick from an assortment of ready made cakes & found a 10″ strawberry merengue for way cheaper. Needless to say, I solidified my super hero status on my wife’s birthday & I’ll be dropping in tomorrow, just because it’s a Tuesday. I’d recommend this spot to friends & family for any occasion, thanks again.

Brought 2 cakes here early Sept.
(1) Black Forest
(2) Lemon Something
Both were nice, I remember it being better.

It is Sunday at noon and is Mother’s Day. When first stepped into the restaurant, it does not have too many people. But not an hour later it is filled and packed.
The service is all you can say like a fast food restaurant. The server expects you to know what to order if it is your turn. Be quick and precise, not to hesitate.
The food though maintains its standard. Each of the different dishes that our group has tried has a good comment. The club sandwich is large and thick, enough to fill up any person together with fries. The ox tail rice unexpectedly the ox tail is cut into very thick pieces so it looks piling up on the rice. The ox tail is very well cooked and tender but the tip you can still taste a bit of the raw tail — can be done better. The chicken comes with a salad and rice and the portion is large. The Borsch is tasty and a bit too much tomato paste. Most of the sauces are really thick and can fill your stomach really fast.
The lunch serving is very slow, may be due to the number of customers.

Love their cakes! The lunch or afternoon tea is better than the dinner. They give hot water instead of ice water to customers and that is the part I like. If they can make better milk tea or coffees, I will give them five stars.

I was in the plaza here because of Bruno’s and me and my bf were hungry afterwards. The options, it appeared, were either a Japanese restaurant which the counter attendant at Bruno’s said was not too bad, or Maxim. Well, we searched trusty Unilocal and Maxim’s was described as a Café serving French food. That was exactly what I was craving for and so we went in.
The lady asked me, in Cantonese, how many people and I was taken aback for a quick moment. I then realized this could be the same Maxims near my home… great for cakes, but so-​so on everything else.
Service is awful here, in that it is very slow. They also do forget things. We came here Saturday around 3-​ish so it wasn’t prime time exactly. The food on the other hand was okay. I had the chicken which was covered in a great gravy, served with crunchy green beans (just the way I like them). My bf had the fish and chips which tasted like the best microwave oven fish ever! Crispy and crunchy on the outside, and fluffy white fish meat on the inside. The fries were yummy too!
Of course, we had the cakes for dessert and my fave is the Strawberry Meringue and Strawberry Shortcake:)
Overall though, I wouldn’t recommend this place if you’re hungry or if you’re in a rush. The good thing is if you just want to be left alone and not have server’s coming to see if your cup is empty or if you want more food, then this is your place.
They do serve alcohol (white and red wine) although there is no menu for it. Also, my bf originally wanted the kids menu fish and chips portion as he wasn’t hungry, but they wouldn’t accommodate which meant we got the regular serving (2 HUGE pieces of fried fish).

This place always seem to be empty when I go to pick up some cake. I had dinner here once and it was okay. It is more pricey than other Chinese restaurants. I usually just come here when I have a sweet tooth — They have a good selection of cakes. I tried most of their cakes — Cheesecake, Mango cake, Chocolate Grand Marnier and Strawberry meringue are my favorite. It is around $ 4.50 a slice of cake but the portion is not that big. 8″ meringue cake cost around $ 28 plus tax which is a little expensive.

I really like the food here. It costs a bit more than other asian restaurants that offer similar higher end western food, but the cakes at this place are awesome. I usually like to pick up birthday cakes here because they are that good!

First Time: Very tastey and clean. Yeah. Finally. Mango cake was good… Second time was a little disappointing. Haven’t been back since
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Very poor service on a busy Sunday afternoon.
Our waiter did not write down our selections and tried to keep it all in his mind. (9 people). He mixed up our orders and forgot one dish. He came back and said I have 3 dish ‘a’. 2 dish ‘b’ etc. But as we didn’t know what each other ordered, We had to talk amonsgt ourselves to find what he missed.
A problem that could have been solved if he just wrote down our orders!
All our meals came with a choce of soup. A choice that was denied to us. He just came out and brought some soups until someone from our group said ‘so we don’t get a choice?’. Only then did he say ‘oh ya, you can also have the borsht if you want.‘
The cream of asparagus soup was a bit thick and clearly sat out and was reheated (thick soup skin).
Bread was cold too.
Fettuccine bolognese was good looking; slightly oversauced. but again bad service ensued when he just shoved a fork into my plate. No ‘excuse me’. Not putting it to the side.
Another consequence of bad order taking is the wrong dishes were delivered to the wrong people.
Other mains are pork chop, beef brisket, florentine. All were average.
We had all finished and after a while we had to ask for our drinks. Another mark of poor service. No water refills at all.
Service ⁰⁄₅
Value for money ³⁄₅
Overall sarisfaction after meal ³⁄₅

This is a good bakery/​restaurant/​café.
They feature a wide variety of «french style» baked good and a pretty decent menu for dining. They bake a lot of cheese cakes: lemon, NY, Mango, Mocha, Mixed Fruit, Green Tea, Chocolate Grand Marnier, and Strawberry.
The also have the standards: Saint Honore, Viennese Chocolate, Chestnut Cake (layered with imported chestnut purée), and a slew of differently flavoured meringue cakes.
This is the place to take your date or significant other for some deep soulful looks, as you contemplate the universe, or more prosaically, the next few hours to come. Just like Soma, (no sexism intended), it is more a ‘chick’s place’ than a man’s. I tried to propose there, it’s that kind of place.
But if you have a sweet tooth give them a whirl. I am partial to the fruit flan and the hazelnut chocolate mousse.