Cynthias Paradise - Newmarket

We visit this restaurant at least once a week for their all-you-can-eat option. My children enjoy watching the robot cat deliver food to our table. The prices have increased quite a bit, similar to other restaurants.

We have been dining at the Centre Street location for many years, but recently the quality of the Newmarket location has declined. The dishes we ordered were mainly made up of broccoli with very little meat. Last night, we ordered six dishes for four adults, and besides the rice, most of the dishes were filled with broccoli, peppers, and onions. If I wanted a vegetable dish, I would have specifically ordered one. Additionally, the food tasted bland. It appears that they may have a new chef, but the quality was definitely not up to standard.

When our food arrived, it was evident that it had been sitting under a warming lamp for an extended period of time, making it nearly inedible. My sweet and sour soup was served cold and had to be reheated in the microwave, only to be returned 15 minutes later. Disheartened by the quality of the food, we requested the bill, which totaled over $100.00. Upon questioning the charges, we were told that we were required to pay the lunch fee in addition to the cost of the uneaten and subpar food. This experience left us feeling unsatisfied, and we will not be returning to Cynthias in the future.

We have frequented Cynthia’s for years and have been reasonably happy with the quality of food and the service. We have finally adjusted to the raised prices after the pandemic and have decreased our visits. What we are shocked about now is the charge for plum sauce and one package of soy sauce with an $80.00 order! Are you kidding me??? How disappointing to find that Cynthia’s is cutting corners in this way. Still laughing! Really???

When you stumble upon a delicious gem… All Ketong, my server, had to say were these three words… “We have lobster”. Tell tale signs for the perfect shrimp wonton soup (and it was perfect): Consumé is clear and flavourful Wonton wrappers are delicate and thin Contents of wonton (shrimp) is fresh and seasoned perfectly where the shrimp is still the star of the first act. Contents of wonton are tightly wrapped Scallions are still crisp with a burst of flavour (they were literally just chopped before sprinkled onto your soup) The lobster flavour I chose today was the combination of ginger, garlic and green onion. Next time the garlic and black bean! It was incredibly fresh and I love that the edges of the lobster meat were gently crisped. The chef chopped the pieces into easy to eat! The House Fried Rice was pretty good. The Baby Bok Choy was to die for! The sauce was kept light but that wok toasted minced garlic!!! Yum!!! It’s safe to say, I’ll see this place again! Ketong has worked here for 17 years and his service was warm and impeccable. He didn’t miss a beat. High end and worth every dollar spent. Can't wait to try the Peking Duck next week! Tony, the host at reception and possibly the owner, was lovely too.