I actually came here on 2 separate occasions but both were to celebrate a birthday - one was mine and the other a friend's. The first time I came here, I wasn't quite too impressed with the food. But 10 points for food presentation! The ambiance is quite industrial like, it was as if they tried to reinvent a warehouse feel. The decor for the most part were not matching (hanging lights) and was a quite romantic setting.
It was a pretty little place located on Main St. Markham. Which in my opinion is a bit far since there isn't much around the area. Thankfully there is a parking lot behind the restaurant and on the street so no need to worry about lack of spots. It is a pretty small restaurant so if there is a large group it is best to make reservations. At the end of our bill it was about $25 including tax and tips (for my birthday) and $40 including appetizers and alcohol (friend's birthday).
For 2 people there are spots along the bar. It was at an awkward height though since the counter top sticks out ever so slightly. It was also tall enough that you aren't able to see above it. I believe they were trying to go for a "fusion" look for their decors as well. There is a lot of lucky reds and Asian inspired decor as well as some that looks very modern.
The pulled pork waffle was not exactly my cup of tea. It is a combination of sweet and savory. The apples and honey made it a very interesting mix. The waffle however was absolutely delicious. Definitely worth it for those risk-takers.
The scotch eggs has a bit of berry sweetness to it (the purple that is unapparent). The crispy shell made the soft boiled egg texture very pleasant. Although, again, I am not a fan of sweet and salty this might be enjoyable to someone who looks dipping their eggs into blueberry jam.
I love some good pulled pork fries. Reason being I absolutely loved the taro shreds on top and the pork. It was in just enough sauce and it's made in a way that the fries were not soggy by the time you got to the bottom of the plate. I do believe we were supposed to mix the dish before indulging, but hey it was good enough. Not sure if I would've liked my taro chips soggy.
I wouldn't say the Udon Carbonera was anything spectacular. It was a little bit peppery for those who don't enjoy pepper. It tasted like a perfect blend of Alfredo sauce with a bit of bacon flavour and overloaded with pepper. Nonetheless was still very interestingly paired with the udon noodles. Not sure if I would be willing to pay $18 for this dish though.
The salmon burger was a bit disappointing. I expected much more flavour but it just tasted like burnt salmon. The burger was also a bit small so for those who tend to eat quite a bit (like me) might have not found this filling. I would probably treat this more of an appetizer rather than a main course.
The infamous chicken and waffle. I was definitely super excited to try this one out. It was my fault for not reading the description carefully though (it consists of ginger maple and fried chicken, did I think it wasn't going to be sweet and salty?). I loved the chicken and the waffle separately on its own. The mixture of tastes was a bit overwhelming for my liking. Inspire was definitely a great place to let your phone/camera eat first but I wouldn't call this place somewhere you would want to take your first date. It's definitely very adventurous and different from what is in the GTA area. The service was not spectacular but the food is worth trying. Not sure if I would go again with someone who has been here, but I would suggest it to a friend. I'm giving this a 4.6/5 stars for it's creativity!
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