Sammi
Sammi is a Hong Kong-style brunch spot, nestled between the quaint cafes and lively diners of Greektown.
Though the Danforth location is the fourth restaurant to bear the name, this restaurant is the only one of its kind in North America.
Owner Bobo Yin and her husband Andy opened Sammi in mid April 2024, having moved to Toronto only a few months earlier.
Both Bobo and Andy's parents owned restaurants in Hong Kong and even helped their children open the original Sammi. As a result, the couple has a lot of experience in the food industry.
Bobo describes Sammi as an unusual cafe by the standards of her home territory. Unlike many similar restaurants, which mainly serve Cantonese-influenced dishes, Sammi serves a mixture of Chinese and Western style foods.
She also mentions that Sammi's aesthetic is also somewhat unorthodox. She wanted the dining room to be a place where people could relax, enjoying their meals at a leisurely pace.
The restaurant's cozy, minimalist interior supports this description. Its palette is composed of calming neutral tones, with green ferns providing small pops of colour.
Bare bulbs hang above white tables and wooden chairs. Rustic-looking frames decorate an exposed brick wall. Even the sign above the front door, which is written in a clean sans serif font, gives off a relaxing vibe.
In order to spend more time with their young son, who narrates Sammi's promotional videos, Bobo and Andy leave the restaurant well before dinner time. As a result, Sammi's menu focuses mainly on breakfast and lunch dishes.
Satay Beef Noodles ($9.99) can be ordered as part of Breakfast Set B, which comes with buttered toast, sunny-side up or scrambled eggs and your choice of drink.
The noodles, which come in a savoury broth, are topped with tender beef coated with peanut sauce.
Hong Kong Style French Toast ($4.99) is an Asian-inspired take on a familiar breakfast dish.
This meal consists of two huge slices of milk bread, covered with your choice of peanut butter or coconut jam. The slices are then dipped in egg batter, deep fried and topped with butter and syrup.
The deceptively named Pineapple Bun with Butter ($4.99) is a crumbly pastry that tastes a little bit like a sugar cookie.
This bun doesn't contain any pineapple, though you'd be forgiven for thinking otherwise. Rather, its bright yellow colour and pineapple-like pattern puts diners in the mind of the tropical fruit.
A slice of warm butter is stuffed inside, giving the snack a creamy texture and a much needed pinch of salt.
The Miso Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta ($16.99) was a standout dish that balanced meat, vegetables and seasoning beautifully.
Garlicky miso butter sauce is spread over a bowl of linguine noodles and grilled shrimp, which are then garnished with sprouts and chili threads.
The Hong Kong Style Baked Pork Chop Rice ($17.99) is Sammi's signature item. This dish is reminiscent of a pork casserole, albeit with rice instead of potatoes.
Fried rice forms the base, with pork chops, tomatoes and sauce giving it a more defined shape. The final touch is a layer of melted cheese, which blankets the bowl in soft, stringy goodness.
Bobo describes the dish as a quintessential Chinese comfort food. Considering its soft texture and nostalgic flavour, I'm inclined to agree!
Both the pasta and the pork chop rice are part of a lunch set, which comes with an appetizer and a soup.
During our visit, these meals came with pea soup and mashed potatoes, but both side dishes rotate throughout the week.
Hong Kong Lemon Tea ($3.99) is a sweet and sour drink made with lemon juice and honey. 
Hong Kong Style Milk Tea ($3.99) mixes black tea, evaporated milk and sugar to create a creamy, full-bodied beverage that pairs perfectly with the cafe's bold flavours.
By bringing Hong Kong-style cuisine to an unexpected part of the city, Bobo hopes that she will be able to appeal to fellow expatriates, as well as foodies who have never tried it before. 
Sammi is located at 862 Danforth Ave.
Fareen Karim
