Eddie’s Wok n Roll

After my best friend got sick of my constant whining about how much I miss home, she brought me to this Mississauga gem, which instantly became a favourite. Filled to the brim with happy customers, Eddie’s has a pretty decent atmosphere, but you best speak up if you want to grab a server’s attention. The food comes out piping hot and quick. The sweet corn soup is steamy and on point, with bits of corn and a slight hint of soy sauce. My favourite, the vegetable pakora style in Manchurian sauce, is spicy and crispy and should come with a ‘May Cause Gluttony’ warning. The noodles are just the right amount of greasy (Hakka is nothing without a little bit of grease). The prices are also just right and the portions are large enough to warrant a doggie bag. Bonus: Eddie’s serves halal! - Bhairavi Thanki

Chopsticks

Chopsticks is a mid-Scarborough veteran that offers very fresh food cooked with love by the owners. The tom yum soup is perfectly viscous, with alternate sweet, sour and spicy hits – truly a contender for best in the GTA. The crispy eggplant is sweet and crunchy on the outside, soft and melting on the inside. The crispy beef cooked the same way is chewy, but you learn to like it. Chopsticks’ Indian-influenced dishes are better than what's on the Szechuan menu: the owners are from Calcutta themselves and speak Hindi as their first language. It's usually empty inside as more people get take-out than sit down to eat. It's ooollld school, i.e. no website - get thee to 1163 Ellesmere Road (416-755-4655), as soon as you can. - Denise Balkissoon

China Cottage

Manchurian fries – yes, MANCHURIAN FRIES – are served hot and spicy, an excellent snack while enjoying a mix of instrumental Bollywood hits from the 90s. Tofu in Szechuan sauce is super spicy and, when paired with their Mumbai Hakka noodles, is a delicious party in my mouth. My orders at Hakka restaurants tend to be pretty standard but China Cottage’s menu always makes me want to experiment. I’ve never left China Cottage without ordering a few things to go: all of it is just as good the next day, eaten straight out of take-out containers while watching Netflix in my sweats. - Bhairavi Thanki

THE WINNER: Heather’s Father's Cooking

My Hakka Chinese dad grew up in Calcutta (now Kolkata), India and his Hakka food is unlike the codified dishes you'll see at restaurants. Years before Chinese and Indian food became common in places like Loblaws, my dad made paratha and steamed buns from scratch on the weekends. Pork dumplings, saffron-yellow beef curries and chili chicken were weekday dinner staples. As soon as you enter the house, your nose knows what's on menu that night. He cooks with bold spices, fresh and cheap meats and veggies, skill, creativity and, of course, the secret ingredient – love for his children. - Heather Li