Yin Ji Chang Fen 銀記腸粉 (Downtown)

Yin Ji Chang Fen in Markham offers a slice of traditional Cantonese cuisine, with its signature rice noodle rolls and congee drawing a loyal crowd, including my cousin, who swears by this place. While I can appreciate the care that goes into their delicate preparation, I found the dishes a bit too subtle for my palate. Growing up in the Philippines, I’ve always associated Chinese food with bold, vibrant flavors—a contrast to the lighter, understated approach here. The rice noodle rolls were undeniably well-made, with their silky, smooth texture and a drizzle of soy-based sauce that added just a hint of sweetness. I tried a variety of fillings, including shrimp, corn, and mushroom, but the overall flavor profile leaned too mild for my liking. The congee was creamy and comforting, topped with fresh greens, but it lacked the rich, savory depth I’m used to back home, where congee often comes loaded with flavorful toppings and aromatic spices. In the Philippines, Chinese cuisine has been deeply integrated into local tastes, often leaning toward bold seasoning and umami-rich sauces. It’s a fusion that brings out the best of both worlds—flavor-packed and satisfying. By comparison, the dishes at Yin Ji felt like they were missing that extra oomph. That said, if you enjoy subtle, authentic Cantonese cooking that highlights the natural flavors of its ingredients, Yin Ji Chang Fen might just be your kind of place. While it didn’t quite resonate with my flavor preferences, I can see why it holds a special place for fans of this style of cuisine.

The rice rolls are so delicious and always fresh. I’ve tried every roll, and they’re all so tasty that I can’t even pick a favourite! The food on their menu is offered at a great price too for the portions and quality that they offer. The restaurant has a lot of seating as well, which is a bonus!

This place is fantastic - really delicious rice rolls for really affordable prices ($7!!). I ordered the shrimp/king mushroom roll and it was delicious. They also have a HK milk tea that they serve in ice so it doesn’t get diluted. The vibe is clean, unpretentious and casual. The service is friendly and attentive. Really no complaints about this place. I’ll be back to try the congee!

Having previously enjoyed Yin Ji Chang Fen at the Markham location near Markville Mall, I was pleasantly surprised to discover another location on Spadina between Dundas and College (downtown Toronto). Walking into the Spadina location was like meeting an old friend. I enjoyed practising my tentative Cantonese language skills with the staff and they were very patient and kind in maintaining our conversations to mostly (90%) Chinese (Cantonese/Mandarin) at my insistence. The duck rice noodle roll (鸭肉肠粉) was stellar, beautiful shreds of meat, no gristle, minimal fat (they way I like it). The rice noodle itself struck a perfect balance - not too thick so as to become gummy, and not too thin so as to fall apart - it was a perfect rice noodle roll. The fish porridge/juk (鱼肉粥) had lots of fish and was not fishy, the saltiness was also well-balanced - very good. The food was great, and the staff made it even better. The tastes of 广州 (Guangzhou) / 广东 (Guangdong) will always have a special place in my heart, and Yin Ji Chang Fen on Spadina reminded me why. 好吃, 多谢 !

Legendary. The fried noodle & bean sprouts for $6.50 are legendary - so good! And the crispy shrimp rolls w the sauce are out of this world. Incredible value quality and taste, we will be back over and over again.

Wow such a experience. Everything was good, portions are ok for one person and also if you want to share and try different dishes!! Which I highly recommend to! Chicken feet and dumplings were my favorite! Good service, nice atmosphere and super clean!

Great selection of rice rolls and congee. Portions are big Edit: came back for more congee. Always pretty happy with the portions here. They also have some nice dim sum items on the menu, like lotus paste buns and egg custard buns. Edit: I’ve been here 3x 😩 Edit: my Gf and I come for breakfast at least once a month now. Very reliable and consistent

I like the congee, I like the fact that they’re open early for brunch, dimsum is okay, noodle roll is okay, toast is good. Classic asian staple

Yin Ji Chang Fen in Markham offers a slice of traditional Cantonese cuisine, with its signature rice noodle rolls and congee drawing a loyal crowd, including my cousin, who swears by this place. While I can appreciate the care that goes into their delicate preparation, I found the dishes a bit too subtle for my palate. Growing up in the Philippines, I’ve always associated Chinese food with bold, vibrant flavors—a contrast to the lighter, understated approach here. The rice noodle rolls were undeniably well-made, with their silky, smooth texture and a drizzle of soy-based sauce that added just a hint of sweetness. I tried a variety of fillings, including shrimp, corn, and mushroom, but the overall flavor profile leaned too mild for my liking. The congee was creamy and comforting, topped with fresh greens, but it lacked the rich, savory depth I’m used to back home, where congee often comes loaded with flavorful toppings and aromatic spices. In the Philippines, Chinese cuisine has been deeply integrated into local tastes, often leaning toward bold seasoning and umami-rich sauces. It’s a fusion that brings out the best of both worlds—flavor-packed and satisfying. By comparison, the dishes at Yin Ji felt like they were missing that extra oomph. That said, if you enjoy subtle, authentic Cantonese cooking that highlights the natural flavors of its ingredients, Yin Ji Chang Fen might just be your kind of place. While it didn’t quite resonate with my flavor preferences, I can see why it holds a special place for fans of this style of cuisine.

The rice rolls are so delicious and always fresh. I’ve tried every roll, and they’re all so tasty that I can’t even pick a favourite! The food on their menu is offered at a great price too for the portions and quality that they offer. The restaurant has a lot of seating as well, which is a bonus!

This place is fantastic - really delicious rice rolls for really affordable prices ($7!!). I ordered the shrimp/king mushroom roll and it was delicious. They also have a HK milk tea that they serve in ice so it doesn’t get diluted. The vibe is clean, unpretentious and casual. The service is friendly and attentive. Really no complaints about this place. I’ll be back to try the congee!

Having previously enjoyed Yin Ji Chang Fen at the Markham location near Markville Mall, I was pleasantly surprised to discover another location on Spadina between Dundas and College (downtown Toronto). Walking into the Spadina location was like meeting an old friend. I enjoyed practising my tentative Cantonese language skills with the staff and they were very patient and kind in maintaining our conversations to mostly (90%) Chinese (Cantonese/Mandarin) at my insistence. The duck rice noodle roll (鸭肉肠粉) was stellar, beautiful shreds of meat, no gristle, minimal fat (they way I like it). The rice noodle itself struck a perfect balance - not too thick so as to become gummy, and not too thin so as to fall apart - it was a perfect rice noodle roll. The fish porridge/juk (鱼肉粥) had lots of fish and was not fishy, the saltiness was also well-balanced - very good. The food was great, and the staff made it even better. The tastes of 广州 (Guangzhou) / 广东 (Guangdong) will always have a special place in my heart, and Yin Ji Chang Fen on Spadina reminded me why. 好吃, 多谢 !

Legendary. The fried noodle & bean sprouts for $6.50 are legendary - so good! And the crispy shrimp rolls w the sauce are out of this world. Incredible value quality and taste, we will be back over and over again.

Wow such a experience. Everything was good, portions are ok for one person and also if you want to share and try different dishes!! Which I highly recommend to! Chicken feet and dumplings were my favorite! Good service, nice atmosphere and super clean!

Great selection of rice rolls and congee. Portions are big Edit: came back for more congee. Always pretty happy with the portions here. They also have some nice dim sum items on the menu, like lotus paste buns and egg custard buns. Edit: I’ve been here 3x 😩 Edit: my Gf and I come for breakfast at least once a month now. Very reliable and consistent

I like the congee, I like the fact that they’re open early for brunch, dimsum is okay, noodle roll is okay, toast is good. Classic asian staple