{Review} Aroma Epresso Bar at Markville Mall

Website:  http://www.aroma.ca/
Address: 5000 Highway 7, Markham, ON
When I visited: Several times between Dec. 2014 and Jan. 2015, lunch
Rating: $, 4

The location of Aroma Espresso Bar at Markville Mall could not have been more strategic. The coffee shop is close to the hectic Walmart superstore which makes it an attractive spot to shy away from the crazy lineups for a coffee and food break. Plus, Aroma Espresso Bar was one of the few places to eat on the west side of the mall.  Great planning Aroma!

I don’t normally review coffee shops but Aroma has food with a great selection of salads, breakfast (all-day), sandwiches and baked goods. Some locations even have an alcohol licence!

After several visits, I have had a chance to sample a few breakfast items and drinks. I am not a coffee connoisseur but enjoyed the regular coffee, latte and iced Americano. This is important because they need to stand by their name as an “espresso bar”.

As for the food, the steak sandwich was a standout. Although the bread was not toasted, it held the meat very well. The steak was thinly sliced, well seasoned and tender. There was a right amount of sauce with the red peppers, onions, and Swiss cheese. I don’t like soggy sandwiches. Aroma’s got it spot on! The sandwich is normally served as a half but a whole sandwich costs about $11 before tax.

If sandwiches are not your thing, the Shakshuka makes for a hearty breakfast with two sunny-side-up eggs on top of a rich tomato and pepper sauce served with tahini with freshly baked bread. The tomato salsa-like sauce was a tad on the sweeter side for my taste buds but the dish was very filling and worth the $9.60.

Overall:

Finally, Toronto has a coffee shop that also serves good food and baked goods. The coffee prices will be comparable or a tad more to your local Starbucks but they make good coffee and worth a visit. I haven’t been to other Aroma locations, but the Markville location is a great spot to drop by before or after some shopping. There is no doubt that I will be visiting this location again.