This place is a hidden gem for authentic Congolese food in Ontario. It's located in a suburban neighbourhood in Pickering. The owner / server was very nice and gave us pointers on what side went good with which dish (e.g. to have the kwanga / cassave with the rich stews such as the fumbwa). The interior was very basic, hot inside (during summer), and not the cleanest (had to keep wafting flies away from our food), but it was the food that mattered more. The food was pretty good and authentic according to those who are more familiar with the cuisine. However, we found most of the dishes to be extremely salty (especially the fish dishes). All of the vegetable dishes were very rich and creamy, which paired well with the plain sides such as the kwanga and rice. At the end, we got complimentary dessert of mikate (Congolese version of beignets / fried ball doughs), which I thought was very nice of them! Dishes that we tried: 1) Pondu (chopped cassava leaves) - My favourite out of all the ones we tried. I liked the slight bitter taste of the cassava leaves, different from most other leafy greens such as spinach. 2) Kwanga (fermented cassava, grounded into paste and wrapped in marantaceae leaves for steaming) - A staple starch in the Democratic Republic of Congo, often served with stews and soups. 3) Jollof Rice (West & Central African rice dish made with long-grain rice, tomatoes, chilis, onions, and a variety of spices) - Pretty good, not overly strong taste-wise so it went well with the other richer dishes. 4) Grilled Tilapia (with ginger & lemon, topped with onions) - VERY salty and a bit oily. Tons of bones with little meat. 5) Mbisi Ya Mayi (basa fish in tomato sauce) - Also very salty. But the tomato sauce was ok. 6) Fumbwa (Congolese spinach stew, cooked with red palm oil and ground peanuts) - It tasted like 90% smooth peanut butter from the jar, and only 10% vegetables. It went well with the kwanga, but it was too peanuty and rich for me. 7) Mikate (Congolese version of beignets / fried ball doughs) - Complimentary dessert that we got in the end. Despite how salty we found the dishes to be, we found the overall dining experience to be pleasant with nice service. Perhaps it was just our taste buds that prefer less salty and overly rich dishes. read more

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I called in to place an order and the person was rude. I decided to take my business somewhere else.

I've never been to the African continent, and for now this may be the closest I'll get. Sitting here with Congolese locals who filled up their dinning space reminded me of something Anthony Bourdain may have experienced in one of his trips. I was eating here just a day after his passing and just imagined what an experience like that could have been like if he were here. I'm not sure what an authentic experience really is, but this is as close to my imagination as it gets. Ma Yve has all the feelings of a family run local business serving real Congolese food, whatever that may be. It seemed like we were the only non Congolese people in here enjoying things that tasted familiar yet different. It's in the middle of the burbs in a local strip mall. It's clean yet their dinning room is much more of just a space than a dinning room. The room is a bit chaotic, but I wouldn't want it any other way. It reminds you that a family runs this place and not some corporate soul. We had this beef stew dish that was very mellow and flavourful. We tried to get the names of all the dishes, but the owner chef gave us Beef Soup. Whatever it's name, it was good omnoms. We handed ourselves over to the owner for the entire meal and just said bring us whatever you want. There was a terrific side of spinach something that almost seemed like a spinach dip, but not. I could eat bowls and bowls of this. Along with it was this dough that was removed from it's Banana leaf wrap. It had the shape and smell that reminded me of a Chinese joong. But this dough had a nice bready flavour that sucked up all the juices from the beef stew and spinach. And lastly she brought out some fried plantain that went very well with everything and tied it all up with it's sweet notes. If you want this authentic experience, i'd get here sooner than later as Toronto's current Congolese NBA player Serge Ibaka and former player Bismark Biyomobo has made mentions of this place and it recently was featured in a Vice video hit. read more

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Of Congolese origin, I never imagined I'd be able to eat the flavours of my childhood in Ontario! I took my family to taste Ma Yve's cuisine, and my husband, of a different origin, still asks me to order the famous doughnuts, the goat and the salted fish. The music and atmosphere are pleasant. The service is impeccable and the cleanliness beyond reproach. read more

Their food is absolutely delicious! What a hidden gem - I always have to get their beignets when in the area. read more

Ma Yve Grill - African Near Me - Pickering, Ontario

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Very friendly service from staff that were very helpful because I had no idea what to order. They made me a mix of different foods to taste. Good tasty chicken, rice, plantains, and some type of dough balls for dessert. Very busy with regular customers. It is worth a try. read more

Mind blown how good this was, and they gave me free puff puff. I'm going atleast once a week! Thanks ladies!!!!!!

My fiancé and went to Ma Yve Grill for the first time tonight and we were welcomed as if we were invited in to a friends home. The staff were absolutely wonderful. Not only were we given a warm welcoming, the food was cooked with love. If you're looking for traditional Congolese/African food, you must try this restaurant. Or, if you simply like great food this is your place! It's home cooking at its finest and It really doesn't get any better than this. I gave a 5 star review but I'd give 10 stars if I could. We will be back for sure. In the picture I posted you will see how amazing the food looks, however don't be fooled by the portion size of the chicken dish. We couldn't help but eat some before we took the picture :) Can't wait to try everything on the menu! Thank you for a great dining experience and keep up the good work read more

Ma Yve Grill - African Near Me - Pickering, Ontario