The new mural at Maple Leaf Diner. Photography by Kelsey Shoemaker.

After nine years, Maple Leaf, the niche Canadian diner in Preston Valley Shopping Center, has undergone a makeover with its interior still reminiscent of America’s Hat.

Once patrons walk in, they will see fresh coats of white paint on the walls with red trimming on the right, using Canada’s colors as its prideful inspiration. The floors have been redone and the red booths have changed. One of the more personal touches is the partisan in the middle which was hand-painted and made by ownerMike Delaurier.

At the back, a mural painted by two managers blends Canadian motifs that anchor the diner’s new duds.

For the last two years, the team would stay after closing hours to work to revamp the place with over 100 hours spent on the partisans alone.

“You always really want to keep things updated just for freshness and we just wanted something brighter,” Maple Leaf Diner manager Neva Alexander said. “We’ve been here for eight years and things are just getting old.”

With exciting menu updates on the horizon, it’s the best time to revisit our first impressions.

The full menu promises a majority of gravy or beef plates with Texas twists on Canadian dishes and Canadian iterations of Texas classics.

Maple Leaf Diner serves several kinds of poutine. Photography by Kathy Tran.

First, kickstart the day with a latte. Or, try an afternoon beer like the Kingsville Stout, a beverage where Dallas meets Canada as it is co-owned by former Dallas Stars player Marty Turco.

Appetizer highlights include the classic poutine — a symphony of hand-cut fries smothered in savory gravy and cheese curds — and the pillowy pierogies, Polish dumplings filled with creamy cheddar cheese and potatoes, topped with crispy bacon and onions.

For the entree, there are many ways to go. You could call for a brunch and choose among the bevy of Canadian choices. You could choose one of the diner favorites like chicken parmigiana or the chicken fried chicken.

For the main event, the English pot roast in a bonnet steals the spotlight, featuring succulent slow-cooked roast beef enveloped in a Yorkshire pudding crust and drenched in savory gravy—a hearty dish that leaves patrons craving more.

But the coveted option, and the one we chose, is the English pot roast in a bonnet. The dish includes slow-cooked roast beef cocooned inside a Yorkshire pudding crust, drenched with that homemade savory gravy.

This dish was hailed by Food Network Canada’s “You Gotta Eat Here!”

Our review? A Texas sizable portion worth undoing a belt loop for.

End your culinary journey on a sweet note with Maple Leaf’s Nanaimo bars and butter tart from the bakery on the way out. Nanaimo bars have layers of wafer, nuts and coconut crumbs with a firm custard icing in the middle. Butter tarts are a Canadian spin on America’s pecan pie — just with more buttery and they use golden raisins in place of pecans.

Other publications have flocked to the one-of-a-kind Canadian restaurant in Dallas from Travel Channel, Food Network and Cooking Channel and we can see why.

As you bid farewell, laden with takeaway boxes, you step out and realize you’re not in Montreal, but Preston Valley Shopping Center in North Dallas. The good news is there are many restaurants around if you’re in the mood for seconds and Le Rêve Gelato & Pâtisserie is just around the corner for that sweet treat kick.