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Out & About #193 | Collective January Visuals

1/31/2016

It's that time of the month again! Here are some of the snaps I hadn't had the opportunity to include in my previous Weekly Visuals posts (1, 2); as always, majority of these shall be food shots.

1. Mocha from Brioche Dorée

2. Booster Juice
While downtown locations of the Canadian juice and smoothie chain are aplenty, Booster Juice assumes a significantly lower number of spots in suburbia. Because of this, I have rarely visited even when in dire need of a smoothie fix and will alternatively craft my own at home.
However, I've found a new appreciation for Booster Juice's icy, refreshing smoothies as of late - primarily out of convenience. Situated in the food court of 200 Wellington / Metro Centre, freshly-made smoothies are now easily attainable even during the frigid winter months. The fact that it is listed as a one of Ritual's many options in the Entertainment District only further enhances its convenience factor.

Among my numerous orders at this location, I have tried: Mean Mocha, Matcha Monsoon, Brazilian Thunder, Eggnog Shake, Scaryberry, and likely a few others as well. The ladies at this location are always exceptionally friendly and exercise great speed and accuracy with drink orders for maximum efficiency.
Recently, I've also learned that the team knows me by face as well: "Ritual!" I overheard one of the ladies call over to her colleague. My drink was then presented to me with a smile within a matter of seconds. Very impressive, Booster Juice!

3. Icicles were spotted forming on the edges of the pedestrian bridge at Clarkson, so it was only fair of my inner child to break them off for the sake of having a little fun

4. Valentine Mocha + Double Fudge Cookie from the McCafé in Exchange Tower

5. Chinese New Year items are finally on sale! All hail the influx of adorable monkey-themed merchandise!

Out & About #192 | Munching in Markham (Pt. 12): Moji Japanese Eatery

1/30/2016

"MUJI OFFERS FOOD NOW TOO?!"
Such an exclamation had been heard ringing throughout the house upon the discovery of this newly-opened eatery in Markham. A second glance at the name alerted me that my body was in dire need of a few more z's, for it was named Moji - a totally different vowel.

It was a Japanese-themed establishment nonetheless; according to the rife reviews on Yelp, they offered standard but supposedly yummy rice and udon dishes. In addition, visitors that make the effort to dine in before the end of January 31st would receive a coupon for free ice cream. Well, that makes decisions easier doesn't it?

Quite frankly, Moji appeared quite bland solely based off of social media: I couldn't immediately perceive a distinct concept, nor identify a distinguishing factor between the numerous other sources for food in the plaza. It was also noticed that users consistently griped about the lack of heat and extensively long wait times for service and food, but also commended their takoyaki and curry udon bowls at the same time.
It was strange. Moji seemed strange.

I set out with a purpose on Saturday: to experience this new restaurant (and their ice cream) and validate the concerns and praises of other diners.

We pulled open Moji's flimsy white door and set foot into the eatery just two minutes after they had opened. As predicted, it was still relatively barren.
An older member of the serving staff greeted us immediately, and gestured towards a table near the entrance. We opted for a window seat instead, and thank goodness we did.

The restaurant was utterly peaceful for a total of five minutes. As I took to my snapping before leisurely browsing the menu, the eatery rapidly filled up. I looked up at around quarter to 12, stunned to find that half of the wooden tables and mismatched chairs were now occupied with eager lunch patrons. Needless to say, we took to flagging down of the waitresses and placing our orders readily.
The older waitress appeared to be a tad absent-minded (read: lost in her own world). Rarely did she ever turn in the direction of customers - she was either facing the kitchen or delivering food items, blocking out her peripheral view of other tables. Thankfully, there was a younger girl maintaining the drink bar and soft serve machine; she noticed my raised hand and imminently made her way over to provide assistance.

A girl sporting a sloppy bun and black leggings was observed making her way into the back to change for her shift around noon. Prior to this, there were only two girls working the floor, one girl in the bar, and two members of kitchen staff: a stout middle-aged lady and a taller male likely in his late twenties or early thirties. At some point in time, a thin girl donning a half-up/half-down hairstyle and shy, cheerful expression also began to work the floor. From what I could perceive, three quarters of the waitstaff appeared to be Japanese (which is quite a rarity in Markham); the only exceptions would be Ms. Sloppy Bun and the middle-aged lady.

Taking a step back from discussing Moji's operations, let's refer back to the menu for a short bit.
No frills whatsover, their menu was straightforwardly presented in a grid-like fashion in both English and Traditional Chinese (oddly enough, not a speck of Japanese was spotted anywhere). Along with typical izakaya appetizers (takowasa, karaage, ebi mayo, etc.), they also offered mains in the form of udon bowls or dons (aka rice bowls with toppings). With every udon or donburi order, drinks could be added to form a combo for an extra two dollars. It's important to note that cold and hot drink additions were priced equally, unlike your average cha chan teng.

We had been served water in small white teacups upon first being seated, though still opted to add Hot Matcha Milk Teas to our meals. They were served in somewhat tacky ceramic mugs (mine had an awkward lump of paint under the handle), topped with mini marshmallows, and accompanied by metals spoons.

Out & About #191 | "G" for Gelato and Espresso Bar

1/25/2016

I can't be the only one expressing extreme gratification for the above freezing temperatures the East coast experienced today.
Clearly the guy who walked into "G" for Gelato and purchased an iced latte to go was equally excited about this mercury surge.

Seriously, what better way to celebrate the return of warm weather and temporary termination of hibernation than with St. Lawrence's own neighbourhood gelato gem? (Or so the community of Yelpers call it.)

Finding myself in the area once again, I decided I had nothing to lose than to try out both their infamous gelato as well as espresso drinks.

Though the grate embedded between the ledge of the east-facing entrance and newly-finished sidewalk was a bit daunting to step over, I managed to successfully obtain access to the shop after suppressing minor quivers.

Ordering through Ritual while making my journey via streetcar, my Mocha Espresso was almost ready when I arrived. During this brief wait, I took in my surroundings quietly: classic coppery brown brick walls, tall windows for optimal lighting conditions, and a series of vibrant orange bar seats enabling customers a great view of St. James Park and the lofty cathedral behind it.

Out & About #190 | Munching in Markham (Pt. 11): Grand Noodle

1/23/2016

I drove through two plazas before I could find this place.
First it was Times Square, and then the one directly adjacent to it. All of sudden, common sense returned, and I realized that I had turned too early, and that Commerce Gate was on the south side of Highway 7. (Goodness me.)

As with all Markham plazas during the weekend lunchtime rush, parking wasn't exactly abundant. Thankfully, we happened to encounter two families leaving the establishment soon after turning in.

Consequently acquired from Insta-searches, Grand Noodle offered customizable noodle bowls in addition to a particularly popular series of baked cutlets served on top rice. These carb-heavy dishes have appropriately earned the name "Submarine", likely due to their oblong appearance.
The restaurant was a casual Chinese eatery that also offered several cha-chan-teng - style items. Due to its similar nature to Cattle Cafe, I shall be making direct comparisons between the two. (Yelpers had remarked on a lack of distinguishing features between Grand Noodle and Deer Garden Signatures, another build-your-own-noodle spot which happens to be located directly across, though I have yet to try this nearby competitor and likely will not make plans to do so in the near future.)

We were seated immediately upon entering and, much to my contentment, seated in a booth with an optimal amount of diffused natural lighting. Not a single one of the three servers on the floor decided to approach us to explain the ordering system to us first-timers, though the menus/placemats were pretty much self-explanatory.

Labelled one through four, the noodle order form allowed customers to select their preferred choice of: soup base, noodle variety, two complimentary toppings, and the option of adding "premium" toppings or adding a drink to create a combo. The selection was grand, and thus allowed for endless combinations to be made. (Find the full menu here.) Alternatively, one could opt of ordering noodles entirely and munch in the direction of rice plates, simple sandwiches, or snacks such as garlic fries or rice rolls.

I swiftly placed Xs on my order form: Signature Pork Bone Soup, Spinach Noodles, and Beef Brisket and Fish Tofu for toppings. Having a cold drink with the combo would result in an additional dollar, while specialty drinks (for example, Matcha Red Bean Slush) were two dollars instead of their regular $3.95.
Hong Kong Milk Tea is a tricky drink to produce properly, but seeing that Cattle Cafe had exceeded expectations, I decided to try out Grand Noodle's ice-less version.

Majority of the restaurant had already filled up at the time of our arrival, but service remained as speedy as another Chinese eatery.

Out & About #189 | Easy Drink Easy Go Mississauga + Weekend Visuals

1/17/2016

What would life be without bubble tea?
"Downright horrible!" some may proclaim, though a lack of vendors selling the heavily marked-up import product would sure save us regulars a boatload of calories and a great deal of cash (as many of these franchises are cash-only).

Easy Drink Easy Go quietly opened up it's first Mississauga location back in September of last year in the Fresco plaza on Hurontario. While I've taken note of this name on many North York excursions (1, 2, 3), I can't believe I've actually stepped in and ordered.

The storefront wasn't exactly challenging to locate - it was adjacent to Shoppers with a distinct Bradley Hand ITC-esque font - but I must admit that I found its coordinates in a predominantly non-Asian area to be unexpected. Cooksville/Hwy 10 largely constitutes of Filipino eateries, Middle Eastern cuisine, and traditional Korean cooking further down Dundas.
I suppose now the area has a bubble tea joint to call its own, as the next closest locations would be either CoCo at City Centre or Ever Fresh in Port Credit.

Easy Drink Easy Go's Mississauga location is run by a friendly Chinese couple that seemingly appear to be in their thirties. We were greeted warmly upon entering, and encouraged to spend as much time as we needed to analyze their menu options.
The interior was spacious and clean: the dining - er, drinking - area assumed a consistent green-and-white theme with incandescent lighting and small, colourful triangles pasted between promo posters; the bathroom, also spotless, was brightly-lit and featured pink butterfly decals. The environment was largely welcoming.

During this time, I witnessed several small groups of friends enter the shop, order, and purposely dismiss basic bubble tea etiquette by leaving mounds of straw wrappers behind. A mother-daughter duo that had already been occupying one of the tables slowly rose to reveal the sticky mess that either had created and proceeded to exit the establishment without any intention to remove it.
It is likely that the franchise owners had intended the space to be kid-friendly as well as student hangout-approved, as magazines and board games were abundant, but I'm uncertain whether this the crowd that they'll be anticipating.

After much thought and debate, I was prompted to inquire about the ingredients of the drinks: which items weren't simply a combination of chemicals?
To my dismay, the only fresh fruit that they had on hand were the strawberries and bananas used to concoct the hefty $6.00 fruit smoothie. Reminiscent of BR, the remainder of their extensive menu was crafted utilizing syrups and powders. Further disappointment was expressed when I was notified that their "matcha" powder was essentially an instant drink mix; it wasn't even second-rate Chinese green tea powder from T&T - it was next-level synthetic.

Ultimately, we ordered a Hokkaido Milk Tea w/ Milk Pudding, Matcha Red Bean Milk Tea, and Hong Kong Milk Tea with Taro Paste. The bill totalled $16.94 - a shockingly high number for bubble tea.

The Hong Kong Milk Tea was none of the things I had anticipated, though I should have known that this would be the case. It wasn't the lovely black tea and condensed milk creation from cha chan tengs (by heavens, no); it was a disgusting, overly milky flavour that I knew all too well: flavoured powder and the infamous Coffeemate creamer.
And the taro paste I had added 50 cents for? All one teaspoon's worth was barely discernible in the drink.
Needless to say, this was also the case with the Hokkaido Milk Tea, though the milk pudding did fare a tad better than the taro paste.

If you've been keeping up with this space long enough, you'd probably notice that I stopped my weekly BR runs quite some time ago. And this, my friends, was largely due to the discovery of their interminable dependence on Coffeemate and expired syrups. (Yes, you heard me right! Expired.)

Out & About #188 | The WORKS Brampton

1/16/2016

Recall that moment when The WORKS had been closed due to a water break and a hasty turn to Shawarma Queen had to be made in order to obtain dinner? Well, we received coupons for our fruitless endeavours that cold, wintry evening.

Among the three slips of paper that we had been granted, two were irregularly shaped and copper-toned, entitling one customer per table to either a tower of onion rings or a gourmet burger. The third was entirely void of hue and concealed in an envelope; the black and white slip read: "Congratulations! You've won a FREE BURGER with purchase of a Burger!".

With coupons in hand, and having already called in advance to ensure that the establishment was fully operational, we set out to redeem this BOGO deal.

Despite making our way through the foyer at approximately half past two, several of the tables were still occupied. The three members of wait-staff were evidently struggling to cater to various customer demands, as we were not acknowledged until a couple minutes later.
They were far from unfriendly though – I requested a window seat, and one of the girls gladly pulled apart and wiped down a large table bearing the battle scars of rowdy, under-5 diners.

The options were rather vast, and it took some time to become accustomed to this never-before-seen ordering system. A different member of wait-staff approached us later on and thoroughly explained that burgers could be completely customized from the type of patty, bun, topping, and side dish. Though he didn't shed any light on the remainder of the menu, I did manage to catch sight of a few salad choices ("All Dressed Cheeseburger Salad" anyone?) and profound poutine creations. There was a very extensive vegetarian and gluten-free selection as well.

View the full album HERE !

Out & About #187 | Weekly Visuals: Latte Art attempts + Rainy Snowfall

1/15/2016

This week has been a constant intake of caffeine, mainly in the form of homemade Nutella lattes (because who doesn't love Nutella right?!) and whipped cream-topped hot chocolate from good ol' McD's. And with winter gradually looming over us, it's hard to resist these morning boosts, especially when chaotic weather means earlier mornings for commuters.

1. Homemade Cappuccino + Nutella Latte

2. Cookies 'n' Cream Panda Bun from T&T
3. Heavy snowfall as viewed above David Peacut Square

4. Chocolate Chip Cookie from Brioche Doree
5. Starbucks' baristas hard at work

6. Homemade Nutella Latte sans-latte art
7. "That blue thing" connecting the Scarborough Centre GO Terminal and Scarborough Civic Centre

8. Sausage & Hash Brown McMorning Wrap + Peppermint Hot Chocolate from McDonald's

9. Clear, blue skies were witnessed for the first time all week
10. Hot Chocolate from McD's (again)

10. Exhibition GO station on an extremely foggy afternoon

This week's visuals were posted in a separate entry from the upcoming weekend entry(ies) to avoid cluttering (and potentially to emphasize my love of McD's). Stay tuned for more stunning food visuals!

Out & About #186 | Sunsets + Budget-Friendly Adventures in Brampton

1/10/2016

For the most part, the weather has been rather inconsistent over the past week.
Warmer temperatures were experienced at the beginning of the week, though rain- and hail-inducing winds prevailed as the weekend neared.

With the latest of my photography expenditures veering into long exposure territory (1, 2), it was only fitting that I seized the opportunity to test my newly-obtained ND filters one quiet weekday evening.

Perhaps I had fiddled around with the filters for too long, for the sun made its way beyond the horizon at a swifter pace than I anticipated. What remained in the area were a few stray beams of warmth, which, must I add, contrasted quite nicely with the pale blue background.

Other visuals of the week include: a Matcha Latte from Maman (though I was told the drink was much too hyped up and fell short of expectations), All-You-Can-Fill for $7.50 lunch container from T&T, and stepping foot in McCafe's most recent venture into the downtown core.

Currently restraining myself for the purpose of obtaining the much-coveted GOT7 tickets, a great deal of willpower was summoned from the depths of my soul to brew my own lattes, instead of relinquishing four to five dollars of my hard-earned wages per cup every time fatigue hit or cravings surfaced.

< Pictured above: Cappuccino and Nutella Latte >

I'll likely continue to suppress any cravings that surface before payday, or compromise by searching for an alternative (potentially DIY) solution.

Eating out on a budget is no easy feat, however it does challenge one to think creatively.

Banh mi is a relatively economical lunch option: the Vietnamese sandwich manages to satisfy growling stomachs while maintaining a price point of under five dollars.

Out & About #185 | Collective December Visuals

1/4/2016

The number of statutory vacation days are painfully few during the holiday season, and the excruciating process of dragging myself up in the wee hours of the morning to ensure sufficient commuting time began once again only a few days into the New Year.

Looking back, I realized that I had never posted my December visuals at all. So here they are - mixed in with several snapshots taken in early January.

1) Pretty lights spotted within the Telus building