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Out & About #318 | Collective February Visuals

2/28/2017

February always feels extra short compared to any other month of the year - this year especially, since Reading Week comprised of the bulk of it.

Collective visuals are few this time around, since majority were addressed in the Partial Visuals entry and throughout the past week's hangouts. Nonetheless, keep reading to lay eyes on some of the things I've consumed over the period of gradually warming weather.

1) Coolpis Peach drink (assuming that this is a play on "Calpis") + Jokbal from Galleria
2) After-dinner Matcha Truffles from Purdy's
3) Mid-afternoon strolls making me aware of above-seasonal temperatures and melting snow
4) Incredibly chewy injeolmi that were originally intended for topping homemade bingsoo, but later devoured in entirety due to irresistibility

5) Drone-flying efforts on a particularly mild but windy day

5) Drone-flying efforts on a particularly mild but windy day
6) Miscellaneous items from Reading Week hangouts + Before/After scenario at Hancook

7) My new addiction: the ultra-moisturizing Sweet Peach Creamy Peach Oil Lip Gloss from Too Faced. (Peach Jinyoung anyone??)
8) Evening winter sunsets
9) Resuming regular classes with a stale Banana Pecan Muffin in hand.

Out & About #317 | Karaoke + Jamie's Italian Square One

2/23/2017

"Will travel for food" is a fairly accurate representation of my dining and commuting habits. I've made the recent discovery that this statement doesn't hold true for everyone though; often the distance that one is willing to travel varies depending on his or her place of residence in suburban GTA.

It's a proven fact that Mississauga residents enjoy being anywhere and aren't opposed to taking the 45-minute local bus route to Islington then subwaying to the core. At the same time, they are open to high school reunions (or even catch-up sessions with other Sauga folks) taking place within the immediate neighbourhood. Toronto locals are generally open to places within TTC boundaries, despite bearing massive hatred for the transit system itself. From observation, occupants of the Brampton and Hamilton area rarely venture outside of their hometown; the difference lies in that Hammertown is fully embraced and promoted by their inhabitants, even when far more superior hangout and dining options are located elsewhere.

Last but not least, there's Markham. Hailed as the optimal spot for Chinese cuisine, karaoke bars, and bubble tea diversity, the city is special in that it is home to as many culinary choices as Yonge and Finch (and equally congested as well). With no parking meters in place though, it's deemed more automobile-friendly. However, please don't take this as being synonymous with being a wonderful spot for driving - one ought to develop a strong defense to prevent being T-boned from the retired aunties. As a commuter, I'm just content the Viva BRT is now in place.
But back to the residents: for the vast majority, few enjoy venturing past their zone of comfort. This area may sometimes impose east-west travel boundaries on Kennedy or Woodbine or even so little as a five-minute drive to the nearest plaza. In short, a great deal of persuasion is needed to convince such locals out of their humble abode and into the nearest suburb.

That being said, one can imagine the incredulous amount of effort inputted into planning a Markham to Mississauga trip. A day trip consisting of mahjong, karaoke, and dinner sounds easy enough to me, but not many can identify with my adventuresomeness as a reference line. (Mister group leader deserves a roar of deep applause.)

< Pictured above: Honey Green Tea, Papaya Smoothie, Honey Lemon Water, Cranberry Juice, Almond Milk Black Tea, and Green Tea Smoothie at happy hour karaoke >

Five hours of belting out C-, J-, and K-Pop tunes really worked up an appetite. The group became increasingly hangry, making it beyond difficult to narrow down a spot deemed satisfactory for their food and price preferences. After three exasperating attempts, we finally agreed on Jamie's Italian.

Visiting Square One on a weekday evening meant less traffic on the roads, an unbelievable abundance of parking spots, and no wait lines. While we had called in to reserve a table beforehand, one step inside the mall restaurant silently told us that it probably hadn't been necessary.

With the exception of the few tables lining the mall-facing perimeter of the celebrity chef's second shopping centre outpost, the remainder of the interior was painfully dim. A medium-sized table had been prepared for us behind the bar and adjacent to one of the order-entering computers.

This should have inadvertently implied constant service right? Not at all.

For a place that was 90% empty, one would have expected prompt service for a ravenous group of impatient customers. Admittedly, our party had taken some time to analyze the menus and decide which appetizers should be shared and amongst which members, though this was no excuse for the complete absence of our server after what seemed like eons of waiting.

In my desperate attempt to wave a different server over to address our urgent desire for sustenance, the received response was no more than a quick glance in our direction, a head turn of smugness, and a monotonous gust of "I'll get your server" while hurriedly retreating away from our line of vision. Please. Don't act like you're busy.

View the full album HERE !

As if our request was lost in transit, our server appeared some time later to note down our orders. It wasn't a particularly professional method either, as the music was quite loud and many of us were forced to shout down the table to relay our requests. He did double-check our items once before departing, but most of the things he repeated were just mumbled phrases from my position at the other end of the table.

Out & About #316 | Poke Guys + Hancook

2/22/2017

What a sight it is to witness positive temperatures in February - bless Mother Nature for cooperating during my Reading Week!

I initially ventured downtown donning four layers of varying materials and thicknesses, only have to shed 1-2 pieces as the day progressed. The walk that had been anticipated to be overcast and breezy (think autumn in Vancouver) evolved into a somewhat breezy day with blue skies and few clouds shortly after lunchtime.

The day's itinerary had been outlined approximately one week in advance: a quick lunch meetup in the core then a more extensive exploring adventure once another familiar face concluded academic activities.

Entirely unaware of my dining partner's dislike for raw fish, I suggested a place that I heard endless affirmative comments about: Poke Guys. The trendy spot had taken over The Great Canadian Bagel on Elizabeth Street just north of City Hall. The layout of the dining area was similar to what I can recall, though the sticker decals on the wall, colourful chalkboard menu, and substitution of the bagel counter for a low-height, rack-sporting refrigerator were definitely new additions.

Seating was limited to a few two-person tables and a series of "bar" seats along the frontmost edge of the interior; seeing this, I quickly grabbed the last table before perusing the menu.

All members of staff were friendly and prompt in acknowledging every new occupant of the room, despite the incredible number that stumbled in during the lunch rush. It was evident that efforts were made to assist each customer in a timely manner, regardless of state of urgency, by taking orders and processing them in an assembly line.

My greatest fear of poke restaurants tends to be steep prices being charged for small bowls with little substance (cough pokeh, Calii Love cough) or where an an extra charge is incurred for majority of the decent quality toppings. Bowl size is another factor to take into consideration; I detest wastage from unfinished food, though takeout is not an option since raw fish should be consumed immediately (or within the recommended thirty minutes, anyway).

Customization is the key to winning the heart - or rather, stomach - of an impossibly peticular person, but most establishments will also offer a few Signature Bowls for the sake of ease (and preparation speed). There are five signature options at Poke Guys: Vegetarian, PG's, Cali's, Sooo Fresh, and A Hui Hou, where PG's Bowl and Cali's Bowl earn the top spots in popularity.

Originally in contemplation of building my own bowl, the idea was dismissed when informed that the lower price also meant fewer toppings. While scanning the menu earlier, I had also noticed the additional charge for ahi tuna and avocado in the customized option. However, I remained reluctant to settle for white rice.
To my utter delight, I was told that the base of the Signature Bowls could, indeed, be altered. Hearing this, I chose Cali's (with brown rice) without a second thought.

The quick-service restaurant keeps avocado wedges tightly secured in plastic wrap within the condiment bar until needed - this was an aspect of operations that I hadn't witnessed at other poke joints. Regardless, I applauded this extra dose of effort, as the piece in my bowl had maintained freshness with minimal browning.
Toppings- and sauce-wise, customers were permitted to choose any number and type to slather on top of their bowls. I skipped the jalanpenos and fried onions, instead opting for pickled watermelon radish, wakame salad, green onions, and fine strips of seaweed.
Their sauces were rather innovative: Spicy Aioli, Wasabi Mayo, Creamy Togarashi, Classic Shoyu, and Ginger Yuzu Mayo; I requested all but the first (it was likely made with sriracha). A sprinkle of togarashi powder added a gentle fiery kick that even I, a being with an excruciatingly low spice tolerance, could appreciate.

Out & About #315 | Katsuya (Round 2) + Pacific Mall

2/20/2017

Few of those that accompany me on my eating adventures go to the same extent as I do for the sake of capturing decent- to good-quality shots. The general smartphone pinhole camera is the usual weapon of choice; I'm often told (and sometimes commended) for making the effort of obtaining a "proper" camera and purposely investing in a larger, sturdier bag simply for its safe transport.

Majority of my dining company have gained tremendous patience over the meetups, fully accepting and embracing the fact that consumption of food items after their immediate arrival is not permitted on my watch. (With the hangry folk, I tend to quicken the process by a few notches to keep everyone pleasant.) While they don't necessarily share my intentions nor passion, I am grateful for their ongoing respect.
That being said, it's especially pleasant when your partner-in-crime engages in the same photo-taking activities as you and possesses a similar palate.

Orangeccane and I took to Katsuya on the afternoon of sunny but breezy Family Day. Our options had been limited to the establishments that remained open during the statutory holiday, and my initial suggestion of Le Cafe Michi had unfortunately fallen within the category of closed businesses for that day. We turned to Katsuya, for she had been meaning to try and I had provided positive feedback.

A girl with a copper-toned bob and a fitted black sweater dress greeted us with an enormous smile as we walked in. The restaurant was less busy than I expected; we were allowed to choose between two booth spots with decent natural and artificial illumination.

Seeing as I had tried both Fish and Pork Katsu on my first visit, I had a strong desire to test whether the restaurant's udon met the same, full-flavoured qualifications.
Cream Curry Udon was the first item that caught my eye; it took me a few seconds to register the "Not Available" label, sigh in disappointment, and continue flipping through the menu.

Eventually, we settled on the Katsuya Original Cheese Katsu, Carbo Udon, and Cheese Crabmeat Croquette to share. It was a reservedly cheesy meal indeed.

Similar to the previous visit, miso soup was delivered within minutes of ordering. Shortly following were a Stainless steel water jug and two stout handleless mugs. Cool, lime-infused water was a welcome alternative to steaming cups of hot water given the now warmer outside temperatures.

The appetizer arrived while we were in the midst of a matchamisu-related coversation, freshly deep-fried in all its glory. Slathered on top of the pyramid was a Hollandaise-like sauce combining the tanginess of vinegar, creaminess of mayo, and crunch of finely-diced onion. Each sphere featured a chunk of stringly mozzarella evenly enveloped in a casing of mashed potato and shreds of crab meat.
They were definitely substantial, both in terms of size and level of satiation. While definitely not for the faint of heart (quite literally in this case), the potentially artery-clogging bar bite offered a welcome cheesiness to our meal.

The crisp exterior contrasted well with the rather mushy potato mash - something that I wasn't quite fond of. Admittedly, it would have nice to find a bit more texture in the crabmeat itself, or even a greater cheese to potato mash ratio for added ooze factor. The croquette (or コロッケ) remained a great item for sharing, albeit not the most ideal thing to devour on an empty stomach.

View the full album HERE !

Out & About #314 | Partial February Visuals

2/18/2017

Reading Week is finally upon us!!!

The school refers to it as a "Winter Recess", though it's not like we, the hardworking, social life-less students ever really get a break anyway. (A lengthy capstone report and impossibly labourous simulation assignment is awaiting me as I speak - er, type.)

Reading Week hangouts are essentially a must, considering that the academic semester is generally too chaotic to schedule meetups. Prior to sharing my above-seasonal adventures though, I'd like to introduce several happenings that have taken place since the start of the month

1) The Face Shop x Pixar - Monsters. Inc Sulley CC Long-Lasting Cushion
Should the constant Sulley references (1, 2, 3, 4) throughout this space not already been a distinct enough indication of my unwavering fondness for the furry monster, the purchasing of this cushion pact should aid in resolving any uncertainties.
While the collaboration line was launched some several months ago, it wasn't until recently that I discovered the limited edition item on ebay. Needless to say, I quickly completed the purchase and awaited its arrival for a solid few weeks.

The packaging is simple, but absolutely lovely with a glossy James P. Sullivan on the front and right side of the otherwise brown paper box. Inside is a substantially-sized compact with an adorable 2D horned blue monster emblazed on the surface. Consistently themed with a cool sky blue-lilac colour scheme, the inside features a spotted microbial puff separated, a plastic white separator, and the formula-containing cushion-sponge apparatus. It's a sleek design that's both attractive enough to display as part of a Sulley collection and sufficiently practical to toss into one's bag for on-the-go usage (not that I would ever, because Sulley is precious to me).

After conducting an incredulous amount of research on the most effective way of applying the product, I took the plunge and ripped the seal off the cushion-sponge thing. The item was surprisingly easy to use, despite its intimidating appearance.
To my dismay, the once-pearly white puff quickly absorbed the high-coverage product, instantly becoming stained. I made desperate attempts to restore its unblemished state, but neither body wash nor cleansing oil nor beauty blender soap proved to be the solution. (Cue the exasperated weeps.)

The formula itself provides much greater coverage than expected - almost to the point where concealer can be omitted on days where sleep deprivation is not a probing issue. However, it was admittedly pale (and lumpy/cakey) for a colour-correcting ("CC") product; thankfully, it later oxidized to match my skin tone, yielding a "my face but better" complexion.
Longetivity of the cushion could not be properly determined during a wear period of five hours, though I was pleased to see that it hadn't settled into the ridges of my nose after the three-hour mark.

All in all, the cushion compact performs decent enough for my purposes. My investment would have merely been justified upon unveiling the marvelous packaging itself, so the practicality of the device was really a bonus. (Ahaha.)

2) Attempts at recreating Spagetei's insanely delicious garlic bread at home (with the help of runnyrunny999's recipe) ultimately resulted in failure due to parsley overuse. (I'm going to miss the now-shuttered Japanese restaurant the next time I visit BC...)

3) Friday night karaoke sessions feat. late-night dinners at Macey's - do you spot GOT7 in the background?!
(Beware of the manager that pulls in towards the end of Happy Hour and dons a blazer in hopes of swapping his pudgy, midget-like stature for a chicer alternative. His despicable, condescending attitude and revolting behaviour shall be etched in my mind for eternity, and hopefully in the hearts of other innocent karaoke-goers who merely wished to sing in peace.)

4) Complimentary soft serve cones at Galleria

5) Revisiting latte art with homemade matcha lattes
6) Miku visuals from the final weekend of Winterlicious 2017

7) It's customary of our family to consume steamed nian gao in abundance during the New Year, though my aunt's baked rendition had us curious about the recipe. Let's just say that we'll adhere to our traditional butter-less version instead.

Out & About #313 | Yorkdale Visuals, revisiting Cafe Bene + Honey Lava Castella Cakes

2/13/2017

Snow days have been occurring sporadically this winter - some days featuring ruthless, face-ripping blows and others kind enough to offer positive temperatures. This has consequently led to a continuous freeze-thaw cycle (and way much more than the typical amount of salt).

Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to embark on a trip to Yorkdale in the midst of almost-whiteout conditions, though it happened to be the only day where our free schedules overlapped.

Thankfully, traffic was rather light, and despite moving a tad tardier than on dry days, we arrived much quicker than anticipated.
Climbing over the fluffy white foot-high barrier, we pulled into the unplowed, unsalted parking lot just before noon to begin our shopping adventure.

Yorkdale Sulley inventory: 10 plus!!
But seriously, who was the barbaric soul who deemed it alright to toss tiny balls of garbage into the Sulley basket?!?!

Two hours in, we had successfully completed our UNIQLO and Zara stops and opted to venture upstairs for sustenance.
As mentioned previously, Mii Sandwich's original location does not extend the same deals as the Square One spot. Instead of steamed bao and taco deals, Yorkdale features an $8.99 Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi and Lemonade combination. Both were exceptional, with the former being crispy and flavourful and the latter refreshing and invigorating. The citrusy fizziness was a welcome addition to the subtly sweet beverage.

Service was on a similar level to my previous visit - blunt, impatient, and far from being excessively friendly. For someone who normally requests a to-go option to prevent the wasteage of food, I found it odd that I was interrogated three times for obtaining a plastic tray. One of the ladies at the cashier even forcefully insisted that I return it to its rightful place, and I can't say I appreciated this.

We resumed our expedition shortly after, and a few more hours later, it was discovered that we had wandered through every section of the mall. With soreness seeping from our soles to toes and no more shops of interest to us, it was time to progress to the next stops of the day.

Ideally, the North York extension of the trip involved looping to Canaan for hodo kwaja, then The Cups' Yonge St. location for dessert, and lastly Bake Code to pick up their new Honey Lava Castella Cakes.
Unfortunately, the first two destinations on this list were closed for the day. It hadn't occurred to me that I should have confirmed operating hours for weekends before setting out, so two stops were skipped as a result of my sheer forgetfulness.

Instead, we settled for hodo kwaja from Galleria, followed by bingsoo at Cafe Bene.

Honestly speaking, I had high doubts about revisiting Cafe Bene in spite of the various positive remarks I received from Don Mills and Scarborough residents. I had concluded that my initial visit would also be my final one - and having tasted a terrifying compilation of green tea, bananas, tapioca, along with an unflavoured block of ice, can you blame me?

The 설빙 sign resting at the exterior of the cafe has been present for some time now, though it wasn't until my friend had made her decision that a second trial session was conducted.

Parking was far from fun, especially since majority of Yonge Street was now covered in murky slush while residential side streets were still shrouded by at least 30 cm of snow.
When we finally made it to the doorstep of the cafe, another challenge awaited us: the steep flight of stairs was slick from the puddles of disintegrating snow left behind by other diners. Thank goodness for railings. (No thanks to the lack of snow-clearing and absence of an accessible entrance.

Cafe Bene had almost reached full capacity when we strode through onto the rickety wooden planks of the second floor. Noise level was kept at a minimum with numerous two-person parties dispersed throughout every inch of the dining area. Mellow new releases played in the background as project-tackling students and cringe-worthy couples surrounded us.

Perhaps I am not in the best position to comment on the apparent changes of the dining environment, but from what I can recall, Cafe Bene is now slightly brighter (did they invest in better bulbs?), added cushions to their seats, and invested in an abundance of outlets. The menu, still laminated and accompanied by low-res images, now focuses on Strawberry, Mango, and Injeolmi flavours. A Song Joong Ki-themed sweet potato bingsoo and Song Hye Kyo-themed peach bingsoo were also spotted, though the correlation between these distinctly different entities remains unknown.

Out & About #312 | Miku (Winterlicious 2017)

2/4/2017

There's a first for everything, including prix fixe meals à la Winterlicious.

Extremely dedicated readers may recall the omission of a corresponding post to the full-fledged collection of visuals accompanying my first visit to Miku's Toronto location during its early stages of operation. The reason for this was the bitter aftertaste that remained long after the experience had passed.
Despite the very amiable hostess of the night, who graciously accomodated my request for a photo-taking space that permitted constant bursts of flash, the food quality was generally subpar; service staff also lacked courtesy, observation, and general knowledge about the dishes they were delivering. The environment was dim, but lacked a comfortable ambience. It made for a thoroughly disappointing experience unworthy of the prices being charged, particularly in regards to the claim of serving Aburi sushi alongside a "harbourfront" view.

Recently, with the arrival of Winterlicious, my feeds have been bombarded with numerous images highlighting the same thing: Miku's Green Tea Opera and snippets of their limited-time lunch and dinner selections. Even my fellow food enthusiasts took relaying their extravagant impressions of the restaurant to me.

I opted to give Miku Toronto the benefit of the doubt for committing opening blunders that the original Vancouver location would have never tolerated. With just over a year of experience in their pockets, I initiated a visit to the view-less establishment once again with an open mind.

Two days before my planned lunch appointment, I checked for table availability both via OpenTable and a physical phone call. While OpenTable had made it clear that not a single vacancy was present for the entirety of Saturday, the restaurant staff declared that bar seats were generally available with little to no wait times.
Upon arrival, it was noticed that the restaurant was far from being busy. I had anticipated being offer bar seats due to our lack of a reservation, but was more than ecstatic when the assistant hostess-like staff member guided us to a sleek, white table directly adjacent to a lofty glass window - natural lighting galore! The serene seating location was a pleasant surprise in itself, easily paving the way for a positive dining experience.

The Winterlicious lunch menu comprised of a three-course meal with three non-substitutable choices from each category. We steered clear of the bland-sounding vegetarian options (Vegetarian Miku Zen and Garden Zen) and instead chose two sets of completely dissimilar dishes for sharing.

Miso soup was served immediately following our order placement, though I pushed it aside to conserve stomach capacity for the feast that was to follow.

Miku Zen arrived in the form of four medium-sized side dishes served in shallow ceramic bowls affixed atop a square wooden tray. A detail that greatly appealed to me was that the bottom of the bowls were, in fact, rectangular, allowing each one to easily slide into the allocated slot shaped into the tray. Not only did this design permit safer transport of dishes, but also enhanced the seamlessness of the overall presentation.
Aburi Albacore Tuna, Ebi Fritter, Beef Tenderloin Skewers, and Miso Marinated Tofu Salad were artistically arranged and garnished in each bowl - the colours paired very well visually.

Gently seared and seasoned albacore tuna lay on top of a bed of wakame salad and lemon; a sweet-savoury and relatively pungent onion sauce accompanied the silky slices. It was easily my favourite of the four Miku Zen selections.

Miso Marinated Tofu Salad was a classic combination of greens, fresh tomatoes, and crispy noodles tossed in a thin sesame dressing that was as flavourful as it was refreshing. The simplicity of the dish actually offered a welcome contrast to the other components of the platter.

The Ebi Fritter and Beef Tenderloin Skewers were unmistakably fragrant, with the former served with a sprinkle of chili powder and puddle of chilli aioli and the latter with soy and herb-inspired flavours.
The skewers were advertised with the addition of a spoonful of wasabi gremolata, though I can't say that either of us was able to locate any hints of wasabi whatsoever. Gremolata is, according to Wikipedia, a close cousin of pesto, but void of pine nuts and containing a lower oil to herb ratio. The chunky paste largely resembled this description, though I am uncertain whether it enhanced the skewers significantly.
I did not try either of these dishes and therefore cannot comment too extensively on their flavour profiles.

The Sashimi Plate was, really, not a plate at all, but rather a large white bowl filled mostly with rock sugar lump-sized ice pellets. The chef's selection included Salmon, Maguro (Tuna), Red Snapper, and a small portion of kaisen poke. A duo of soy sauces was presented for the exhaustion of this dish: Shoyu (a sweet soy sauce) and Tamari (a richer variation with darker hue and bolder properties). Each could be paired with sashimi as a dipping sauce according to the diner's personal preferences.

All six glistening strips were observed to be of magnificent quality, particularly the Salmon and Red Snapper. Already visible from a distance was the intricate marbling of fat between fleshy layers of fish; immediate disintegration followed for a glorious consumption process. Tamari was used for the fattier pieces to balance richness, while Shoyu was reserved for the tender, less fatty Maguro.
Kaisen poke, Miku's house special, was softer than the standard marinated cubes. This didn't necessarily indicate heightened texture or character content though. It paled slightly in comparison to the outstanding occupants of the chilled bowl.

View the full album HERE !

Out & About #318 | Collective February Visuals

Out & About #317 | Karaoke + Jamie's Italian Square One

Out & About #316 | Poke Guys + Hancook

Out & About #315 | Katsuya (Round 2) + Pacific Mall

Out & About #314 | Partial February Visuals

Out & About #313 | Yorkdale Visuals, revisiting Cafe Bene + Honey Lava Castella Cakes

Out & About #312 | Miku (Winterlicious 2017)

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Out & About #318 | Collective February Visuals

Out & About #317 | Karaoke + Jamie's Italian Square One

Out & About #316 | Poke Guys + Hancook

​Out & About #315 | Katsuya (Round 2) + Pacific Mall

Out & About #314 | Partial February Visuals

Out & About #313 | Yorkdale Visuals, revisiting Cafe Bene + Honey Lava Castella Cakes

Out & About #312 | Miku (Winterlicious 2017)

Who Am I?

Archives

Categories

WHAT DOES "QUIRKY AESTHETICS" MEAN?

Contact ME

​Subscribe

Out & About #315 | Katsuya (Round 2) + Pacific Mall

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