Blog Archives

Out & About #286 | Collective October Visuals

10/31/2016

It has come to my attention that these collections of monthly wrap-ups have somehow taken gradually worked themselves in the direction of "Things I've Eaten Over The Month."

There's nothing particularly negative about this, besides the fact that not every single meal pictured was captured to be as flattering as it could have been. It's inevitable that my eating adventures may come as trite to some, though in my defense, I'm surprised I was even able to leave campus for long enough to grab a decent meal in between the endless loads of assignments and midterms.

That being said, here are my October visuals! Perhaps they'll provide a more accurate representation of the behind-the-scenes of this page.

1) Autumn Fog and Banana Bread from My Dog Joe
"When the going gets tough, treat yourself to remain sane." probably isn't everyone's motto, but it's honestly the little things in life that work to restore mental stability in tiny, almost imperceivable doses. Take a steamy mug of Autumn Fog, for example, and relish in the spiciness of the Chai and the sheer comfort of steamed milk. Banana Bread also makes for a great pairing, especially when chocolate chips are involved.

2) The sticker tattoo obsession continues
3) Change of early morning scenery: the brilliance of gradient sunrises have now been postponed to later hours with the change of seasons
4) Grind House finally succumbed to excessive sharpening

5) More goodies from Westdale Bumblebean
This visit included a Vanilla White Tea Latte w/ Cocoa and an out-of-this-world Chocolate Chip Cookie. Mmmmmm.

6) Lazy weekend lunch feat. Brown
7) Lemon King and Chocolate Red Bean Milk Tea from CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice
8) Kakao Talk x The Face Shop sheet masks at Markville

9) Breakfast consisting of a Matcha Latte and one of Uncle Tetsu's Black Sesame Madeleines
10) Pre-night class dinner of Spring Rolls and Fresh Rolls from Saigon in Westdale

11) Likely the most decent of campus food options: Green Tea Latte and a pre-packaged Roast Beef Sandwich
12) A tremendously chocolate-y Forever Rocher Buttermilk Waffle from Hazel Tea & Dessert

13) Dropping by Foodie North Express for a quick bubble tea fix
14) Homemade Bulgogi and Japchae, courtesy of the sweetest, most considerate fangirl on Earth (You know who you are!)
15) Starbucks was deemed absolutely necessary after a tiring week of dealing with dysfunctional members of society
The Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake Pop could have allotted several teaspoons' worth of sugar to the Chile Mocha though - the hot beverage scalded my tongue and brought my throat ablaze.

Out & About #285 | Teppanyaki Dinner at Katsura

10/30/2016

For those capable of recalling my last encounter with an all-meat déjeuner, you're probably aware that my dietary habits lean heavily towards the pescetarian side despite being an omnivore. I thrive off greens and small amounts of protein.

With that being said, it should be clear that teppanyaki isn't my first choice. But eating out is a group decision, so it would be impractical to solely focus on the interests on a particular individual.

Katsura, located in the Westin Prince Hotel across from Dragon Pearl, was the party's destination of choice. The objective was a Wagyu beef-centred meal in a peaceful environment accompanied by appropriate ambiance.
Upon first glance, the restaurant comprised of the basic elements of a proper teppanyaki dinner: sleek marble tables arranged around a well-ventilated grill, timeless decorations of seemingly Japanese origin, and hardcover menus consisting of both English and Japanese.

Unfortunately, it didn't take long for us to discover that the resulting experience would be anything but unauthentic.

It started with menu distribution: our kimono-clad waitress was expressionless, emotionless, and appeared utterly disinterested in responding to our questions and concerns. Her questionably Chinese-sounding name printed on her badge proved our suspicions correct.

Majority of the staff were also of Chinese descent with the exception of a select few that displayed evidently Japanese mannerisms. While some phrases were a tad hard to decipher due to slurring, most members, chefs and host included, possessed competent English comprehension abilities.
Conversation skills, as one member of our party had observed, were essentially nonexistent; the chef hadn't bothered to converse with us at all during the cooking process, but rather seemed hurried and eager to finish his job. The lack of exchanged words wasn't much of an issue for me, as I honestly preferred to keep to photo-taking during the experience, though it's an understandably important factor for chattier customers.
He seemed genuine enough, in my opinion, and even cracked small smiles from time to time.

The sequence and speed at which our orders were served were my primary concerns of the evening. Our appetizers arrived with incredible speed, which was appreciated considering the level of hunger that was rapidly amounting within our stomaches. However, it came as a shock that no buffer period was provided to actually consume them: the staff did not wait until appetizers were finished to emerge with hot food.

< Pictured above and below: Tsukiji Market Spicy Tuna Roll, Appetizer Sashimi, and Crab, White Asparagus & Avocado Salad >

I can't quite comment on the other two, but the Crab, White Asparagus & Avocado Salad definitely proved more descriptively pleasing than it tasted. While the wasabi content in the dollop of pea-coloured mayo was

I should remark: the cooking process was super speedy (somewhat unnecessarily so) and unlike anything else I've witnessed in metropolitan or suburban areas. Wagyu beef, according to those that had requested the meal(s), was tender, but not particularly memorable.

Out & About #284 | Hazel Tea & Dessert (Rounds 3, 4) + Foodie North

10/28/2016

Credit ought to be given where due - the theory applies both to group projects, which often include more than one dysfunctional member of society, and cafes that permit lengthy hours of quality customer service.

Hazel, as noted in my previous posts (1,2) has officially become my study spot of choice. The germaphobe within me resists library tables bearing inch-thick grey tints and high amounts of noise pollution, while the creative food enthusiast alter ego thrives in cozy cafes with unique offerings.

For a late-night midterm, I looked towards a Hong Kong Coffee Milk Tea for a quick dose of caffeine. Upon requesting a hot version of the beverage, I was delighted to discover that Hazel provides "warm" and "hot" variations of their milk teas. "Warm" was denoted by its apparent lack of ice and permittance of topping additions; the option was offered in both Regular and Large sizes. "Hot" referred to a drink of tongue-scalding temperature, in which was only available in one size and forbid any toppings for the sake of customer safety (sipping steaming drink with straws is not a good idea).

The tea itself was slightly above room temperature, which was ideal considering the shiver-inducing breezes outside. Tapioca portions were on the less generous side and, admittedly, a tad bit more soggy than chewy. Nonetheless, it surpassed my expectations flavour-wise for a beverage concocted of synthetic milk powder. Brewed coffee definitely elevated the experience.

Nearing the end of my study session, my stomach began to lurch. Instead of heading next door to Sana Grill or making the painstaking journey to Westdale, I opted for one of their Buttermilk Waffles.
The decision had been concluded out of convenience and pure laziness, though the results proved surprisingly satisfactory. All waffles allowed for modifications and substitutions of equal value or less, so I requested a not-so-sweet rendition of Forever Rocher.

Truthfully, what I desired was cheese, or anything savoury for that matter. It was likely the reason that prompted me to declare that the resulting product was "a bit too sweet for my liking" when the girl at the cashier asked for feedback.
In actuality, though, Forever Rocher was delicious. The bananas had just ripened, meaning that they would not contribute any additional sweetness but instead succeeded a slightly tacky but satisfying element to the creation. A heaping scoop of indulgent Dutch Chocolate ice cream topped the icing sugar-dusted speciment, followed by a generous drizzle of Nutella sauce.

The waffle was delicious, but definitely more fitting of an afternoon snack than a supper item.

I would also like to take this opportunity to revoke my previous statement regarding their prices. A fellow food fanatic brought up spin (now called "bliss"), at which point I was reminded that their waffles were associated with a whopping price tag of $12.25. In comparison, Hazel's Buttermilk Waffles were undeniably tastier and significantly more economical.
Very Matcha hadn't lived up to my green tea expectations, but I'm glad I had taken the plunge to try their other flavours, else I'd have ended up completely overlooking their in-house dessert selection.

View the full album HERE !

Out & About #283 | Hike to Cataract Falls + Corner by Spoon and Fork

10/23/2016

This is likely the first year Ontario has experienced proper autumn weather. Like ever.

While "April showers" last year-round in BC, frigid temperatures and unforgiving winds reign for half the year on the East Coast. Unreasonably tremendous workloads have been the main cause for my lack of overall activity, on this page and in real life; it has also been the primary cause of sleep deprivation, accumulated amounts of stress, and dwindling sanity.

On the more positive side, the above-seasonal weather has made postponed hiking adventures permissible. In spite of gradually approaching midterms, I took the day off to "get away" from work, in the most literal sense possible.

Initially, I wanted to check out Rouge Park, or even Scarborough Bluffs - can you blame me though? The photos of the peak are absolutely stunning!
Travel time was a major limiting factor, though; Forks of the Credit in Caledon was a much more viable option considering the weekend closure of the DVP.

Upon our arrival, it was revealed that we weren't the only ones in search of a mini Sunday getaway. Several families had also opted to take advantage of the mild but overcast weather, consequently resulting in the parking lot and accompanying egress to near capacity.

Forks of the Credit described a series of trails that surrounded and/or ran along the Credit River. I had had the opportunity of visiting Bruce Trail on a hike to Hilton Falls; the trip had proven to be a relatively easy path for beginners given its lack of steep slopes and overall uniformity.
Scout Valley had been varied in comparison, but was far from the route involved to reach our final destination of Cataract Falls.

A portion of Meadow Trail was closed due to winter maintenance, or rather lack thereof, so the route involved a westbound trek on Meadow Trail, connecting to Bruce Trail, and then finally northbound on Dominion Trail.
Surprisingly enough, majority of the hike was spent amidst a wide, open field. With the exception of Kettle Lake, a brief patch of cotton, and gradually withering maple trees, the route was just about a steep dirt path lined with tree roots and medium-sized stones.

View the full album HERE !

Merging onto Dominion Trail was the turning point of the trip, since it was at this point that we began a more leisurely stroll through lofty shrubbery sporting a luscious gradient of red, orange, yellow, and green. The view was undoubtedly more scenic, and the hike a lot more serene.

It wasn't long before we caught sight of Cataract Falls, though the sole viewing deck was occupied and, even when it vacated, the high altitude provided a dismal, obstructed view of the raging current.

Against my better judgement, I proposed maneuvering down the precipitous sodden area for the sake of obtaining a better view of the natural wonder. The move had been risky, but the results were well worth the lengthy slide downhill.
I had opted to wear safety boots for this adventure, which proved to be a well-informed decision on my behalf as it provided more traction on muddy surfaces. The prominent treads proved futile on slick rocks though, as I found myself rapidly slipping into peril while moving from one rock to another. Digging my nails into the dirt, I had managed to prevent a potentially hazardous drop into the water. Unlikely it is that I shall ever be so courageous as to attempt a precarious descent such as this again, but the journey made for vigorously memorable experience.

The slow disappearance of the sun cast a grim aura on our surroundings, so even though taking an alternate path back would have been more interesting, the lack of light instilled a sense of fear and hunger in my body. We reached the parking lot as dusk approached. A light drizzle began to fall as we made our way to Corner by Spoon and Fork.

I always have my reservations about food trends making their way from the downtown core to the suburbs. Rarely have I witnessed the proper execution of a trendy food item in a quiet neighbourhood, particularly if the fad hails from a warmer, West Coast province or state.

Corner by Spoon and Fork gained its rise to fame by offering sushi burritos and poke bowls to citizens on the east end of Mississauga. The restaurant had appeared on my radar for a short while before an astounding number of poke locations began to pop up in Toronto. Recently, a friend of mine took the opportunity to visit and later informed me of her exceedingly positive experience. There appeared no better chance to check out the establishment than after a strenuous three-hour hike.

Out & About #282 | Hazel Tea & Dessert

10/16/2016

Ah, Hazel - Who would've thought that the campus' closest bubble tea shop (excluding the one in the basement of MUSC) would also eventually become my favourite new study spot?

Expanding on my previous post, Hazel Tea & Dessert is a bubble tea and snack shop with a sleek, serene design in full compliance with accessibility standards. Along with spacious, orderly bathrooms, an abundance of seating and outlets (offered both in USB and plug forms), and a stable, password-secured Wi-Fi connection, the independent establishment has also advanced its decor by adding a 1960s-esque light-up sign, a black grid-like structure upon which the sign rests, and two framed specimens containing 2D floral elements.
The overall hip-ness of the interior was immediately amplified.

As a result of one of my regular Monday afternoon meetings falling through, I had taken advantage of the opportunity to re-visit. This time around, I invited a fellow Marauder to accompany me for some much-needed catch-up time.

I arrived first, and took to trying out the fifth most popular beverage on the menu: Mango Yogurt Smoothie. While the milk teas and flavoured green teas are crafted from milk powder and flavour syrups, I was informed that the yogurt smoothies were a blend of ice, fruit juice, and a Yakult-like substance. The concept seemed more reassuring - and worthier in terms of economic value - than the other standard drinks.
The cafe was definitely busier in comparison to the beginning of the academic year, which can only mean that its popularity has risen via word-of-mouth over the past few weeks.

The setting up of my workstation commenced simultaneously with the roar of the blender in the open kitchen. Having just laid out my clipboard and several packages of notes, my drink order was called out.
Spotted on the countertop was a tall, vividly yellow slush lined with a bottom layer of lychee jelly. Its taste proved to be as profound as its appearance, consisting of a refreshing fruity blend whose flavour was undeterred by the heavy amount of ice contained within. Rather than being overly sweet, the drink tasted strongly of yogurt, much to my delight.

As the contents of the cup were gradually drained, a cloying, captivating aura gently filled the dining area. It later occurred to me that the two other girls in the immediate vicinity had each ordered a dazzling waffle creation to munch on. I gulped, hoping that my friend would later wish to execute the same action.

Out & About #281 | Pizza Egg Waffles, Wooffles, and Markville

10/15/2016

You can't exactly go wrong with pizza: it's classic comfort food, combining tart tomatoes, stringy cheese, and crisp carbiness in a golden ratio.

But what happens when you try to transcribe those flavours to a completely different format? Pizza buns from Asian bakeries such as Akko, Fauchon, and Bakery Nakamura have long made their debut into the scene, but a more recent addition to the snack world is Toast Delight's Pizza Egg Waffle.

Reading Week was most definitely not a vacation for me by any means. Hangouts were attempted, but never executed in actuality as a result of the copious assignments and projects that required attention. The inhumane workload had be strapped to my workstation immediately following the Barrie trip, leaving me feeling powerless and, overall, extremely burdened.

My to-do list hadn't been completed even by the end of the strenuous 9-day "Fall Break", but sanity levels would have failed to sustain threshold if I hadn't opted to leave my house and enjoy the very last day of (supposed) liberation.
A last-minute get-together was planned within a record period of time; the route began at Toast Delight for lunch.

Since my first encounter with their unnecessarily firm chunks of Original and Green Tea Egg Waffles, I didn't think I'd be returning to try their Pizza Egg Waffle (or anything else for that matter). However, images from my social media feeds got the best of me. My curiosity was piqued - there was no turning back.

Toast Delight remains to be a hole-in-the-wall, but have invested in a series of upgrades to heighten overall interest. Ice cream and egg waffle pairings are now available, though I found majority of the flavours to be excruciatingly gimmicky (rose, squid ink, pumpkin spice, etc.) A not-so-lelgible chalkboard menu listing these items was found near the entranceway, while a small monitor revealed a slideshow of customer creations and potential pairings. The menu has even expanded to include Thai ice cream rolls, something that literally sends chills down my spine.

We placed our order as the first among three customers, yet oddly enough were the last of several to receive it, and long after the others left the tiny space too.
The Pizza Egg Waffle was presented in a small, white cardboard box bearing a black "Toast Delight" stamp. The concept was intended to be reminiscent of a pizza box. Inside laid a tomato-sauce, sausage, and pepperoni-covered burnt slab containing a minimal amount of cheese. The portion was so small that not even a cheese pull could be performed.

And the item was $10 by itself.

The owner was kind in that he provided a can of Coca-Cola to us, free of charge. Despite his friendliness though, I couldn't justify the crumbling, saucy mess of an egg waffle.
While utilizing egg waffle batter to form the base of the pizza had yielded a crispy foundation with a slightly sweet finish, the pockets of waffle were incapable of sustaining the applied load of the ingredients above, making for a difficult and disgraceful consumption process.

Out & About #280 | Apple Factory

10/12/2016

Our obligatory annual trip to the Apple Factory is normally made just before Thanksgiving. Due to the insane workload and intensity of weekend events, however, we were forced to postpone until a few days past the family holiday.

The pumpkin display, farm-inspired cutouts, and automated fruit band (look that up - it's funny!) will forever remain family favourites, though our primary intention was to obtain a 2L jug of apple cider to take home.

To our dismay, the shelf had been completely emptied with the exception of one small, lonely bottle in the corner; its many dents indicated the strenuous battles it had undergone as a result of last-minute Thanksgiving shoppers.

We moved onto the bakery section, where our typical orders of Apple and Pecan Pies were placed. A warm slice of Rhubarb Strawberry served as my breakfast.

An amusing addition to the market was the group of singing hens - plushies of course. Not only were they capable of crooning out silly, upbeat tunes, several were heard harmonizing softly in the background with gentle clucking (mak mak mak).

The final stop of the day was Brazil Bakery near Heartland, where we picked up several Portuguese tarts, almond pastries, and the last round of Brazilian Cheese Bread (which was sweeter than it was cheesy).

Out & About #279 | Thanksgiving in Barrie (Pt. 1)

10/9/2016

For the very few that have withstood the test of time and been an avid reader of this space, I salute you, for not even I have succeeded in retaining consistent amounts of dedication due to academic and personal affairs.

Last autumn's Thanksgiving trip to Barrie had left such a positive impression that we attempted the same course this year round, with a few exceptions of course. Some three hundred and sixty-something days ago, the leaves had fully blossomed into a gorgeous gradient of red, orange, and yellow in Bala and Coldwater.
It was with much sadness that the same slew of colours were not visible during this trip, though I enjoyed the crisp fall weather nonetheless. The fact that I would likely be spending the remainder of Reading Week holed up in the depths of my room making dire attempts to accomplish all the tasks on my to-do list made the adventure even more worthwhile.

The first stop was Coldwater. Or I suppose it would be more accurate to say that it was our first detour from the highway, since no actual stopping was involved. We merely drove through the small strip of shops and continued onwards to Bala, in the direction of Muskoka Lakes.

Upon being welcomed with a grand view of the clear waters and specks of gold in the distance, I requested a brief stopover. We pulled into the empty, dusty parking lot of The Precambrian Shield; I hopped out and began shooting immediately.

Perhaps the results of my enthusiastic efforts weren't nearly as magnificent as one would have presumed. To be honest, it had been a challenge in itself to uncover leaves of prime photo status: that were either vividly greeen or had commenced their gradual process of disintegration.
That being said though, I was more than happy to get out of the house (in the most literal sense possible).

The Precambrian Shield made for quite a popular tourist attraction, as we caught several with cameras curiously peaking down at the thrashing waters. Not a single one opted to shift their attention to the dimmer side of the flow, but given that all filters had been left at home, the non-uniformity of sunlight distribution actually contributed to ideal circumstances for handheld - I blame the tripod - semi-long exposure.

Out & About #279 | Thanksgiving in Barrie (Pt. 2) + Scout Valley Loop Trail

10/9/2016

(Read Part 1 HERE !)

Dock of the Bay was one of the first restaurants to pop up on our search for "Restaurants near Muskoka Lake"; we went with it, not expecting to witness the influx of non-English-speaking tourists that we did.

A lakefront view was guaranteed at either our first choice, or the neighbouring Boston Pizza location. Surrounded by an endless wash of deep blue, the dock made for a great background against sharp UV rays. Of course, the scene would have appeared even more lovely with the omission of seagull feces and intentional, dialect-uttering photobombers. (Personally, a foggy scene is most optimal, but would make for treacherous driving conditions in an area with already weak cellular reception.)

It didn't take long to be seated, since numerous hangry diners ultimately chose speed of delivery over ambiance and atmosphere. In exchange for their relocation to a carb-dense establishment was our swift seating at a mildly unhygienic booth with suboptimal exposure to natural lighting.

Dimness wasn't the main problem though. Service was average, but not particularly attentive nor convincingly genuine. It was the peculiar menu selection and sky-high prices that had me wrinkling my nose.

Kimchi? Po Boy Tacos? Roti? It sounded as if I was reading a list of bar snacks from a well-known franchise like Earl's or Moxie's. Originalilty was found to be lacking, as was appearance when we the items finally arrived.

I've gradually come to despise white ceramic plates, especially when used in conjunction with incandescent light bulbs. From a consumer perspective, they perform a poor job at insulating heat when necessary (looking at you, Red Lobster); viewing the serving equipment as a picky diner, it causes unnecessary glare spots to surface.

The easy, and obvious, solution to my photo-capturing woes would have been to opt for a patio table, where diffused lighting would be in abundance. But it is with great remorse that I profess: the plating of the individual elements was disorganized to begin with. Additionally, greasy edges and remnants of food left unwiped on the bottom side of the plates is completely unacceptable given the environment and target market of the restaurant. (How dare you commit a Wilcox with such a breathtaking view at your footsteps!)

< Pictured above and below: Coffee, Muskoka Smoked Trout Spring Salad, The Dock Steak Slider, and Open Face Prime Rib with soup >

The item that irked me the most was, unfortunately, my own order of Muskoka Smoked Trout Spring Salad. Perhaps it was my own fault that I forgot to request having salad dressing be placed on the side.
The once lively heaps of greens were heavily doused in an overly tart, stomach-lurching vinaigrette. Melon ball-sized spheres of goat cheese rolled in poppy seeds didn't impress either: they were excessively rich, but lacking in cheesiness. It was as if Brie had undergone a mutation that extracted flavour, smoothness, and moisture content, but added fat and a tacky aftertaste instead. Neither element paired well in my opinion.

It was a complete shame, since the three almost rhombus-like strips of trout placed on the edges of the plate proved spectacular; well-seasoned and exploding with scents of fishy freshness, I predicted that the experience would have been far more enjoyable had the greens and baby tomatoes not been slathered in dressing in excess.

Out & About #278 | Uncle Tetsu (Main St. Unionville) + Touhenboku Cafe

10/7/2016

I'm so glad my family is fond of cheesecake - Japanese cheesecake to be exact. Since its launch in Toronto last spring, I've probably brought home the flimsy (but adorable) red and white box at least ten times. And having stood in line for any period of time from two minutes to an hour and forty minutes, I can wholeheartedly declare that I've experienced Uncle Tetsu's to the fullest.

My friends have poked fun at me - "I swear you live at Uncle Tetsu's!" - but I suppose I can't exactly blame them since I do admit to having a tendency to drop by one of their many (1, 2, 3) shops when roaming the core with company that's less familiar with the area.

Their newest ventures include a stall at Union Station (though I've yet to witness their operations firsthand) and extending into the predominantly Chinese-speaking market in Markham.

I found myself in the area, as I generally do on some Saturday mornings, and was prompted to check out their Main Street Unionville outpost on Grand Opening Day. Despite having delayed my appearance (ribbon-cutting and opening speeches are best swapped for additional snooze time), the queue remained rather frightful-looking.
The hype was real. It was as if Markham hadn't ever been exposed to Uncle Tetsu before.

The twice-curved lineup was a prime example of disorganization as its finest: there wasn't a sign nor a single staff member in sight to guide customers who had just arrived, nor clearly marked spots indicating the start/end of the lineup. What appeared to be an information desk was, in fact, not; a completely irrelevant pink table offering nail varnishing services was set up in the middle of this chaos.

A nearby sign promoted the addition of ice cream to the menu. It also noted that there were "NO LINEUPS for Ice Cream and Madeleines", which immediately became a claim of interest to me, for I cared not about cheesecake that I've already had numerous tastings of. The mission was to obtain the bakery's Black Sesame, Blueberry, and Chocolate Madeleines - all of which were exclusive to the Main Street location.

Supposedly, there were two designated lanes: one for cheesecake and another for non-cheesecake items. Seeing that the barrier for the latter lane had been shifted into the boulevard area, I inquired for more information from one of the ladies in line.

"Do you know if there are there two different lines?" I pointed to the sign.
"I'm not sure." the sunglasses-donning figure replied with a prominent accent, "All I know is that there's cheesecake."
"Ah, I see." I blankly replied, making a desperate attempt to hide my response towards her ignorance.
"But I think you have to lineup for ice cream." she added with a slight twinge of indignation.
Well, I'm not joining your lineup, that's for sure.

Inching towards the interior of the shop, I noticed that the tiny interior was equally busy, if not even more so, than the environment outside.
A young man around my height stood near the doorway, away from the lineup and peering into the kitchen.

"Excuse me." My sudden intrusion on his personal space caused his head to turn in my direction. "Do you work here?"

As it turned out, he did, and was personally assisting customers in filling their non-cheesecake orders by running to and from the kitchen/cashier area. He further clarified that there were indeed separate lineups for ice cream and madeleines, though the shop had reached threshold capacity and had no other option than to relocate the barrier to accomodate the current volume of traffic.
His facial expression was both collected and hurried, and made great haste in delivering the previous customer's order before turning to me, who was, thankfully, the next in "line".

Madelienes are retailed individually or in a box of four, so I opted for a quad of Black Sesame, two Blueberry, and two Chocolate. The fragrance being emitted almost prompted us to take a bite of sesame sponginess on the spot, though we ultimately decided on savouring the treats later, like civilized human beings

The introduction of Uncle Tetsu on Main Street definitely made for a memorable visit. The boulevard and store exterior were unmistakably elegant and fitting of the Main Street theme, though the confusion created by hoards of cheesecake enthusiasts could have easily been controlled with a properly executed plan.

Having acquired the desired items, we made our departure and continued to stroll along a more peaceful section of Main Street, stopping only after reaching Touhenboku Cafe.

View the full album HERE !

Touhenboku has long earned its ramen house title from its Queen St. W location downtown, but a cafe is relatively new territory. Curiosity overruled the pending necessity of lunch, propelling us to step onto their string light-decked patio area and into the quiet, cozy interior.

<<Previous

Out & About #286 | Collective October Visuals

Out & About #285 | Teppanyaki Dinner at Katsura

Out & About #284 | Hazel Tea & Dessert (Rounds 3, 4) + Foodie North

Out & About #283 | Hike to Cataract Falls + Corner by Spoon and Fork

Out & About #282 | Hazel Tea & Dessert

Out & About #281 | Pizza Egg Waffles, Wooffles, and Markville

Out & About #280 | Apple Factory

Out & About #279 | Thanksgiving in Barrie (Pt. 1)

Out & About #279 | Thanksgiving in Barrie (Pt. 2) + Scout Valley Loop Trail

Out & About #278 | Uncle Tetsu (Main St. Unionville) + Touhenboku Cafe

Who Am I?

Archives

Categories

WHAT DOES "QUIRKY AESTHETICS" MEAN?

Contact ME

Subscribe

Who Am I?

Archives

Categories

WHAT DOES "QUIRKY AESTHETICS" MEAN?

Contact ME

​Subscribe

Subscribe