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Out & About #498 | Collective October Visuals

10/31/2018

October probably ranks in at my second favourite month of the year. Fall temperatures and warm-toned foliage are tremendously soothing to me, as is a whiff of freshly baked, cinnamon-dusted apple pie and festive Thanksgiving meals.

That said, these past few weeks have been a conflicting period. Brimming with feelings of stress, anxiety, fury, and all-around helplessness, times at work have been anything but enjoyable. Majority of this month has been spent in vain, in a destination where I belong not, surrounded by those who wish away my existence as intensely as the arrival of an oncoming hurricane.

Life hasn't been fun, but drowning myself in food adventures has aided in minimizing the misery of a lengthy commute plus occupation woes.
It pains me to say that Atlantic Canada posts remain on indefinite hiatus. For now, let us recall some of the happenings in the latter half of the month.

1) Cuppa Tea

Having hiked to Yonge and College once before and returned with a richly flavoured HK Milk Tea in hand, I opted to try an iced variation of their signature drink.

Wait time was a tad longer than previously, which was a given considering the higher volume of customers. The interior remained stuffier than I would prefer, though there wasn't seating available anyway should I had time to dally.

When viewed side by side, the hot variation appeared darker than that of the iced. But the trademark sweetness persisted, regardless of hue.

2) CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice (B-Trust Supermarket)

Mississauga welcomed a third location of the Taiwanese bubble tea shop within the Golden Square plaza. As part of Grand Opening promotions, there were complimentary Pearl Milk Teas distributed to the first 100 customers in line, as well as a Buy One Get One deal for the next 50 customers afterwards.

Surprisingly, many opted in for BOGO deal as opposed to the free Regular Pearl Milk Tea. I, however, was more than happy to take advantage of this attraction.

Out & About #497 | Taste of Korea Night + Crimson Teas

10/26/2018

As part of Korea Week hosted by the University of Toronto, a K-Pop Night & Taste of Korea event took place on the fifth and final day of the cultural celebration series at Nathan Phillips Square. It was heavily advertised within the office throughout the week, and, luckily, wasn't very far from our working quarters.

The late afternoon hours proved chillier than we had anticipated; both of us were seriously under-dressed for the long lineups that awaited us.

Two rows of food-centric vendors made up the free sampling display. One row featured traditional Korean classics from renowned festival frequenters such as P.A.T and Galleria, while the other comprised of fusion dishes such as Elk Tteokbooki and Pierogi with Kimchi.

We joined the lineup for the first row, and were handed paper plates, plastic utensils, and Styrofoam cups. These items were intended for sampling use throughout the course of the booth visits, but were later found to be a challenge to wield amidst frigid conditions and overbearing winds.

On average, each booth provided two to three samples, ranging from rice cakes topped with coconut flakes to kimchi to mini bulgogi burgers to hodo kwaja. My personal favourite was eomuk - otherwise known as fish cake - in piping hot broth, for it was delicious and hearty in the simplest manner possible.

Out & About #496 | Taiyaki NYC...Toronto

10/23/2018

For reasons why the trendy dessert parlour chose not to name their Canadian outpost by the name of "Taiyaki Toronto" remains absurd to me. I suppose the business idea had been limited to New York City at the time of conjuring, however it is still a firm belief that a unique name should have been adopted for the first out-of-U.S. expansion.

The first day of their Grand Opening proved hectic though otherwise manageable.
Wait times averaged fifteen minutes: five minutes to reach the cashier and ten to receive our custom Soft Serve Signature Taiyaki. Our entire visit spanned twenty five minutes.

Customers had the option of plucking a Signature creation from the list, or embarking on the Build-Your-Own route. With the exception of Black Sesame and Houjicha soft serve, all menu items were available.

My preference lay with Matcha Soft Serve, while my dining partner-in-crime's was a dairy-free Mango Sorbet. Mine was topped with Strawberry Syrup, Condensed Milk, Oreo Crumbs, and "Unicorn Sprinkles", while hers with Strawberry Syrup, a handful of Rainbow Sprinkles, and a chocolate wafer stick.
The two fish-shaped specimens came to a grand total of sixteen dollars. At this point, it would be worthy to mention Taiyaki's exclusivity towards cashless payment. I greatly appreciated the seamless inclusion of Square as a primary payment method.

The cones themselves were quite tasty, despite being tricky to consume. Soft serve portions were abundant, which was both a blessing and downfall. Too shallow were the cones to prevent spillage, and too warm were they to prevent rapid dissolution of the contained swirls. The taiyaki cones proved crisp initially, but gradually dampened with time. I found myself gobbling down the dessert within minutes as to ensure minimum waste production.

Ultimately, we declared the fish delicious but unworthy of the eight-dollar price tag. Our hands were also left in a sticky, unpleasant state, a situation that prompted us to take to the single stall bathroom to amend. The washroom was spacious, but abnormally dusty and grimy for the first day of operations.

Pre-inflated Unicorn Floaties were distributed as part of the grand opening promotions. Useful they were not; however, bragging rights were earned as curious onlookers peered at the all-too-adorable contraption tucked underneath my arm (and sedate all-black ensemble).

Out & About #495 | Partial October Visuals

10/19/2018

I'm tired.
I'm exhausted.
I want this to stop.
These three phrases have been on constant replay in my mind for the past three weeks. An unfamiliar work location, in conjunction with unfavourable management and toxic surroundings, have been acting as a frictional force in my day-to-day activities, gradually eroding the remnants of my sanity and spirit.

It's one thing to be completely engrossed in one's work to the point where sleep deprivation and nonexistent personal space can be neglected. That would depict the lifestyle of a workaholic - a title that I could never adorn myself with.

So with the bits and bobs of hard-earned leisure time throughout the week, I've resorted to food for relief. And GOT7 too, of course.

1) Congee Queen
A recent discovery has been made: not only does the Heartland restaurant serve incredible congee and flavourful Chinese dishes, they also offer a heavenly Beef Brisket and Tendon Noodle in Soup. Wonton Chai has been our go-to destination for such comfort food for months, yet Congee Queen proved itself a worthy contender with supple, braised beef and generous chunks of buttery collagen. The broth is probably a tad slicker than preferred, though one cannot deny that its depth.

Custom noodle bowls à la Deer Garden Signatures are also available, and drinks such as HK Milk Tea can also be requested for an additional $1.25.

2) Biscotteria Forno Cultura Union Station

A compact outpost of the King West bakery, this smaller rendition retails bite-sized biscotti and carby Italian delicacies - at prices fit for a local souvenir shop. Service levels are also reflective of the aura: two French-speaking attendants sprang forth at the entry of any customer, gushing with detailed explanations of the products on display.

On a chilly fall morning, I took to purchasing an Italian croissant stuffed with prosciutto and Swiss cheese as breakfast. It rang in at $4.50 prior to taxes, which wasn't too extreme given the quality of the product. Italian croissants, where in butter was replaced with olive oil, were equally as addicting as their French counterpart; the substitution ensured moistness, flakiness, and minimal crumb production. Adjacent sweet and savoury variations were also available at the same cost.

3) Downtown exploration randoms Feat. Phoenix Cafe's obscure location on Edward St.

4) Regular Sulley inventory checks were conducted at the Eaton Centre.
5) A medium Strawberry Bingsoo from Wafflian was a bargain at $6.99 plus tax. Known to stray from synthetic strawberry works whenever possible, there is significance to my approval towards the item.

6) After many morning visits, the green-purple combination was finally spotted adorning the Toronto Sign. (It was orangecane who had first made me aware of the duo's importance.)
7) McD's Monopoly has officially begun!!

8) More Sulleys were spotted at Square One!

9) Pappa Roti Square One

Pappa Roti's Square One location has finally opened its doors to the public. Despite being delayed by approximately 2.5 months, the Ontario flagship shop did not disappoint. The Signature Coffee Bun (and dine-in ice cream sets) had primarily circulated the Spadina shop, whereas the Mississauga outpost carried a vast selection of pastries was vast, ranging from chocolate croissants to savoury egg viennoiseries.

Closer to home were Coffee Buns that not only emitted a stronger, bolder aroma, but baked goods that were are indulgent as they appeared. It is, however, necessary to note that these breads are associated with a cost not dissimilar to an independent downtown pâtisserie. That said, the interior design was less ostentatious and, in reality, more Manzano-like. Homey seating was available on the premises, but I did find the dense concentration of greasy fumes and utter lack of ventilation in dire need of being eradicated before the area could be considered a comforting hangout destination.

10) McDonald's crunchy, cream cheese-slathered bagels may be my new favourite morning pick-me-up. Their Caramel Pumpkin Spice Latte isn't shabby either.

Out & About #494 | Hong Kong Café Roundup

10/17/2018

Artisan bread is no newcomer to the Toronto food scene. Specialty bakeries serving up vegan and gluten-free offerings have been prominent sightings throughout Queen West and Kensington Market for some time now; next came fad items, such as cream cheese-smothered rounds and supposedly upscale sorts of Euro-Asian buns.

With the gradual passing of the charcoal craze and influx of Cantonese-inspired munchies, Hong Kong cafés have been popping up like dandelions in May,and not simply in the designated Chinatown districts. One Pear Cafe on Dundas was amongst the pioneers of the food genre in the tourist-heavy Yonge/Dundas area; needless to say, its prices are also reflective of its prime foot traffic coordinates. Consequently, I never bothered to pay the shop a visit, in spite of its close proximity. A slightly lengthier trek would readily present me with access to Pineapple Buns and HK Milk Tea at a mere fraction of the price.

Bake Island

Observed in the spot just north of CoCo's Downtown Yonge location, Bake Island presented itself as a no-frills Chinese bakery capable of catering to both bo lo bau (菠蘿包) purists as well as trend-hunting urban citizens. The space was compact, yet varieties were vast: from classic Coconut Cocktail Buns (雞尾包) to delicately garnished Strawberry Buns to redolent Cheese Garlic Buns, not an inch of their shelves were left unstocked. The layout was almost identical to that of my local Chinese bakery, with the exception of their modern sliding bread trays.

With a subway station nearby and the Ryerson SLC within a thirty-second walk, the bakery/café hybrid was located along a very convenient strip for both students and out-of-town-ers. Taking this into consideration, prices were found to be reasonable at first glance.

On this visit, I obtained two items of interest: a Carbon Cheese Bun (one of the many "hip" options available) and a Coconut Cocktail Bun (a representative of Hong Kong casual eats). Swiss roll cakes and individual/whole cakes were also on display near the cashier. The beverage bar, which constituted as the café portion towards the back of the establishment, retailed an expansive array of milk teas and cha chan teng regulars.

The Carbon Cheese Bun rang in at $2.50 before tax - respectable given its utterly gimmicky (and potentially pretentious) appearance. One ought to note, though, that the bun was dry and did not taste the teensiest bit "carbon-y". It was an interesting profile dissimilar to the golden, eggy surface of typical HK style creations.
Contained within was a basic cream cheese filling - neither heightened nor modified with synthetic additions. Satiating after-effects were experienced after consumption, but, speaking on a general note, it wasn't a terrible product. The bun was undeniably worth a one-time trial, though perhaps with a side of steaming green tea to purge fullness and aid with digestion.

A narrow rendition of a Coconut Cocktail Bun was priced at $1.80 - very fair given that even uptown bakeries have raised their prices as of late. The gritty coconut filling was bountiful, while the transformed shape rendered it easy to consume without much mess. Regrettably, the bun exhibited similar signs of dryness to the Carbon Cheese Bun.
I doubt freshness would have played a signficant factor in the bread, for several new batches were witnessed adorning the shelves during my stay. The lack of moisture may simply be a result of improper moisture adjustment during the cooler winter months.

I also requested an Iced Half & Half (yuan yang) to go; this set me back $4.00, with tapioca included. Hands down, this was the most disappointing item of the excursion: not only was it overly sugary and watery, the tapioca was blatantly soggy and did not possess cohesive properties. In the cup was a greater amount of ice than preferred, yet I did not complain since the beverage was excessively sweet to start. It wasn't too intense in terms of boldness nor caffeine content, making it suitable for insomniacs. That said, I will not be repurchasing this. Optimism remains towards their hot Hong Kong Milk Tea.

On a final note, please be advised that cash and debit are the suggested methods of payment, as credit cards incur an additional charge of fifty cents. (That's 30% of a bun!)

Cuppa Tea

The next day, I made a beeline for Yonge and Carlton, where I had witnessed a police takedown (involving a total of five officers) just twenty-four hours prior. Cuppa Tea had taken over Jule's old location - or an adjacent site anyway. It was difficult to distinguish the spots as my sole visit to the bubble tea vendor had taken place a few years back while building restoration operations were underway.

Prices were steep here: $3.99 for a Pineapple Butter Bun (波羅油), $4.99 for a Signature Milk Tea, $4.59 and up for egg waffles, and $6.99 for Mango Sago.
In spite of this, I remained eager to try their Signature Milk Tea. The beverage was offered in one size and delivered in a heavily decorated glass bottle. One could choose between iced and hot variations, though I did question whether the glass would be able to resist the heat should I order the latter. The cashier assured me that the drink would be served "at a drink-able temperature", and that all would fine.

Out & About #493 | WATERLICHT

10/12/2018

What is WATERLICHT? You may ask.
I hadn't the foggiest idea either until a friend made us aware of the event. orangecane is away on vacation, so it was up to me to determine whether it would be a hit or miss, based off of promotional images.

It seemed interesting enough. Thus, I remained within the core after work hours to join the group in their bizarre endeavour.

The event was set to commence at 7 PM, but engaging in activities with a large group meant inevitable delays (read: wasted time). I idled at CoCo until quarter to six - approximately thirty-five minutes later than I had anticipated. It wasn't until 6 PM that the group slowly began to process their sausage orders at WVRST.

With DAY6's Youth Tour nearing, I opted to cut costs by bringing a packed meal. Exotic meats and duck fat fries weren't all that appealing to me. Neither was the loud, dingy environment and utter lack of hooks.

If it wasn't apparent enough, the choice of venue did not fall within my preferences.

We arrived at the outdoor exhibit just before 8 PM.

The Bentway, otherwise known as the upgraded underside of the Gardiner Expressway, is a common location for events nowadays. To be frank, it was nothing more to me than concrete blocks surrounded by tall weeds. Such areas notorious gathering spots for the homeless, though I suppose the high volume of traffic, event staff, and security personnel had kept them at bay for the evening.

View the full album HERE !

WATERLICHT combined synthetic gusts of smoke with beams of blue LEDs, yielding a ripple effect reminiscent of water. The intent was to draw attention to "climate change" and "rising sea levels", but, as far as I could see, the meaning behind the piece was clouded and obscure. It was nowhere as beautiful as the scene I had envisioned.

Out & About #492 | Thanksgiving in Barrie Feat. Chelsea Chocolates

10/7/2018

As per the explicit foreshadowing in my last entry, we headed straight for Barrie the next morning.

Chelsea Chocolates has earned itself a spot on our itinerary for the past several visits. As our regular runs take place in the late afternoon, the we've always missed out on the factory tours held between 9 AM and 3 PM. We made it a mission to attend this time.

Behind the boutique area is an integrated preparation area equipped with more tools and machinery than thinkable for an independent chocolate shop of its size.
As crafting and packing operations were underway, we were informed of chocolate tempering specifics as well as the science behind various cocoa-based creations.

It was learned that storebought chocolate bars contain about 8% cocoa, with the remaining percentage assumed by some sort of "filler" ingredient. Chelsea Chocolate's in-house creations contain 52-53% cocoa (or some amount along those lines that I cannot recall precisely).

Out & About #491 | The Annual Apple Factory Visit

10/6/2018

Longtime visitors of this space shall know that Thanksgiving always means two of three things: a trip to Barrie and an annual run to the Apple Factory. (The third item is observing the warm gradient of fall foliage - a sight that may or may not emerge pending climate conditions.)

Farm animals were out and about today, making for an amusing side attraction for young visitors of the homey marketplace. The Apple Factory Jamboree also made its anticipated appearance inside.

We secured our standard offerings of Apple Pie, Pecan Pie, and Apple Cider, then proceeded to join the winding checkout line. It is also customary of me to take a single slice of Strawberry Rhubarb Pie to go..
Abbreviated names of the pie's contents are usually emblazed onto the edges of the Styrofoam plates, but this year was an exception. In my haste, I grabbed a Cherry Pie. While it wasn't bad, it was less satisfactory than the tangy rhubarb I had been hankering for.

Out & About #490 | Weekly Visuals (Yonge/Dundas Edition)

10/5/2018

Working in the downtown core is tragic in more ways than one.
With each step outside, I become a victim of secondhand cigarette smoke, vape clouds, and rancid puffs of marijuana. Overall sanitary levels of my personal belongings have also plummetted sharply due to constant contact with public transit as well as other riders. But the most significant change of all is that of my expenses. With countless retailers at one's fingertips, unintentional spendings are not uncommon on a daily basis

1) Yutaka Japanese Cuisine
Japango is a name that's overheard quite regularly by the City Hall crowd, though I hadn't paid much attention to the spot until sushi cravings crept up. Many Yelpers had complained about long lineups and deteriorating quality, and that the establishment wasn't very spacious to begin with. Upon reading this, it was noticed that a handful of reviewers had headed over to Yutaka several steps away.

The front door was undoubtedly heavy - as noted by the signange near the entrance - but the restaurant interior was comfortable and serene. High ceilings, spacious booths, and dark-toned furniture were the main constituents of the dining area; an open sashimi bar enabled customers to peak at the sushi chefs' work while munching away.

It was abnormally quiet for weekday lunch rush hours, but I wasn't about to grumble about speedier service. Two uniform-clad waitresses drifted across the floor every so often to take orders and follow up with guests.

Yutaka's menu was rather tattered, in spite of being laminated. Few images were present, proving the need to carefully scan the listings before coming to a conclusion.

< Pictured above and below: Sashimi Lunch, Chirashi Lunch >

After plucking two sets from the mid-day specials menu, the waitress followed up with miso soup and a side salad. To my utmost surprise, the soup was full-bodied - or as full-bodied as miso paste and water can be - and contained a hefty amount of wakame and tofu cubes; featured on the surface on the side salad was not the standard, onion-based ponzu sauce, but rather a tangy, creamy variation instead.

Both mains arrived shortly, looking relatively similar in terms of selection and sashimi cuts. Where the Sashimi Lunch included separate portions of sashimi and rice, the Chirashi Lunch combined the two into a shallow dish with additional garnishes.

Frankly speaking, I hadn't been expecting much from Yutaka, but, in the end, I was pleasantly surprised. From the vibrant orange sake to lean maguro to an unidentified smoky, buttery slices, there wasn't a single component that failed to amaze me. Even the tamago - the inevitable "miss" of most eateries - had been cooked with the ideal proportions of dashi stock and whisked egg. I also appreciated the fact that furikake had been omitted from the dish; the sodium-laded sprinkling is intended to boost umami, though can be overbearing when consumed in conjunction with certain cuts

Prices were reasonable and reflective of the dishes' quality, variety, and portion size. That said, my only gripe is that amaebi hadn't been included in place of cooked shrimp.

One of the waitresses had inquired whether "the sashimi needed to be explained", though the offer was politely declined. In hindsight, the additional info would have been appreciated. It would have been nice to learn the proper names of the ingested species.

2) OneZo Tapioca (Chinatown)
Can't say I'm impressed that OneZo decided to discontinue their loyalty program without any confirmation of its slated return. The sugar levels of the downtown outpost are also lower than that of the North York and Markham spots.

Out & About #489 | Downtown Things Feat. Pappa Roti + Katsuya

10/1/2018

Seeing orangecane periodically has evolved into an essential part of my life. With less than two weeks between my return from the East Coast and her lengthy overseas vacation, it was necessary to temporarily set aside crazy work things and squeeze in some much-needed fangirling.

We settled on a late afternoon excursion along the strips of Chinatown and Downtown Yonge.

I had wanted to visit Pappa Roti ever since their sign had been spotted early this year. Square One is supposedly the next Ontario location for the Malaysian coffee bun chain, but, as everyone knows, Mississauga's permit office is far from being the speediest.
My memory had the bakery/café stitched at the southwest corner of College and Spadina; after referring to Google Maps, the actual location was determined to be just south of Dundas on Spadina.

We trekked the distance, passing by Koishi and Sukoshi Mart on the way.
It goes without saying that I also wanted to familiarize myself with the new-and-updated Little Pebbles. Hunger caught up with me, while parchedness with orangecane. On this detour, I secured a White Chocolate Matcha Scone with macadamia nuts, which was much drier and firmer than I would have liked, as well as a satchet of mixed shortbread cookies. A Yuzu Rare Cheesecake was orangecane's pick; "It tastes like yuzu." I was informed.

Behind the counter was the barista, who also assumed role of the only front-line staff member. She did not bear the most welcoming demeanour, in spite of the low level of customer traffic.
A small group of international students had shamelessly stole majority of the stools from the other tables for their own chatty fest, so the two of us were left perched at the waist-level tables with our bags still strapped on. Suffice to say, we didn't stay long.
I will also conclude that Little Pebbles doesn't retain the same attraction as their smaller, pre-move spot.

Eventually, we arrived at the doors of Pappa Roti.
The interior was practically empty at this time, though it filled up gradually as we eased into the evening hours.

Original Coffee Buns could be purchased individually for $4, or in a pack of four for $14. Dine-in customers also had the option of requesting ice cream or other indulgent fillings; these buns were delivered atop a wooden serving board, sprinkled with a small amount of icing sugar.
I took a box of four to go, primarily to compare the Malaysian bakery's signature to our household favourite, Bake Code's Roasted Coffee Bun. Additionally, orangecane picked one for an on-the-spot munch. It made its way over to the table just as an all-too-familiar tune echoed above us.

Fragrant as it was, its internal cavity was largely hollow. The Original Bun was chewy, as gluten-containing products ought to be. The crackle caramel coffee coating was also present, albeit more subtle in flavour than expected. Omitted was the distinctly sweet bottom layer witnessed in Bake Code's rendition.
"It's mainly air." my dining partner concluded.

Out & About #498 | Collective October Visuals

Out & About #497 | Taste of Korea Night + Crimson Teas

Out & About #496 | Taiyaki NYC...Toronto

Out & About #495 | Partial October Visuals

Out & About #494 | Hong Kong Café Roundup

Out & About #493 | WATERLICHT

Out & About #492 | Thanksgiving in Barrie Feat. Chelsea Chocolates

Out & About #491 | The Annual Apple Factory Visit

Out & About #490 | Weekly Visuals (Yonge/Dundas Edition)

Out & About #489 | Downtown Things Feat. Pappa Roti + Katsuya

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