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Ahgabond Adventures | DAY 5: MeNami, OneZo Tapioca, and the Inevitable Departure

3/4/2018

 
​The destination for my lovely dongsaeng's final meal of the trip was none other than one of my top ranked restaurants in the GTA.

MeNami has long been acknowledged as a spot that I take pride in visiting time and time again, so it was only fitting for it to conclude a food-centered trip in Toronto.
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​Tapas favourites such as Smoked Salmon with Parsnip Sauce, Fresh Fried Ika, and Corn Kaki-age were requested yet again.

In place of the ceramic bowl used to plate the Smoke Salmon slices was a rectangular piece of slate. The method of presentation had been simplified, though the flavour profile of the dish far elevated than previous visits. The pieces were thicker than before and retained notes of smokiness; the parsnip sauce, still tangy and refreshing, contrasted nicely with the delicately seared fleshiness.
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​The bundles of kernels in the Corn Kaki-age were larger and more moist on the inside. Having been well-drained beforehand, there was essentially no grease on the specimens themselves, though a hint of deep fried fumes lingered about.
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Fresh Fried Ika was a little less airy this time around, though nonetheless enjoyable.
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​I opted for a distinct selection of udon entrées, as to encompass both traditional and fusion aspects of the restaurant's offerings. Revisited was the Black Sesame Puree Udon with Beef; new to the table were the Mentaiko Cream Sauce Udon and Tsuke Udon with Shrimp Tempura.
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​Embodying the gritty texture and delectable notes of black sesame, the ever-fragrant first contender remained a family favourite.

Mentaiko Cream Sauce Udon bore similarities to carbonara, specifically in regards to the silky sauce that aided in neturalizing the fishiness of the roe. A dash of spicy tomato oil also contributed to decomposing to the richness of the cream base.
The portion of mentaiko was quite significant in comparison to other establishments, though this was unable to nix the need for some sort of protein in the dish. Not exactly vegetarian either, I would suggest pairing  the bowl with a hearty appetizer, such as Torched Saba or Yuk Hwe, for sustenance.

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Ahgabond Adventures | DAY 4: Niagara Falls + COWS Niagara-On-The-Lake

3/3/2018

 
It's official: When GOT7 graces a local attraction and even takes to personally posting about the spot afterwards, it naturally a must on the to-go list.
For a destination that I seldom visit despite being somewhat local, our ahgabond brought me back.
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​The morning commenced with a quick mall run, which inadvertently led to securing two frothy cups of Pistachio Ice Cream Matcha Lattes before the drive. The result was smooth with soft, underlying notes of vanilla.
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​By the time we had neared the Falls, it had long past lunchtime. The list of parking destinations made available via the municipal website was deemed too far of a trek to be feasible, so we arranged for a quick lunch before re-positioning the vehicle to a region of closer proximity.

Adamantly against dining at an overpriced chain restaurant, I strode upon the path less travelled: a longstanding Japanese restaurant whose name literally translated to "snow country".
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​Yukiguni's unexpected coordinates were amusing to me. The restaurant wasn't located on an arterial, but neither was it within walking distance to the natural attraction. In fact, it was actually closer to the casino resorts in the area, which all house restaurants of their own. However, given its extensive lifetime in the Niagara region, one would assume it to meet, or even exceed, the neighbouring standards for sashimi.
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​The interior was peaceful and quaint - no surprise for post-peak hour dining; tables and laminated menus were kept to an acceptable degree of cleanliness.
The topmost sheet was adorned with weekday lunch specials, though it wasn't clear whether the items could still be requested outside of the specified times.
A middle-aged man bearing a relatively stern demeanour seemed the only member of front-line staff. His origins were clearly Japanese, though his pronounciation almost indicated otherwise. At our inquisitive remarks towards the lunch specials, he merely grunted in affirmation that the orders could still be placed.
It wasn't until much later that we discovered higher price points on the bill.
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Ahgabond Adventures | DAY 3: Mr. Chimaek + Hub Sushi

3/2/2018

 
​Late nights and early mornings never make for a favourable combination. Despite returning tardy following a dinner of satiating Chicken Katsu, a strict schedule awaited us the next day.

A slight delay occurred in the course of these appointments, pushing lunch plans back by an hour. This setback didn't deter the appetite of a certain potato, however.
​​Little had I known that KFC - Korean Fried Chicken for those familiar with the cuisine - ranked highest amongst my dining partner's list of gustatory weaknesses.
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We opted to share a Hamburger Steak meal and half order of Fried Chicken with Sauce - made mild to accommodate my utter lack of a tolerance.
양념 치킨, otherwise known as Jinyoung's choice of chicken, was available in mild, spicy, or very spicy sauce options. A half portion contained approximately ten large pieces, which was abundant considering our combined appetite levels. Not dissimilar to their other signature chicken offerings, the exterior was crispy and well-seasoned, while the interior was juicy without exhibiting loss of texture. The primary distinction was the uniform coating of sweet, tangy gochujang-based sauce, which contributed not only a subtle kick of spice but also an improved depth of flavour.
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View the full album HERE !
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​Served in a same shallow metal dishes as the chicken, the Hamburger Steak meal was accompanied by rice, corn salad, and a sesame dressing-topped cabbage slaw. A beaming sunny-side up had been laid on top of a burger patty roughly measuring the same dimensions. The entire dish stood knee-deep in a savoury, mushroom-enhanced glaze.
Clearly the heartier dish of the afternoon, the dish merged protein (in the form of a runny egg and succulent meat patty) with energy-harnessing white rice.
Not to be omitted from this recap was the sheer divinity of the gritty sesame sauce adorned by the cabbage slaw - it maintained its fragrance despite the pool of savoury hamburg glaze and was a refreshing alternative to the standard vinegar-grated onion dressing.
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​With this visit, I discovered that Mr. Chimaek offered a password-secured Wi-Fi network to its customers, and that oily fumes were a bit stronger when seated closer to the kitchen.
It had been a personal mission to bring my equally (if not more) K-Pop-obsessed friend to the K-Beauty aisle in Pacific Mall. 
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​I also couldn't help but scoop up the latest releases at It'S SKIN. Truthfully, the new paraffin masks were a LINE Friends and Mediheal collaboration, though I wasn't about to oppose the 30% store-wide sale taking place.

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Ahgabond Adventures | DAY 2: Downtown Tourist Things

3/1/2018

 
​We set out the next morning, bright and early, to experience the tourist thrills of Toronto.
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The West Coast-er had been warned beforehand of the city's dreadfully chilly temperatures, but even with HEATTECH in tow, the winds were proven ruthless to one devoid of a proper down jacket.
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​As opposed to the original plan of brunching at Cacao 70, I took the swifter route of dense, cream cheese-slathered rounds at What A Bagel. St-Viateur in Montreal is supposedly the standard for traditional, hand-rolled bagels, though this was the closest stop I could think of that offered both quality and consistency at an affordable price.
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< Pictured above and below:
  • Mini Bagel with Lettuce + Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese
  • Rainbow Bagel with Lettuce + Tuna Salad w/ Chives >
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​Next stop was Little Pebbles.

After repeatedly sharing images of their Strawberry Sakura Mont Blanc, delicate Chiffon Cakes, and gorgeous lattes, it was a given that the cute Japanese café would be incorporated into the day's itinerary.
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​With every visit, the interior appears a little more cozy. Whether this be owed to the addtion of elegant floral fixtures or the sweet scents of potentially new creations, the atmosphere was wonderful either way.
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​The Strawberry Sakura Mont Blanc was an elaborate mini tower of fresh strawberry, custard cream, and airy floral-infused chestnut paste - all topped off with a pickled sakura blossom. Perhaps I had already been won over with the mention of custard and its intricate appearance: it embodied the very essence of spring with a gentle shot of Japanese cherry blossom.
I'm quite neutral towards fresh strawberries, however this cohesive concoction was a blooming winner. The custard cream was smooth without excessive creaminess, while the mont blanc cream was as distinct as it was delicate. A whole fresh strawberry provided an unexpected dose of moistness, contrasting against the coarse texture of the graham tart shell.
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​As the hybrid child of the original Matcha and Black Sesame Chiffon Cakes, Little Pebbles' integration of two well-received Japanese flavours was stellar, to say in the least. Smoothed over a fluffy, aromatic black sesame chiffon was freshly-whipped cream that boasted the distinct grassiness of ceremonial grade matcha; at its peak was an unexpected shard of chocolate, which we had initially presumed to be a rigid sheet of anko paste. The dessert was light, yet satisfying.

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Ahgabond Adventures | DAY 1: Arrival + Karaoke

2/28/2018

 
There are some species that are adamant about not attending concerts or music shows solo. I am not one of them.
The level of love, dedication, and respect articulated towards a particular group far outweighs the desire for a companion, who may or may not share the same degree of fondness and admiration.

It hadn't mattered that I had strode through the doors of KCON LA without a single local IGOT7 beknownst to me, for this is was a destination where both temporary and permanent fandom-ships are formed. The convention was the medium of assimilation, and the artist engagements a time of mingling and befriending.
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A certain potato and I became acquainted during the GOT7 Hi-Touch lineup, and have remained friends since. In spite of personal schedules and differences in time zones, cross-border communication hardships can also transform into international friendships if carried on correctly.
We may have just been two of many ahgases in the crowd, but through a group that we thoroughly adore and idolize, we've established an everlasting ahgabond.

More recently, this potato came to visit me, on Canadian territory nonetheless. Meticulous cleanups were executed, and a compact schedule of downtown - and uptown - excursions was planned.
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​The moment began as she drifted through the International Arrival gates at T3 - the same doors DAY6 had passed through just four months prior.

For the remainder of the half-day, we spent time in the suburbs. First was CoCo - the obvious choice for the addict within - then Tim Hortons for an "authentic" Canadian snack wrap.
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​​Post settling in, we headed for four straight hours of karaoke - again, a no-brainer for fangirls.
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Apparently an item more representative of east coast offerings, deep-dish pizza at Enzo's assumed the final slot of the day.
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​The crust was less intrusive than before, though the amount of cheese still paled in comparison to my very first experience at the family-run Streetsville diner. Pepperoni, spicy sauce, and mushrooms topped off the 4-Slice Deep Dish.
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Each topping was an additional $1.30, while the basic 4-Slice rang in at $12. By chance though, we had stumbled upon a 50% off daily special, leading the bill to total a measly twelve dollars for two. This ought to be remembered for future visits, along with the fact that one should refrain from using their washrooms if at all possible.
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WHAT DOES "QUIRKY AESTHETICS" MEAN?

Quirky =  a term that commonly refers to something/someone distinctly different and unique
Aesthetics = the visual aspect of things



Together, Quirky Aesthetics refers to the things, events, and happenings seen and perceived by this blog's creator - quirky perspectives in a visual form.

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