June has been an unexpectedly hectic month for me, particularly the weeks that followed my extremely rushed weekend trip to Vancouver.
Numerous places have been visited, and an even greater number of photos were captured. I apologize in advance for this massive photo dump; most of these visuals will have stories associated with them, though there are a select few that I'll leave up to your interpretation.
1. Beaver and moose plushies resting on the dashboard of a vehicle parked adjacent - I applaude this driver for his/her patriotism!
Numerous places have been visited, and an even greater number of photos were captured. I apologize in advance for this massive photo dump; most of these visuals will have stories associated with them, though there are a select few that I'll leave up to your interpretation.
1. Beaver and moose plushies resting on the dashboard of a vehicle parked adjacent - I applaude this driver for his/her patriotism!
2. Chocolate Glazed Donut from Timmies, as they were completely out of all types of Timbits on one busy afternoon.
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3. A magenta Neoprene cross-body bag from Kate Spade that I instantly fell in love with but walked out of the store without making the purchase. A strong sense of regret hit later that evening, and a special trip was made to obtain it the next day.
4. Unlike the image on the website, the Caramel Cocoa Cluster Frappuccino, one of Starbuck's new Fan Flavours introduced towards the beginning of the month, did not boast the decadent chocolate syrup that was shown. It also didn't taste of much else besides sugar combined with more sugar, and that's already after I had requested half the normal dosage of flavoured syrup!
4. Unlike the image on the website, the Caramel Cocoa Cluster Frappuccino, one of Starbuck's new Fan Flavours introduced towards the beginning of the month, did not boast the decadent chocolate syrup that was shown. It also didn't taste of much else besides sugar combined with more sugar, and that's already after I had requested half the normal dosage of flavoured syrup!
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5. While happening to be in the Scarborough area, a small Japanese restaurant was discovered in a hidden part of a busy plaza. A number of items were ordered from Takara Bune, including a Curry Pork Cutlet on Rice, California rolls, an Aloe Drink, and a set lunch consisting of two types of maki rolls.
Despite being on the pricier side, neither of the items I tried were worth their value as stated on the menu.
The Aloe Drink, in which I had anticipated to find small chunks of aloe but did not, was almost flavourless, with the exception of an odd, slightly sour aftertaste.
The Curry Pork Cutlet on Rice was composed of three parts: curry from a box, a hemisphere of rock-hard white rice, and the toughest strips of pork cutlet I've ever tried in my life. It's a common thing for my family to buy boxes of Glico curry to prepare at home whenever cravings act up, so I recognized the storebought flavour right away. The main source of protein in the dish, the cutlet, was covered in a breading that fell apart upon contact with my chopsticks; aforementioned, the pieces of cutlet themselves were rock-hard as could be.
Service was alright, though I am going to have to take off points for the older waitress blatantly informing me that they did not offer Wi-Fi when it was obvious that there was an open network for their restaurant. It's not like you would have time to check your smartphone while working anyways, so why is it an issue to offer this service to customers? Regardless, the food itself was enough to ensure that I would never return, in addition to warning all friends and family to steer clear. (It's a shame though - the spot I sat down in had great lighting...)
The Aloe Drink, in which I had anticipated to find small chunks of aloe but did not, was almost flavourless, with the exception of an odd, slightly sour aftertaste.
The Curry Pork Cutlet on Rice was composed of three parts: curry from a box, a hemisphere of rock-hard white rice, and the toughest strips of pork cutlet I've ever tried in my life. It's a common thing for my family to buy boxes of Glico curry to prepare at home whenever cravings act up, so I recognized the storebought flavour right away. The main source of protein in the dish, the cutlet, was covered in a breading that fell apart upon contact with my chopsticks; aforementioned, the pieces of cutlet themselves were rock-hard as could be.
Service was alright, though I am going to have to take off points for the older waitress blatantly informing me that they did not offer Wi-Fi when it was obvious that there was an open network for their restaurant. It's not like you would have time to check your smartphone while working anyways, so why is it an issue to offer this service to customers? Regardless, the food itself was enough to ensure that I would never return, in addition to warning all friends and family to steer clear. (It's a shame though - the spot I sat down in had great lighting...)
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6. A sponsored post from Caffe Demetre promoting their new Thai Iced Tea had popped up on my feed. Thai Tea is one of those flavours that always manages to intrigue me - each cafe/restaurant makes it a little differently. I was prompted to try out the drink after work. I had initially wanted to get takeout, but decided to stop for a quick sit-in to capture a few better shots.
Upon walking in, I was greeted immediately by the only waiter in the cafe. I relayed my order of two Thai Iced teas before even sitting down, as I was unsure of how tortoise-like this location would be in relation to the extremely inefficient Courtney Park one, only to be told to take another look at the menu first.
Nearing the table that he pointed me towards, I almost immediately regretted the choice to sit in. With much effort, I tried to ease the massive amount of internal cringing as I sat down on the heavily damaged booth. The seats, originally vomit-green in hue, had been blackened by a seemingly endless number of eager dessert-goers. It was evident that the booth seats had been used to their full potential, and exhibited extreme signs of peeling, almost like a more grotesque version of dead skin peeling away. I'm almost certain that the two teenage girls at the booth table beside mine could sense my immense cringing.
In addition, the table was not cleaned beforehand at all! There was still sticky residue left on both the surface of the table as well as the sides of the table from previous customers. No napkins had been provided, rendering me helpless against the filth that surrounded me. During my short stay, I tried my very best to stay away from the table as possible.
Upon walking in, I was greeted immediately by the only waiter in the cafe. I relayed my order of two Thai Iced teas before even sitting down, as I was unsure of how tortoise-like this location would be in relation to the extremely inefficient Courtney Park one, only to be told to take another look at the menu first.
Nearing the table that he pointed me towards, I almost immediately regretted the choice to sit in. With much effort, I tried to ease the massive amount of internal cringing as I sat down on the heavily damaged booth. The seats, originally vomit-green in hue, had been blackened by a seemingly endless number of eager dessert-goers. It was evident that the booth seats had been used to their full potential, and exhibited extreme signs of peeling, almost like a more grotesque version of dead skin peeling away. I'm almost certain that the two teenage girls at the booth table beside mine could sense my immense cringing.
In addition, the table was not cleaned beforehand at all! There was still sticky residue left on both the surface of the table as well as the sides of the table from previous customers. No napkins had been provided, rendering me helpless against the filth that surrounded me. During my short stay, I tried my very best to stay away from the table as possible.
When the sloppily-uniformed waiter finally decided to make his way over to my table after serving one takeout customer and inquiring about the needs of the only other table in the entire cafe, I asked for the Thai Iced Tea and Thai Milkshake to be contrasted.
"It's a milkshake." was the response I received when I asked, "What are the differences between the two?". No duh, Sherlock.
"Are they the same price?"
"No. Just look." came a blunt reply.
"...I'll just get the iced teas."
"Ok."
He proceeded to walk away, taking the (likely also unclean) menus with him and potentially wondering why I didn't order anything more. With that kind of attitude, I would've walked right out had I not been waiting for someone.
The Thai Iced Teas came out relatively quickly. They were spilled on their way to our table, but the server made no attempt to clean it up for us or bring us napkins. Talk about a considerate server.
It was at this moment that I noticed that the frames of the windows held crumbs, and flies were happily feasting on the leftovers. <insert even greater degree of cringing>.
"It's a milkshake." was the response I received when I asked, "What are the differences between the two?". No duh, Sherlock.
"Are they the same price?"
"No. Just look." came a blunt reply.
"...I'll just get the iced teas."
"Ok."
He proceeded to walk away, taking the (likely also unclean) menus with him and potentially wondering why I didn't order anything more. With that kind of attitude, I would've walked right out had I not been waiting for someone.
The Thai Iced Teas came out relatively quickly. They were spilled on their way to our table, but the server made no attempt to clean it up for us or bring us napkins. Talk about a considerate server.
It was at this moment that I noticed that the frames of the windows held crumbs, and flies were happily feasting on the leftovers. <insert even greater degree of cringing>.
I finished my overpriced drink at the speed of light, ready to leap from the beyond gross seat I had lay my things upon the second the person I would be meeting was to walk in.
I'm not sure if he tipped when we left, but I sure hope he didn't.
I had noticed that the bottom of the receipt included a survey code that could later be redeemed for some sort of discount. Making sure to the fill it out, I included all the details that store management may have wanted to know about. I'm genuinely hoping that something will be done about the cafe's lack of cleanliness, and about the surly, sloppy waiter that was observed to don pants that were severed and falling apart at the hem. Ew.
I'm not sure if he tipped when we left, but I sure hope he didn't.
I had noticed that the bottom of the receipt included a survey code that could later be redeemed for some sort of discount. Making sure to the fill it out, I included all the details that store management may have wanted to know about. I'm genuinely hoping that something will be done about the cafe's lack of cleanliness, and about the surly, sloppy waiter that was observed to don pants that were severed and falling apart at the hem. Ew.
7. A random doodle of DNA was created when time was abundant, and the amount of tasks to complete were at a minimum.
8. Another one of Starbucks' Fan Flavours, the Lemon Bar Frappuccino was a total hit! It combined the tanginess of lemonade with the milky slushiness of a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino.
8. Another one of Starbucks' Fan Flavours, the Lemon Bar Frappuccino was a total hit! It combined the tanginess of lemonade with the milky slushiness of a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino.
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9. A short trip to Korea Town was made on one rainy Friday evening for the sole purpose of obtaining freshly-made taiyaki (or bungeoppang in Korean) from Kevin's Taiyaki stall inside P.A.T.
A box of assorted flavours was purchased, yielding the greatest degree of piping hot satisfaction possible. The custard filling was definitely my favourite, though the other variations (red bean, green bean, and black bean) elevated standard taiyaki to a whole new level of street food.
The entire album can be viewed HERE!
A box of assorted flavours was purchased, yielding the greatest degree of piping hot satisfaction possible. The custard filling was definitely my favourite, though the other variations (red bean, green bean, and black bean) elevated standard taiyaki to a whole new level of street food.
The entire album can be viewed HERE!
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10. Homemade Pandan Milk Tea with Coconut Jelly
11. Roasted Milk Tea with Grass Jelly from Green Grotto - Instead of the soft, almost flavourless type of grass jelly, they utilized a firmed type more suited for dessert. It failed to pass through the straw at all, leaving behind the large chunks at the bottom of cup once the milk tea had been drained.
11. Roasted Milk Tea with Grass Jelly from Green Grotto - Instead of the soft, almost flavourless type of grass jelly, they utilized a firmed type more suited for dessert. It failed to pass through the straw at all, leaving behind the large chunks at the bottom of cup once the milk tea had been drained.
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12. Sulley- and Stitch-themed babywear was spotted at the Disney Store - oh how I long to have a newborn cousin to dress in this adorable attire!
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13. Big Smoke Burger's Veggie Burger previously proved to be an excellent lunch choice, so I opted for the same item a second time, substituting in a whole wheat bun for an added health factor. This decision proved to be correct.
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14. Exploring North York for the first time since returning from Vancouver, I noticed that a new dessert place called Sweet O'Clock would be opening up soon. And, of course, you know what that means: prepare to explore!
zenQ had put up a poster introducing a new way to enjoy Tofu Pudding (more commonly called 豆腐花 or 豆花) while on-the-go. I rather liked the idea, as being a commuter, Tofu Pudding in a cup would eliminate the fear of spills resulting in sticky hands and damp backpacks.
At that point in time, however, I was more in the mood for an Oreo Cocoa Ice Diamond. The girl at the cashier was extremely friendly, and gladly allowed me to switch up the standard topping for the addition of tofu pudding instead.
Quite frankly, I've always received great service at zenQ, regardless of whoever is serving me that day. Check out THIS ALBUM for more shots of their awesome desserts!
At that point in time, however, I was more in the mood for an Oreo Cocoa Ice Diamond. The girl at the cashier was extremely friendly, and gladly allowed me to switch up the standard topping for the addition of tofu pudding instead.
Quite frankly, I've always received great service at zenQ, regardless of whoever is serving me that day. Check out THIS ALBUM for more shots of their awesome desserts!
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A stop at Gong Cha was also made to claim their Buy One Get One Free Instagram-only deal on Lemon Green with Aiyu Jelly. An additional Early Grey Milk Tea Family was almost purchased.
14. I've purchased Takoyaki from Kenzo twice this month, and have thoroughly enjoyed it both times. All members of the staff are enthusiastic, greeting loudly whenever customers come in, grinning wide for photos when I whip my camera or phone out to snap food preparation photos, and thanking customers for their business just as loudly as they greeted them.
I must also commend them for the swiftness and efficiency, along with the ability to consistently maintain their standards. It is customary of me to call ahead of time when ordering takeout to avoid standing around awkwardly while waiting, and I was glad to be in and out of the restaurant in approximately five minutes or less by performing this step.
I must also commend them for the swiftness and efficiency, along with the ability to consistently maintain their standards. It is customary of me to call ahead of time when ordering takeout to avoid standing around awkwardly while waiting, and I was glad to be in and out of the restaurant in approximately five minutes or less by performing this step.
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I also stopped by their neighbour two doors down to pick up a Lemon Yoghurt Smoothie and a Passionfruit Black Tea. Thankfully, Chatime Mississauga have finally stepped up their game after hiring a few more employees to assist with the rush.
15. It shouldn't come as a surprise that I enjoy customization to a lengthy degree, and have gone out of my way at times to create the most distinctive of options out of pure curiosity. Claiming a reward from Starbucks enables me to play with the multitude of options available, so this time around, I requested a Lemon Bar Frappuccino with Raspberry Syrup, Chocolate Chips blended in, and Mocha Drizzle.
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16. Tea is amazing, and receiving tea as a complimentary gift is even more amazing. These two bags of Tieguanyin tea from Fujian were great on their own as well as when combined with milk and sugar to make a creamy milk tea.
17. I had a little bit of time left after dropping by Sephora at the Eaton Centre after work, and since I remembered that a bubble tea shop named Sharetea was located nearby, I punched the address into Google Maps and set out.
About a six-minute walk from Yonge-Dundas Square, the shop was located right outside Ryerson University and diagonally across from Hokkaido Ramen Santouka. (Side note: Make a visit to this ramen shop one day) The trip was short, and the weather lovely, but the two streets separating Yonge-Dundas and Sharetea housed some alarmingly questionable shops, in addition to some grafitti and menacing-looking pedestrians.
The staff of Sharetea were welcoming and patient, taking into consideration that it was my first time visiting the franchise; the area itself, though, was not as nice.
About a six-minute walk from Yonge-Dundas Square, the shop was located right outside Ryerson University and diagonally across from Hokkaido Ramen Santouka. (Side note: Make a visit to this ramen shop one day) The trip was short, and the weather lovely, but the two streets separating Yonge-Dundas and Sharetea housed some alarmingly questionable shops, in addition to some grafitti and menacing-looking pedestrians.
The staff of Sharetea were welcoming and patient, taking into consideration that it was my first time visiting the franchise; the area itself, though, was not as nice.
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Their menu included Cream Caps, Fruity Drinks, as well as the standard Milk Tea. Not wanting to veer away from the safest option, I went for a simple Milk Latte (made with 3.25% cream as opposed to milk powder) with tapioca. It was nothing formidable, but good enough that I would be inclined to try their other drinks, had their shop not been situated in such an intimidating location.
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18. Sugar Marmalade Mississauga finally opened! I dropped in after ordering takeout from their neighbouring Chinese diner and purchased a Golden Treasures Mixed Dessert (金玉滿堂) to enjoy as dessert.
Despite only two tables being occupied, the atmosphere was slightly hectic; the staff still seemed to be getting used to the store operations, thus resulting in a 20-minute long takeout process. I have recently made another visit to the dessert house, and am pleased to say that they have improved since then.
Despite only two tables being occupied, the atmosphere was slightly hectic; the staff still seemed to be getting used to the store operations, thus resulting in a 20-minute long takeout process. I have recently made another visit to the dessert house, and am pleased to say that they have improved since then.
19. After a late weekend morning visit to the dentist, I was warned to avoid eating for approximately two hours. Hungry, the only other solution to curb cravings was to ingest some topping-filled milk tea.
Chatime Vaughan is located in a plaza near Wonderland, and proved to have the brightest, and cleanest interior of all the Chatime locations I've visited. There were a good number of tables, but it still remained very spacious. The washroom was also considerably remarkable for a bubble tea shop - clean, well-lit, and void of chipped doors and peeling paint.
This franchise location outdid Chatime Mississauga in every single aspect, from great customer service to a comfortable dining environment to better quality drinks.
Chatime Vaughan is located in a plaza near Wonderland, and proved to have the brightest, and cleanest interior of all the Chatime locations I've visited. There were a good number of tables, but it still remained very spacious. The washroom was also considerably remarkable for a bubble tea shop - clean, well-lit, and void of chipped doors and peeling paint.
This franchise location outdid Chatime Mississauga in every single aspect, from great customer service to a comfortable dining environment to better quality drinks.
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Pictured L to R below: Passionfruit Green Tea (Tea of the Month) w/ Coconut Jelly, Thai Coffee Milk Tea w/ Coffee Jelly, Honey Oolong Tea Latte w/ Grass Jelly, and Thai Milk Tea w/ QQ Jelly
I had initially been reluctant to try the Thai-flavoured drinks again, especially after my less-than-thrilling experience with Chatime Pacific Mall's Thai-less milk teas. After quickly considering the unavailability of the Thai drinks at all the other locations I stopped at, I concluded that I really had nothing to lose. It turned out that their Thai Milk Teas were actually great! The milk teas did, in fact, possess that unique Thai flavour that had been lacking in the ones tried previously.
I had initially been reluctant to try the Thai-flavoured drinks again, especially after my less-than-thrilling experience with Chatime Pacific Mall's Thai-less milk teas. After quickly considering the unavailability of the Thai drinks at all the other locations I stopped at, I concluded that I really had nothing to lose. It turned out that their Thai Milk Teas were actually great! The milk teas did, in fact, possess that unique Thai flavour that had been lacking in the ones tried previously.
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20. As someone that enjoys exploring the Markham area for food options that are not offered back home, I've conducted research on all the possible routes one can take to Pacific Mall. Milliken GO Station is located just beside Splendid China Tower, directly across from P-Mall. Unfortunately, trains along the Stouffville line only run on weekdays for a few specific hours, and then end service for the day. Consequently, I've never actually taken the train to Milliken before.
On one particular day, I was given the opportunity to see the station. This visit was later followed by a quick stop at P-Mall for a Lavender Pu'er Milk Tea and a Papaya and Blueberry Smoothie.
On one particular day, I was given the opportunity to see the station. This visit was later followed by a quick stop at P-Mall for a Lavender Pu'er Milk Tea and a Papaya and Blueberry Smoothie.
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21. Other visuals of the month include a Matcha Madeleine from Uncle Tetsu's Japanese Matcha Cafe, Caramel Popcorn in a charming Snoopy container, blanched veggies, and a Frankenfrap with the additional of lemonade (another reward redeemed from Starbucks).
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And so concludes my exceedingly image-heavy June visuals post!
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