Out & About #1060 | Subzero North York Roaming, Midori + Coin Karaoke

Read Part 1 HERE !

​Black Creek Pioneer Village would only operate between 12-4 PM. Naturally, I'd include subsequent stops after the venture.

 North York was twenty minutes away during the holiday traffic lull. I'd turn into the Empress Walk lot with ease - the same one my browsing partner and I had frequented for sessions at Dal Pilates. While I had noted skates as the only special equipment for the day, I wasn't entirely convinced that Mel Lastman Square would provide an exemplary outdoor rink. For starters, it was quite small. In the late afternoon hours, it also appeared rather busy.

Holiday Fair in the Square has moved uptown since last year. Having recalled fond memories of lunchtime and post-work exploration at Nathan Phillips Square six years ago, I was curious to see its evolution since the shift. Much to my disappointment, there were not only fewer vendors, but a reduction in product assortment as well. Save a handful of food trucks and one glass art studio, Japadog was likely the only vendor of reasonable interest.

Comparatively exciting was the LEGO pop-up along Yonge Street. The colourful LEGO fireplace was absolutely adorable, while the build-your-own ornament station sparked creativity and family-friendly fun. Given the treacherous temperatures, and its intensified impact due to receding sunlight, our stopover could not exceed more than fifteen minutes.

I proposed aimless wandering as a method of - gasp! - killing time before an acceptable supper time. We strolled through OHYO (904), Dollarama, LCBO, and, finally, Loblaws, before venturing back to the car.

An eight-minute walk later, we'd arrive at Midori Ramen just before 5 PM. Admittedly, it was still too soon for dinner, but our stomachs were more than ready to stomach sustenance.

​The ramen eatery had decorated their bonzai centrepiece with artificial snow, ornaments, and even cute figurines. The glittery sleigh was exceptionally charming.

Of utmost interest to me was the limited-time offer of Matcha Ramen. Although I had heard lukewarm feedback regarding the item, my curiosity did not waver. A heavily customized variation would be requested to quench this inquisitiveness:

• 5 pcs of Duck Breast substituted for 2 pcs of Pork Chashu and 1 pc of Chicken Chashu
• No red onions
• Addition of Ajitsuke Tamago

I was also unable to resist the allure of a citrusy saison, consequently taking to Godspeed Brewery's Yuzu Saison. The bubbly beverage was wonderfully refreshing, representative of a mild beer tinged with zesty essences. Best of all, the $6.99 can would be tax-exempt for the duration of the HST Holiday.

View the full album HERE !

The Matcha Ramen arrived bearing the visuals of green pea soup and over-torched chashu. The thin film that resided on top of the broth had my brows furrow with anxiety.
True to the reviews of a fellow restaurant explorer, the broth was utterly devoid of matcha's signature grassiness, in spite of the visible lumps of tea powder lining the perimeter. But as opposed to being bland, the based was viscous and heavy - starchy and satiating. The gloriously golden ramen egg and Chicken Chashu served as the sole sources of relief from slickness, for all other ingredients were overwhelmed by this tacky sensation. I could detect neither the sharp bitterness of microgreens nor the herby nature of enoki mushrooms; they were visually present, yet gustatorily compromised. The dish was served with thick noodles with no option for customization, thus rapidly led to halting of my chopsticks. At just one-third a bowl in, I could handle no more.

​The Matcha Ramen arrived bearing the visuals of green pea soup and over-torched chashu. The thin film that resided on top of the broth had my brows furrow with anxiety.
True to the reviews of a fellow restaurant explorer, the broth was utterly devoid of matcha's signature grassiness, in spite of the visible lumps of tea powder lining the perimeter. But as opposed to being bland, the based was viscous and heavy - starchy and satiating. The gloriously golden ramen egg and Chicken Chashu served as the sole sources of relief from slickness, for all other ingredients were overwhelmed by this tacky sensation. I could detect neither the sharp bitterness of microgreens nor the herby nature of enoki mushrooms; they were visually present, yet gustatorily compromised. The dish was served with thick noodles with no option for customization, thus rapidly led to halting of my chopsticks. At just one-third a bowl in, I could handle no more.

My partner-in-crime had requested the Black Garlic Vegetarian Ramen. Due to dietary restrictions, all ingredients originating from the alum family were eliminated. This included: diced red onion, fried garlic, green onion rings, as well as the most definitive ingredient of all, black garlic oil. Bamboo shoots and an Ajitsuke Tamago were added for substance.
Her bowl revealed a far more promising combination, with a beige-toned broth boasting milkiness without starchiness. The compilation's quality was confirmed in the overall consumption time being under ten minutes.

Souls warmed, we made our way back into the cold. By the time we reached North American Centre, my stomach began to revolt against the Matcha Ramen. All public lavatories in the towers were discovered locked, prompting me to negotiate access into the nearby Goodlife with the front counter staff. They were understanding of my concerns, but requested that I leave behind a personal belonging of value to ensure my return. Then, I was gestured up towards the second floor, where the ladies' changeroom resided. The gym was remarkably spacious, especially compared to its appearance from the outside. Beyond a cycle studio on the upper floor, there were rows upon rows of lockers within the changeroom, in addition to a sauna facility.

Nearby was Echo's uptown location - the only coin karaoke establishment known to me in the Yonge-Finch area. I suggested taking a gander, for I had been informed of the outpost by coworkers, but never found a suitable occasion to visit.

The establishment charged $1 per song or $20 per hour, with the only acceptable methods of payment being cash or e-transfer. If visiting before 6 PM, every purchase of a one-hour slot would be granted an additional 25 minutes. A low-commitment investment of five dollars was relinquished to sample the system. Once payment was received, the middle-aged Korean lady manning the counter would lead us to a compact room with a storage bench, then proceed to introduce the remote in very broken English. Unlike Echo's Koreatown location, machine tokens had eliminated entirely. The lady merely increased our song count with the press of a remote.

Five songs, intertwined with plenty of indecisiveness, lasted us until around the 8 PM mark. At this point, the second floor entertainment spot grew increasingly busy. Paying the difference of fifteen dollars to purchase one hour of karaoke time was not permitted. As a result, we extended our time by 15 songs instead.

Bathrooms were located near the entrance, but assumed the most peculiar configuration. Immediately behind the door was a sink, followed by two stalls, each labelled by gender. It would appear that Echo had compressed gender-separated stalls into a single bathroom due to space constraints, but in a manner that did not provide separation. Those uncomfortable using washroom facilities devoid of clear delineation should be wary of this aspect.

The impromptu karaoke trip lasted until 9:20 PM.
​Don't Yell At Me was slated to close at 9:45 PM, so I hurriedly placed an app order before retracing our path south.

A duo of Ginger Brown Sugar Tea with Honey Pearls and Osmanthus Oolong Milk Tea with Honey Pearls would be obtained before continuing back towards Empress Walk.

​Fully dimmed streets had re-ignited cold weather tremors. When we reached the car some fifteen minutes later, freezing cheeks and lips met instantaneous relief with sips of warm teas. My partner-in-crime announced affection for her choice, while I cautiously sipped on mine to prevent tongue scalds. The Honey Pearls were a bit soft, but overall tasty.

Then, it was time to head home.