Out & About #1077 | Carbonic Coffee, T&T Downtown, and Krispy Kreme Heartland

On a cloudy Sunday, I made my way over to Markham once more for physio. This would be the last session prior to departing for vacation, thus a pivotal one to ensure my joints were ready for the intensive upcoming hike.

Instead of solo dining at Sam's Congee Delight, I opted for a packed lunch, which I ate in the car in advance of my appointment. Funds were running at an all-time low and payday wasn't for a few more days. The need to conserve was critical.

​While I could have departed for home immediately afterwards, a handful of correspondences earned an extended stay in Richmond Hill.

I was invited to tag along to a "collab" at Macu Tea, wherein I'd be promised one complimentary beverage. Only upon pulling into the plaza that I realized its coordinates as Zen Q's former space.

Having fantasized about Lucullus just earlier that day, funds from my browsing partner's Chinese New Year dinner were readily deployed.

My bill would come to a grand total of $20.50, a staggering price for Chinese bakery buns but nevertheless anticipated of Markham/RH market prices. The assortment spanned:

• 1 Pineapple Bun; $2.75
• 2 Hot Dog Buns; $3.25 each
• 1 BBQ Pork Bun; $3.25
• 1 Coffee Swiss Roll Cake; $3.75
• 1 Brown Raisin Loaf; $4.25

​Bringing one's own carrier tote was recommended, as biodegradable bags would tack on an additional $0.15 charge. Instead of automatically applying to this fee to my bill, the cashier sealed the buns in plastic sleeves with handles, then swiftly strung them through the handle of the Brown Raisin Loaf. The introduction of bun sleeves with handles was genius! It enabled one to transport the bun without fear of compression, while eliminating the need for a bag altogether. Note that these sleeves were extremely durable, unlike flimsy plastic bags from Temu, thus did not risk bag rippage. 

​The Brown Raisin Loaf, labelled as "Raisin Brown" within the bakery, was as scrumptious as I had recalled, in spite of the stark reduction in raisin content. The Hot Dog Bun erred on the salty side, while the bun was a tad too damp for my liking.

​Crossing to the south side of the plaza, my path aligned with that of my invitor and her companion. Both of them had travelled with the intention of social media promotion in exchange for complimentary beverages.

​They checked in with a member of staff, who redirected the inquiry to the manager. Shortly afterwards, a clipboard emerged to document the posting platform, content type, delivery time, and username. I'd also see presentation of a tabulated SOP for Photography Guidelines. My eyes widened in response: This was truly a new world to me.

With cautionary notes regarding store equipment and atmosphere, the guidelines were mostly common sense. That said, I've learned that common sense is truly not that common after all.

My knowledge of the "food blogging" scene was proven outdated through this experience. No longer were exclusive media events held in advance of Soft Openings, and no longer were invitees permitted their choice(s) of menu item to sample. Content creators, as the term is collectively known, would enter the establishment without prior arrangement and at the same time as members of the general public. This was observed to be incredibly chaotic, for one would be required to capture images and footage amidst a bustling interior and plenty of foot traffic. Besides causing potential disturbances to paying customers, the environment also increased difficulty of capturing a clean, vibrant environment due to external factors.
Most striking was the shift in power: Businesses now had the upper hand, receiving an abundance of invitations to "collaborate" rather than extending invitations to bloggers that had piqued their interest.

Six drinks were provided as part of the collaboration initiative, four being pre-determined smoothies and fruit teas. Richmond's infamous King of Mango Smoothie 2.0 was not yet available due to unripe mangoes. The remaining two would constitute a Matcha Tiramisu and Tieguanyin Oolong Milk Tea, with Coffee Jelly and Agar ("Bo-bo") added to the latter as per my request. I hesitated not to maximize the opportunity to include unconventional toppings that were normally extra charge; Oat Milk was also available for an additional loonie, though I refrained from the modification on the basis that tea may not pair nearly as splendidly as coffee.

As my companions got to work arranging the beverages for filming, I hovered nearby in wait. The process dragged on without any noticeable progression, thus I began to offer ideas as they came to mind. The duo appeared stumped on creative ideas, hence their sluggishness. I, on the other hand, was brimming with concepts and eager to execute and move on. It was a test of patience for a single sip of my milk tea, which was, as expected, nothing to write home about. The small cubes of coffee jelly were enjoyable, though the concoction pales in comparison to my go-to Brown Sugar Oolong Milk Tea with 2J (sans tapioca) at Gong Cha.

​While the duo was nose-deep in the smoothies, I turned my head towards the wall art: a trio of triangles with different temperatures positioned nearby. A friendly member of staff provided trivia on this design: Tea leaves are grown at 21 C and 24 C, but MACU brews tea at 18 C (as opposed to boiling water) to optimize its profile, hence the slogan underneath: "The Perfect Temperature for Tea".

Once the media-capturing ordeal had concluded, we settled into the not-so-comfortable wooden stools for a brief exchange. Not once did the queue recede during our stay.
Just prior to departure, I paid a visit to the single stall washroom located near the back of the facility. Dissimilar to the rest of the shop, it was positively filthy and eerie-smelling. Furthermore, the accessible push button did not function as intended: the door knob would need to be turned to exit and enter the premises.

Resulting from a sudden sinus infection downfall was a two-week absence from the office. When I revealed my face on a woefully warm Monday, my baking coworker greeted me with outright elation. Providing an update on cocoa powder, brownies, and imminent travel plans was non-negotiable.

Over lunch, I'd brave the rising temperatures, melting snow and revolting, muddy puddles, and the deadliest hazard of all: falling icicles. At times, there were a few forceful gusts, but they were warm and generally harmless (read: would not cause one's face to crack).

​My coworker's desire for kombucha launched an impromptu trip to Baldwin Village. Within close proximity of the highly mediocre Butter & Blue and kitschy find of Ronin Izakaya was Carbonic Coffee. A quick Google search had informed me of the establishment operating not only as a coffee shop, but a destination with kombucha on tap (seasonally) and cocktail bar and event space in the evenings.
Alas, my coworker sought out a pre-packaged variation of the fermented beverage instead, and I never did manage to confirm the availability of kombucha on tap. Shortly after stepping into the space, she took to the refrigerator, selected a few cans out of curiosity, then inspected the four-packs residing on top. "Did you want a free coffee?" she asked, pointing to the handwritten sign.
I appreciated the gesture, for she had considered my no-spend circumstances. The original plan had been to brew some UCC after returning to the office anyway, thus I responded, "Well, I'm not going to say no to free coffee!"

​Having identified the cans at room temperature to be expired as of 2024, different cans/flavours were chosen from the fridge. One of the baristas readily assisted us in disassembling one of the four-packs for my coworker's picks. I was then provided the option of choosing any beverage off the menu to be complimentary. This certainly exceeded my expectations, for I anticipated an Americano or cup of filter coffee at most.

While I had inquired of recommendations, the decision eventually lay with a Cardamom Latte with Date Syrup - with Oatside oat milk subbed for free! Amusingly, the café was a retailer of Minor Figures but did not utilize the formula in their handcrafted creations.

​Albeit noticeably devoid of the presence of dates, the mildly flavoured latte was exceptionally smooth with a tremendously fragrant espresso. Well received was the hint of warm spice, providing a balanced profile as opposed to the overkill often associated with chai. In addition, oat milk was a wonderful pairing.

​Many visitors had commented on the cozy aura of the establishment, but also remarked on a "much overdue" paint job. In this regard, I was surprised to see paint peeling off the floor as opposed to the walls. These exposed patches had been misinterpreted to be patterned flooring at first; upon closer inspection, these fine cracks appeared to serve as camouflage for fallen strands of hair.

​With Hamilton cafés operating out of distinctly more dilapidated fixtures - complete with creaky floorboards and stairwells, Carbonic's setting did not bother me nearly as much as others. Of course, I cannot comment on the structural integrity of the stairs, as I did not venture past the wall of wines and whole bean coffee.

Three attempts were made to secure the lid to the cup. In doing so, it was nearly impossible to overlook the double-sided design. A yellow  plus sign and the café's name adorned on side, while a caricature of the storefront on the other. I took it as a sign to head outside and compare the one-dimensional sketch to reality. The images aligned flawlessly.

​We discussed life happenings while strolling back, actively avoiding murky bodies of water wherever possible, and made a brief stopover at Dollarama.

Sampled upon my return was Lucullus' Pineapple Bun, which revealed the obvious use of lard in its cookie topping. The overall flavour profile leaned towards a Walnut Cookie, rather than a plump brioche with a crackly top.

A dazzling natural occurrence awaited me on the final leg of my return commute. Sheridan Creek, once wholly frozen and covered with snow, had partially thawed in the face of positive single-digit temperatures. Materializing from the sudden surge in mercury levels was an almost glacier-like scenery, reminiscent of the two-toned phenomenon witnessed during my Johnston Canyon hike in Banff​ - minus the breathtaking blue waters, of course.

​On the second day of office attendance, I offered to hunt for my baking coworker's desired S&B curry powder. The undertaking would involve a speedy trek to T&T's new downtown location.

In hindsight, the warmest day of the week was a poor choice for this mission. Nevertheless, I braved myself for the hurdles to come, which ranged from deeper puddles of murkiness to darker bundles of rapidly disintegrating snow.

​From the various pre-opening clips, the largest concern seemed to be the "low ceilings". Personally, the ceilings didn't bother me in the slightest. Rather, it was the peculiar placement of the escalators - more specifically, the direction of operation. The ascending side was positioned on the left, contradicting North American standards. Without realizing, I headed immediately from the entrance to the right escalator, only to discover its direction of flow.

​A second set of elevators awaited me on the intermediate floor level, again adopting the same orientation. The store was located on the top floor, with its entrance on the left.

Aside from the strange orientation, I appreciated the general layout of the store. As opposed to a traditional grocery store with produce along the perimeter and packaged products in the centre aisles, the downtown T&T functioned like an IKEA, with different sections laid out in a loop.

Each section was clearly distinguished with large signage, with many of the freezers boasting setbacks into the wall for optimized corridor space. As advertised online, the hair and beauty section was indeed impressive.

The instant noodle and condiment aisles were less remarkable, for their narrowness enabled just two people to browse the shelves at once. Should a group of three or more backpack-donning students enter the premises, it would be obstructed for all other shoppers, as I quickly learned firsthand.​

​Towards the end of the loop was the bakery and cooked food section. While the former was substantial and bustling, the cooked food shelf was disappointingly compact.

​Circulation could definitely be improved near the self-serve checkout station - maybe by adding arrows? - for the lack of aisles and visible separators caused visitors to cluster and obstruct lineups. On the other side of the checkout were the elevators and escalators for descending. While I could finally comprehend the reasoning for the alternate orientation, it didn't immediately remove the element of confusion for the standard North American. I observed from above as a student approached the right elevator instinctively, then pivoted to the left to continue her journey upwards.

At ground level was a crepe station that offered made-to-order jianbing and rice rolls. Orders would be placed using a nearby kiosk; the on-site staff strictly worked the griddle and managed the pick up order screen. On this day, I had already consumed lunch in advance, however I remain eager to try the creation at a later point in time (after payday).

​Internal temperatures continued to soar as I hurriedly heading back. Along my return route was a new sighting by the name of Butter Pup Coffee - nowhere to found on Google Maps at this time.

Lusting for both sugar and caffeine, my coworker informed that complementary cookies were available in the lobby. Naturally, I swiftly swooped up two of each Kirkland variety and nudged them into my container.

​Subsequent work days were spent consuming breakfasts of Marbled Banana Bread, Ube Mochi Pancakes, and Apple Crumble Cake.

Taking part in the provincial election also constituted a vital part of one's civic duties.

​At the end of the work week, I made a subtle escape for Vistek's Trade-In Event with KEH Camera. The two-day pop-up event allowed photographers to trade in gear for cash (more specifically cheques in USD) or vouchers for future Vistek purchases.

I hadn't anticipated the queue that awaited me, thus confirmed my place on the waitlist before setting out for a brief walk. Paris Baguette provided clean washroom facilities, but served no pastries nor beverages of interest.

​Upon receiving a notification text for the Vistek x KEH event, I rushed back towards the west side of Mavis. The seemingly speedy Drive-Thru that Krispy Kreme offered was, in fact, not as straightforward as one envisioned.

​The first window was closed, and evidently blocked by supplies and equipment. Payment and order delivery would take place at the second window, though I was unaware of the latter procedure. It wasn't until driving away and rounding the corner that I realized my naive blunder. Alas, the vehicle behind me had closed the gap: I could no longer retrieve my order from the window.

Routing towards the parking lot was a travesty, for the orange pylons positioned for delineation of vehicular traffic only served to obstruct my path. When I eventually found my way out of the maze and dashed into the store, an astounding lineup was witnessed within. To my surprise, the interior workings, inclusive of the donut glazing conveyor belt, hadn't altered much during my decades of absence.

​I made a beeline for the counter, attempting to make eye contact with the staff member that had taken my payment from the Drive-Thru window. My order of a Small House Blend Coffee, two Original Glazed Donuts, and one Butter Croissant were presented to me without any resistance whatsoever.

​The donuts were as airy and delectable - just as they had presented themselves at our office potluck! Visually promising were the coffee and Butter Croissant, and disappoint they did not. The baked treat easily slotted itself above the likes of McDonald's, Costco, and Tim Hortons, despite not exceeding the standards of downtown cafés and bakeries.

Meanwhile, Krispy Kreme's House Blend was aromatic and gratifying - a solid dose of java contained within a whimsical cup design and logo-donning sleeve.

Concluding the week was Collective Arts' Non-Alcoholic Hazy Pale Ale (revolting) and Ace Hill's Lemon Vodka Soda (surprisingly delightful and refreshing, especially for a vodka critic).