The day started with a short hike on the Hilton Falls trail, planned days in advance with the intention of debuting a waterfall series.
Tripods and camera in tow, we gradually made our way through the bug-infested trail, with me stopping every 20 m to snap a shot of anything that proved to intrigue me.
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We soon made it to Hilton Falls.
Upon arrival, we noticed that another photographer had already set up his equipment and was in the midst of shooting. Unfortunately, the waterfall only had one observation deck. Space was limited, and flat areas on which tripods could rest were scarce. I wasn't able to obtain much variety in terms of angles, though this was definitely a great first experience at shooting flowing bodies of water.
The full album can be found HERE !
The full album can be found HERE !
The hike back was also quite enjoyable - weather was great! It was sunny, but not humid. The only thing I could've done without would be the eleven bug bites I obtained on this trip. Those things are deadly, I say!
We stopped for lunch at Symposium afterwards.
The cafe seemed decently popular based on social media postings, so I added it to my restaurant radar quite a while ago. It was finally time to find out whether it was was worthy of such ratings.
We were seated almost immediately, though the table evidently hadn't been cleaned beforehand. Sticky residue glimmered from the black table, while specks of food lined the entire booth area. The host did apologize, though, and wiped off the seats for us before seating us.
Famished, we took a quick look at the menu and ordered right away. Our server systematically served us drinks first, approximately ten minutes after we ordered them. But the main dishes were nowhere to be seen for another forty minutes. Neither were our empty cups cleared/refilled either.
We were seated almost immediately, though the table evidently hadn't been cleaned beforehand. Sticky residue glimmered from the black table, while specks of food lined the entire booth area. The host did apologize, though, and wiped off the seats for us before seating us.
Famished, we took a quick look at the menu and ordered right away. Our server systematically served us drinks first, approximately ten minutes after we ordered them. But the main dishes were nowhere to be seen for another forty minutes. Neither were our empty cups cleared/refilled either.
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I couldn't quite hide my disappointment when the food arrived. Presentation was seriously lacking, as was the quality of the dishes themselves.
The Chicken Souvlaki on a Bun was seriously not what I had anticipated to emerge from the kitchen and be set down in front of me. Each "sandwich" consisted of a meager amount of hazardously dry, flavourless chicken pieces sandwiched between two extremely firm pieces of toasted white baguette. Tzatziki sauce was minimal, with only a thin layer spread onto one of the slices of bread, and a little bit more drizzled on top of the chicken.
The side that accompanied the dish was a Greek Salad doused heavily in a vinegar-based dressing. And besides being the exception of a few small chunks of feta and a scarce amount of diced red peppers, it essentially contained ingredients identical to that of the Chicken Souvlaki sandwich. For $12.45, I was being cheated of my money.
The Chicken Souvlaki on a Bun was seriously not what I had anticipated to emerge from the kitchen and be set down in front of me. Each "sandwich" consisted of a meager amount of hazardously dry, flavourless chicken pieces sandwiched between two extremely firm pieces of toasted white baguette. Tzatziki sauce was minimal, with only a thin layer spread onto one of the slices of bread, and a little bit more drizzled on top of the chicken.
The side that accompanied the dish was a Greek Salad doused heavily in a vinegar-based dressing. And besides being the exception of a few small chunks of feta and a scarce amount of diced red peppers, it essentially contained ingredients identical to that of the Chicken Souvlaki sandwich. For $12.45, I was being cheated of my money.
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Though I can't confirm whether the same experience was to be had with the Mussels Florentine or the Chicken Wings, I was informed that they were indeed better choices than my dish.
The Creamy Iced Cappuccino that was ordered to end the meal on a sweet note wasn't as rich as I had expected, and this property was very much appreciated. It wasn't overly sweet either, and still maintained a strong coffee flavour.
The Creamy Iced Cappuccino that was ordered to end the meal on a sweet note wasn't as rich as I had expected, and this property was very much appreciated. It wasn't overly sweet either, and still maintained a strong coffee flavour.
The Fudge Brownie, topped with ice cream and whipped cream, was complimentary. While I did thoroughly enjoy the Creamy Iced Cappuccino, this one was much too sweet for my liking, especially when the brownie had been further drizzled in caramel sauce and pecans.
Our server had done a good job overall, making sure to check up on us twice after receiving our orders. Though it would've been nice if empty plates and cups could have been cleared after they were emptied and pushed the edge of the table prior to the next dish being served. A shorter wait time would have induced less frustration as well.
The verdict of this visit would be that Symposium does not deserve the love that it is receiving. While some items were indeed tasty, the menu is unnecessarily overpriced for the quantity, quality, and presentation that was delivered. Unfortunately, I will be having my next meal out somewhere else.
As always, the full album can be found HERE.
Our server had done a good job overall, making sure to check up on us twice after receiving our orders. Though it would've been nice if empty plates and cups could have been cleared after they were emptied and pushed the edge of the table prior to the next dish being served. A shorter wait time would have induced less frustration as well.
The verdict of this visit would be that Symposium does not deserve the love that it is receiving. While some items were indeed tasty, the menu is unnecessarily overpriced for the quantity, quality, and presentation that was delivered. Unfortunately, I will be having my next meal out somewhere else.
As always, the full album can be found HERE.
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