Out & About #116 | Lakeshore Snaps + Dunk'n Dip

Recently, I've discovered this linear relationship between the perception of passing time with one's contribution to society. In other words, an individual's increased involvement within the community equates to the more rapid passing of time for that person. This, though unsurprising to hear as a concept, isn't fully acknowledged until experienced first-hand.

But enough with philosophical aphorisms! Let's move on to the more engaging content.

Having been discussing potential meet-up dates for the past several weeks with a close friend of mine, the plan was finally executed one Friday after work. We first took to Port Credit to snap some shots along the waterfront, where a small family had taken to relaxing in the veranda when we first arrived.

View the full album HERE !

Towards the end of this late afternoon stroll, a few teenagers had decided to climb onto the rocks, staring out at the lake while absentmindedly munching on small takeout containers of poutine. The lightly greasy, well-seasoned fragrance soon wafted around the corner, convincing us too to be on our way to dinner.

Port Credit is known for housing a few newly-established bistros and sophisticated mid-range restaurants; intensive Yelp and Zomato searches were conducted prior in hopes of locating a place with pleasant reviews and an acceptable expenditure range, though the results did not yield much luck price-wise. In the end, dunk'n dip was revealed to be the most unique of them all: the small restaurant specialized in chocolate-dipped and fondue-themed desserts, and even carried three chocolate fountains (dark, milk, and white) fountains in-store. (Please forgive me for the glare; it was inevitable given the time of day.)

Considering the high levels of humidity and inconsistent levels of rainfall, it didn't come as a surprise that only one table was occupied when we made our way through the Polaroid-decorated entrance. We were greeted immediately, and were seated at a very small table somewhat close to their store window. (Bonus: there was a power outlet available behind my chair, thus allowing my phone to recharge as I nibbled away.)

All three waitresses were extremely friendly, with one being exceptionally so. An older waitress also informed us of the purpose of the lamp present at our table (as well as at every other table). Upon gently tapping the top, the lamp would exude a soft glow, prompting waitresses to come by when the store becomes more chaotic. Unfortunately, these lamps were not so advanced that they synced with a bell that would resonate nor with a message board that would display the number of the table requiring assistance.Unlike the irregularly-shaped bells found at Korean restaurants (or at Sugar Marmalade), these small but space-consuming light sources didn't really serve much purpose during daylight hours. We tapped on our lamp a few times, but only once did we receive a prompt response.

The menu was quite extensive, providing a good selection for both for savoury and sweet options, but I noticed that many were simply different combinations of the same ingredients. It took us a while before finally settling on the Tuna Waffle Sandwich and 7th Heaven.

The Tuna Waffle Sandwich was depicted in the menu as a layered creation consisting of three toasted waffles, tuna salad, pickles, and other condiments. The dish that was presented before my eyes wasn't nearly what I had been expecting: tuna salad (made from canned tuna), thinly-sliced lettuce, unseasoned tomato slices, and other sub sandwich ingredients squished between the halves of a toasted FROZEN EGGO waffles. It was an immense portion for one person, but at $13.25 before tax, the price that was being charged was outrageous for its components. I had even noticed two machines capable of making mini waffles, so it was unthinkable that they could even serve frozen food at all!

Given my degree of hunger at that point, I had devoured almost one quarter of the three-tier sandwich dish before my friend's meal was brought out.

7th Heaven, eloquently described as layers of tortilla that sandwiched black bean paste, was essentially just that. Extravagantly large, the seemingly unstable dish consisted of red, olive green, and white tortillas stacked on top of each other with a thin layer of bean paste spread between. The top was then smothered in cheese and grilled for a duration just enough so that it would melt but not become stringy.

The dish also came with a variety of condiments and a garlic oil dipping sauce, but given the carb-iness of it all, my friend was only able to make it through one quarter of her entire plate before dropping utensils. I had a small bite; it was extremely filling, but not quite as flavourful as expected. 7th Heaven didn't exactly provide a heaven-like taste.
I proceeded to munch on a few chunks of my seasoned, slightly soggy potato chunks until we decided that we would rather save room for dessert.

Going through the menu a second time, Frozen in Time was our dessert of choice. It granted us complete freedom in terms of customization - from the choice of cookie (chocolate chunk, double chocolate, white chocolate macadamia nut, and peanut butter), gelato scoop, and chocolate sauce (dark, milk, or white). We decided to go with a Double Chocolate cookie, unaware that it would not be too distinguishable from the brownie that was already included in the sweet treat, Almond Gelato, and Dark Chocolate sauce.
Given it was our first time visiting, we had never tried their gelato before. Our waitress was super friendly, and provided samples for each flavour that we wanted to try, all smiles during the entire process. Given the poor customer services stories I've heard, as well as personally experienced, this was definitely a first for me in a restaurant setting.

Beware: A dessert as sugar-laden as such is not for the faint of heart (nor for chocolate anti-fans).


Frozen in Time was revealed to be a dessert in a jar: mixed fruit constituted its base, a fudgy brownie and double chocolate cookie made up the middle layer, and a junior of almond gelato topped it all off. The layers were contained in a stout airtight floated on top of ice. A shot of dark chocolate sauce and a (presumably) cappuccino-flavoured macaron rested at its side, along with two thin sticks of white chocolate.

The "frozen" aspect was intriguing - the chocolate sauce began to harden upon being drizzling on top of the gelato! We didn't end up using the entire shot glass, as the firm chocolate shell that had just formed was enough for our liking.
For optimal tasting pleasure, the layers were gently combined. The first few scoops were definitely more representative of immortal food in comparison to 7th Heaven, but the latter bites became increasingly sweet, much resembling the brick toast tower from Mabu Station.

Our overall experience at dunk'n dip was of a positive nature, primarily due to great customer service and a pretty decent sweet finish to the meal. But as for the steeper-than-thinkable prices for FROZEN waffles and a flavourless stack of tortillas, it's highly likely that I'll take my business elsewhere.

The last two things I'd like to make note of, though, would be their Wi-Fi availability (as a strong, stable connection is crucial in my opinion) and their washroom. Located at the very back, their washroom actually consists of two remarkably compact stalls in one. The first stall houses only a sink and mirror, whereas the connected second stall includes the sink and mirror setup in addition to the toilet, small stack of towels, and a container of Q-tips. No more lineups to rid your hands of stickiness!

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