Out & About #1174 | Spring-Summer Transition + Back to Downtown

Without much of a mental respite, I returned to my routine of errands, chores, and stress shortly after returning from vacation. While baking had momentarily taken a back seat, low-effort concoctions weren't uncommon.

​With each familiar - or not so familiar - encounter though, comparisons were made to recent experiences in Amsterdam, and revelations established. Things I had found to be incredibly accessible in my daily life, such as good quality matcha for Strawberry Matcha Lattes, CoCo's endless assortment of bubble tea, and the coziness of soft friends around each corner, were extended a newfound degree of appreciation.

Haru Shabu Shabu was the destination for a weekday Mother's Day lunch, for it was unheard of for me to be off on a random Thursday.

Operating out of a shared space once occupied by Dagu Rice Noodle and Morals Village Hotpot, Haru and Shinta took advantage of the existing booth configuration to deliver the latest dining trend.

Initially excited about the sauce bar, my heart immediately plummeted at seeing the grimy glass panels, wilted cilantro, and seemingly forgotten condiments. The scene was a far cry from Haidilao - not to mention, the panels were incredibly cumbersome to lift and reinstate.
I opted for a peach resin jelly to start, having been impressed with Haidilao's version. Unfortunately, the bowl's contents proved to comprise of nothing more than day-old, bland jelly with a whopping dose of sugar syrup.

I had advocated in favour of the Lunch Happy Hour menu, an AYCE format priced at $29.99 per person with broth included. This proposal was vetoed, however, on the basis that the All Day menu included items of interest. And so, I grudgingly settled on the $39.99 per person option, acknowledging that broth would be charged separately at a whopping $16.99. Lunch for two was already ringing in at $85 before the first bite of food arrived.

Limiting to ourselves to the non-Wagyu options, we opted for:

• U.S. Prime Beef
• Thin Cut Pork Belly
• Premium Beef Chuck
• Scallops
• Shrimp
• Snakehead Fish
• Fish Tofu
• Fukubukuro
• Quail Egg
• Lettuce
• Nappa Cabbage
• Spinach

​Snakehead Fish and Premium Beef Chuck emerged as the tastiest picks. Prime Beef and Scallop were average, veggies decently fresh, and Fish Tofu, Quail Egg, and Ikebukuro instilled disappointment. A drastic deviation from Haidilao's texturally superior and far less starchy offerings, I was admittedly disappointed at the turnout. Shrimp and Pork Belly went unsampled, though commentary also hovered about the average rating.

​Perhaps my faves were the Old Beijing Rice Milk Pudding, a delightfully jiggly and refreshing pudding featuring a drizzle of aromatic osmanthus, and the Soft Serve that exuded rich vanilla complexity. I had initially requested the Deep Fried Rice Cake with Brown Sugar as well, but retracted my chopsticks upon noticing an abundance of beige powder. Given my browsing partner's later scheduled appearance, it was imperative to refrain from peanut intake. The manager confirmed my suspicions after the concern was brought to her attention. Although I would not personally experience any life-threatening circumstances, it was admittedly shocking that the dish bypassed the kitchen with an allergy note appended.

I obtained a Hot Dog Bun from Blooming Garden Bakery in the plaza before heading back; the $2.49 specimen simultaneously delivered nostalgia and a savoury bread profile - the latter practically absent in Amsterdam except in sandwiches.

​For the rest of the week, I would gradually review my souvenirs from past trips, resume consumption of home-cooked meals, indulge in new coffee and LCBO finds.

The decision to obtain a Toasted Coconut Cream Cold Brew was one made in good faith, but ultimately rewarded with repulsion instead. At least my annual birthday reward was secured.

​Heading into the office on my first day was nerve-wracking. I had arrived early, of course, and made use of the buffer to browse Miniso. FIFA merchandise was an interesting sight; I eyed the pint glass duo, then remembered prices would fall after the games.

​Meetings, introductions, and an afternoon stroll through Union concluded the day. Without any direction to head home, I lingered until around the 5 PM mark, then swiftly acquired CoCo on the way back to commemorate a hopeful, new beginning.

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1) Soft Coffee Fresh Truffles

Having ground my beans from Friedhats beans too fine for filter (yet too coarse for espresso), I resolved to infuse the grounds into heavy cream. Afterwards, the cream would be combined with white chocolate couverture and allowed to refrigerate overnight.

Ingredients:

• ​422 g heavy cream
• 54 g ground coffee (medium grind)
• 410 g white chocolate couverture
• 75 g unsalted butter

A 1:1 ratio of cream to chocolate did not make for a roll-able truffle. Thus, each messy square was compressed into a sphere and rolled liberally in cocoa powder to improve setting power. This roll-and-chill process was repeated several times to ensure structural stability. Larger truffles yielded greater levels of condensation due to moisture content, and were rolled two-to-three times more to achieve the same luxurious, cocoa-embedded consistency. Let it be known that a 1:1 ratio does not form slice-able fresh truffles, and ratios of 1:1.7 and 1:2 cream to chocolate fare better.

2) Vanilla Bean Rice Krispies

This quintessential holiday favourite needs no introduction! Spurred by the sight of lonely Rice Krispies and marshmallows, a 9 in x 13 in batch of Rice Krispies was prepared.

Metric quantities of the classic recipe had been converted prior, but became lost in archives. The revised ingredient list is as follows:

•  ̶4̶8̶ 55 g unsalted butter, melted
• 250 g mini marshmallows
• 2 ml vanilla extract
• 6 cups / 218 g Rice Krispies cereal

​Too often do my Rice Krispies squares become dry and excessively crunchy by the third day. By increasing the amount of butter slightly, I was able to not only combat this dilemma and improve pliability, but enhance the alluring fragrance of vanilla bean and showcase the robust qualities of homemade vanilla extract.

This batch were devoured at a dangerous pace, outdoing every single past variation to date! As it turned out, more butter was the answer all along.

3) Wasabi Tartar Sauce Egg Salad

The name is self-explanatory: In the absence of mayonnaise/Miracle Whip, an egg salad was constructed using four eggs, Heinz' tartar sauce, wasabi, rice wine vinegar, dried parsley, and a pinch of sugar and salt. This served as the protein source for a loaded spring mix salad comprising of black forest ham deli slices, almonds, dried cranberries, fresh blueberries, and sweet corn kernels.

​4) Nama Choco

​​Adjusting the ratio from 1:1 to 1:1.6 yielded sublime results.

Ingredients:

• 100 g heavy cream
• 160 g chocolate couverture (Surfin)

The truffles were creamy, gratifying, and positively delightful. This test batch was quick to vanish in about twenty-four-hours' time.

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​My too-soft truffles accompanied me on my next trip downtown. They resided into the office kitchen without any introduction. Initial hesitation was observed in the first half of the day, but, by lunchtime, they had disappeared.

​Brisk, sunny conditions encouraged re-activation of my Bike Share membership. With dreadfully steamy conditions around the corner, I made haste and embarked on my first downtown ride of the ̶s̶e̶a̶s̶o̶n̶   year towards Michaels.

Traversing west on Front and north along John made for a wholly unenjoyable ride. In the absence of dedicated cycling infrastructure, heightened vigilance was summoned to dodge vehicles pulling into live traffic without checking their blind spots, utility vehicles parked in the curb lane, taxis and Ubers inching into the crosswalk to make right aggressive turns, and horribly bumpy segments caused by poor asphalt conditions.

Traversing west on Front and north along John made for a wholly unenjoyable ride. In the absence of dedicated cycling infrastructure, heightened vigilance was summoned to dodge vehicles pulling into live traffic without checking their blind spots, utility vehicles parked in the curb lane, taxis and Ubers inching into the crosswalk to make right aggressive turns, and horribly bumpy segments caused by poor asphalt conditions.
My chosen route had been dictated by the presence of Bike Share docks and fewest number of detours (ie. most direct route) as I was on a time crunch. Reaching Queen/John was uncomplicated, but the return route involved further deliberation.

​Aiming to avoid riding parallel to the LRT tracks, I strolled along Queen until reaching Simcoe. I poked my head into Solaris Coffee briefly, then continued on my way; the assortment, prices, and imminent need for travel eliminated any desire to initiate a purchase.

Where once stood a Bike Share station behind the hot dog stand at Queen/Simcoe was now a reconfigured pathway separated for two-way pedestrian traffic and northbound cyclists. Ontario Line construction had evidently forced further closures in the right-of-way.

​And so, I trekked to the nearest station at Richmond/University. Routing back via a left turn onto King and southbound on Bay reminded me once more the dangers of riding in an unprotected setting. The approach is not recommended for those unfamiliar with city biking.

For the next two hours, I found myself in a lengthy monthly meeting. Despite despising sitting for extended periods of time, my patience was rewarded a gleeful encounter: my neighbour also enjoyed checking out infrastructure systems while travelling! Bonding was immediate, for we possessed a shared love for exploration: The journey very much assumed the highlight of outings abroad.

​At my earliest opportunity to escape, I proposed a trip into the PATH, dragging a reluctant coworker with me. My destination of interest was none other than the recently opened Circles & Squares in the TD Centre.

​It had taken me a minute to realize that the bakeshop was, in fact, at ground level and not in the underground concourse at all. An open concept work station was situated near the entrance, likely to attract curious passerbys. Within the bakery was an extensive assortment of frozen goods (cookie dough, croissants, pain au chocolat, Pot Pie, and more), coffee from Provincial Coffee Roasters, merch, and even loaves of bread from Beatrix, the bread-baking subunit of Circles & Squares.

A long lineup had formed along the pastry display, so my coworker took the initiative to line up for me while I continued to gawk at the selection. In spite of the seemingly endless queue, it didn't take more than a few minutes to reach the order counter. Debating between the Salted Honeycomb Cold Foam Cold Brew and Iced Berry Rhubarb Matcha, I sought input from the cashier.
"If you like matcha, then you should get the matcha one." came his simple reply.
And so I did; it was a splendid choice!

Although I am uncertain about the presence of rhubarb, it was a solid matcha latte overall - not too milky and highly enjoyable. The $6.50 concoction was noticeably affordable compared to other downtown establishments and, dare I say, reasonably priced as matcha beverages have a reputation of being notoriously steep in cost while failing to deliver constant quality. My findings have deemed matcha lattes to be a hit or miss, and more often than not an excruciating expense.

​Having plucked a total of four pastries to take home, I requested a box for my order, not expecting its large size, gorgeous exterior, and unthinkably sturdy nature. A brown paper bag was also bestowed upon me - free of charge!

I began to excitedly gnaw away at one quarter of my haul on the commute ride back. The Citrus Poppy Seed Scone boasted gratifying cragginess and was well-balanced with an abundance of poppyseeds for crunch and a refreshing waft of citrus that prevented the concoction from being too heavy, despite its generous portion. I appreciated its substantial presence, which instilled a sense of contentment in the absence of denseness, as well as its impressive structural integrity (read: did not crumble). The very fact that I was able to bite into the specimen with one hand in a moving GO train proved its resilience! Moreover, the pink icing was fun and visually inviting, contributing a crispness intertwined with slight acidity.

The Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Coffee Cake had caught my attention with an enticing seasonal summer fruit pairing. Priced at $4.25, the square assumed a decent size, but featured auspicious visuals that did not correspond to taste. While I had obtained an edge piece, there was no discernible textural variance. Furthermore, the tartness of rhubarb was inadequate in combating the otherwise cloying qualities; I could detect the presence of granulated sugar!
It was denser than expected of a coffee cake, however interestingly maintained moisture levels from the previous day. The dusting of icing sugar on its surface had not dampened with time, confirming hydration equilibrium within the square. I appreciated the subtle inclusion of oats in the crumble topping (approx 2:5 ratio), though would have preferred a high proportion of oats for intensified cragginess and depth.

​Both the Chocolate Pecan Butter Tart and supposedly "award-winning" Maple Pecan Butter Tart had been procured with vigor. It wasn't until much later that it dawned on me: the staff had slid me the Classic Butter Tart in place of the pecan-topped rendition. Nevertheless, the tarts were popular for a reason: The classic was most definitely sweet, but also undeniably heavenly upon the first bite. Circles & Squares had successfully struck a phenomenal balance between flaky crust, a silky, butter-laced custard, and a stickiness that oddly doesn't stick as much as you'd envision, gradually leaving you wanting more. The tart did not boast flaky salt to finish, though also wouldn't benefit from the addition despite its decadence. 

Comparatively indulgent was the Chocolate Pecan Butter Tart. Sourced straight from the bakery, this rendition was softer and gooey-er than Cong Caphe's supply. The crust appeared a bit thicker as well. While the interior gave the illusion of brownie in a tart, reality confirmed it was actually a chocolate caramel filling that clung to the teeth without remorse. Chocolate Pecan was a richer rendition than the Classic, likely assuming the default pick for chocolate lovers that aren't convinced about the cult classic butter tart. This version was sprinkled with flaky salt to finish, but the amount was insufficient to balance the heaviness.

Considering their decadence, the butter tarts pair better with a light roast coffee as opposed to a milky concoction. On the other hand, the Iced Berry Rhubarb Matcha Latte paired fantastically with the Citrus Poppy Seed Scone, since scones tend to lean dry by nature.

​An impromptu mid-week Zumba + badminton session sent me my shoulder and neck into intense soreness. I was instantaneously reminded of errors I never managed to rectify in my competitive days, in addition to the injuries and pains associated with the dynamic racquet sport.​ Retiring early was a well-informed decision on my part; shifting to dance cardio has allowed muscles on both sides of my body to develop strength and mobility.

​The evening concluded with plenty of stretching and Mango Lassi gelato topped with fresh Ataulfo mango.

A drizzly weekend incited another round of Sticky Chai, which, in spite of a spilled milk incident, resulted in quite an intriguing Iced Dirty Chai. 

Returning to downtown the following week, a few more PATH observations were made:

• Uniqlo's Union Station outpost was impossibly cramped - utterly unfeasible for lunchtime shopping. The aisles could barely fit one person, let alone several customers scanning the shelves while stationary. Inventory was also drastically reduced compared to full-sized outposts.
• Bingz had not shuttered in Union Market, unlike at Square One

• A seemingly new pastry shop by the name of Asters Patisserie had opened within the Brookfield Place concourse. Being as deserted as it was during lunch time, it is unlikely to last long.
• I had wondered about class comfort at Neutral Pilates with reformers stationed directly behind the glass exterior. Much to my relief, the studio drew their blinds during class time to prevent those strolling by to peer in awkwardly as the session progressed.

• The commencement of The Great Beaver Quest via colourful beaver statues dispersed throughout the Old Town BIA and Union Station.

• Metrocentre underwent a brilliant facelift, complete with new light fixtures, artificial greenery, lounge chairs, and even the introduction of new vendors such as the Library.

• Hazukido has been gradually vanishing from the GTA. With the exception of the Union Market location, others have rebranded or disappeared altogether. The First Canadian Place location was renamed to "Allan's Pastry Shop", however continued to stock Hazukido croissants alongside a work week $20 lunch menu and fried rice dishes.

Given the exceedingly positive first encounter with Circles & Squares, I eagerly returned while eyeing the Salted Honeycomb Foam Cold Brew. A Coconut Cream Pie Butter Tart (also supposedly "award-winning") would be procured alongside to pair.

​Neither were especially budget-friendly, for the 16 oz. Cold Brew with Honeycomb Cold Foam set me back a whopping $6.75 before tax. The Coconut Cream Butter Tart was priced one dollar steeper than the other butter tarts at $5.75.

​It was with heart-shattering dismay that the coffee was found to be excessively milky and watery, in addition to being utterly devoid of honeycomb - or any flavour for that matter! But worse was the pastry still: Despicably cloying was the Coconut Cream Pie Butter Tart, to the point where it was satiating and inedible. Underneath the obscene, mountainous portion of cream was some mixture of toasted coconut shreds and coconut pudding. Alas, these elements contributed meager fragrance and were wholly overwhelmed by the rich cream, sickeningly sweet filling, and pasty exterior. Regardless of using utensils or hands, the specimen was a travesty to consume with its lofty height and varying layers of rigidity.

When a friend reached out with the unrelenting intention of dragging me to a fast fashion pop-up, I agreed with a noticeable amount of hesitation. A SHEIN pop-up was the last thing I cared for, though I acknowledged that coordinating schedules for hangouts was tragically difficult.

With two hours of downtime between the end of the work day and start of the event, I hopped onto a bike and aimlessly headed towards Bloor. Somehow finding myself outside the Bata Shoe Museum due to detours on Queens Park Cres, a last-minute TPL Map pass was secured for the final twenty minutes of the museum's daily operations.

The receptionist was incredibly kind and assisted with the check-in process while describing the displays on rotation. Rough & Ready: A History of the Cowboy Boot was advised to be the exhibit "soonest to depart", therefore softly suggested for my perusal should I wish to take a gander before September 20th.

​André Perugia: A Design Legend Unveiled, the installation that had taken over Exhibit A's former space, was frankly more to my liking. The strikingly innovative designs were beautiful! While the glitzy, velvety, and suede-like material choices screamed glamour, the "visible toes" evoked playfulness, leaving a memorable impression. The sight could easily be construed to be hideous, however Perugia's execution enabled the designs to be eclectic and sophisticated at the same time.

​On the top floor was Unearthing Vindolanda, a comprehensive journey through the footwear choices of the Roman Empire. Due to its dusty context though, it automatically assumed my least favourite exhibit of the three.

By this point, it was nearing 5 PM. I returned to the lobby without strolling through the presumably fixed main floor exhibit. My interest lay with the gift shop instead.
I marvelled at an adorable mini rock climbing display plus sports-related shoes was positioned near the checkout counter, then had my curiosity piqued by a maple leaf charm holding a soccer ball. The $9.50 accessory was swiftly procured, serving to subtly cheer on Team Canada during the FIFA World Cup without the obnoxious whistles and jerseys. Before continuing on my way, the receptionist and I shared a mutual appreciation for Exhibit A, likely one of the most thought-provoking exhibits to date.

​Although I had anticipated my fate, I returned to the docking station to find just a handful of bikes left. Of the three remaining, two were e-bikes and one was a dilapidated classic bike with a peeling seat. Unwilling to surrender higher fees for the e-bike, I decided to head to the next nearest station.
The Bike Share app assisted tremendously in my search, identifying the number of classic and e-bikes at each station. Alas, I should have known that a reading of zero indicated that any bikes presented were barred with technical errors (ie. could not be checked out, thus left in place). Nearby stations had also been depleted of bikes, so I began to meander back to the downtown core on foot, juggling the weight of my bags across my shoulders and forearms.

My impromptu sojourn led me to the recently constructed wing of the John P. Robarts Research Library, known as the Robarts Commons, and the discovery of a food building housing bubble tea, bakery goods, kimbap, and more.

​Soon, I found myself in familiar territory. A creeping sense of hunger persuaded my entry into CHÉRIE, the successor of terima. The café had preserved the interior (as I had recalled it anyway) and expanded the assortment in the display case to included visually pleasing cakes and tarts in addition to timeless classic of cookies and loaves. The elevated selection boasted canelé for $4.00 and Tigre for $3.75 - both priced on par or slightly under market price. The Tigre was smaller than those originating from Cafe La_On and Brick & Butter, though I had no opposition since the two-to-three-bite format rendered the pastry easier to store and eat.

My initial decision lay with one Original Canelé, one Matcha Canelé, and one Chocolate Tigre. However, upon discovering that the canelé would not fit in my container, it was eaten on the spot. A single Tigre found its way into the container instead.

The Canelé exceeded expectations with a lovely, slightly bitter, crunchy exterior and porous internal structure. While it was nowhere near as custardy or brimming with vanilla as Patisserie Holtkamp, I was pleased withe purchase overall.

​Unveiling the Tigre the following afternoon, I was elated to discover its wonderfully nutty base and mildly dense crumb. The concoction was slightly sweet, pairing splendidly with the semi-sweet chocolate ganache.

Of course, I still prefer my own ganache, for CHÉRIE's edition was heavier in butter than chocolate solids.

​In due time, a washroom was deemed necessary. To my horror, both the washrooms in the Village by the Grange food court and OCAD were closed. Thankfully, there were public facilities available between Butterfield Park and Grange Park.

Supporting visitors in the recreational green space, there was a total of one accessible stall and two standard stalls connecting the park spaces. Signage outside of the stalls confirmed operational hours to extend until 10 PM in the summer season and 8 PM in the winter. I was saved.

Consistent with the typical North American bathroom, it wasn't pristine by any means, however it was spacious, functional, and equipped with running water, soap, and a hook for bags. Questionable was the graffiti on the ceiling, though it did not pose public health or security concerns as the menacing marks in the NS train accessible stall had. Most importantly, the facilities were free - maintained by the City, non-portable, and usable by visitors of all ages. It goes without saying, but the impossibly narrow, paid stalls in Europe have left a lasting mark on me.

​Around 6 PM, I arrived at 341 Queen St W for the SHEIN Pop-Up. The former Zara space had been transformed into a pop-up space with very little budget. While the racks remained in place, the escalator was deactivated, floors repulsively dusty, fitting room curtains torn and tawny, and the environment conclusively uninviting.

Icy, tasteless popsicles and charm bracelets assembled on-site by GEMLET staff were the highlights of the event. Aligned with every single review ever, SHEIN offered little beyond poorly made, overpriced clothes that fail to fit any body type properly.

I had been eager to depart the SHEIN pop-up at my earliest opportunity. Beyond the gruesome floors and paltry attempt at generating an artificial sense of summer, my bags were weighing on me tremendously with every passing second. There simply wasn't any reason to stay.

Excusing myself for dinner, I exited the store and began my walk eastward. Yukimi would have been my first choice, but its location made for a troublesome return back to Union. Ikkousha made more sense logistically.
While I was off sick a few years ago, my then-team had collectively visited for a colleague's departure. Since then, I had always wondered about the ramen spot, for reviews were always positive.

It hadn't occurred to me that Ikkousha had been split into two units: Chicken (Paitan) and Pork (Tonkotsu). I entered into the first door along my route, which happened to be the Chicken outlet. Ramen is rarely my go-to dish, but the location and opportunity merely aligned. The weather had also eased up a bit in terms of temperature and UV strength, reinstating piping hot ramen as a supper option.

I was greeted immediately upon entering through the vestibule. Raising my index finger, I informed the staff member of my dine-in request, "For one."
He gestured towards a row of seats against the wall, a section dedicated for those wishing to indulge, on their phones and without socialization. The configuration confirmed that solo diners were more common than I thought.

​As someone with plenty of luggage in tow, I struggled to seat myself into the wooden chair without disrupting my neighbours. My backpack with my bike helmet clipped on was placed on the chair, such that my own being would continue to occupy the front half of it. Meanwhile, my laptop was laid on top of the bar area, as far away from the condiment stand and sports-watching neighbouring diner as I could manage.

In seeing this, the staff acted quickly to provide a solution for all. A bin was provided for my backpack, while assistance was received to carefully slide my laptop in the cubby built into the seat for a more comfortable - and less disruptive - dining experience. The approach reminded me of Maruhachi, an establishment that served paitan in a seating area with round, backless stools.

Orders were recorded in marker using a double-sided order form - one side in English, and the other in Japanese. For additional information, guests could scan the QR code affixed to the table for image references and ingredient lists. I took to a Tori Paitan with soft noodles and light saltiness, plus a flavoured egg at a three-dollar surcharge. Speed of delivery was astounding, for the bowl had already arrived by the time I returned from the basement-level washroom facilities.

​Default toppings included black fungus, scallions, nori, and three thin slices of chicken chashu. Amusingly, there were chopped pieces of chicken in addition to the chashu slices that had sank to the bottom of the bowl due to density. While I had opted for "light saltiness" in place of the "normal saltiness" marked with "Japanese taste" in brackets, the broth was undeniably brimming with sodium. I detected a state of thirstiness right away! The broth was reminiscent of a rich chicken noodle soup, but featuring an intense chicken flavour accredited to steady simmering.

I enjoyed the arguably "light" chicken broth and golden seasoned egg, further appreciating its gradual dissipation of heat. Unlimited toppings of beni-shouga, garlic, spicy tanaka/mustard greens (which I obviously did not sample), and sesame seeds placed along the counter prevented consecutive bites from becoming monotonous. By the end of the meal, I had gulped down half of the plastic cup of water and a decent amount of noodles. The bowl could not be depleted, but I was proud of my efforts regardless.

​Finally, it was time to return home.

The unexpected - and totally user-inflicted - calamity that was the breakage of my trust 13-year-old Stainless steel tumbler prompted Internet-wide scouring of a slim, leakproof coffee vessel. Unappealing were the plain designs of Contigo and the bulkiness of Owala and Yeti. Although Zojirushi was a solid pick for countless users, the demise of six-year-old travel canteen had me headed in a different direction.

My final pick lay with the Kinto Travel Tumbler.