From time to time, I'll find myself in a situation where I have absolute no idea where to go for hangouts. At times like these, I turn towards region-specific blogs or review sites; for catching up with the Mississauga crew, it's always insauga (albeit their occasional inaccuracies in determining the value of restaurants from customer perspectives).
Dominating the "Top 5 Coffee Shops and Cafes" list stood Studio.89, hence forth we vamoosed.
Dominating the "Top 5 Coffee Shops and Cafes" list stood Studio.89, hence forth we vamoosed.
Located not too far off from the highway exit at Eglinton and Tomken was a small but lofty plaza, and contained within one of its corners was a fair trade cafe. The storefront was exceedingly simple, with glass windows and a bold (and very visible) name plate.
Side note: At this point I've come to appreciate two things about the suburbs: they boast clearly visible names on their storefront, as well as provide an abundance of parking spots (with a few exceptions, of course - looking at you Chatime).
Side note: At this point I've come to appreciate two things about the suburbs: they boast clearly visible names on their storefront, as well as provide an abundance of parking spots (with a few exceptions, of course - looking at you Chatime).
User-uploaded photos of the venue were scarce, but the few shots that I saw were coherent with the creative environment I came to see once inside: everything from the whimsical infograph wall decor to the colourful chalkboard calendar of events and menus exuded a constructed yet free-spirited vibe. Positive energy resonated throughout the space.
The full album can be viewed HERE !
In addition to countless well-furnished tables on the main floor was a cashier and kitchen area. Located directly above was a list of the vast food and drink options available, many of which catered to those with special dietary concerns (ie. gluten-free, vegan, egg-free, etc.) Abbreviations noted adjacent to the drink selection also provided indications as to whether they were fair trade, organic, or both ("FO").
We placed our orders and headed upstairs, to the more tranquil, carpet-lined "Off With Your Shoes" zone.
In addition to countless well-furnished tables on the main floor was a cashier and kitchen area. Located directly above was a list of the vast food and drink options available, many of which catered to those with special dietary concerns (ie. gluten-free, vegan, egg-free, etc.) Abbreviations noted adjacent to the drink selection also provided indications as to whether they were fair trade, organic, or both ("FO").
We placed our orders and headed upstairs, to the more tranquil, carpet-lined "Off With Your Shoes" zone.
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Climbing a daintily-painted spotted staircase, we found ourselves face-to-face with all-in-one work/play/lounge area. The upper floor consisted of a plethora of board games, two sofas, a black, medium-sized no-nonsense meeting table, a few desktops, and a two-person table intended for casual banter. Natural lighting was merely sufficient, as it had been limited to only a few rectangular class windows. However, incandescent lighting was provided via several ceiling lights for illumination during darker periods of the day.
Our food items were brought to us soon after, simply plated and (forever shall I be grateful) void of spills and crumbs.
Our food items were brought to us soon after, simply plated and (forever shall I be grateful) void of spills and crumbs.
<Pictured above: Vegan Orange Cranberry Scone, Nutella Latte (x2), Chicken Sandwich >
The "minimum donations" were on the pricey side, with their popular Nutella Latte ringing in at $4.90 for a medium (and $5.90 for a large) and Chicken Sandwich at an astounding $8.00. (But then again, it's not like you wouldn't already be spending such amounts if you frequent Starbucks). The Orange Cranberry Scone was made utilizing "Feel Good Ingredients" such as organic flour and sugar, as well as vegan butter concocted from sunflower oil and tapioca starch, and was priced at $2.25. Once again, Starbucks would charge roughly the same, and I've witnessed vegan bakeries mark their products at irrationally high price tags, without including a fair trade aspect.
Morals and food production righteousness aside, I'd like to bring to the light the quality and flavours of the purchased dishes. No amateur to the world of flavoured espresso drinks and lattes, I must commend the volunteers for creating an extraordinary chocolatey drink with such a limited range of ingredients. The Nutella Latte was, in short, flat-out awesome; it retained subtle flavour of espresso, an indulgent amount of sweet chocolate-covered nutiness, and was served at the ideal temperature (warm enough to soothe shivers on a rainy day, but not hot enough to scald the tongue).
I am unsure of how the Chicken Sandwich tasted, though it did give off quite a pleasant aroma. My Orange Cranberry Scone was a sweet treat, but also proved to be filling without the tacky, dense texture usually expected of vegan goods.
The "minimum donations" were on the pricey side, with their popular Nutella Latte ringing in at $4.90 for a medium (and $5.90 for a large) and Chicken Sandwich at an astounding $8.00. (But then again, it's not like you wouldn't already be spending such amounts if you frequent Starbucks). The Orange Cranberry Scone was made utilizing "Feel Good Ingredients" such as organic flour and sugar, as well as vegan butter concocted from sunflower oil and tapioca starch, and was priced at $2.25. Once again, Starbucks would charge roughly the same, and I've witnessed vegan bakeries mark their products at irrationally high price tags, without including a fair trade aspect.
Morals and food production righteousness aside, I'd like to bring to the light the quality and flavours of the purchased dishes. No amateur to the world of flavoured espresso drinks and lattes, I must commend the volunteers for creating an extraordinary chocolatey drink with such a limited range of ingredients. The Nutella Latte was, in short, flat-out awesome; it retained subtle flavour of espresso, an indulgent amount of sweet chocolate-covered nutiness, and was served at the ideal temperature (warm enough to soothe shivers on a rainy day, but not hot enough to scald the tongue).
I am unsure of how the Chicken Sandwich tasted, though it did give off quite a pleasant aroma. My Orange Cranberry Scone was a sweet treat, but also proved to be filling without the tacky, dense texture usually expected of vegan goods.
Many have commented that they enjoy the facility as it is a non-profit organization, and that they know they're investing in a good cause through the purchasing of food items. While this is not a primary deciding factor for a casual diner like myself, I do appreciate that the entire facility is a result of the joint effort of cheerful, hard-working volunteers.
I thoroughly enjoyed that every aspect of the cafe was representative of the group's beliefs and collaborative goals, and that the space was fully equipped with the tools and technology for serving the modern-day, IT-reliant citizen. Stable Wi-Fi, in conjunction with a high-quality products and a clean, comfortable environment is key to succeeding against other cafes. Not only does Studio.89 meet this criteria, they also do a great job of utilizing a variety of interior decor elements to stimulate brainstorming and conversation. (Might I also add that even their washroom stalls were kept pristine, and had different wallpapers (that the main floor) with delicately written signs notifying guests to avoid throwing inappropriate items down the toilet. These are details of an establishment that are truly note-worthy.)
I thoroughly enjoyed that every aspect of the cafe was representative of the group's beliefs and collaborative goals, and that the space was fully equipped with the tools and technology for serving the modern-day, IT-reliant citizen. Stable Wi-Fi, in conjunction with a high-quality products and a clean, comfortable environment is key to succeeding against other cafes. Not only does Studio.89 meet this criteria, they also do a great job of utilizing a variety of interior decor elements to stimulate brainstorming and conversation. (Might I also add that even their washroom stalls were kept pristine, and had different wallpapers (that the main floor) with delicately written signs notifying guests to avoid throwing inappropriate items down the toilet. These are details of an establishment that are truly note-worthy.)
With that being said, I believe that Studio.89 is very worthy of its top ranking. It is a great location to catch up with friends, lounge about while playing board games, hold meetings and workshops, as well as an area for like-minded people to conjure up innovative ideas. I found no flaws in their operations, and wouldn't mind driving out to this cozy hideaway on a lazy afternoon.
We then browsed Heartland for a while following the catch-up session, and later parted ways. Cravings for Halo Halo began to act up, which led me to check out a small Filipino shop by the name of Somethin' Sweet 4U.
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It was a narrow space with an ube violet-theme, offering an incredulous amount of Filipino snacks and desserts, many of which I did not know how to pronounce the name of.
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The lady at the cashier was extremely friendly, and all smiles until I told her that I wanted to order a Halo Halo. An apologetic expression slowly creeped onto her face as she informed me that this location did not offer the colourful crushed ice dessert. She then mentioned that they had another location at Heartland, to which I replied that that is exactly where I had just come from. Unfortunately, the shaved ice machine was not in operation as of yet, but she guaranteed that they would release the dessert for sale at a later date once all ingredients and equipment were prepared.
As the need to curb cravings was still present, I headed to trusty ol' Quiapo! Quiapo! once again for my dose of ube ice cream, mixed jellies, and toasted rice atop a stack of crushed ice drizzled with evaporated milk.
As the need to curb cravings was still present, I headed to trusty ol' Quiapo! Quiapo! once again for my dose of ube ice cream, mixed jellies, and toasted rice atop a stack of crushed ice drizzled with evaporated milk.
The same lady takes my order for every single visit, and I'm convinced that she is familiar with my face at this point. I have, of course, ordered takeout from the location on more than one occasion, but one point distinguished this visit from all others: the lady inquired, "How did you find out about it?".
I asked, "About the Halo Halo?"
"Yes, how did you know that we have that?"
"It was posted on insauga."
"Ohhhh. I didn't know that students read that!"
I could only respond with "I'm not sure about other students, but I enjoy reading blogs and such, so I read that."
The lady nodded, terminating the conversation as she headed off into the kitchen.
I asked, "About the Halo Halo?"
"Yes, how did you know that we have that?"
"It was posted on insauga."
"Ohhhh. I didn't know that students read that!"
I could only respond with "I'm not sure about other students, but I enjoy reading blogs and such, so I read that."
The lady nodded, terminating the conversation as she headed off into the kitchen.
My Halo Halo takeout order was soon delivered, and off I went to immerse myself in a mixture of toasted rice flakes, flavoured jellies, a small chunk of leche flan, and ever-so-smooth ube ice cream in one spoonful. The day had been satisfying.
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