Out & About #144 | Sonoya Ramen + Cha Me. Cha + zenQ

I can't precisely recall when exactly I learned about Sonoya's availability of omusoba, but this specific item has been on my dining wishlist (if such a thing exists) for at least a few months now.

Conveniently located in the First Markham Place plaza, just adjacent to Aka Teppan, the restaurant appeared to be good, quick lunch option just before some quick errand-running in the mall.

​We walked in a few minutes after they opened, and essentially had the entire restaurant to ourselves for a solid half hour. Access to natural lighting was scarce, and the glare of incandescent bulbs was frustratingly strong. Despite my claustrophobic self, I chose a tiny table embedded between the back of the doorway and behind several other booths, as no other seat in the house could have offered better photo-taking conditions.

​The menu, a tad ratty, spanned choices of ramen in addition to select Korean dishes such as Kalbi. For eased access, the menu had also been posted on the wall, along with a series of new menu items on walls next to the booth behind us.

It's been a while since I've entered a non-Japanese-operated ramen house, but maybe it's just a downtown thing.
On a somewhat related note, I've never been handed hot water in an obviously chipped cup while in Toronto before. It didn't seem as if a great deal of attention was paid to such details, as a scrunched-up ball of tissue in addition to a thin layer of dust could be seen resting upon the ledge behind me.

Having just escaped from vigorously windy conditions, we were more than eager to dig into a hot meal. I stuck with the item that's been occupying a small space ever since first glance: the Noodle Omelette (aka omu-yakisoba).

​The dish was enormous! Furthermore, the set also came with a small side salad (kernels of sweet corn included, as Sonoya was evidently ran by those hailing from a Korean background) and miso soup.

​Starting with the sides, I discovered that the miso soup contained enoki mushrooms as opposed to the standard pieces of wakame. It also happened to be less salty in comparison to other Japanese restaurants, which was a definite plus in my books. ​The salad was considerably fresh as well, and utilized a Thousand Island-like dressing instead of the typical vinegar-ponzu variation.

Cutting into the main dish yielded the same degree of satisfaction: it wasn't scalding hot, but just the ideal temperature to dig into. Oodles of well-seasoned yakisoba and pieces of tender chashu thinly wrapped within a layer of fried egg was just what my heart desired. My only complaints would have to be that they had used an excess of oil during the cooking process and had not added the common splash of cream to the egg mixture that Japanese omurice is created with.
​The portion was definitely large enough to satisfy two meals worth, though it was definitely on the pricey side at $11.95.

​Gyoza was available in sets of four pieces and six pieces; we decided to go for the latter, but wasn't particularly fond of them after our first bite.
The dumplings were noticeably pre-boiled, only to be pan-fried just before serving. While the exterior was undoubtedly crispy, its contents did not deserve the same merit. The pork filling was on the bland side, and did not exhibit the same level of freshness tasted elsewhere. These faults had managed to be masked slightly using the sesame/chili oil dipping sauce.

​The last item to arrive was the Katsudon, which also came with a side salad (with ponzu sauce) and miso soup.

​Sadly, the bowl was nowhere near as great as the ones I've tried in Mississauga - and that's saying something! The pork cutlet was unbelievably soggy, with the panko breading almost detaching as it was picked up. Despite being tender, it was dauntingly bland. This applied not only to the cutlet, but to the don itself as well. Talk about a major disappointment. ​Half of the bowl remained untouched by the time of our departure.

​Service was alright for the most part: our server was largely expressionless, but showed emitted no negative energy. No grins creeped up the edges of his mouth, but no signs of annoyance could be perceived from his eyes either. He did not check up on us after delivering our items, but came quickly enough when we raised our hand for the bill. Just to note, though, that only four tables were occupied by this time.

​Unfortunately, I do not think I shall be taking the time to re-evaluate Sonoya on another visit. The Noodle Omelette has been had, and consequently marked off my wishlist; given that the other items weren't nearly as gratifying, nor particularly budget-friendly, I believe I can officially bid farewell to the not-so-authentic restaurant.

We later headed to Cha Me. Cha in hopes of trying their Mango Tango before it sold out.  It was quite packed for post-lunch hour rush, but we managed to grab a seat decently close to the window.

Cha Me. Cha has an annoying "one-order-per-person" policy, which I think is largely to prevent large groups of people from loitering and preventing tables from turning over. As this was in effect, we opted for a pot of hot tea to counteract the brain freeze(s) to be induced by the snow ice.

Both items arrived relatively quickly, with the Slim Beauty tea in the lead. It tasted somewhat herbal with hints of floral - not quite a regular choice at Taiwanese eateries as such, but the ideal drink to soothe frigid nerves between bites of icy dessert.

Though in no means comparable to Ximending, Mango Tango was still amazing by North American standards. Chunks of real mango were nowhere in sight, but mango concentrate still rendered the snow ice decently flavourful. Mango Frubo (also called "popping bubbles" and a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream topped the dessert, while a small tin of sweetened condensed milk rested on the side as to allow customers to adjust the sweetness level to their desired preferences.
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Mango Tango turned out to be a great, refreshing choice as a post-lunch snack: it was a refreshing concoction combining a multitude of textures with just the right amount of sweetness. A huge bonus was that it didn't melt at the speed of light. But the best part of the dessert actually resided at the container's base - heaping spoonfuls of mango jelly had been added to elevate the texture profile to a new and exciting heights. Yum!

​The day was concluded with purchasing takeout from zenQ, including a Winter Melon Tea and Honey Black Tea Limenade to go. Service was incredibly speedy and also super friendly. With new additions to their menu, I can't wait to go back to try their waffles and other decadent creations!

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