Out & About #186 | Sunsets + Budget-Friendly Adventures in Brampton

For the most part, the weather has been rather inconsistent over the past week.
Warmer temperatures were experienced at the beginning of the week, though rain- and hail-inducing winds prevailed as the weekend neared.

With the latest of my photography expenditures veering into long exposure territory (1, 2), it was only fitting that I seized the opportunity to test my newly-obtained ND filters one quiet weekday evening.

Perhaps I had fiddled around with the filters for too long, for the sun made its way beyond the horizon at a swifter pace than I anticipated. What remained in the area were a few stray beams of warmth, which, must I add, contrasted quite nicely with the pale blue background.

Other visuals of the week include: a Matcha Latte from Maman (though I was told the drink was much too hyped up and fell short of expectations), All-You-Can-Fill for $7.50 lunch container from T&T, and stepping foot in McCafe's most recent venture into the downtown core.

Currently restraining myself for the purpose of obtaining the much-coveted GOT7 tickets, a great deal of willpower was summoned from the depths of my soul to brew my own lattes, instead of relinquishing four to five dollars of my hard-earned wages per cup every time fatigue hit or cravings surfaced.

< Pictured above: Cappuccino and Nutella Latte >

I'll likely continue to suppress any cravings that surface before payday, or compromise by searching for an alternative (potentially DIY) solution.

Eating out on a budget is no easy feat, however it does challenge one to think creatively.

Banh mi is a relatively economical lunch option: the Vietnamese sandwich manages to satisfy growling stomachs while maintaining a price point of under five dollars.

As with Bamboo Bubble Tea in Mississauga, Banh Mi Brampton Bubble Tea serves up quick and easy French baguette sandwiches consisting of assorted deli meats, pickled cucumbers, carrot slow, cilantro, and a buttery pâté spread. Each banh mi is priced at $3.50, regardless of topping choices.

The major differences between these two Vietnamese-operated grab-and-go locations lies within their food preparation process and banh mi varieties. While Bamboo Bubble Tea processes orders at a front-facing counter, their drinks and food items are all concocted in a kitchen completely concealed behind Oriental-style panels; Banh Mi Brampton Bubble Tea allows customers to see exactly what is going into their sandwiches, along with the fact that the operator does indeed use plastic gloves when handling them.

In contrast to the different variations of banh mi in Mississauga though, this location only offers one standard type of the sandwich. (The only option for customization would be the omission of hot sauce and/or particular types of meat.)
Both establishments are cash-only, though I do believe that Bamboo Bubble Tea also had the option of debit payment.

The banh mi was decent: the baguette was crispy without being hard and the slaw added a nice, textured crunch, but few other notable aspects could be said. It contained fewer ingredients than Bamboo, the meat didn't appear to be marinated (it was largely flavourless), and the edges of the ham were suspiciously difficult to chew on.
Speaking in terms of its location, the speed and service had been exceptional. Unfortunately, the overall quality of the final product was a little less than appealing for a second visit.
(Side: We opted out of the shop's available drink options (bubble tea and coffee), as it was almost guaranteed that we would be consuming powdered drinks and subpar instant java.)

Housed within the same ancient plaza was an Oceans-like supermarket by the name of Four Seasons, as well as a Chinese bakery called Cake Village.

Assuming a layout identical to Akko and furama (plastic trays, tongs, display cases, and all), Cake Village also comprised of an odd little corner full of knick knacks (ranging from braided rope ornaments to a once-loved microwave).

Despite a minimally-sized customer interaction area, their kitchen was surprisingly roomy. Trays of golden brown buns could be spotted cooling on a multi-rack metal structure near the cashier area.

We picked up several egg tarts with puff pastry shells, a tray of coconut buns, and a pineapple custard bun before departing.

While I can't say for the coconut buns, the egg tarts were quite yummy even after resting in subzero temperatures for two hours. The puff pastry was flaky yet exhibited no signs of excessive butteriness; the filling had sunken in slightly, but had not cracked during baking. My only complaint would be that the filling was a tad sweeter than I would have liked - a higher milk to sugar ration is preferable. The Pineapple Custard Bun was on the average side (the custard had evidently been thickened with starch as opposed to the traditional, time-consuming water bath method), but still good as a mid-afternoon snack.

And so concludes this week's adventures!

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