Out & About #229 | Checking out the Sherway Scene

"Sherway" used to be the name that we associated with an old mall with poor reception as students. A lack of affordable retail shops also meant that we were more likely to take our business elsewhere.

Fast-forward to present-day CF Sherway Gardens, and you'll notice that the mall has been renovated and expanded to include several luxury stores imported from our southern neighbours and an entirely new wing. A large portion of the mall still remained under construction when we pulled into the parking lot, though Saks Fifth Avenue, the most anticipated opening, was already in business.

I suggested a quick lunch at JOEY before embarking on our shopping expedition; outside was an almost freshly-laid asphalt parking lot, which would have been our first choice had already been filled at the early hour of 11:30 AM. The next closest option was a covered parking area immediately adjacent to the construction zone, which we headed towards after engaging in an eyeroll-inducing struggle with middle-aged lady drivers that had seemingly no sense of direction. It also didn't help that the pavement markings in the lot had been very poorly done - they were faded and confusing to follow.

JOEY's Sherway location was grand: the main floor featured high ceilings, intricate lighting fixtures, and an assortment of wall decorations. Seating options ranged from high tables with stools, booths, and standard family-style tables.
The second floor, where the washroom was situated, was equally grand, if not even more so. A clear, greenhouse-like structure housed the patio; the patio had both covered and uncovered sections, providing customers with the choice of bathing themselves in sunlight as they dine.

Clearly undecided about our item choices, our waitress made several trips to our table to take our orders after we had been seated. She was very patient, and also showed no immediate expressions of frustration even when the restaurant became filled at lunch hour.
We ordered two Social Sharing plates and one Main: the Korean Fried Cauliflower, Sushi Cone, and Miso Ramen.

Both appetizers were relatively pricey for the amount given, with a single Sushi Cone at $4.75 and a handful of fried cauliflower bites at $10.50. (Oh dear...). The Miso Ramen appeared to be slightly lacking too, given that $14 could probably earn you an extreme size (complete with authentic pork bone broth!) in one of downtown's famed ramen houses. Despite the appearance of the perfectly charred chicken, the soup was definitely inadequate in terms of depth of flavour.

A small platter of green onion-topped Cauliflower was next to arrive, accompanied by both sweet chili sauce and Korean gochujang sauce as requested. While undeniably crispy and well-textured, the overall dish was quite bland without the dipping sauces. It would have been a great snack, but wasn't exactly what I had pictured for sharing during a meal.

The Sushi Cone proved to be a great decision, albeit its not-so-cohesive properties. The spicy mayo lent an interesting touch to the roll, but the flavours of the tempura prawn and avocado weren't optimized any further than that. It was also a tad annoying that the roll fell apart easily.

I would suggest against ordering the Korean Fried Cauliflower, which in all honesty, I had wanted to try out of curiosity. The other items, while decent, were not remarkable enough to leave an impression on us. Service was prompt and friendly though, and the environment was quite nice despite being a bit chaotic during lunchtime. It would be worth trying their other (more popular) items on a holiday or a a relaxing weekend afternoon.
Weather-forbidding, it may even be worth even making a visit to one of their other locations (1, 2), where I've had better culinary experiences.

Following our leisurely lunch, we strolled through every inch of the mall and its various new expansions until dehydration hit.

It was a good opportunity to check out Pinkberry's Etobicoke location, which is relatively the same size as their spot in Square One, but in a less favourable position. The types of offerings and number of flavour choices were also identical, but the employees in the central Mississauga area are noticeably more enthusiastic.
​​I obtained a very icy Mango Pineapple Smoothie, while my partner-in-crime grabbed an inexplicably sweet Cookies & Cream Truffelata from Godiva before we continued on our way.

Some few hours later, we found ourselves concluding the 5-hour trip at Saks Fifth Avenue. The first two floors (main and upper floors) were dedicated entirely to women's fashion, makeup and fragrance, and men's fashion, while the third floor ("basement") had been completely taken over by Pusateri's.

Part supermarket, part Nutella Cafe, and part casual eatery, it was an intriguing site to witness inside a luxury department store.

Unlike the Nutella Cafe inside Sobey's at Fort York, this one focused on offering a larger variety of products as opposed to focusing on crepes and cappuccinos. Pancake crepes were sold at a hefty $7.50, with cannolis, croissants, and Nutella-drizzled blondies following close behind.

As a light afternoon snack, we opted to share one of the more budget-friendly desserts: Vanilla Panna Cotta with Nutella, hazelnuts, and fresh fruit. Eggy and airy with just the right dose of sweetness, it made for the ideal mid-day pick-me-up.

Across from the Nutella Cafe was a sushi bar, where one can order freshly-sliced sashimi or even poke bowls.

Sherway Gardens is actually still in the midst of renovations, so I would highly recommend visiting at a later date when the construction trucks have evacuated the premises. Unless your sole desire is to get a glimpse of Saks Fifth Avenue in all its glory (or bid goodbye to Holt Renfrew), please do yourself a favour and steer clear of the mall and its incredulous amount of driving hazards.

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