Out & About #283 | Hike to Cataract Falls + Corner by Spoon and Fork

10/23/2016

This is likely the first year Ontario has experienced proper autumn weather. Like ever.

While "April showers" last year-round in BC, frigid temperatures and unforgiving winds reign for half the year on the East Coast. Unreasonably tremendous workloads have been the main cause for my lack of overall activity, on this page and in real life; it has also been the primary cause of sleep deprivation, accumulated amounts of stress, and dwindling sanity.

On the more positive side, the above-seasonal weather has made postponed hiking adventures permissible. In spite of gradually approaching midterms, I took the day off to "get away" from work, in the most literal sense possible.

Initially, I wanted to check out Rouge Park, or even Scarborough Bluffs - can you blame me though? The photos of the peak are absolutely stunning!
Travel time was a major limiting factor, though; Forks of the Credit in Caledon was a much more viable option considering the weekend closure of the DVP.

Upon our arrival, it was revealed that we weren't the only ones in search of a mini Sunday getaway. Several families had also opted to take advantage of the mild but overcast weather, consequently resulting in the parking lot and accompanying egress to near capacity.

Forks of the Credit described a series of trails that surrounded and/or ran along the Credit River. I had had the opportunity of visiting Bruce Trail on a hike to Hilton Falls; the trip had proven to be a relatively easy path for beginners given its lack of steep slopes and overall uniformity.
Scout Valley had been varied in comparison, but was far from the route involved to reach our final destination of Cataract Falls.

A portion of Meadow Trail was closed due to winter maintenance, or rather lack thereof, so the route involved a westbound trek on Meadow Trail, connecting to Bruce Trail, and then finally northbound on Dominion Trail.
Surprisingly enough, majority of the hike was spent amidst a wide, open field. With the exception of Kettle Lake, a brief patch of cotton, and gradually withering maple trees, the route was just about a steep dirt path lined with tree roots and medium-sized stones.

View the full album HERE !

Merging onto Dominion Trail was the turning point of the trip, since it was at this point that we began a more leisurely stroll through lofty shrubbery sporting a luscious gradient of red, orange, yellow, and green. The view was undoubtedly more scenic, and the hike a lot more serene.

It wasn't long before we caught sight of Cataract Falls, though the sole viewing deck was occupied and, even when it vacated, the high altitude provided a dismal, obstructed view of the raging current.

Against my better judgement, I proposed maneuvering down the precipitous sodden area for the sake of obtaining a better view of the natural wonder. The move had been risky, but the results were well worth the lengthy slide downhill.
I had opted to wear safety boots for this adventure, which proved to be a well-informed decision on my behalf as it provided more traction on muddy surfaces. The prominent treads proved futile on slick rocks though, as I found myself rapidly slipping into peril while moving from one rock to another. Digging my nails into the dirt, I had managed to prevent a potentially hazardous drop into the water. Unlikely it is that I shall ever be so courageous as to attempt a precarious descent such as this again, but the journey made for vigorously memorable experience.

The slow disappearance of the sun cast a grim aura on our surroundings, so even though taking an alternate path back would have been more interesting, the lack of light instilled a sense of fear and hunger in my body. We reached the parking lot as dusk approached. A light drizzle began to fall as we made our way to Corner by Spoon and Fork.

I always have my reservations about food trends making their way from the downtown core to the suburbs. Rarely have I witnessed the proper execution of a trendy food item in a quiet neighbourhood, particularly if the fad hails from a warmer, West Coast province or state.

Corner by Spoon and Fork gained its rise to fame by offering sushi burritos and poke bowls to citizens on the east end of Mississauga. The restaurant had appeared on my radar for a short while before an astounding number of poke locations began to pop up in Toronto. Recently, a friend of mine took the opportunity to visit and later informed me of her exceedingly positive experience. There appeared no better chance to check out the establishment than after a strenuous three-hour hike.

Part cafe, part lounge, and part restaurant, Corner infused the broadest selection of food items possible with a hip, comfortable environment. Three quarters of the interior had been allocated for seating, where light fixtures reminiscent of molecular compositions gracefully hung over cushioned booths and small tables. Two televisions were situated at either end of the restaurant. A cozy set of lounge chairs were even available at one corner.
The remainder of the space housed two ordering counters: one for regular cafe offerings, such as sandwiches, hot soups, caffeinated beverages, and cake slices, while the other served up sushi burritos, poke bowls, and mum bowls (to be perfectly honest, I'm not too sure what these are either).

The options were unique and reasonably priced (in my opinion anyway) considering the location and atmosphere. I wasn't expecting Poke Time-level freshness, but I did have much higher expectations than Rolltation's overpriced, disgusting mess of unmarinated fish.

A Spicy Flaming Dragon Sushi Burrito was ordered first. Corner offered six signature creations to relieve indecisive customers of their greatest fears, each differing in price depending on their included protein choice. Along with the standard choices of salmon and ahi tuna, unexpected options like unagi (marinated eel), smoked duck, and lobster had also been thrown into the mix.

Each burrito was crafted by spooning the specified ingredients onto a sheet of white rice-adorned nori. The restaurant had taken the liberty of investing in a machine that eliminated the painstaking process of spreading a uniform layer of rice onto the dried seaweed sheets. Although this apparatus would emerge as a major time-saver during lunch rush, it removes the option of substituting brown rice for white rice.

Following the wrapping process, the burrito was encased in an orange hexagonal prism with a perforated strip. Previously sliced into two even halves, the strip allowed each section to be removed easily from the quirky container and enjoyed with soy sauce and wasabi. The inclusion of a small plastic container for dipping was a thoughtful touch.

Poke bowls were sold in a similar fashion, except that they scored two levels above the sushi burritos in terms of customization possibilities. One could opt for a signature bowl, which would comprise of the same ingredients of the corresponding sushi burrito. Alternatively, customers could bequeath an additional dollar for complete control of the bowl's contents.

I decided to request my regular base - half greens and half brown rice - and proceeded to add the following toppings: seaweed salad, crab meat salad, mandarin oranges, baby spinach, corn, and tofu pockets. The member of staff added the ingredients in generous portions before mixing a half-scoop of salmon and half-scoop of ahi tuna into a Stainless steel bowl for marinating.

Finally, the bowl was drizzled with Wasabi Cucumber and Mango Mayo, my two sauces of choice. Included toppings were nori strips, crispy onions, green onions, tempura bits, and tobiko. (It's crazy to think that many of these would have induced additional fees at Rolltation and Pokeh!)

Corner's poke bowl was associated with a total cost of roughly thirteen dollars after tax. This was more than acceptable, as the portion size, variance of ingredients, and overall quality/freshness was maintained throughout.
The single aspect that demanded improvement was the appearance: the staff member had accidentally pressed on the centre of the lid to seal the bowl instead of the rim, causing the container to fold inwards, compressing the contents in the process. It was obvious that the young member was still in the midst of training though, so I didn't mind too much.

My friend had been right in every aspect: food and atmosphere was great, the environment was inviting, and the washroom stalls were brightly-lit and immaculate. An open, stable Wi-Fi connection and an abundance of outlets were other great bonuses.

Corner will probably earn itself a second visit, if not a third as well. Its distant proximity is the only downside I can deduce at this point.