Out & About #307 | Soohyang Korean Traditional Tea House

​"You don't even have two weeks off!" exclaimed my dear friend.
"But I never do. I'm lucky if I even get over one week off." I replied matter-of-factly.

My 9-day winter break flew over my head in an instant, and I was thrown back into the depths of hell and endless torture before I knew it. The first three days informed me that concrete and wastewater treatments classes were going to be indisputably more intense than my first term selections; they were the very definition of accelerated courses, but with painfully few resources available online.
This didn't deter me from departing my house on the weekend for more positive experiences, though. Rather, it acted as motivation to embrace whatever winter hangout periods remained before schoolwork would begin to pick up.

Last-minute plans were put into action.
I first stopped by Yorkdale to pick up new HeatTech gear, as inventory had been replenished following the holiday rush. The mission was completed in a mere twenty minutes, leaving with an excess of forty minutes before the next bus was slated to arrive - this made for the ideal opportunity to check out the shopping centre's impossibly grand Urban Eatery food court.

​The layout was similar to Richmond Centre in that escalators/elevators needed to be employed to reach the place of sustenance, but rather than one steep flight, restaurants had been divided amongst two elevated floors. A coffee shop resided on the "second" floor, while the remainder of the fast food retailers on the "third".

I opted for Mii Sandwich, considering that its original outpost had been located in Yorkdale before expanding to Square One. Combo deals were no longer applicable this time, leading a single Grilled Coconut Chicken Banh Mi to ring in at an atrocious $8.46.

Delicious as it was - with its crisp baguette exterior and sauce-slathered components of pickled carrots and marinated chicken - the price could not be justified with such a meager portion of chicken. Service was friendly, albeit the small amount of confusion that took place.
I suppose I should pride myself in succeeding to find a properly illuminated spot in the food court to munch amidst the lunch rush. Table turnover rates were generally high, but families with toddlers and elderly in tow spent their time leisurely and lazing about even after consuming their meals. Noisy as it might have seemed, Yorkdale's food court still remained far more peaceful (and accessible) than that of Square One.

​Wrapping up my Yorkdale trip, I hopped on the 19 to continue eastbound.

For my green tea-, red bean-, and bingsoo-despising friend, I had suggested trying Soohyang, a newcomer to the North York/Thornhill food scene. Conveniently enough, it was located just a few steps north of Yonge and Steeles.

​Depicted as a Korean Traditional Tea House, the establishment comprised of minimal decorations and largely focused on creating a calming, zen vibe with white walls and wooden furnishings. We were greeted warmly upon entry and provided permission to choose our seating.
A nifty wooden panel separated the entranceway from the closest table, ensuring an abundance of diffused sunlight while providing protection from gusty blows of the harsh outdoor climate.

​I took note of my immediate surroundings: an empty outlet spot from the string light fixture wrapped around the panel, an engraved stone to keep napkins in place, and a bamboo table piece. Shortly provided were the tea shop's menus - one adopting the form of an ancient paperback notebook, and another hidden within the bamboo table piece.
The booklet, which had evidently been carefully combined by hand, listed the various types of teas available as well as their individual qualities and unique health benefits; the latter revealed a simple list of the teas and snacks offered and their associated price tags.

Images of the most popular menu items, we were told, were pasted along the walls. The owner - or whom we presumed to be the owner - pleasantly described her own recommendations (the winter-limited Honey Butter Sweet Potatoes) as well as customer favourites (such as Jujube tea).

After much debate, we finally settled on the following: Green Tea Ice Cream with Matcha Waffles, Green Plum Tea, and Injeolmi Pizza.

View the full album HERE !

​Placemats and utensils were delivered almost immediately. The round placemats appeared to made to woven straw, while the utensil holders, upon closer examination, were wooden cubes that had been adhered together to form rectangular prisms. Each featured coloured floral elements identical to the ones found on the napkin tray on our table, exuding an overall sense of cohesiveness.

Our items arrived with incredible speed, almost as quickly as we connected to their password-secured Wi-Fi network. We were also given small, rectangular glass plates for sharing, though ultimately did not utilize them at all.

​Two scoops of Green Tea Ice Cream drizzled in condensed milk lay in a bamboo serving dish (that had unfortunately succumbed to cracking at both ends from extended usage); two halves of a dense Matcha Waffle rested beside it. As I eagerly commenced my photo-capturing process, I observed the rate at which the ice cream was melting. At first, I merely expressed content at the fact that it had retained its physical state for a solid five minutes; I was extremely taken back when it had resisted all factors even after two rounds of photo-taking and a brief bathroom break. Neither scoops had exhibited any signs of dissolving until after piercing with a wooden spoon.

Prominent green halves of dense waffle lay beside the unbudging ice cream. While small and seemingly soggy-looking, they possessed crunchy edges and paired exceptionally with the silky green tea ice cream. The irregular-shaped specimens were fluffier than Liege waffles but denser than the Belgian variety. It contained less green tea flavour than the in-house-made ice cream, but was satisfying nonetheless.

​The tartness of the Green Plum Tea provided a invigorating aftertaste to counter the creaminess of the dessert, removing feelings of guilt and concludng the meal on a refreshing note.

​My friend's Injeolmi Pizza was quite the interesting dish: sandwiched between two extremely thin toasted tortillas was a savoury, gooey glutinous rice cake. Atop the quesadilla-like creation was a layer of melted (but not stringy) cheese, a generous portion of kinako (soybean) flour, slivered almonds, and pine nuts (for added crunch). It combined the best of sweet and savoury in one carb-laden dish.

​It was obvious that the interior had been refurbished to yield an entirely dissimilar vibe from the precedessing occupant. Some aspects (including the floor tiles, bathroom walls, doors, etc.) showed wear from aging that not even thick coats of matte paint could camouflage. That being said, the owners had exerted a great deal of effort in rendering the location comfortable and peaceful for tea-goers; from the false brick wall painting inside the bathroom stall to the wooden notice board to the dainty table pieces, Soohyang was, by far, one of the more individualistic spots I've chanced across.

My only concerns lie in the payment/pricing system and the independently-operated hot- and cold-water faucets in the single bathroom stall. I don't think I'll ever grow accustomed to washing one hand under piping hot water and the other in frigid temperatures. The pricing system also confuses me a bit, as the menu found on the inside of the bamboo table piece displayed different prices than the ones that we were charged for. In addition, plastic payment was only accepted for orders over ten dollars, yet I was required to pay in cash for a bill of fourteen dollars. Splitting bills was not looked well upon either.

Soohyang is an undeniably pricey option for leisurely hangouts in the North York/Thornhill area, yet well worth the experience. Offering a minimalist menu approach allows the tea house to place emphasis on the details of the serving process. A tranquil dining environment paired with sophisticated presentation and high-quality snacks should be relished and appreciated.

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​The day's activities were concluded with a quick Galleria run for green onions and extremely overpriced banana milk.

​Thanks to orangeccane, I ended up buying a six-pack of the LINE character-adorned cartons.

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