Out & About #345 | Goldstar Café

​I finally had the opportunity to meet up with my favourite fangirl for a much-needed catch-up session, and one of the very topics of discussion was selecting restaurants on the basis of whether atmosphere/price point would agree with the corresponding dining partner(s). As I, the one with too many opinions, am generally situated in a position of decision-making, it is my sworn duty to match up the correct auras, cuisine category, and budgets of those that grant me permission to drag along my journeys.

​Goldstar Café is located in Downtown Oakville, an area near Oakville GO that combines an assortment of local and international retails shops, bakeries, and cafés. The vicinity comprises mainly of residential areas and the odd church, thought the GO Transit carpool lot isn't too far away either.
Expansion of the parking building had been taking place as we weaved our way from the QEW, through the quiet single lane streets, and the chaos of one-way streets whose signs were camouflaged by transport trucks and utility vehicles; it made the drive needlessly more complicated than Google Maps had intended.

​In comparison to Streetsville, it offers wider pathways and sidewalks, brick buildings with tall ceilings, and an added dose of vibrancy. The Oakville BIA is only two regional train stops from Port Credit, Mississauga's entertainment-filled waterfront, yet it retains an entirely different vibe. Shops are more scattered, the waterfront view involves a bit more walking, and the absence of the Credit River and lighthouse are apparent; visitors of downtown Oakville were observed to have a higher average age than the Port Credit crowd.

​Parking is yet another issue to be noted with diligence. Whether east or west, Lakeshore Road in itself presents a parking nightmare for many. While Port Credit lands automobile users in a similar scenario, the situation is not as dire with the availability of an open lot outside the library. Free parking is nowhere to be found near downtown Oakville, even if any of the city's libraries, community centres, or churches in sight house a private lot.
The surrounding area either comprises of residential lots for tenant parking, or paid pieces of asphalt and confined, metered slots.
Evaluated on a scale of frustration, securing a spot is equally, if not more, annoying as Port Credit, and departing is only slightly less hectic than exiting Queen Street (and all its narrowness) in Streetsville. A local informed me afterwards that free parking was essentially nonexistent in the area, as the added travel fees were intended to deter citizens from residing too leisurely and improve congestion levels.

An alternative choice was to park at the Oakville GO station and walk over. This would have permitted an excuse to explore the nearby establishments, however, neither of us were wearing proper walking shoes. The construction of the parking building also posed some degrees of confusion.

​There was surprisingly spacious seating for an eatery in the heart of the Oakville BIA. Sleek white walls and uniformly-toned seat covers created a relaxing atmosphere, while the frequent positioning of potted plants and colourful cushions encouraged the flow of creative juices.

Around noon on a quiet Tuesday afternoon are shift dress-donning ladies on business lunches, laidback laptop users, and retired residents in casual attire. (We may or may not have been the youngest duo of diners occupying the space during the time.)

The Wi-Fi connection was strong and secured, outlet ports were adequate, and natural lighting was abundant.

​The entire café comprises of three "floors" and an outdoor patio, complete with wide white umbrellas whose ruffled hem swung with the movement of the wind.
On the ground floor was a front-facing area with bar stools and a slender white table. Adjacent to this was a shelf of merchandise, which ranged from Reunion Island roasts to the café's very own sleepy duckling mascot and minimalist gold-eared ceramic mugs.

​A lengthy cashier and preparation area spanned the remainder. Of course, it couldn't be devoid of a fully-equipped condiment bar (complete with lemon water), and two individual washroom stalls towards the back. The insides of these stalls housed electric jet dryers, automatic toilets operating at high efficiency, as well as an environmentally sustainable lighting system; after one to two minutes of inactivity/movement, all bulbs would extinguish automatically.

I was quite appreciative of the implementation of this technology, as it not only conserved energy but also eliminated the need to be in contact with the light switch on one's way out, thus limiting possible risks of contamination should the previous occupant not have washed his or her hands.
A light dusting of negligence lined the toilet paper dispenser and hand dryer, sacrificing the uniform sophistication of the environment.

It should be remarked that a malfunctioning soap dispenser was found in the second, and only other available, stall for customer use. Otherwise, I had no complaints.

​The first and second floors were allocated to commodious dining spaces in the form of round booths and sleek, white tables with comfy cloth-covered chairs. Group tables were aplenty on the first floor, while parties of two could find ample spots on the second, centred around a communal table for large gatherings. Separating the first floor and ground level was a short flight of stairs; the second was distinctly differentiated with a longer flight of wooden stairs that included a landing platform for making a sharp right-angle turn.

View the full album HERE !

​An expansive menu was provided on the wall behind the cashier. It encompassed sandwich varieties of all types, luscious-looking baked goods, and a caffeinated beverage menu that was both concise yet capable of fulfilling the espresso/tea quota of the day.
Moreover, the café offered several combo options to satisfy the distinct needs of different appetites. A Medium Latte/Cappuccino and Salmon Toast pairing was available for snack-sized stomach vacancies as an eclectic upgrade of the overdone avocado toast; similar combos were displayed for panini- and baked good-pairings at reasonable price differences.

< Pictured above and below: Italian Soda, Chicken Naan Pizza, Latte, and Turkey Panini >

My favourite fangirl chose the Chicken Naan Pizza and a pink-toned Italian Soda. The fizzy gradient drink was said to be "good", and the obnoxiously orange pizza delicious as well.
A slice from one of the quarters was offered to me. The soft, chewy Naan lent an interesting texture to the dish: thin but not quite as crisp as thin crust pizza; elastic yet not nearly as thick as flatbread. While roasted red peppers, sundried tomatoes, and sauces had been layered on top, the base revealed no signs of sodden-ness. Cubed bits of chicken breast, melted cheese, and a shriveled strand of, presumably, thyme, finished the slim pizza.

​Each ceramic plate was garnished with fresh herbs - microgreens that were grown in-house - as well as a pale orange drizzle of Sriracha honey. Initially skeptical towards this unprecedented sweet-spicy combination, a single stab at the sticky, speckled formula altered this promptly. It brought about an insanely delicious warmth to my plate - my non-panini, filled with green apple slices and gently seasoned turkey.

Panini- a depiction of laterally charred ciabatta of medium thickness most commonly comes to mind at the mention of the elongated sandwich. Goldstar's variation paralleled that of a toasted baguette - crunchy and satisfying but not quite as successful at absorbing the juices of the ingredients enclosed. At times, bursts of enzymes from the apple and creaminess of the cheese would make its way to my tastebuds. Bits of cranberry also added a unique texture to the grilled specimen. In spite of these elements, I found the overall product a teensy bit lacking. Maybe it was the choice of bread itself that had cause this feeling, for those with stronger teeth may prefer the firmness of the baguette.
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Fillings and portion sizes were definitely generous for the price. 

​My latte, accompanied by a soft, peach-shaped heart, was brewed to exude the wonderful aroma of roasted beans. Microfoam artwork and dark tan hue down, the final test lay in its caffeine content and incorporation of milk.
Candidly speaking, the beverage was deficient of an invigorating punch. It lacked espresso and overestimated the milk.
As someone who had suppressed the urge for cold brew and Iced Americano to taste their lattes, I was dejected that such a beautiful drink failed to deliver an instant, sweet boost of energy.

​A broad selection of seating meant that there would never be a shortage of natural vibrance while dining and/or conversing. Although, at this point, I should draw attention to the fact that Goldstar is a self-service café: customers would place their orders at the cashier, relinquish payment, and receive their requested items before manouevering up the many steps to seat themselves as desired.
The concept eliminates the need for an integrated crew of waitstaff, but also relies heavily on the customer's sense of responsibility to clean up after oneself. Carrying trays were provided to assist in transport, but I remained uncertain of my abilities to safely climb the stairs in the sandals without imposing accidental vibrations to my latte.

​Besides the slightly disappointing latte and obvious unease associated with attempting to maintain dignity whilst hauling food items about, few flaws could be found during the Goldstar experience. The environment was marvelous, service was patient and friendly, and fellow customers were respective of each other's presence. Parking is the single most prominent factor capable of slapping on additional fees and frustration to the visit.

Otherwise, this amicable establishment definitely deserves a gold star.

​We sauntered around the area for a brief moment after departing the café, ready to use up whatever parking time I had remaining. (Mind you, we had been anxiously watching our time prior and hustled downstairs to purchase a second ticket before continuing our chat.)

Mendocino and Lululemon were two retailers I hadn't expected to make an experience amongst the local shops. The interiors were decorated in a similar fashion to the mall outposts, but with higher ceilings and open entranceways.
Just as the timer was up, I suggested popping into Croissant Express Bakery - a bake shop with an exterior reminiscent of Breka on Bute.

​​I picked out a Tiramisu to go, while my favourite fangirl directed her attention to the Lemon Bar. Both were rather reasonably priced, with my hefty square of saturated fat ringing in at $3.45 after tax.

It's inappropriate to judge a book by its cover - unfortunately, this applied all too fittingly to my choice in patisserie. The palm-sized dessert contained ladyfingers drier than the Sahara and a filling too pale to have included a suitable ration of cream cheese or mascarpone. Not a smidgen of Kahlua - nor even coffee simply syrup for that matter! - was tasted. While the dusting of cocoa powder had been executed in accurate proportions, it persisted fruitless in recovering the product.

The Lemon Bar, in comparison, was much better than expected. A predictably high amount of lemon juice, butter, and sugar could be tasted, but the thin, two-toned rectangle was still enjoyable in small quantities served with espresso.

Schilling's Patisserie was recommended to me for my next visit, should parking pains and congestion not prevail along the route.

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