Out & About #400 | Part 1: Gyugyuya + Tandem Coffee

​Mid-exam meet-ups mean eating to one's heart's content and exploring from day to night. Or they do in my case.

On the rare half-day that ochungg managed to allocate towards freedom, the obvious route to take was one filled with food and intense discussions over DAY6.

Gyugyuya was my suggestion, for I had entered the premises at an earlier date in time, though never properly experienced it.

​Despite my modest breakfast of cheesecake and banana, feeings of famine hadn't yet revived when early afternoon rolled around.
For the minimal appetite that I retained, I suggested for the Gyu Curry be split - along the lines of a 7:3 ratio with ochungg - in fear of being unable to finish a single dish in its entirety.

​At $11.99, the Gyu Curry was well worth the cost. There was actually a larger proportion of beef strips than rice; in the words that are not mine: we "had to hunt for rice".

​Tasty morsels of Japanese short-grain rice were coated in a luscious, moderately spicy dark roux, and further wrapped between thin strips of succulent beef.
The curry came with a large hard-boiled egg, though I did not try as the tacky aftertaste of a crumbly cooked yolk is highly unpleasant for me. Instead, a soft-boiled "spring" egg was requested as a side, along with a bowl of gritty miso soup economically priced at seventy-nine cents.

​Sufficient salience seemed to be conveyed when an extra plate and side of miso soup was requested by myself, while my dining partner-in-crime was the only one to order a main. However, this was seemingly not the case as the waitress interpreted my request of a Hot Spring Egg to be incorporated into the platter of Gyu Curry. The onsen tamago, in all its delicate jiggliness was delivered atop its throne of tender beef strips and fine cabbage shreds, aggravating its susceptibility to breakage during transport attempts.
Perhaps it should have been further clarified that the sides were to be consumed separately, but at least none of the yolk and its runny goodness had been lost when it drained into the plump rice grains underneath.

​The price tag was quite fair, and the portion size quite substantial. In addition, service staff were prompt to welcome customers into the tumeric-toned abyss of spice-laced wonder from the cold and supply colourful, battered menus.
Fast-paced was the atmosphere of the establishment: efficient with no-frills hearty Japanese curry dishes concocted to suit the tastebuds of tourists and sleep-deprived commuter students alike.

​Bathrooms were not quite as accessible as they could have been; being located at the foot of a steep, creaky staircase meant difficult for older customers (or those with joint pain/muscle strain).

Stalls were separated by gender and kept to minimum levels of cleanliness, as well as illumination.
Soap dispensers were ancient and struggled with functional failure. Locks were broken, expxosing protruding edges sharp enough to cause painful removal of epidermal tissue. Should one not take care (like me), cuts could easily result from a simple attempt at sliding a lock.

​From a personal standpoint, the curry was still a little fiery to be considered mild. However, the effects of consumption were calming - soothing even -, dissimilar to the likes of Korean dakgalbi, whose embers lingered long after extinguishing.

​We later moved onto errands at Eaton, followed by my sudden desire to acquire a Christmas Tree Frappuccino, simply for the sake of trying matcha-flavoured whip. Sadly, First Canadian Place did not carry such glorious add-ons. The result was a sweet, frothy milk-based beverage with only faint notes of peppermint syrup.

​Next stop was the Christmas Market, which was as frigid as could be. The Holiday Fair in Nathan Phillips Square had closed due to low temperatures, making it immediately apparent that we had chosen the wrong day to visit.

Frankly speaking, the journey towards Distillery is more tradition than adventure. Despite that only a handful of distinctions can be made between recurring instances of the event, the purpose of dropping by resides with the setting's wondrous light display and overall photograph-ability.

Sustenance is ridiculously overpriced, and lineups are just too much to handle in such treacherous weather conditions. Campbell's soup samples and lengthy waiting periods at Cacao 70 were not our cup of tea, so a stopover was first made at Tandem for warmth and washroom breaks.

​< Pictured above and below: Matcha Sesame Ring, Peanutty Hot Chocolate, and Sesame-Sea Salt-Milk Chocolate Cookie >

To keep my hands free, I did not purchase a beverage in preparation for the chilly trek. Instead, two cookies of varying sizes were utilized as energy sources.

​Declared to have been constructed from the finest matcha, the vivid green shortbread was aromatic and bold. Combining a grassy sweetness with crunchy bits of sesame, it was tape ring-sized portion of heaven.
When I inquired about the description of the cookie, specifically "What makes good quality matcha 'good'?", I received a puzzled look in return. It wasn't a big deal though - the cookie was delicious and customer service was exceptionally friendly.

​I didn't have high expectations for the Sesame-Sea Salt-Milk Chocolate cookie that I later took to go. It appeared an odd, yet intriguing combination that could transverse either way on the taste spectrum.
The first bite proved me wrong for ever contemplating doubting the mix. A soft specimen oozing with indulgent flavours materialized in my mouth. Once again, crunchy bits of fragrant sesame made a subtle, but discernible appearance. Interwined between chunks of sweet milk chocolate were hints of sea salt, which succeeded in providing the ultimate sweet-savoury product.

Needless to say, I will glady be re-purchasing both of these when the occasion arises.

​ochungg's Peanutty Hot Chocolate was relayed to be intensely peanut buttery, but with minimal emphasis on its ration of "hot chocolate".

​Price-wise, all items were very reasonable given the quality presented. Keep in mind though: Tandem is a quaint, cash-only coffee spot.

​Read Part 2 HERE !

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