The octagonal Styrofoam containers, which gave off the illusion of wood, contributed unexpected visual appeal. Regrettably, it wasn't attractive enough to overlook its disappointing contents.
"Bara" translates to rose in Japanese, though I couldn't quite make the correlation between tiny cubes of tamago, scallop, tuna, and fish roe with the essence of a red rose. (Or maybe it makes reference to a different item in this context? One will simply never know without this information being provided by the girl behind the cashier.
I cannot say much in regards to the Chirashizushi, besides that my ravenous dining partner had annihilated it within a matter of minutes. Needless to say, both of our appetites had yet to be satisfied completely even after consumption.
Bubble tea shops are abundant in the GTA, though this particular opening caught my attention by its unique concept: it is the pioneer of tea shops that enable maximum levels of drink customization and complete transparency in terms of ingredients. The possibility of rendering a beverage entirely personal is ridiculously intriguing.
Members of staff took to re-explaining the process of selecting flavour tubes with each emerging confused customer, which I found to be tedious, repetitive, and utterly inefficient.
Finally, toppings were placed in Petri dishes and kept within a chilled compartment until customers rounded the corner to place the finishing touches on their creation.
In theory, the crafting process was liberal and imaginative. Upon being applied in actuality, the entire ordeal proved slow and challenging to maintain.
Indecisiveness was a prominent factor witnessed throughout the lineup, meaning that there would be no guaranteed method for customers to zip in and out of the establishment within a timely manner. Given that each beverage required extra care in blending and combining (and sometimes clarifying), the construction steps were far more time-consuming than the average franchise.
After a solid five minutes of debate over my Matcha powder and Rose syrup syringes, I declared, "I shall assume all responsibility for the outcome!". Thus, my wish was granted.
The Taro Coconut Milk Tea and Papaya Slush - both which had been modified due to store employees' suggestions - were deemed mediocre in taste