Out & About #432 | Scarborough Bluffs + Revisiting Sonoya

​For the longest time ever, I've wanted to visit Scarborough Bluffs. The clear blue waters depicted in images floating about the Interweb were enough to persuade me; the only two deterring factors were distance and crowds.

​I eventually brought up the idea, since the warmest day of pre-spring was upon us.
Following lunch in the form of a greasy plate of homemade omurice - and a stopover at One Zo that was clearly my decision - we set off.

​Sesame Tapioca was extremely intriguing when paired with a straight Four Season Spring Tea. The base of the beverage was refreshing and aromatic, while the distinct flavours of chewy black sesame contributed an unmistakable boldness. The two components didn't exactly compliment each other, though I enjoyed their presence nonetheless. For future reference, I'd suggest pairing Sesame Tapioca with a milk tea instead.

​Real Fruit Fresh Tea with Cactus Tapioca was, undeniably, more average-tasting than expected. Floating within the drink were large slices of red apple, orange pulp, and a heaping portion of passion fruit seeds that could have well been exempted from the drink. Perhaps its texture is an acquired taste, though the stunningly sour crunch of the seeds made for an unpleasant addition amidst the already tart concoction. The Cactus Tapioca at the uptown venture was significantly tastier than the downtown stop.

​Golden Hour had fallen upon us with our arrival at Bluffer's Beach.
Despite the surge in temperatures, few locals had found themselves there for the last few hours of daylight. Only a handful of park explorers were spotted in the vicinity.

​As the sky began to dim, I wondered about the spot where other visitors had snapped their prized shots. A duo of dog-walkers happily provided more information on a more scenic location, and with the assistance of Google, we were on our way.

​Quite frankly, we didn't get very far along the edge of the cliff. The trek grew cold as we made our way over. A decent spot was settled on, and the wait for total twilight began.

View the full album HERE !

Fingertips frozen, we scurried back to an area of warmth immediately after. Supper taking the shape of hot soup/ramen was calling for me.

​As we couldn't make up our minds completely, I merely suggested heading towards First Markham Place and settling for a diner that did not entail a lengthy wait.

KAKA informed us of a minimum wait time of fifteen minutes. Judging by the chaotic atmosphere and number of parties before us, it was obvious that the idling period would be closer to thirty.

​I suggested popping into Sonoya, as the availability of ramen was glassy in my memory.

Their menu had changed since my first visit: Tonkatsu was a prominent feature item now, which explained the oily fumes floating about the restaurant.

​In sheer contrast to KAKA, only a few tables were occupied at our time of entry. Service was prompt, and our meals, along with steaming cups of corn tea, were delivered with incredible speed.

​Shio Ramen could be described as the creation of an up-and-coming chef: the broth was flavourful without being over-seasoned, though the wavy, not-so-ramen-like noodles were a bit too similar to the instant noodle variety. Not nearly as plump though, I simply assumed that they hailed from a different manufacturer and/or had not been produced in-house. Sweet corn kernels, scallions, a partially-submerged sheet of nori, chashu, a single fishcake, wakame strips, and a runny egg were the constituents of the bowl's toppings.
Most deserving of praise would be the two charred pieces of chashu: this was no toroniku, but strategic searing combined with uniform layers of fat and flesh resulted in great enjoyment. The subtle sweetness of corn was another pleasant addition.

​Noodle Pizza, which possessed an approximate veggie-to-carb ratio of 1:7, was served atop a sizzling hot plate. A thin layer of Tex Mex had been sprinkled on top, yielding satisfying pulls of stringy cheese. I did not attempt this dish in fear of its excessive shininess.

​Concluding the day's adventure was Blueberry Bingsoo at The Cups - the only one out of three locations that operated on Sundays.
Yogurt ice cream was too sugary for my liking, as was the heaping portion of frozen blueberries drizzled in sweetened condensed milk. As the top layers were removed, the dessert gradually began to reveal its appeal: indigo-hued blueberry syrup and fluffy snow ice filled the remainder of the cup.

​With that said, bingsoo might not have been the most fitting item to consume before heading back into the cold. I found myself shivering from within, though I guess this could have easily been avoided by donning a thicker piece of outerwear.