Out & About #480 | Japan Festival Canada 2018

Making its return to Celebration Square for the third consecutive year, Japan Festival has officially been renamed and promoted under the name "Japan Festival CANADA".

The first year had been exciting, but hectic; there was a larger turnout than expected, and vendors struggled terribly to keep up with the demand. I vividly recall myself being extremely eager about the event and arriving on an empty stomach to maximize my consumption power. Lineups were incredulous that year, and it wasn't until two solid hours of waiting underneath the blazing sun that fried chicken from Gushi was secured.

​We visited the second year's run briefly in the evening after I returned from KCON LA adventures. Stage performances were more varied this time around. The vendor count has also expanded. This was the year I discovered Momo Tea.

Third time's the charm! - right?
When I had learned of Momo Tea's pending appearance at this year's Japan Festival some few months ago, I immediately relayed this information to orangecane.

​For one, who can resist phenomenal matcha?
Secondly, it's close to home.
Moreover, parking is free and so is admission (unlike in Toronto).

​The previous day had been gloomy and damp, so it came as no surprise that most attendees had saved their visit for Sunday afternoon. By noon, finding parking had become a nightmare. It was survival of the fittest, in the manner most pertinent to first world complications.
But a quick drive around led to the discovery that most participants weren't familiar with the area at all.

Booth numbers had just about doubled since the festival's inaugural first year. Surrounding the perimeter of the venue were food stalls, retailers of specialized Japanese goods (bento-making supplies, charms, anime keychains, etc.), and a beer garden (for those over the age of majority).

​This year's lineup consisted of a few established eateries (Zakkushi, Kinton, and Mye Japanese), along with several new faces (Ichifuku, Tsujiri, and Fuwa Fuwa). Several authentic matsuri-style game booths were also included this time around; attendees dressed in yukata (and the occasional cosplay ensemble) further contributed to the chipper atmosphere.

I ought to commend orangecane for her will to travel - after all, the 90-minute weekend commute between the east and west limits of the GTA is no easy feat.

​Upon entry, we secured fan-shaped handheld fans. No, really.
These small freebies, while tricky to transport in our pocket-less attire, proved themselves useful in shielding our vision tools from ruthless UV rays and keeping us cool while roaming the grounds.

​Our first stop was Zakkushi, where I secured a trio of Yakitori skewers for five dollars. The lineup for this two-time vendor was probably the shortest during the early parts of the day. From the moment we joined the group of skewer-enthusiasts to the minute I received my Styrofoam cup of sauce-slathered chicken bites, barely ten minutes had passed.

We then moved onto Kinka's booth for takoyaki - four doughy spheres for five dollars - then Ichifuku for orangecane's Karaage Dog. Ramen from Ryu's Noodle Bar, cold ramen from Touhenboku, Kakigori from Ichifuku, and other intriguing varieties were also on offer.

​By the 1 PM mark, stage performances were well underway. The field began to fill with families and small children, many who had taken to the faux greenery to consume their newly-acquired articles.

We made our way over to the west side of the field, closer to fountain area, to take a look at the speciality vendors. Both of us were due for a matcha restocking.

Nohohon was also present, so it was only right to obtain a Matcha Latte - with my favourite topping blend of tapioca and grass jelly. It container a greater amount of simple syrup than preferred, but was enjoyable nonetheless.
Present were the flavours of the original Toronto Nohohon - the bold, flavourful base that I remembered paired with soft, chewy tapioca. The refreshing bits of fine grass jelly were a wonderful touch and, oddly enough, very reminiscent of Boba Guys' Thai Iced Tea. It was none of that disappointing New York grittiness. The traditional hot water dispensers were also observed on this occasion.

​Momo Tea was our immediate next stop. This was my favourite stop for several reasons: one-dollar iced Sencha aside, Momo was one of the few vendors to accept digital forms of payment. Cash does not make frequent appearances in my wallet, so, while trekking about, I had been budgeting my funds in order to ensure enough for non-food purchases. Thanks to Momo Tea, I was able to obtain one more item of interest during our stay.

​As mentioned previously, Fuwa Fuwa brought Japanese soufflé pancakes to Mississauga for the first time. Given that their physical shop on Bloor isn't the most convenient of locations, I decided to splurge on this visit.
Single pancakes were priced at $8, while a stack of two ("Double") rang in at $15. In order to secure one of each flavour, one was required to relinquish a total of $16 for a duo of Matcha Tiramisu and Raspberry and Caramelized Banana.

Looking back, it would have been inescapably better off had I spent the remaining physical funds on packs of Take and Matsu.
We waited a total of fifteen minutes under the blazing sun to place our order, then received two different coloured tickets to retrieve the requested items later on. The wait time estimated fifteen minutes, or so we were informed at first.
Instead of stalling about the stall, in the dreadful heat, I suggested searching for shade about the pillars of the Civic Centre. Once fifteen minutes had passed, I returned for a status check. The staff appeared clueless when I inquired about my ticket numbers, and even dared to steer me into the direction of the depressing, winding lineup of all-too-patient patrons.

​The man who had taken my order temporarily assumed the role of a customer service representative.
"Fifteen to twenty minutes!" He said with a smile, presumptively as if I hadn't already waited a quarter of an hour to reach the cashier and another quarter in anticipation of our sweet, jiggly treats.

Fine. I had figured the order would be delayed: customers that had been spotted in line before us were still hovering about with a clear display of restlessness.

Twenty minutes later, I went back.
"Did you call these numbers?"
"Not yet."
The man who had been responsible for the cash box had abandoned his post at the front and fully adopted a front-line position.

​At this point, annoyance had crept in and could be withheld no longer.

"I've waited fifteen, then you told me another fifteen." The volume of my voice began to climb without much of my knowledge. "I waited twenty. It's been forty minutes!"
The man was visibly frazzled, but the gears were turning fast. He assured me, "You are next!"
He looked over at the girl behind the griddle.
"How much longer?" He lightly demanded.
"...five minutes?" she responded calmly, with a gentle tilt of the head.

The man turned back to me, "Next batch! Five more minutes, okay?" He held up a hand, waving all five fingers, then matched his gaze to mine for a sense of sincerity.

"Alright." I grudgingly nodded before firing off an update to my partner-in-crime.

​The first two pancakes to come off the griddle were served to the two men beside me. The successive two were handed to me, still piping hot. So hot, in fact, that I almost dropped them upon contact with the bottoms of the plastic plates. Whose idea was it to use plastic instead of Styrofoam though?!

Even in the face of chaos and the constant demands for order cancellations, it was surprising that each serving managed to maintain the same degree of visual appeal. It is crucial to note that these stunning features could only be seen within the first minute of delivery. The creations were rendered susceptible to extreme heat and strong breezes the very second one stepped away from the tent and into the sun.

​They somehow made it to our seating area unscathed, though perhaps a bit soggy-looking.
Matcha Tiramisu was tasted first. Admittedly, the cream topping tasted very mascarpone-like. It was velvety and slice, with a hint of cheesiness. Paired with the pancake though, it was found to be overbearing. The popular Japanese confectionery's profile was light and delicate, with scattered clumps of whipped yolk embedded between fragile pockets of cooked meringue.

On its side was a highly potent shot of runny matcha sauce. Extremely bitter as it was, there was not a shred of grassiness. Put simply, it wasn't great, and definitely not entitled to its eight-dollar price tag.

​Raspberry and Caramelized Banana was too sugary for its own good. Sweetened whipped cream, caramelized over-ripe banana segments, and raspberries from a box (read: unwashed) were components that failed to deliver depth and contrast. The aspect that irked me the most was the partially dissolved layer of granulated sugar trapped between the solidified caramel and banana; one can only liken the sensation to a mouthful of sand between chews of cotton candy.

It was reasonably deduced that the order was undeserving of any amount greater than six dollars.

​Completing a rapid run around Square One, we bid farewell and parted ways.

​All was peaceful for about 13 hours or so. It wasn't until early the next morning that the effects of street eats hit us hard. We fell victim to the same symptoms: excruciating stomach pain that visited in irregular waves and continuous bowel movements.

Kinka Izakaya's Takoyaki was unlikely to be the culprit: each of us merely consumed two bites each. Moreover, it had been cooked in advance even at our time of purchase.

Our gut feeling hinted at Fuwa Fuwa - in the most literal possible way. Their stall had been situated in direct sunlight, and given the hot, humid conditions, we didn't doubt that their perishables had been left out and forgotten amidst the tumult. With eggs and dairy at stake, the eatery ought to have been more thorough with their ingredient handling and storage procedures.

We don't doubt that other patrons may have succumbed to the same terrible fate. Food poisoning is not to be taken lightly.
Chatime's Tea Mousse had sent me to the hospital for anti-nausea fluids and IV, in addition to leaving me bed-ridden for several congee-filled days.

I am grateful that the only thing I lost was productivity at work.
But I am not grateful for the countless pangs of excruciating stomach pains and persistent need for bathroom runs.

Since this incident, I will not be recommending Fuwa Fuwa, not making any attempts to visit their standalone store. Their signature creations were nowhere more impressive than Café Bon Bon, and the sauces were honestly mediocre.

Ghastly short-lived side effects aside, Japan Festival Canada 2018 was a fantastic run!
I await next year's with anticipation (and only minor concerns in regards to climate and parking availability).