Out & About #483 | Gusto 101 + Sukoi Desserts

"What do you want to do?" It was Labour Day morning.
"I thought you had the plans!" exclaimed my friend. "I just woke up. We can do brunch."

But brunching on a budget in Toronto is backbreaking business. Fancy fare from Figo was out, as was the thought of venturing to Cafe Cancan - both were spots I had been inclined to check out for a while, but never with the appropriate company to do so.

​In consideration of my proposed post-lunch stop in Queen West, I suggested Portland Variety. The diner's name had been brought up several times in conversations with a co-worker some few years back, yet I still hadn't visited up to now.
After securing parking on a quiet segment of Richmond St., we trekked over, passing by Gusto 101 along the way. My friend was intrigued, so we entered for a quick menu scan. The same process was executed for Portland Variety. Soon afterwards, we retraced our steps to the avante-garde industrial storefront.

​The eatery's name was very fitting: "Gusto" can be defined as either "appetite/delight" or "a style of artistic execution". The first reference can be directly related to the production of creative sustenance, whereas the second is a perfect description of the profoundly amusing interior decor.

​Gusto 101 housed a gargantuan seating area comprising of a street-level patio, interior dining hall, and upper-level patio. Connecting the main floor to the patio was a dimly-lit concrete staircase, which blurred themes of industrial influence and the raggedness auto repair shops.

​Connecting the main floor to the bathroom was yet another staircase, equally dim but also reeking excessively of sewer stench. This area operated in a similar fashion to Mildred's/Aka Teppan, wherein individual stalls were situated along the perimeter of the area and a general hand-washing station was found outside. This setup confused many guests, as parents and couples would trek down to the area, grow confused, step out, and then step back in again.
Each - presumably unisex - stall comprised of a sliding door with latch lock, a substantial garbage bin, wall hook and counter, and decently clean facilities. Though, the environment was dim, which would have camouflaged any apparent areas of filth. The handwashing station consisted of about four taps; automatic faucets would have been more preferred than individual knobs, but, then again, it wouldn't exactly adhere to the fashion of the establishment

​All members of the serving staff were amiable and helpful. There was a clear distinction between the patio hostess/servers and those assigned to the dining hall and street-level patio, which definitely assisted in directing customer inquiries to the correct authority. (Surely, this is something Hooligans can strive towards.)
The patio hostess was kind enough to provide us with a shaded table on the upstairs patio in spite of reservations that had been made beforehand. (Might I add that her vibrant purple strands were a spectacle to behold.)

Menus and water were provided almost immediately after being seated. Once we were both comfortably settled, the waiter came around to deliver greetings again. I took advantage of his presence to ask for recommendations, after which he politely excused himself to allow us time to ponder the selection. We concluded that it'd be best to share two dishes - one sweet and one savoury - to conserve dessert feast-ability.

View the full album HERE !

​The Uova con Ceci was my preferred pick of the two. Although slightly deterred by its complex name and somewhat unfamiliar ingredients list, I wasn't about to skip over the item without further clarification. "Bomba Calabrese" was a salsa-like condiment, while stracciatella was finely-torn cheese - or so we were told anyway.
Two poached eggs, softened greens, and a charred segment of bread ("fettunta") sat atop a meticulously ground chickpea purèe in a shallow dish. A generous spoonful of what I presumed to be the bomba Calabrese had been layered in between. The combination of its bright orange hue and slowly seeping oils lent me the belief that the bolognese-like component would be spicy to taste. But it wasn't. Much to my relief, the chewy condiment contributed boldness while being entirely mild.

​Unlike hummus in its most typical form, the chickpea purèe emerged light in profile, yet increasingly satisfying. This may have been owed to its fine texture (very unpredictable indeed) or its refreshing tartness (either a result of lemon juice or vinegar). The poached eggs, while small, were wonderful and positively yolky. Its centres leaned more towards orange than lemon yellow, and though I cannot affirm the breed from which it was derived, I was sure there was greater uniformity in the flavour of the yolk.

​Not a single element of the Uova con Ceci failed to exceed expectations. From the runny yolk to the addictive chickpea purèe to the crunchy, charred bread, the dish could be enjoyed by demolishing individual proponents, or altogether by dipping fettunta in a gratifying sweet-savoury emulsion.

​As a whole, the Ricotta Pancakes were too sweet for my liking.  Visually speaking, I could find not a single flaw. However, taste-wise, there was minimal distinction of depth. The pancakes themselves weren't particularly fluffy and seemed to drown in the heaping dollop of blueberry compote and whipped cream. Lemon curd and blueberry-laced maple syrup were great complements to the stack, if only syrup hadn't already been drizzled on top.
I appreciated the consistent appearance of blueberries, whether in fresh form, slightly wilted, brewed into compote, or fused into syrup; the lemon curd proved too sugary and starchy though - my Minion rendition was better.

​That said, Gusto 101 was a stellar brunch spot. Service was attentive without being intrusive, and the wait time was almost nonexistent. I'd easily go back to try more of their savoury egg-based dishes. For Ricotta Pancakes, I'd likely leave it to Kerr Street Cafe from now on.

​We roamed the surrounding neighbourhood for a brief while, then proceeded to embark on the fifteen-ish-minute journey to our next stop in Trinity Bellwoods.

The VDL Flagship store welcomed us in with open arms, smiling faces, and copious amounts of A/C to combat the humidity. The selection was undoubtedly greater than that of any other The Face Shop, and reasonably so.
Upstairs was a photobooth in which beauty enthusiasts could capture memories of their visit. It was noted that the space may later be utilized for workshops.

​We continued over to Sukoi Desserts, which shares a space with a beverage company by the name of Loftea.
The shop was small, but contained very little besides an open kitchen area, two cashier areas, and counters for munching while standing. It was apparent that the businesses were in pre-opening phase.

Our main focus was on the Ice Cream Taiyaki. I hadn't tried Taiyaki NYC during my NANY travels, but I was convinced I wouldn't be missing out on much if the item was now available locally. The Build-Your-Own concept allowed customers to choose between Matcha or Black Sesame soft serve, or a twist. Filling options included Nutella, Red Bean, and Custard; the same three choices applied to the Croissant Taiyaki. Toppings for the soft serve included Chocolate Cookie Crumbs, Graham Cookie Crumbs, and Sprinkles - all could be chosen without extra charge.

​The Ice Cream Taiyaki rang in a hefty $7.50, while Croissant Taiyaki were priced at $3.75 individually or $10 for three pieces.

​We opted for the Matcha/Black Sesame swirl, Custard filling, and the entire slew of toppings.
The wait time was minimal, as the dessert shop was empty at our time of visit. Moreover, the taiyaki waffles and Croissant Taiyaki had already been made in advance.

Amidst our visit, Loftea offered us a sample of carbonated Strawberry Fields. Fizzy milk with a shot of synthetic-tasting strawberry did not validate a purchase, especially since we were set on grabbing bubble tea later.

​Our Ice Cream Taiyaki emerged in the form of a cold - or, I suppose, room temperature - waffle and rapidly dissolving ice cream.
The topmost layer of toppings turned out to be no more than a mere dusting of crumbs and two sticks of Pocky for added visual appeal. Similarly, there was a minimal amount of custard lining the bottom of the open-mouthed waffle.

​On the bright side, the soft serve was absolutely scrumptious. Bittersweet matcha and aromatic black sesame were pronounced in each spoonful, yet the duo somehow managed to compliment one another without being overbearing. I also enjoyed the lack of crispiness in the fish-shaped waffle, for it provided support to the melting ice cream while proving less susceptible to resulting in a catastrophe of flakiness. The minimal amount of custard was another factor of note - while many may complain of the stingy portion, it was a relief to me that no further sweetness had been contributed to the dessert.
That said, I'm not sure I'd be willing to relinquish a total of $7.50 plus tax for such a brief amount of bliss.

​We took to unveiling a Nutella-filled Croissant Taiyaki before departing. Some of the sugar granules had melted onto the paper bag in which it was contained, making it difficult to retrieve for a better view. Ideally, these pastries should have been made-to-order to ensure maximum freshness and satisfaction.

​Some of its edges had already began to darken and burn, though the croissant remained flaky. The evident smell of grease was something I hadn't anticipated, and took away from the enjoyment of the consumption process. In short, it was underwhelming, even for a Nutella lover.
I was determined to discover whether the impact of a toaster oven would yield the same outcome.

​The Sukoi staff were prompt in responding to customer requests, though the cashier was admittedly a bit awkward with interactions. He didn't really care for explaining the meaning behind the shop's name, nor clarifying on the construction of various types of taiyaki. From existing knowledge, I was already aware that "Sukoi" was a play-on-words involving "sugoi" and "koi" - Japanese for "amazing" (slang) and "carp fish".
​Should the creators of the brand wished to delve deeper, "koi" could also refer to "love", as in "a love for desserts". But none of these fun facts were brought up during our stay.

​More venturing was done before we returned to the car and drove up to Bloor-Yonge.

​I would have been plenty happy with a One Zo run, but my friend was eager to try Tika - a new bubble tea spot immediately across from Wish on Charles St.

​The entire experience isn't worth noting, personally speaking. The ordeal was slow and surly, as if amongst the seven or so baristas behind the cashier, not a single one knew customer service basics. It was odd to me that the drink pick-up area was closest to the entrance, while the cashier was located further into the establishment.

Decor was quaint, but details were messy. The environment appeared Mainland-like, in the most stifling method possible.
Frankly, Mainlanders seemed to be the tea shop's main customer base anyways, so I guess this didn't matter.

At one point during the waiting process, I was forbidden from capturing photos. This was odd to us, though I was certain this was due to the fact I had managed to snap a shot of a fly hovering near the fresh fruit bar. Little did I know this would pave the way to a horrid scene my eyes would later befall on in the bathroom.

​Menu items were limited until Grand Opening. I opted for a Red Dragon Fruit Tea with Coconut Jelly, while my friend chose the Amber Oolong Cream Cap. I fear tea mousse drinks for my life, but she seemed to enjoy quite a bit. The cup had been empited in a matter of minutes.

My own choice was fruity and refreshing, with just the right amount of ice. Appearing in small cubes instead of their typical rectangular form, the compact coconut jelly was an interesting twist.

​Bathrooms were located in an eerily quiet hallway one level lower than the tea shop itself. The ladies' stall was illuminated with dingy, yellow lights; three black stalls and two sinks stared me in the face. I entered the second stall, where the lid had been moved to cover the seat. Proceeding to lock the door and lift the lid, I was met with a ghastly sight: unflushed diarrhea in a clogged toilet.
​
Gagging, I reinstated the lid to its original position and bolted to the next stall over.
Some thirty seconds later, a patron sporting a white dress entered the forsaken stall. There was no reaction.
She merely finished her business and departed the washroom without even bothering to wash her hands.

If this wasn't the most distasteful, unappetizing scene to witness, I'm honestly not sure what else would qualify.

​Mind you, I won't be returning. If beverages can be listed upwards of $5.99, then management staff ought to have the decency to invest in a cleaning team and toilet paper than isn't thinner than McDonald's. For now, you'd actually be better off with McDonald's.
I visited on Tika's third day of operations; I cannot fathom how the establishment's hygeine rating will falter over time.

​Sukoi Dessert's Croissant Taiyaki were sampled again upon reaching home. However, the concluding remarks did not differ greatly.

Present were the granulated sugar specks and flaky exterior, but absent was the satsifying crunch of croissant pastry and burst of filling. Coarse bites of red bean provided a texture contrast, though it lacked in sweetness. The custard was runny and off-putting: neither eggy nor milky, it seemed either half-cooked or haphazardly concocted

​As Toronto's only dessert parlour offering Croissant Taiyaki, Sukoi fell far below expectations. Its version was messy, greasy, and, put simply, unsatisfying - far from "sugoi". Snowy Village still has the upper hand on this crispy creation.

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