Out & About #487 | Cafe Bora + Revisiting Onnki Donburi

Colour is a phenomenon with bountiful beauty and can only be thoroughly appreciated with full exposure to the entire spectrum. It's a shame that colourblindness exists in this world, for the world that lies beyond red-green pigmentation deficiencies is as every bit as breathtaking as nature itself.

All colours evoke a specific feeling: red is loud and proud, while green is organic and free-spirited. But amongst them all, purple holds a special place in my heart.
It's sophisticated, yet whimsical.
It's timeless, yet modern.
It's comforting, yet exuberant.

​Just hearing its name is soothing:
Purple
むらさき ('murasaki')
보라 ('bora')

And, on that note, how could one possibly resist a café depicting the precise penumbra of preferred purple? Moreover, it was one of the few spots from which I had failed to try signature items during my LA expedition last summer.

Toronto's Cafe Bora was located in a cramped, basement-level sliver in Yorkville - a distinctive indication of its price range. Despite having only been in operation for a few weeks, it appeared that Yelpers had sought out the congested dessert bar and emerged with very divided opinions. Some claimed it a wonderful destination, while other complained of the desserts' lack of "sweet potato-ness".
The common correspondence was certain though: these violet visual creations came with a steep tag.

My dining partner for the afternoon had visited on an earlier occasion, and was quick to deem the Soft Serve unworthy and the hot rendition of the Latte interesting. For the sake of variety, we opted for the Bora Bingsu and Bora Tiramisu, which rang in at $9.95 each before tax.

​Fond was I not of the microscopic portions and XL bingsoo bowl prices. The Bora Tiramisu was exactly as others had described - minimal in both depth and boldness. A traditional tiramisu is comprised of strategically placed layers of syrup-soaked sponge, a dense or crunchy addition of some sort, and a house variation of infused mascarpone cheese (or other creamy alternative). Sad to say, this rendition was not only shallow, it dared to consist of only a single, stale layer.. Sheer disappointment swept over us as we discovered the lack of syrup, extensive height of the sponge cake layer, and overall absence of sweet potato flavour. At one point, I had contemplated drizzling a dash of condensed milk on top, only to stop myself with the sight of the tiny, unsealed container.

​The Bora Bingsu, on the hand, was quite delightful. Extra-fine flakes of milk snow had been pressed into a stone dish; accompanying the dessert was a three-tier condiment set of sweetened condensed milk (runny, if I may add), purple sweet potato paste, and several small pieces of dried sweet potato chips. Customers had the opportunity to modify the ratio of fillings to snow ice. Although tasty, I could not justify the cost since uptown options exist.

All good things seemingly come to die in Toronto. The same can be said for Cafe Bora.
Not only were the desserts unreasonably ritzy and unjustified, dining space was scarce, and the bathroom was poorly kept. Urine stains and a seat in direct contact with paper towels (for post-handwashing) did not fair favourably in my books. The overall experience was negative; a second visit shall not be made.

A dimming sky was looming above us, signalling the coming of nightfall and the need to consume dinner. Neither of us were particularly ravenous, but supper was not a meal to be skipped.

We aimlessly trudged about the area until it hit me: Onnki Donburi wasn't too far!

My last visit was almost one year ago. Within that period, menus were modified (and prices inflated). Sake Lover was subject to a fare increase of sixty cents, while the Buta Fire series both increased by one dollar.

< Pictured above and below: Sake Lover and Ebi Don >

​Sake Lover and Ebi Don utilized almost identical bowls, yet the latter packed greater volume of sustenance. Where the Sake Lover was light with wasabi mayo, spinach, and minimal rice, the Ebi Don was buttery and hearty.
The supposedly fresh, raw salmon slices were absolutely tasteless, so much of the bowl's composition hailed from the not-very-wasabi-like wasabi mayonnaise. It was light enough to consume as a mid-day meal, but otherwise not very satisfying.

​Ebi Don played its greasier, more fulfilling counterpart. Pickled onions, crispy fried garlic, softened cherry tomatoes, nori strips, a runny sunny-side egg, and deveined/de-shelled shrimp made up the constituents of the bowl. With luscious bites of pink crustaceans and refreshing pickled onions, the bowl was the better of the two, albeit its slick, oil-covered rice grains.

Neither measured up to the Unamatata.

Be warned:

• Hooks have still yet to be installed on the underside of the stool-based seating area. Be prepared to hold large bags or place them at feet level.
• The high stools are prone to slipping, so aim to prevent reducing contact points with the ground.