Out & About #504 | Weekly Visuals Feat. 7 Baker

Incoming is another mid-month round-up - ninety percent of which is food-centric, of course. No further introductions are necessary for these entries.

1) Mocha from good ol' Pilot

2) 7 Baker

This minimalist version of Bake Code chose an unexpected location for its first standalone shop. Just a brisk walk from Wellesley station, at the southwest corner of Yonge and Wellesley is 7 Baker. "Modern" and "upscale" are two words that would depict it artfully; "overpriced fusion bread" would be my take on it.

Ornate pastries and (undoubtedly gimmicky) buns were the main focuses of the boutique; a compact drink menu was also available, but the selection wasn't particularly appealing (especially given the plethora of bubble tea shops in the vicnity).
Nutty Espresso, Salted Egg Yolk Charcoal Bun, and a Matcha Lava Croissant were taken to go. These items alone came to a grand total of twenty-two dollars following tax; the first and second picks were priced at $6.99 apiece!

Salted Egg Yolk Charcoal was an interesting savoury option: despite being dry and somewhat chalky, the yolk alluded great depth of flavour. The bun itself was disappointing, with its components reeking of stale starchiness. Had I been blindfolded, I would have been unable to distinguish between a day-old production and its supposedly trendy, all-black profile.

The Matcha Lava Croissant was as crumbly as could be and utterly lacking in grassiness. Its appearance was rather lacklustre (the flaky strip of green appeared highly artificial), while the custard contained within was more reminiscent of vanilla than green tea. That said, the moderate amount of matcha was a hit with fans of regular croissants.

Nutty Espresso was, hands down, my favourite of the trio. Coating its exterior were crushed nuts and a sticky, caffeinated. Inside was a sweet, delectable filling oozing with aromatic properties. The bun remained dry, though the filling compensated for this slightly.
Regardless, $6.99 remains too hefty of a price tag for the carby invention.

3) Regular CoCo run Feat. Pearl Roasted Milk Tea

4) Labothéry x 7 Baker (The PATH)

It hadn't occurred to me that Labothéry had joined forces with the Asian fusion bakery to commence operations inside downtown's underground network until a day after visiting Wellesley station over lunch break.
Half of the interior was allotted to Labothéry's various syrup test tubes, while a condensed assortment of 7 Baker's best-sellers were on display on the shelf across.

Unable to resist the buzz of the atmosphere, I picked up a Darjeeling Milk Tea Bun, a Plain Croissant, and yet another Nutty Espresso.

While claimed to be a bun evoking the same profile as milk tea, the Darjeeling fell ridiculously short of expectations. Put simply, it was nothing special, and surely undeserving of its $6.99 fee. Meanwhile, the Plain Croissant met the requirements of a standard croissant without exceeding them.

Customers that visited during their opening week received discount vouchers to use at a later point in time. I returned some several days afterwards and purchased an Almond Croissant. Though fresh and tasty, the crumble factor was frustrating and incredibly unnecessary.

5) Revisiting Gong Cha's sole downtown outpost

6) Inflatable Christmas decor is a great way to initiate festivity, without the hardships of transporting bulky ornaments.
7) When all else fails, Chipotle's Taco Bowls remain a respectable source of happiness (and gustatory satisfaction).

8) Poo chargers make for great workplace Secret Santa gifts (especially in the case where an implied message is to be sent in regards to a certain co-worker...)
9) ZenQ has now opened at an unsuspecting location just west of the Dundas and Chestnut intersection.

10) UNIQLO knows the way to my plush-loving soul.

11) orangecane coming to save my sanity (with a cup of peppermint-y caffeinated liquid in tow).

Please note: The remainder of the month's visuals have been delayed due to strenuous OT conditions.