Out & About #516 | Hub Sushi (Round 7) + Chi Patisserie

​At times where one craves spectacular sushi, rest assured that Hub will never fail in meeting those expectations.

​I had been yearning for the Unagi Kimchi Donburi for the past little while, and even more intensely after my tastebuds came in contact with Nichiban's dreadful, shabby-grade eel. Once again, the stone pot dish hit adequately hit all the right notes.

​A Chirashi Lunch was also requested to share. Sashimi cuts were fresh and delectable, boasting the supple attributes that all fishy specimens should uphold. The furikake-topped rice was an element we didn't pay much attention to, for the Unagi Kimchi Donburi was plenty in terms of satisfying our carb quota.

Hub has since re-organized their seating arrangements to accommodate a handful of large parties instead of several small ones. The dilapidated seats that were once parallel to the window pane are now perpendicular, making it a tad awkward to slide into the space (read: cramped with the potential of uncleaned corners).

Regardless, we enjoyed our meals, despite the middle-aged lady tending to the floor being less attentive than the younger staff members I had seen on previous visits.
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​Next up was Chi Patisserie. Having been added to the itinerary on the bases that a private parking lot was present and neither of us had visited previously, expectations were on the higher end of the spectrum.

​The interior was cozy, with soft, hazy lighting encased in geometric light fixtures setting the ambience. Generally minimal with a few festive decorations here and there, the dessert shop was instantly deemed a suitable destination for comfortably catching up.

Pastries and beverages were ordered at the counter, though customers had the option of paying at the conclusion of their stay. Shared between us were the Oolong Peach and Rice Wine, along with an Iced Grapefruit Green Tea for myself. For patrons wishing to opt out of purchasing a drink, a water station with Stainless steel cups was situated near the cashier for their convenience.

Oolong Peach was a multi-faceted slice consisting of several unique flavours. That said, its profile wasn't exactly reminiscent of organic oolong nor sweet peaches. The oolong jasmine mousse tasted more nutty than floral, while the orange ganache was essential indiscernible. The lower half of the cake consisted of cocoa chiffon and hazelnut cookies, which I enjoyed decently. Falling in last place was the white peach jelly: an unnecessarily rigid slab of over-congealed peach juice. It was apparent that gelatin had been used in excess. (Please take a page out of Cooking Tree's many manuals.)

​​​Smaller in size was Rice Wine, a tiny round of rice wine mousse encasing almond sponge cake, osmanthus jelly, and a bottom layer of finely-crushed shortbread. Albeit slightly sweeter than preferred, my vote was cast here as opposed to the Oolong Peach. The individual components were complementary, contributing to an overall cohesiveness.

​One also ought to note the presentation of the aforementioned items.
The Oolong Peach had been slid onto a matte, charcoal platter - rather carelessly if I may add - and then surrounded with droplets with tangy passionfruit coulis and starch-thickened lychee element. The acidity of the passionfruit coulis was quite refreshing, though the lychee was almost entirely bland.

Rice Wine arrived atop a white platter of equal dimensions. There was minimal contrast between the serving apparatus and the cake itself, with the exception of a dark red ring of raspberry sauce. Centering the piece within the ring made for an almost symmetric layout, though fell short in enhancing its visual appeal. Utilizing an angular syrup shape would draw attention to the cake's smooth, cylindrical form, while a plate in a darker hue would emphasize the daintiness of the off-white patisserie and its contained osmanthus flakes.

​The Iced Grapefruit Green Tea was refreshing, but nothing to write home about. Its presentation in a plastic glass took me by surprise.

The pastry list was admittedly limited, with a total of eight fixed offerings and two to three seasonal specials. Moreoever, not all of the pictured items were available during our visit.
At some point during our stay, a few men waltzed in to deliver a new batch of cakes. I observed as he removed his jacket and proceeded to place the strawberry-decked rounds into the refrigerated display case. This was, presumably, another holiday creation, for it was not displayed on the menu.

​Service was passable: the girl behind the cashier could have at least expelled a smile, or even a faint grin, every so often, but she did not. As noted above, greater attention could be used in the handling and presentation of the cakes. After all, this was a patisserie, not a grab-and-go dessert parlour.

The single stall bathroom was of a similar state - passable in terms of hygiene, though well stocked in inventory.

​During the drive, it was observed that several new bubble tea spots had popped up. Amongst them were: Hey Sugar, Yang Tea Shop (visited all too frequently while I was downtown), and Royaltea. The latter two appeared to have just commenced their soft opening phase, as "Now Hiring" signs remained pasted on their windows.

Instead of these new contenders though, I scurried towards my tried-and-true, low-budget favourite. Palgong Tea matches value with efficiency, and I cannot wish for anything more than that. (The cup was demolished at such an alarming rate that no images were captured whatsoever.)