Out & About #527 | Lion Dance, BNC Bakery + Sikgaek (Round 3)

​Chinese New Year just doesn't feel complete without witnessing a Lion Dance or a visit from the 財神 (God of Wealth). Although we hadn't seen the bearded man clad in red at our yearly festival visit, we did manage to make it to Square One's Holt Renfrew for the jubilant performance.

​A lion dance team with relatively young members had been invited for the occasion - one duo maneuvering the red dragon, and another a yellow one

​Following the joyous event, we proceeded eastward for bingsoo. Needless to say, the idea had been wholly mine.

BNC Bakery had popped up on Insta-searches several times while researching bingsoo establishments in the vicinity. Too late had I discovered its long-time reign in Mississauga. Apparently, it had been around long before Snowies.

​Having undergone a name change, the bakery was now known as Tokyo Cheesecake Café. In spite of this title, there was little that emitted a Japanese-like aura.
Inside the corner establishment was a brightly lit bakery/café hybrid. Along the wall was a dwindling assortment of buns and cookies (it was nearing the end of the day after all), while the far end featured delicate cakes in a display case. To the left of the cakes was the cashier and drink preparation area; situated above was the beverage and bingsoo menu. The space was very reminiscent of Paris Baguette, except roomier, devoid of LED screens, and with a commercial bakery setup in the back room.

We took to a brief afternoon snack of Brewed Coffee, a small Miss Piggy Shaved Ice, and a crispy Sausage Bun.
Similar to the other Korean breads I've tasted in the past - Fauchon, Galleria, and Hodo Kwaja (the hoddeok!) to name a few, the foundation of the bun was stiff and starchy. Cantonese bakeries generally utilize a chewy, eggy base that is far more fragrant, and, after all these years, I've found it difficult to welcome other styles into my diet.

​While patiently awaiting our bingsoo, I munched away at one of their Brownie Cookies. The chubby mounds were equal parts original and rich cocoa cookie batter. They were a tad firmer (read: possessing a higher flour content) than preferred, yet nonetheless delivered in both visual and gustatory respects.
Miss Piggy, which was their house bingsoo concoction of strawberry jam (falsely advertised as "puree") topped with chocolate cookie crumbs and (supposedly) coffee-flavoured biscuits. The bowl further reinforced my dislike for all synthetic things strawberry. On the flip side, the cookie crumble was great: the varying size spectrum contributed texture as well as flavour. The shards dissolved rather rapidly though, which I was not too fond of.

The cafe had been quiet at our time of arrival. Only a handful of customers were present to collect their cake pickup orders. As it neared the 5:15 PM mark, an influx of young adults was observed. Fashionable and sleek, they spoke comfortably in Korean to each other as well as the middle-aged shop owner.
It was interesting how we had waited for upwards of ten minutes for our small-sized Miss Piggy, but those belonging to the aforementioned group received their orders only a few moments after us. There is the possibility that the ice machine had not been calibrated in advance, but ringing up pickup orders instead of booting it up was the wrong method to maximize efficiency.

A single accessible washroom stall was located near the entrance. Its cleanliness, or rather, lack thereof, was not particularly noteworthy; despite the fact that toiletries had been adequately stocked, the wastebin was overflowing and a prominent layer of dust could be seen. A roll of paper towels had merely been plopped on top of the dispenser instead of being fed through the apparatus.
The self-serve seating area was, thankfully, not as sticky as it could have been. That said, I was far from being the biggest fan of faded, peeling patent leather chairs.

​Continuing onwards, the next stop was P.A.T. for our bi-weekly refill of fresh scallions. By the time we concluded the visit, dusk had begun its descent.

The original plan was to grab Sikgaek to go, but we mutually agreed on dining in given that it was nearing supper time anyway.

View the full album HERE !

​The party took to the Signature Samgyetang, Kimchi BokEumBap, and LA Kalbi, all of which were stunners in their right.

A popular spot for traditional Korean cuisine, Sikgaek's Chicken Ginseng Soup did not fail to impress us. Hearty yet soothing, it was ideal for restoring warmth on a chilly winter evening. The whole chicken was impossibly tender, boasting fall-off-the-bone tender flesh, while the glutinous rice and ginkgo nuts offered chewy satisfaction. A lone dried red date provided a jolt of fruitiness in conjunction with anti-inflammatory and blood pressure-regulating properties.

​Kimchi Fried Rice was another ovewhelmingly wonderful dish. We had requested it to be mild, and were rewarded with a toasty batch of uber-satisfying grains tossed with pickled veggies (young kimchi??), laver, and just the right amount of gochu flakes. Rendering contentment without satiation, I found myself going back for more even after calling it quits.s

The LA Kalbi - a dish that I tend not to order frequently on the basis that it usually emerges dry - turned out supple and utterly flavourful. Swapping out greasy onions for cabbage slaw was another welcome alternative.

​Service was consistent throughout the evening, besides our countless appeals for napkins that, unfortunately, went ignored by both members of waitstaff as the restaurant grew busier.

Overall, our orders were exceptional, thus I couldn't resist ordering a second Kimchi BokEumBap to take home. Sikgaek does it again!