Out & About #532 | Collective February Visuals

​The shortest month of the year has sprung past us. In its place are the residual effects of Mother Nature's forces: pointy icicles, shards of frozen water mixed with deicing salt, and, of course, snow - and a lot of it too.

As always, here are a few snapshots of recent happenings:
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1) Evidence of subzero precipitation
2) Soft, fluffy LINE PJs spotted at P.A.T.
3) Homemade Tangyuan - an updated (aka far tastier!!) adaptation of an old recipe

4) Catching up with ochungg over MeNami
5) Poking fun at pig plushies (in the most literal sense)
6) Another round of takeout from Sikgaek
7) Homemade Red Bean Soup (with sweetened coconut cream!)

8) Sushi In Sushi
Meadowvale isn't an area known for plentiful food options. If technology hadn't been within the press of a button, I would have likely proceeded with my daily life not knowing of Sushi In Sushi's sheer existence.
First and foremost, it was situated in an odd location: behind the 7-Eleven gas station on Erin Mills parkway, next to an auto repair shop in a mostly industrial area. Given that its entrance was above a flight of concrete stairs, it wasn't exactly the most accessible of restaurants either.

​However, the interior was homey. Decorative elements were simple and representative of a quick-service sushi establishment. The seating area was moderately large, with several booths and a decent number of four-person tables. On a peaceful weekday evening, few diners were spotted; only two tables were occupied, and one group had just exited the premises with bags of takeout. A party of two waltzed in during my time of visit and perched themselves near the cashier to review their options to-go. It appeared that Sushi In Sushi caters to a large amount of local takeout orders.

​The crew consisted of one sushi chef, one member of waitstaff - a middle-aged man - and potentially more staff members in the kitchen.
The menu was expansive and included Daily Special Rolls that changed depending on the day of the week as well as All-Day Lunch/Dinner selections. I have no idea why certain dishes were associated with mealtimes if the assortment fell within an all-day menu, though perhaps it is used to distinguish between the portion size. The Lunch option was more than sufficient in catering towards my dinner needs.
Being operated by Korean staff, the menu had also been broadened to encompass Korean dishes such as Hae Dup Bap and more.

​I took to a Sashimi Sushi Lunch (SH3), which included miso soup and a side salad. These two starters, along with my request of hot water, were delivered immediately after order placement. The miso soup was standard but not sodium-laden; green onions assumed a prominent presence, while an adequate number of wakame strips floated about. Comprised largely of chopped iceberge lettuce, the side salad was the less liked item of the duo. A hefty amount of moisture between the leaves was observed, though there was enough salad dressing to balance.

Disposable chopsticks, napkins, soy sauce, and soy sauce dishes were already present at each lacquered wood table, ensuring that the feasting process could commence as soon as the entrée(s) arrived.
Despite being informed that there would be a minimum wait of ten minutes, the food arrived ridiculously rapidly. SH3 was a tasty, satisfying combo with thick cuts of sashimi and tasty nigiri. Unlike Inatei and Sora, there was no dark ring to be found in the akami, though it was admittedly a bit stiff. The two shiny neighbouring slices (sea bass?) also revealed a similar consistency. The California Rolls boasted a wonderful filling-to-rice ratio, all while featuring plump, buttery pieces of avocado. My only complaint would be in relation to the tobiko: they were shrunken and bland overall without much crunch.

​Service was prompt and efficient, attentive and friendly. I had requested a Black Dragon Roll (SR1) to go at the conclusion of my meal. While I had been advised of an approximate wait time of 10-15 minutes, the Styrofoam box appeared in a matter of five. Such speed is always Other highlights include the restaurant accepting credit as a form of payment (huzzah!) and a private parking lot capable of accommodating at least twenty vehicles.
The washroom was not visited during this visit, so no remarks can be made in that regard.

​I performed an evaluation on my takeout the next day. At a higher price point than a combo that included miso soup and salad, the Black Dragon Roll was more costly in comparison. The tempura had grown soggy after refrigerating, and the avocado spotty. Though, I was thankful towards the generous portion of unagi - a rarity in sushi shops nowadays - and the conservative amount of seasoning sauce.

9) Brownie Cookies

I found myself attempting Brownie Cookies after falling in love with BNC's rendition one lazy Saturday morning.

​For the most part, I adhered to Cooking Tree's recipe, while scaling the ingredient amounts to yield 3.1 times the original amount. Dark chocolate was swapped for Milo and Nutella instead. That said, I may have accidentally tripled the amount of beaten egg... (Oops.)

10) Taking orangecane's recommendation and trying out non-Flying Monkeys craft beer; the verdict: Amber Lager is more preferable than Witbier.
11) This easy-to-assemble high protein breakfast was tasty, but not tasty enough that I'd be willing to spend an extra 10 minutes whipping up cottage cheese and cleaning the food processor.

​12) Never-before-seen souvenirs from Malaysia (Cloud Nine is amazing!)

Apparently, next week will mark the arrival of the true plunge. Can't quite say I'm prepared to spend another thirty minutes clearing compacted white flakes, nor another week breaking ice on the driveway.

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