Out & About #561 | Something About Simcoe DAY 3: Lake Couchiching + Cafe Seoulista (Round 2)

The previous night's tossing and turning had left a scarring impression. Lowering the room temperature helped to offset this pattern completely, which had me feeling a lot less sloth-like when morning rolled around.

Majority of the rest of the party were still snoozing away, so another trip to the gym was made. I caught up slightly on Absolute Boyfriend before heading out again. Interestingly enough, we had yet to drop by Barrie at all, consequently resulting in a modified series title for the purpose of maintaining accuracy.

​We returned to Orillia - Lake Couchiching, to be exact. Instead of taking following the 30-kilometre bike path though, we were on the lookout for something else: an aquatic activity whose true potential could only be unlocked at temperatures of twenty degrees Celsius and greater.

Last year's weekday afternoon rowing segment had been successfully executed with courtesy of Narrows Canoe. Having planned this season's retreat around the predicted climate conditions, the activity happened to coincide with a weekend, which introduced a significantly larger number of rental options and destinations.

The top contenders were: A Breath of Fresh Air in Orillia, Swift Georgian Bay in Waubaushene, and Bass Lake in Oro-Medonte. Swift's coordinates fell outside our geographic scope for the day, and also appeared to rent kayaks on a daily basis as opposed to the hourly we were considering; Bass Lake was fees were steep as could be at $30 per hour per individual kayak/canoe/paddle board. By process of elimination, A Breath of Fresh Air seemed most suited to our needs. That along with the fact that it wasn't far from Cafe Seoulista, a spot I desperately wanted to revisit before our departure. (I mean, it only seemed fitting to grab an icy, post-kayaking treat, right?)

​A Breath of Fresh Air wasn't too difficult to find. Google Maps had specified a location north of the pop-up, though we were eventually able to locate Al and his kayaks by shifting our gaze to the 
He warned us of the windy weather prior to waiver collection, even noting that the safest path was to travel along the shoreline and allow the waters to return us back to shore later onwards. We were also kindly provided the option of paying afterwards, such that our time on the water wasn't restricted.

The kayaks were vivid in hue, and much easier to control than the heavier ones present at Kayakity-Yak's stall at Tudhope Park. Most important to note was the price difference: only a mere nine dollars were charged per hour! For our ninety-minute session, the total came to fourteen per person; the half hour had been rounded up to the nearest dollar.

Along the dock were calmer waters; rougher waves met us as we inched north, but we persevered until just past Fittons Road, a point marked by a trio of luscious shrubbery, before turning back. Newly acquired for the return paddle were sore shoulders and a very discernible band-aid tan.

​Clouds appeared to be copied and pasted across the sky: all very uniform. Almost reminiscent of those Windows XP window glitches, where dragging a frozen window across the screen would result in identical, translated images.

​By the time we pulled into the sandy dock area, the clock read 2:30 PM. The fastest source of sustenance resided with the hot dog and hamburger shack just outside the parking lot, however other members of the party suggested heading directly to Cafe Seoulista in the name of time. We did just that, since any further detours would have delayed our suppertime.

​The smiley couple welcomed us back into their cozy café. With a larger group in tow, they assisted us in combining a two-seater with their largest four-person table.

​Savoury options were minimal at the establishment, so the famished members of the party simply opted for a Croissant Sandwich (with a $1.99 side of organic greens). Turkey Breast or Ham acted as the main source of protein; fresh tomatoes, sliced cheese, and a light layer of dressing were the remaining constituents.
Airy and buttery were the croissants, and slightly moist rather than flaky. This precise texture paired well in a sandwich formation, all while eliminating the fallout commonly experienced with the fragile, fresh-from-the-oven renditions. Each individual component within could be tasted without fear of overpowering its partners; the inclusion of seasonings had been done tastefully as well - adequate amounts contributed depth of flavour instead of outright overkill.

​< Pictured above and below: Ham Croissant Sandwich, Turkey Breast Croissant Sandwich, Brewed Coffee, Ice Cube Latte, Red Bean Latte, Honey Brick Toast, Banana Chocolate Bingsoo, Mango Bingsoo >

Brewed Coffee was presented in a muted mint mug, its no-nonsense appeal offset with a cute cat spoon.

My own choice of drink had bounced between the Korean Apricot Tea (otherwise known as "Green Plum/Apricot" or 매실) and Honey Oolong Iced Tea at first. It was later that my eyes fell upon the "Espresso Bar" section, in which the Seoulista Blend and Ice Cube Latte swiftly booted the less caffeinated options out of mind. The former was depicted as a Korean-style Double Double, bearing no more sweetness than that of Timmies' original. Considering my lack of fondness for the national concoction, I steered myself in the latter direction.

It wasn't my first time seeing an Ice Cube Latte, but Seoulista's variation instantly distinguished itself from the rest. Organic lactose-free milk is poured on top of several cubes of frozen espresso, intensifying in concentration over time as opposed to being diluted. As the coffee ice slowly disintegrated, a cool slushy effect was also witnessed.
An initial concern on my part was that the Ice Cube Latte was only available in one size: Large. However, I quickly grew to enjoy and savour the drink as it underwent its three stages of evolution. Bold, flavourful, and potent, it's easily a great choice for coffee lovers looking to extend the life of their typical iced latte on a scorching summer day. One also had the option adding sweetener or leaving it "Black" (my pick).

​The other half of the party had already eaten, thus took to a Red Bean Latte and Honey Brick Toast (sans caramel sauce) Neither of these were sampled, though both items were demolished in record time.

​It wouldn't have been very fair to depart Orillia without trying their namesake Milk Shaved Ice. Persuading the table to try at least a few spoonfuls of the dessert, I went ahead and plucked a Banana Chocolate and Mango Bingsu from the menu.

Dissimilar to our resident GTA bingsoo spots, Cafe Seoulista offered the treat in four sizes: Small (9 oz.), Medium (12 oz.), Large (16 oz.), and Extra Large/XL (ceramic bowl). The largest size was yet to make its appearance for the summer months, though the other three were offered year-round in the form of disposable plastic cups. Personally speaking, I enjoyed that the variety of sizes: it allowed one to try out new flavours without fear of being unable to finish the entire order. Bingsoo and Korean barbecue are two forms of cuisines that demand large groups for the purpose of executing sampling parties, yet this was an establishment that negated such concerns entirely. Prices were also very reasonable.

Banana Chocolate was utterly LOVELY, essentially everything I had hoped and more. The dessert was a marriage of indulgent chocolate and ripe banana - not so ripe that they'd begun feeling feeble and brown, but just tacky enough to adhere and maintain their shape. Bits of crushed Oreo were dusted atop a scoop of chocolate ice cream; between the underlying laters of flaky ice were generous servings of chocolate syrup. Executed in a manner beyond my expectations, I was stunned to find the composition boasting prominence in depth without exuding overwhelming slickness.
Although both cups had been intended for sharing, I consumed about 75% of this one on my own.

The second cup was the unanimous group decision. The Large Mango Bingsu was topped with frozen defrosted mangoes - a bit more tart than your regular run-of-the-mill find - and synthetic mango syrup. I wasn't a big fan, but then again, I was never one to be fond of mango-based desserts to start.

​Seoulista's shaved ice flakes were a tad more moist and a tad less sweet than The Cups. Normally, degree of moisture is linearly proportion to rate of dissolution. In this case, though, the bingsoo resisted melting to an impressive degree.
Comparatively speaking, the order of dampness (from least to greatest) would be as follows:

​Snowies → Wafflian/Soul Cafe (melts too fast) → The Cups → Seoulista

​Between the entranceway and cashier were two gender-separated washroom stalls, each with a designated key to prevent usage by non-customers. Inside the spacious stall was a series of floor-to-ceiling tiles, all sporting a single yellow dot at the centre. Another element worth noting was the turquoise Frost bin - a refreshing change from the rust-lined renditions in other eateries. Most importantly, hygiene levels and toiletry inventory had been maintained well.

The visit was concluded with a brief conversation regarding the cafe's logo. What I had presumed to be an orange slice (representating their assortment of Korean fermented tea) was actually a moon. The stars surrounding it, I was told, could also be interpreted as snowflakes, depicting their specialty in bingsoo. Underneath was a traditional Korean house, otherwise known as a hanok, and surrounding it all a cup, as if catching a glimmer of both ancient and modern Seoul via one's daily dose of java.

​Progressing into the early hours of the evening, we departed, hearts content, and set out to pick up some roasting meats. And after some GPS troubles, we made it back for a scrumptious barbecue dinner.

​Steak, mussels, homemade pasta, snap peas, grilled sausages, and roasted golden beets and carrots from the Farmer's Market were arranged onto the table, one by one.

​Assorted cookies from Mariposa Market acted as dessert. Moose Tracks and Chocolate Chip was the preferred duo. Caramel Shortbread was a bit too crumbly, while Rainforest and Oatmeal Raisin tasted possessed little variance. Peanut Butter was a popular pick, though did not make my top three ranking.