Another week, another several days of surprises.
A recent observation is that casual Fridays have gradually gotten less casual, that duties unfulfilled over the duration of the past four days accumulate to result in unnecessarily hectic pre-weekend periods.
A recent observation is that casual Fridays have gradually gotten less casual, that duties unfulfilled over the duration of the past four days accumulate to result in unnecessarily hectic pre-weekend periods.
Also adding to the equation my Moment of Eighteen marathon in the earlier half of the week, which provided nothing short of sleep deprivation and the ceaseless desire for caffeine.
In my defense, the series was very thought-provoking overall.
In my defense, the series was very thought-provoking overall.
While it failed to draw a conclusion to the ongoing issue of interactions between disparate economic backgrounds, it provided an original outlook on the conflicts of youth. As with (almost) all Korean dramas, the prying input of parental figures could not be omitted; that said, I greatly valued the prioritization of maintaining personal integrity, that karma would advance in full force to those that strayed from the path of honesty and diligence. Moreover, the episodes were filmed with great artistry: from the medium depth of field to angle variety (stationary camera work and drone shots) to subtle lighting adjustments, there was little fault to be found. Needless to say, Ong's first lead role and Moonbin's first supporting role for television broadcast were aspects worth tuning into.
So as the fall flu bug closes in on me, let's recap on some of the week's (mainly munching) excursions.
1) A breakfast of corn flakes, (last year's) Count Chocula, and a tiny but tremendously greasy chocolate chip cookie.
1) A breakfast of corn flakes, (last year's) Count Chocula, and a tiny but tremendously greasy chocolate chip cookie.
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2) ToPresso (Round 2)
In contrast to last visit's Almond Cream Cold Brew, the BOGO coupon was utilized towards a Ginger Milk Tea in hopes of soothing an aching throat. I first took to confirming the presence of ginger root in the beverage, as synthetic syrups would inflict the opposite desired effect. The girl behind the cashier noted that the drink would contain a ginger syrup, however its foundation was slices of the anti-inflammatory plant. The combination yielded a milky concoction with plentiful pungency, though it was much sweeter than preferred.
In contrast to last visit's Almond Cream Cold Brew, the BOGO coupon was utilized towards a Ginger Milk Tea in hopes of soothing an aching throat. I first took to confirming the presence of ginger root in the beverage, as synthetic syrups would inflict the opposite desired effect. The girl behind the cashier noted that the drink would contain a ginger syrup, however its foundation was slices of the anti-inflammatory plant. The combination yielded a milky concoction with plentiful pungency, though it was much sweeter than preferred.
An Iced Chocolate Latte made up the other half of the BOGO order. The specimen was reminiscent of chocolate ice cream, simply adopting the form of an icy liquid in its stead.
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3) Early Bird Espresso (Royal Bank Plaza)
Taking advantage of the last of Ritual's $1 Food Fest via an Iced Chai Latte probably wasn't the most informed decision on my part. The drink itself was tasty with minimal spiciness - just as I prefer - and the pickup process was speedy. But one glance at the rampant flies and prominent layer of befallen dust encouraged contemplation before ordering again.
Taking advantage of the last of Ritual's $1 Food Fest via an Iced Chai Latte probably wasn't the most informed decision on my part. The drink itself was tasty with minimal spiciness - just as I prefer - and the pickup process was speedy. But one glance at the rampant flies and prominent layer of befallen dust encouraged contemplation before ordering again.
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4) The Night Baker (Farmers' MRKT at Royal Bank Plaza)
The final farmers' market of the season coincided with The Night Baker's last publicly pronounced pop-up (for the next little while anyway). Naturally, I made the trek over in search of the ever-fabulous chewy, stuffed cookies.
The final farmers' market of the season coincided with The Night Baker's last publicly pronounced pop-up (for the next little while anyway). Naturally, I made the trek over in search of the ever-fabulous chewy, stuffed cookies.
As cookie fiends were made aware of the option of pre-ordering, I wrote in to request a box of 6: two PB&B, two Piñata Colada, The Classic, and Milk-n-Oreos. Amongst the newer members of the squad were PB&B and Piñata Colada, both of which had garnered quite a bit of attention prior to their launch (via teasing from the bakery's social media posts).
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Piñata Colada was incredibly plush with an oozing pineapple purée centre and satisfying strands of sweet coconut, perhaps a tad more buttery than expected but nonetheless delicious.
PB&B, a strategically assembled mix of Reese's Pieces and gooey peanut butter with subtle undertones of banana, was heaven in each bite. Appealing to even the most dubious of tasters (read: those devoid of a significant sweet tooth), the treats were devoured without a millisecond of hesitation.
5) Revisiting Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, but this time from the viva side.
6) Bamiyan Kabob
An unforeseen lunch choice, our party headed to the Afghani chain's Richmond Hill outpost just off Hwy 404 at Hwy 7. The menu didn't differ too vastly from what I recall: kabobs in various forms served alongside beige-tinted Basmati and warm flats of naan. A side of greens, dressed lightly with a translucent ranch-like drizzle, and diced tomato emulsion were also common counterparts.
An unforeseen lunch choice, our party headed to the Afghani chain's Richmond Hill outpost just off Hwy 404 at Hwy 7. The menu didn't differ too vastly from what I recall: kabobs in various forms served alongside beige-tinted Basmati and warm flats of naan. A side of greens, dressed lightly with a translucent ranch-like drizzle, and diced tomato emulsion were also common counterparts.
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The group unanimously opted for Tandoori Chicken platters, while I - the odd one out in terms of spice tolerance - took to a Chicken Breast Kabob Wrap out of consideration for my sore throat.
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My decision proved decent, albeit undeserving commends for originality. Tender, juicy chunks of chicken were found throughout the sauce-saturated pita, along with shredded lettuce and tomato. Red onions were automatically included in the mix, however their exclusion was also permissible.
Contradicting my memory was the naan bread, which exhibited a distinct aura of staleness. I'd also admit finding greater pleasure in Naan & Kabob's toasty, mellow rendition.
I snuck a bite of the tandoori chicken at one point: while smoky and undoubtedly tastier than that of my own plain grilled, it was spicier than tolerable.
I snuck a bite of the tandoori chicken at one point: while smoky and undoubtedly tastier than that of my own plain grilled, it was spicier than tolerable.
Compared to the Scarborough location, the uptown outpost offered a more expansive seating area in addition to an outdoor patio. Preparation times were average at best; our pre-lunch peak wait time approximated just under ten minutes. One also ought to be mindful that the establishment only operates on a cash or debit bases.
7) Finally biting the bullet and attempting a drop-in class at Kindred Culture
8) Having awaited the procurement of the London Fog collaboration between DAVIDsTEA x Beau's Brewery for a solid seven days, immense willpower was summoned to defer consumption of the can till the weekend, post all driving needs. In reality, the beer emitted minimal earl grey-like properties - far less noticeable than depicted.
8) Having awaited the procurement of the London Fog collaboration between DAVIDsTEA x Beau's Brewery for a solid seven days, immense willpower was summoned to defer consumption of the can till the weekend, post all driving needs. In reality, the beer emitted minimal earl grey-like properties - far less noticeable than depicted.
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That said, it remained a refreshing afternoon pick-me-up capable of being drained in under fifteen minutes.
To provide some closure to this regular mishmash of casual gustatory content, I'd like to include a brief excerpt from a particularly thoughtful podcast featuring Deuki Hong, a chef for which I have gradually developed admiration towards. Quoted from the second half of the segment is the following quote from Restaurant Editor of Food & Wine magazine, Jordana Rothman:
"Food is the lens I use to see the world around me."
- because the act of consumption lies beyond the mere necessity of satisfying a growling stomach.
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