Out & About #59 | Winter Hangouts# #4: Boxing Day Round 2 + LOHAS

Markville was named the destination of Boxing Day Round 2 after a last-minute change of plans the night before.

Despite Boxing Day having already passed, the deals had remained the same as the day before, and the mall was only a little less busy than Square One. (Bath and Body Works were selling body creams at a steal of $4 per 226g tube!)

And for the first time ever, I witnessed bubble tea and food stalls handing out BOGO coupons. The following Panda Milk Tea (essentially milk tea containing a mix of original and pearl tapioca) and Passionfruit Green Tea with Basil Seeds were obtained using a 2 for $6 deal.

A few hours later, the mall had been thoroughly explored, and so I suggested LOHAS for an afternoon snack.

At least a year and a half has passed since I last visited the cozy little tea joint, and within that time, I believe the store has changed owners. The Taiwanese father and son duo that had previously been running the restaurant were nowhere to be seen; instead, a Cantonese-speaking family seemed to be in charge. Quite a number of new items had been added to the menu as well, including this awkward slab of "Mud Pie".

I had my doubts when I saw the photo in the menu, but my curiosity was piqued when the waitress said that the Mud Pie consisted of pudding, banana, and chopped Oreo pieces. I can't say the taste lived up to my curiosity though: the dish was essentially diced bananas smothered in pudding mix, topped with Oreo bits, and dusted with cocoa powder. My friend pointed out that it resembled <s> a sad-looking plate of </s> scrambled eggs.

The more normal dish of the two that were ordered was the Thick Toast with Green Tea Cream. While again not too incredibly pleasing in terms of aesthetics, it tasted much better in comparison. The toast was crispy without being flaky, with a sweet and fluffy interior. The sweetened condensed milk was a bit overpowering, but the matcha flavour was still evident.

The service was rather slow for a lazy weekend afternoon, especially since only four tables were being occupied. It's nowhere near Demetre's sloth-like level though - and thank goodness for that! I had plans scheduled right after and could not afford to be late, thus forcing my friend to rush with me (oops!).
Overall, the dishes weren't too pricey, and nor was the service unacceptably slow. The servers also proved to be very friendly and understanding. Next time, I probably won't order the Mud Pie though (^ ^;).

---