Out & About #614 | DIY Sushi, Ninetails Coffee Bar + Lim Ga Ne

1/17/2020

Group activities are decidedly uncommon in my neck of the woods. So when a certain prehistoric creature extended an invite to a DIY sushi get-together with the promise of mahjong, I was more than thrilled to get going on the 401 early Sunday morning.

The day prior could be summarized to outright helter-kelter: in between weekend work shifts were "grosho" runs, and in between those were intermittent preparatory procedures for gathering-ready baked goodies. Without a doubt, I was worn to the core by the end of my sixth workday, especially given that badminton and laundry were the customary terminal tasks of the day.

Nonetheless, there was no shortage of enjoyment in presenting Chocolate Buttercrunch Cookies - made possible with the acquisition of fraktals from the Seasons Christmas Market at the table.
Apple Pie and an impromptu Mixed Berry (with hidden marshmallows) also received astounding feedback.

After being acquainted with nigiri-wrapping and shari-tossing techniques, we cleared the table and proceeded with the next order of business: Mahjong, with a side of mild alcohol.

The rest of the group guzzled Asahi while I had my taste at MacKinnon Brothers' Red Fox Ale; it was, regrettably, bitter and not reminiscent of amber ale in the slightest.

The Indian Roti House along Queens Quay was visited for a quiet weekday lunch, with our roti ordered online in advance for pickup.

A Mango Chicken Curry Roti - made mild (with special instructions for further mildness) - was shared amongst a party of two. Presented in an aluminium foil tin was a rectangular parcel, and within it a sweet-savoury mix of tender chicken bites and occasional strands of spinach. Its cloying properties were likely owed to canned mango concentrate, which yielded a degree of sugariness that would have paired optimally with higher notches of spice. Nonetheless, it was a highly enjoyable dish and ideally portioned for two.

The pick-up process was swift and effortless; the hair net-donning cashier was also incredibly amiable.

Dine-in seating was available within the shop, however, as greasy fumes were rampant within, it is recommended that scent-sensitive supporters take to outdoor seating (or even benches along the waterfront) during milder climate to enjoy their roti of choice. One should also be mindful that the quick-service shop operates on a cash-only basis.

The proximity of the shop rendered it an ideal pre-skating meal, which is precisely the pasttime we subsequently undertook.

An afternoon coffee run to Pilot resulted in a Mocha and Americano combo.

A Junior Chicken was the supper choice following a brief meetup with ochungg.

My cold brew bean stash was restocked on one fateful afternoon. Balzac's Las Rosa was my first foray into the Brantford-based roastery's assortment.
A noticeable duration has since passed, but the lady who had graciously substantiated my knowledge of beans during my last visit recognized me without dubiety.

She pleasantly followed up with introductions of their Espresso Blend and further provided recommendations from the coffee shop's winter-exclusive menu. We ultimately opted to split a White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Latte, which was quite nice at first sip but later exhibited tackiness with white chocolate clumps lining the bottom of the cup.

A somewhat planned visit to Vaughan entailed a morning coffee run at Faema Caffe.

The coffee shop/commercial brewing equipment showroom was immediately across from Vaughan Mills, cuddled in one of Concord's most confusing commons.
Gelato and rows upon rows of traditional Italian pastries graced the display cases. A chalkboard coffee menu was found towards the back of the establishment, just behind the cashier.

Obtained on this visit were two large cups of cinnamon-capped Cappuccino, Tiramisu to go, a single ricotta Cannoli, and a foamy Café au Lait.

The milky beverage scalded me, and also possessed less of a caffeinated punch than ideal. Au contraire, the Cannoli was relayed to be crunchy and delicious. My own segment of Tiramisu was moist - exceptionally so - with milder notes of cheesiness in comparison to SanRemo. The sizable square was heavy on the stomach, thus consequentially separated into two servings.

Originally sighted prior to the New Year was a new cafe opening in Koreatown. The East Asian mythology-inspired Ninetails assumed a spot on my post-haircut itinerary.

Named with the intention of paying homage to the largely Chinese- and Korean-dominant demographic of the neighbourhood, the quaint quarters offered traditionally prepared Uji matcha in addition to a full spectrum of espresso-based beverages. Housemade dorayaki and Japanese-style Cheesecakes (sourced from Supermoon) were also retailed alongside croissants (hailing from a Vaughan-based bakery I cannot recall the name of). The Espresso Cream rendition, in particular, piqued my interest.

My dining partner had taken to a Butter Croissant and Latte pairing while activities at Hair Bank had me preoccupied. By the time I ventured over, the rosetta had long vanished. A wonky, flaky cross-section remained.

Restricting myself to the signature picks, I ultimately settled on a duo of dorayaki - the last of the day's inventory - and a verdant, glossy bowl of matcha, prepared in the absence of additives as one would in a tea ceremony. (Though, whether proper teaware such as a ceramic water heater and wooden ladle were used could not be identifed.) The dorayaki, otherwise known as the sole bakery item that was crafted in-house, contained a pleasant mix of velvety matcha cream and chunky red bean paste. Its pancake portions were thankfully less sweet than the storebought editions.

The single accessible washroom stall was as pristine as the rest of the dining floor, all while maintaining consistency with the cafe's chosen tiling. Conical light fixtures provided ambient illumination, while occasional appearances by potted plants assisted in diversifying the interior's otherwise thoroughly tan tone. Friendly staff and a password-secured Wi-Fi network were other notable features of our stay.

Coin karaoke at Echo followed suit, then a delayed dinner at Lim Ga Ne - for traversing back to the west end was deemed too lengthy a wait for sustenance.

The restaurant was abnormally quiet for a Thursday evening, especially given the surrounding residential and academic districts. Manning the floor was a single middle-aged lady who had absolutely no issues with allowing a party of two to take hostage of a six-seater.

Gracing the wall was a menu accompanied by images, along with a monitor on which CP24 continuously aired.

In light of the plummeting external temperatures, we sought out Galbi Tang (#5) and the healthier take on pork belly known as BoSsam (#61). A total of six banchan soon emerged before our ravenous gazes: japchae, radish kimchi, cabbage kimchi, bean sprouts, tofu strips, and gochu-specked laver. The cubed radish kimchi was my personal favourite, though I do admit that its fieriness grew less tolerable with time.

Differing drastically from the Myungdong edition I had grown accustomed to, Lim Ga Ne's BoSsam consisted of a definitive trio of blanched, heavily salted cabbage leaves, seasoned spicy dried radish (무말랭이무침), and unbreakable slabs of boiled pork belly. The combination was a travesty of a meal for individual assembly: not only were the individual profiles of the components in complete disagreement, the cabbage pieces were far too small (and limp) to be wrapped about its companions.

The Kalbi Tang was tastier, but merely on a scale of relativity. Synthetic flavour enhancers and tough bites of short rib summed up the bubbling bowl.

A sluggish dining partner was synonymous with a very late return, which then entailed an excruciating Friday morning.

Sushi leftovers - provided by the irrationally generous prehistoric creature - and complimentary CoCo acted as pre-Kindred pick-me-ups.