Out & About #780 | Week #95 Quarantine Update Feat. Kronenbourg + Chicken Plus

​The first week back to reality has confirmed a number of suspicions. Among them is the foreboding feeling of loathing - an indubitable disgust for the corporate position consuming the bulk of my current lifestyle. Yet, I can escape not - not until a new milestone is attained, not until new bargaining attributes are acquired.
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Though accumulation of sleep has been made easier with the seemingly eternal work-from-home environment, it leaves much to be desired. The exercise of discipline has never proved an issue, but I thrive not in circumstances where exchange of information is limited. I am appalled by my dwindling inventory of stats from the happenings beyond my window, and even more by the every-man-for-himself mindset of those digitally too close for comfort.
Long relationships have never been my forte. I can no longer exert efforts when any further action conclusively leads to futility.

​I was once called out for a world perspective through rose-tinted glasses - a reference to naïveté that remains unshaken even after seven eventful years in the workforce. Artificial personalities deserve wariness; laziness warrants denouncing. At the end of the day, I strongly believe that nothing can undo the power of dedication and hard work. Persuading others to adopt this concept, though, is merely an ideal.

My days of project progress tracking and utility drawing review are mundane, involving matters more trivial than fruitful. I stealthily escape my desk for errands under the sun in the latter half of the week, finding myself not far from my assigned office location. I haven't seen my fellow ahgase in quite a number of weeks, though the LCBO location remains a go-to for hard-to-find European brews.

Kronenbourg Blanc had long been confirmed a worthwhile purchase. Sighting of the Strasbourg brewery's "non-Blanc" edition prompted curiosity, prompting placement of both a Blanc six-pack and two cans of the original for comparison. Qualms were appeased with a 낮술 day: the original was declared a delicious brew combining aspects of a standard lager with the citrusy notes of Blanc. Gooey holiday Rice Krispies served as a sweet 안주.

The trip also marked my first foray into the vision of Coco Chanel. Behold: the first Chanel beauty item to ever enter my cosmetic repertoire!

I was made aware of Starbucks' newest release by orangecane: an intriguing beverage centred about a popular Middle Eastern nut. Obtained at half-sweet, the Pistachio Latte was noticeably less sweet than the likes of Vanilla Lattes or Mochas, but nonetheless contained a perceivable amount of sugar. This reduction in sweetness made the synthetic butter base more obvious; the ingredient granted creaminess, as to replicate the texture of the botanical nut. It was unfortunate that its aromatic properties could not be recreated in a manmade environment. I enjoyed the drink's potency, along with its untainted surface (read: no toppings!).

Meals of the week comprised of leftovers from and, when those were depleted, a baked Pineapple-Glazed Ham dish sourced directly from my childhood.

Its composition was straightforward: pre-packaged ham and Dole pineapple rounds were arranged alternately and drizzled with a sweet, tangy gravy of starch-thickened pineapple juice. An attempt was made to char the edges for added flavour, though contributed minimally in depth and appearance.

​When Friday rolled around, I deemed it the day for Chicken Plus. Mississauga's latest Korean fried chicken shop had adopted opening times of 12 PM between Friday and Sunday, and 4 PM on all other days of the week. This would, in turn, lead to procrastination of the trip through Hurontario LRT grounds, and only if it coincided with fridge availability.

Orders of a Half-Half Chicken combo and Rose Tteokbokki were placed in advance via phone. With only low-resolution menu images available on their social media account, I took advantage of the eager tone of the lady at the other end of the line to inquire to my heart's content.

Information obtained spanned the following:

• Small Chicken orders were intended for 1 person, while Large Chicken orders (roughly 2 lbs) for 2-3 people
• The Half-Half Combo was restricted to Large Chicken orders only, yet did not discriminate between which flavours (unlike other restaurants) The Original Crispy was priced most economically, however the combo would follow the pricier selection.

​An estimated wait time of twenty minutes was anticipated.

​I found the storefront in the same plaza as Myungdong Shabu Shabu. Images of fried chicken filled the windows of the adjacent unit, but only one door could be seen. It was the same door of the European deli/market we had visited late last last year, with hours posted in a language I could interpolate but not interpret. Tugging at its handle revealed a shared space between the two businesses. To the left remained the market and its array of foreign goods, while the right had been emptied and allocated for operation of Chicken Plus.

At the end of the faux corridor was a plexiglass-equipped counter and several LCD screens, layout reminiscent of the rotating vendors within Square One. A few words were exchanged between the pixie-cut-donning manager of the cashier, including my path of discovery and clarification of any outstanding curiosities regarding the menu.

​We unveiled the adorable yellow box upon arriving home. Within it housed the Original Crispy and Yangnyeom varieties, the latter topped with a few bonus rice cakes bearing the sweet-spicy glaze.

The Original Crispy chicken boasted a thin layer of breading with sprinkle of parself and tender dark meat. The portions were gargantual, comprising of whole thigh, wing, and more - all intact and evenly coated. Its appearance was near commercial-like: a perfect, golden drumstick with crinkly, satsifying bits of batter and supple interior. The sections were scrumptious on their own, but enjoyed even more with leftover Rose Tteokbokki sauce.

Yangnyeom was, admittedly, overshadowed by creamier Rose Tteokbokki in the moment. Its sauce was thinner, clinging to the surface in the form of a concentrated gochujang syrupy; juicy flesh and an adequate amount of sauce contributed to a splendid experience that could be relived through reheating the following day.

For those with parts preference: one drumstick was allocated per flavour.

I had also taken to an order of the Rose Tteokbokki - apparently the most popular of the tteokbokki trio. In place of traditional tteok, which is often firm in nature, chewy, springy tteok "noodles" found their way into the creamy, spicy sauce along with mini sausages and gratifying slivers of bacon. The dish earned instant favour, for despite being fiery, it was appetizing and utterly addicting.

In the subsequent days, I suffered a sense of sluggishness, while my stomach squirmy churns and overall obstructed digestion capabilities. Whether the culprit be heavy amounts of grease or excessive consumption is undetermined. The aftereffects were tolerable, but unacceptable for everyday occurrence

An expiring tub of yogurt prompted compilation of a Japanese Cheesecake.

It was a modified version of the slow-baked Soufflé Cheesecake that I had attempted on two separate occasions last fall. Most ingredient quantities remained consistent with the original, with the exceptions of 50 ml of milk swapped for 125 g of plain yogurt and cake flour upped from 40 g to 60 g.

In my haste, I omitted preheating of the water bath, and merely shoved the cake into the oven prior to its internal cavity reaching a consistent temperature. Regular monitoring was conducted for the first twenty minutes of baking to salvage the cake, but premature cracking could not be avoided.
Height was maintained, as was uniform doneness and fineness of air bubbles in its cross section. The flavour, on the other, left much to be desired: a confused blend of sourness strung between forkfuls of rigidity.

Airy and cheesy the cake was not, though I remain optimistic towards future inclusions with yogurt. Sweetness, cornstarch, and a little more leavener (natural, of course) ought to resolve the issue.

​Weekends are no longer reserved for pilates in the interim, given the coerced shutdown of indoor fitness and recreational activities. Instead are chores, the rare massage, and Coconut Jelly Milk Tea from CoCo.

​Congee Queen orders ease us into the weekend and into the following work week, alleviating stresses associated with food adequacy and preparation.

Another week of the pandemic slithers away, confirming nothing but our ongoing uncertainty towards the future. We are purely creatures awaiting the break of Dawn.