"Leisurely" is a manner by which I am unable to progress through my daily duties, for it is a constant race against time. With every patched hole, at least two new holes surface in the canoe of life. Resilience is gradually receding.
Around 12:45 PM, we arrived at Pür & Simple in Heartland. The brunch spot had surfaced on my feed countless times over the past several weeks, leading to familiarity with the name, though I hadn't investigated any further. Its location was interesting, nestled in the same plaza as Best Buy, Five Guys, and The Halal Guys; it satisfied a niche customer base unsatiated by the existing roster of businesses.
The dining quarters were rather tiny, with tables placed relatively close to one another and incredible noise levels. We strolled in to a packed scene and were informed of an approximate forty-five minute wait. The hostess relayed the possibility of reservation cancellations, as "it always happens", with the next booking in ten minutes. I inquired further about a two-seater by the door and the probability of that table being available within a range of ten to forty-five minutes. She contemplated the question for a brief moment, then granted us the table without hesitation, as the pre-booked were "likely to cancel anyway".
We excitedly slid into the compact table, thankful towards her decision. Its positioning by the entrance wasn't ideal given the occasional gusts from the door opening, but it wasn't a big deal either as temperatures weren't that cold. Moreover, there was no wait time!
We took to sharing one sweet item and one savoury item, much as how a fellow July baby does.
No-Gria, the virgin rendition of a sangria, was requested to pair alongside our selection. Sprite/7-Up was substituted with carbonated water, keeping the drink refreshing without being too sweet. Fresh berries was a splendid addition for infusion. The paper straw disintegrated and unraveled over time, prompting a request for a new one about three-quarters through our stay.
Forks flew towards the Mexicana Skillet. Arranged within the not-so-scorching iron plate, we found well-balanced flavours: a subtle crunch from taters, the soft profile of black beans, butteriness from ripe avocado slices, satisfying strings of melted cheese, tartness from tomatoes, and the sturdy yet runny cross-section of easy-over eggs. A spoon was later requested to portion out the dish. Complaints of insufficient cheesiness were heard from across the table, though I personally found the assortment perfect and well-rounded. I was particularly appreciative of the mildness of the skillet, for even the salsa-like component was mild and free from the typical pungency of Mexican-themed fare.
Each slice was slightly savoury, but then brushed with the sweeteness of cream and coulis and furthered in delectability with ample fresh blueberries and raspberries. The berries were neither damp nor mushy; spectacularly fresh, it was if they had been sourced from the farmer's market just that morning. An additional drizzle of maple syrup contrasted splendidly against its eggy centre. My only gripe lay with the screw-top bottle: without a spout, it was not pour-friendly, leading to stray syrup dribbles on the side if not wiped after use.
Leftovers were slid within biodegradable boxes for transporting home. One out of three French Toast Crisp slices remained, along with approximately a handful of taters from the Mexican Skillet. In hindsight, the meal had been quite pricey given its components. That said, it was a warranted treat - infrequent to be had in the future, but justifiable given the circumstances.
In the Disney Store's successor of Mind Games, we were able to obtain further details on the Codenames variations. The shop was lined with more board games than I could fathom. Being not one to engage in static activities, it was bewildering to me that such a market had existed to begin with. More shocking was the very fact that I had entered the store at all! An afternoon of board games had altered this perspective slightly, though spending copious amounts of time on puzzles and sitting games would still assume the lowest rank on my list of interests, just alongside cleaning and repetitive manual labour.
Inflation was no newcomer to my surroundings, however. Besides the steep incline in dairy costs at the supermarket, pre-made juices and smoothies were also seen hiking up from $5 to $7.50 and even up to $9! Parched from Pump It Up! yet unwilling to yield to the treacherous lineups and their outrageous price points, we persevered on our return route.
Rounding the corner of the former Godiva shop, juice samples were observed from beyond the display window. The lady behind waved us inward. We had chanced across a one-day pop-up for Wow Sorrel's juices. A total of four varieties lined the table, each emphasizing the health benefits of a different tropical ingredient. One contained hibiscus, while another sea moss. My preference lay with the June Plum formula, which was zingy from ginger yet tart from the plum-pineapple combination.
Dinner was obtained from I Love Pho yet again. The spread consisted of Grilled Chicken and Spring Roll with Vermicelli and Fresh Rolls with Avocado, Grilled Beef, and Shrimp.