Out & About #814 | Weekly Roundup: Hiroi Sushi + Summer Evening Cycling

Feedback tends to generate a wide array of responses. Constructive criticism isn't always met with a positive, contemplative reaction. Yet, the same can be said about praise.

When chancing across new species of humans, I was dumbfounded to find them fishing for praise, that mindless commentary from those irrelevant to their lives held so much power over them. I also grew wary of those seemingly allergic to feedback, any negativity or disagreement from their preferred practice or habits, and, conclusively, change.
On the contrary, rarely do I respond positively to praise, instead seeking out areas of improvement that can be addressed constructively. While a firm non-believer of perfection (beyond GOT7 and Park Jinyoung, of course), I've strived to achieve objectively good results by taking into consideration the perspective of a variety of users. Further constructive remarks are also welcome, with each iteration enabling growth and progress.

Many, many attempts at Soy Braised Eggs have honed a time-consuming, but worthwhile procedure. The eggs ought be cooked to a soft-boiled state, where the whites have solidified but the yolks remain runny. The soy-based formula is brought to a simmer, reduced, and let cool to at least room temperature. Too many times have I submerged cooled eggs into piping hot braise, leading residual heat to remove the translucent, gooey properties of the yolk. One cannot rush the steeping process: forty-eight hours is the minimum chill time required to obtain umami goodness.

A replacement microwave reinstated the ability to quickly reheat food and beverages, eliminating the 30-minute heat-up period and reducing the chance of steam burns.
Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate and Coffee Frappés were enjoyed as mid-day pick-me-ups, while a soju float combining Green Apple Soju and Hazelnut Gelato from Nani's Gelato sealed off a relaxing post-stretch session.

A gentle buzz set off my phone around lunch hour on a sunny Tuesday - it was McDonald's announcing their new McNugget dipping sauce. Without a moment's hesitation, I was persuaded to embark on the trip.

Temperatures had dropped since the previous day, casting a chilly veil on the park I had ventured towards. The skies were vividly blue, yet cloud cover was unmistakable. Occasional gusts had me questioning my choice of attire: nylon Adidas track pants and the white short-sleeved tee from Jay B's first Represent collaboration.

The spread consisted of a Big Mac ($3.49 on Mobile Offer!), Peach Passionfruit Smoothie, and 10-piece McNuggets. Alongside the chain's newest Honey BBQ sauce was the classic choice of Barbeque.

​Gratifying and exceptionally filling, I was readied for tackling the rest of the work day, yearning not for mid-day snacks (as I often do).

The sleepy polar bear and I had agreed on forgoing the pricier weekend dinner pick of JaBistro in favour of supporting a local Mississauga takeout spot on an overcast Wednesday evening. Hiroi Sushi had made headlines for offering up affordable platters from a small commercial kitchen spot by Glen Erin and Britannia.

​Having been warned by reviewers, our order was placed at 5 PM for a 7 PM pickup. Realistically, there was less concern over weeknight volumes than weekends and holidays. Upon arriving, we noticed a constant stream of orders being accepted via phone, prepared by the team of six in the back, and handed to customers. Overheard was a conversation between the cashier and a customer on the phone: the estimated wait time was one hour from the point of order placement.

We took the nearby park to enjoy our pairing of SR9. Aburi Scallop & Salmon Dragon Roll and PT8. Medium Sashimi Tray. The torched maki roll set us back $16.95 - not particularly pricey given consistency with Hub Sushi's signature creations over the years. Somewhat crunchy tempura, ripe avocado, and substantial bits of salmon and scallop were sampled. It was deduced that, while the inclusion of both salmon and scallop had been grounds for uniqueness, the overall composition wasn't particularly memorable. Nonetheless delicious, the Aburi elements neither accented nor subdued complexity of flavour. 

The Medium Sashimi Tray, which had bore not much of a description beyond its 25-piece sashimi count, comprised of a thick, luxurious cuts, ample yellow pickled ginger, and the unexpected inclusion of takowasa. Intriguing were the chosen shapes: 0.75 inch-thick cuts of salmon, nearly cube-like, 1 inch-thick cuts of maguro, and rectangular slabs of unidentifiable fish were observed. Tobiko-topped cuttlefish rings, pickled jalapenos, and plenty of wasabi were nice touches. Perhaps the only complaints would be the underlying greens, tawny, withering, and speckled with forgotten dirt, along with the too-salty takowasa.

​Appetites yet to be satiated, I proposed churros for dessert.

Off we sped to Mount Sinai True Mexican Taste, where a total of seven churros and two containers of chocolate dipping sauce were acquired. A bonus churro had been gifted by the lady behind the cashier, presumably one of the owner's of the family-operated establishment. 

The authentic delicacies were as astounding as the first visit: still toasty from the fryer and coated generously in cinnamon sugar.

​Sample cups of Horchata and a ruby-magenta-toned fluid with Jamaican origins were provided to us each. While the Horchata boasted a sweet, milky profile akin to 杏仁霜 (or Chinese Almond Tea/杏仁茶), its companion was more tart and even a tad reminiscent to the beetroot juice sample (sans ginger) from Wow Sorrel.​

In the absence of a functioning second Joy-Con, I presented Super Smash Bros on GameCube instead.

I had internally expressed some concern over the twiggy limbs that remained in our backyard. Temperatures had warranted the regrowth of foliage, yet none were seen.
Surely enough, the buds appeared shortly after this thought, filling my peripheral with green-ness overnight.

The sole creation of the week was an No-Bake Cheesecake. Truthfully, I had hankered for a baked variation with a graham cracker crust intact, but there was absolutely no desire to turn on the oven.

​I commenced with a rough guideline for New York Cheesecake, scaling the quantity of crushed biscuit and melted butter for my pan size. As in many instances, my impatience tends to overtake the process: I didn't read far enough to realize the inclusion of egg yolks, thus the requirement for baking.
​So, despite having utilized the scale for both butter (ignore the explosion - the new microwave is really quite powerful!) and cream cheese, I derailed after seeing "eggs" in the ingredient list.

With the recent acquisition of a 900 g tub of Liberté Vanilla Mediterranean Yogurt, a thicker variation than Greek yogurt at 9% MF (milk fat), I proceeded to dump roughly (emphasis on "roughly", now) one-third of its contents into the cream cheese mixture. A bit of gelatin would then be used to stabilize the formula. ​This amount, as I would later discover, was insufficient in rendering structure and keeping moisture at bay.
​The surface swirl was formulated by mixing strawberry jam into a small amount of the batter.

​In order to facilitate the process (ie. reduce the period between chilling and consumption), I shoved the crust into the freezer to harden quickly. The same step was repeated once the filling had been poured within. Revealing a distinct inability to set up within a few hours, I transferred the cake to the fridge to rest overnight and prevent the need for thawing.
The next morning, I was dismayed to see loose edges still and a fragile cream cheese layer. Moreover it was revealed that dampness had seeped into the crust, causing it to disintegrate and lose its crunchiness. These side effects only worsened with time.

Given the substitution of yogurt for heavy cream and eggs, the cake was lighter than most no-bake cheesecakes. That said, its failure to adopt a solid, slice-able state indicated failure - one that could easily be avoided by taking care in execution. Alas, it remains a personal goal of mine to conduct these impromptu baking ventures without the need for a guidebook - to own the process and modify it to my whims and desires!

​Friday saw the emergence of an overall haggard internal being. With fewer and fewer days left to tend to pre-vacation build-up, I was keener to relieve my burden than to spend an evening of, essentially, doing nothing with the sleepy polar bear. Admittedly, there was conflict within. And when technical hindrances appeared, I took it as a sign to rest.

​Cycling in the summer evening hours entail benefits of cooler temperatures, fewer vehicular traffic (less dust), and the accompanying backdrop of a gradual sunset. Active transportation also serves to combat the atrocious spikes in gas prices as of late.

​Perhaps the one downside is risk of reduced illumination, endangering one's safety on the return trip. Hi-vis clothing, brilliant front and rear bike lights, and vigilance is critical in these situations. An awareness of bike lanes and multi-use paths also assists to ensure a stress-free ride back, for it delineates cyclists from lanes of active traffic.

​I preach the accessibility of the road network for all road users, whether it be automobiles, cyclists, or pedestrians. Thinking in terms of the economic pillar, we are all taxpayers, thus assume equal rights to municipal services and infrastructure improvements. From a social perspective, accessible roads and sidewalks promote inclusivity; public services ought to act as enablers of opportunity, design optimized for use by as large a demographic as possible.