Tsujiri Soba Bar, North York 2nd Fl Cafe

O-Matcha Platter

I finally got to try out Tsujiri's expansion into meals and it was definitely a good experience.  Located on the 2nd floor, the Tsujiri Soba Bar offers a different menu from the main floor drinks and desserts.  Although I enjoyed my meal (the broth was thick and savoury, noodles were al dente), the desserts definitely stand out in front.  My group tried out the O-Matcha dessert platter and the Mochi Mix.

Both desserts were very tasty and were not too sweet which is typical of Asian desserts.  Loved the different textures of each component within the platter and the matcha ice cream had a decent amount of matcha flavour.  The mochi mix also offered a contrast of flavours and textures however, it would be nice have a have slightly larger mochi pieces ;).

We also tried the noodles, below is the Miso Tsuke Soba, Sapporo Style.  Noodles are chilled but the broth warms them up.

Service was excellent and I liked how they offered hot or cold water as we were seated (it was pretty cold that day).  There space is very calming and it wasn't too busy for lunch on the weekend.  Next on my list - the afternoon tea set!

Visited: OCT2018

Tsujiri - North York location

Love this location!

I'm a bit biased though since I'm just a five minute walk away, and although I've moved away, it really is an upgrade from their downtown location.  The design is a bit more stylish and there is more space and seating.  When you're paying premium prices you expect a little more; a place to sit while having your matcha ice cream is much appreciated.  This post is actually long overdue as this was back when it was a balmy 18 degrees and not -30 degrees!  And I contemplated not posting because it just seemed too long ago but it was an enjoyable experience and after reading this blog post from sho & tell where she writes about preserving moments, reflecting on the past as a way to being alert, awake and aware, I decided to post.


If not for pictures, I don't think I would remember much of things that happened.  Also, I think Tsujiri is planning to open a second floor at this location which will likely serve food as there was a bowl of green tea noodles pictured on the sign hinting at the coming addition.  This post would be a good reminder to keep an eye open for this.



On my first visit I picked up a matcha latte.  The matcha was carefully whisked in a bowl with a chasen (bamboo whisk) before adding it to my latte which I appreciated.  It may take a little longer for your order because of this but they are preserving the way matcha is made and taking it a little slower is not a bad thing.  The latte wasn't too sweet nor too bitter, it was a pleasant matcha taste but I think I prefer slightly stronger tasting matcha.

 

On my second visit, my friend had ordered the hot matcha latte and also a matcha daifuku.  I'll only comment on the daifuku though.  The skin is extremely thin, I'm really surprised that it held the contents inside and didn't split open!  It's very soft and I would expect it to be somewhat chewy to be able to hold the filling in but it was on the softer side.  It was filled with matcha powder and a matcha cream filling, actually LOTS of cream filling.  I actually preferred having more mochi rather than cream. Taste was light though, and not extremely sweet which is how some people like it.

I ordered the matcha shaved ice with matcha soft serve. Nicely presented and enjoyed the flavours.  Sharable, but I could definitely finish this on my own!

I've also bought their matcha powder and sencha tea bags.  Both were on the mild side so it'll be nice if they could introduce a stronger tasting matcha. 

Here are some interior shots: 

Seating at the front

Dividing section between ordering area and more quieter seating

Back table and stools, beautifully lit.

Picture Update

I've been taking pictures but have been quite preoccupied to post so here is a picture update of what I've been doing lately and some of the meals I've had recently...

Chrysanthemum honeysuckle tea and pineapple bun (BLB) with half slab of butter at Lucculus Bakery in downtown Markham. ..yum!

Red oolong from Thailand with a cranberry scone at home.  Enjoying the tea subscription from Thetea.pl and must do a dedicated post soon for their tea club!

Homemade gooseberry and sweet potato filled mochi/daifuku...still need practice but love the burst of tartness of the gooseberry.

Tried the Love Me Sweet chocolate cheese tart...pretty good.

Game of Cheese...a fusion pasta restaurant at Commerce Gate in Richmond Hill surprised us.  This spot has changed restaurants so many times that it seemed abnormal to see it so busy and with reserved tables!  Service was very polite.

Chicken and Duck Korean restaurant. ..enjoyed the side dishes (banchans) and the broths were comforting however the duck soup lacked quality duck pieces...mainly bones.

Lunch at home using leftovers. ..love adding pickled turnip and carrots to savoury dishes.

Aged tea....mmm.

Matcha bingsoo from The Cups on Yonge.  Thanks to my friend who came to enjoy this with me one hot afternoon! 

At the North York Centre farmers market held every Thursday. ..bought the sweetest cheddar from Monforte Dairy.

Enjoying a weekday lunch special at Ten Ren's Tea at Times Ave.

Made half decorated hedgehog cookies with some cookie cutters I bought a while ago.

That's it for now.  Hopefully I'll be able to do some more dedicated posts soon.

Dazzling Cafe in Toronto

For months I could only see a glimpse of the distinct pink and white front signage for Dazzling Cafe from afar but never confirmed what it was till recently.  In Taipei, Dazzling Cafe is well known for it's desserts and specifically honey toast.  When they first opened, line ups would be so long that on my last visit to Taiwan, I didn't attempt to go.  But upon realizing they have opened a Toronto location just down the street from where I am, I decided it was time to try this dessert cafe.

The decor is very cute and feminine; typical of some places in Taiwan where girlfriends love to gather for brunch or dessert.  It definitely makes you feel quite "girly" and although I'm past the age of baby doll dresses and reading ViVi magazine, I still love the dining experience of something so cute.

Chairs with bunny ears :)

We had gone for dinner despite knowing the food options were not going to be plenty nor were portions going to be large.  I figured we'd make up the calories with dessert!  :)

Ordered popcorn chicken, came heavily seasoned with five spice powder and pepper, not bad.

I had the bacon and poached egg pasta which looked and tasted good but portions were small for North America.  Very normal for Taiwan though.  You also don't get much in the way of bacon but the egg was poached well.  The pasta wasn't very heavy, if you're used to rich sauces you may not enjoy it as it was more light and pleasant.

My partner had the pork jowl baked rice.  Tasted good as well but very small portions.

We each got a milk tea which tasted fine, nothing spectacular though.  We did ask for reduced sugar and ice.  Too bad they didn't have any special set meals where the drink is at a discount.

Dessert...

Hazelnut chocolate honey toast was a mountain of bread, ice cream and whipped cream.  It was good but definitely lacked enough ice cream and had too much whipped cream to really make it an extraordinary dessert.  And I think I was disappointed that the ice cream was vanilla.  They cut the inside of the toast into cubes and the hazelnut choocalate part was a small amount of nutella piped into each cube.  In the end, we had quite a bit of the toast shell left over.  If they made this with even just one more scoop of ice cream it'd be much better.

Service was great which always makes the experience better.  They have a small upper level and I noticed a few high chairs were available for those bringing little ones.  Overall, it is expensive for what you get, but I'd consider coming back again for a bubble tea and/or dessert with friends.


Dazzling Cafe

37 Sheppard Avenue E
Toronto, ON M2N 7K1

T:  647-723-7300

http://dazzlingcafecanada.com/

Sasaki Pastry - Second Location

Newly opened in North York!

Sasaki Fine Pastry offers a selection of freshly made daifuku or filled mochi and they were very well made!  YUM!  The original location is in J-Town but I rarely go there so it's great they have opened in my neighbourhood.  Picked up a sakura cream and a houjicha cream mochi and both were billowy soft, had a good ratio of filling to skin and perfect as a small treat with tea.  They're not as QQ or have as much of a chew as some Taiwanese mochi but I think a lot of people prefer this soft texture.

The sakura was more subtle in flavour while the houjicha was much stronger which I liked quite a bit.  The houjicha cream was surrounded by a layer of red bean and worked well.  

I love making mochi myself but when I don't do it often, the uniformity can be a challenge.  It also takes quite a bit of time to make a small batch (cream filled is also finicky) so I'm quite happy that I can get it ready made and in various flavours.  They do cost $2.50 each but considering I haven't had much time these days and I also don't have to wash up, it's worth it!

I was in a rush unfortunately and couldn't stay to take pictures of the interior but the space is small with a few tables; this would definitely be more a take-out place.  They also have some beverages and sell dorayaki.  Service was friendly.

Sasaki Fine Pastry

112-10 Northtown Way
Toronto, ON M2N 7L4

T: (647) 349-2288

Happy Year of the Rooster!

Yesterday was the first day of the Lunar New Year, Year of the Rooster.  

Happy New Year!

For the new year I usually make a new year's glutinous rice cake (see a previous year's) and this year is no different.

I followed this recipe over at my friend The Craft Bandit's blog but cut the recipe in half and made a small modification to the instructions. This yields a cake that is a little more cake-like, but if you like more chewy it's best to stick to the original recipe.

1 - 9" round cake

2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp oil
200g (Mochiko) glutinous rice flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

red bean paste (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line or butter you baking pan.
Beat eggs and sugar together until thickened.
Add the coconut milk, milk, and oil and combine.
Mix the glutinous rice flour, baking powder, and salt together.
Add dry flour mix to egg mixture and stir until combined and there are no lumps.
Pour into cake pan.
If adding red bean paste, pour 2/3 of batter in pan, distribute red bean on top.  I used two spoons to drop small amounts all over.
Pour remainuing batter on top to cover the red bean.
Bake for 35-40 mins.

For the red bean paste I used store bought but I've also recently made some at home with my Instant Pot with good results using the recipe at JustOneCookbook.

Wishing everyone a healthy, harmonious and happy new year!

Drinking hand picked baozhong/pouchong tea from Taiwan.

Light Cafe - Offering Light Meals, Desserts and Coffee/Tea on Baldwin St.

A clean and modern space, Light Cafe 路燈咖啡 will appeal to those looking for a light meal or leisure chat with friends over waffles and coffee or tea.  Light Cafe is originally from Taiwan and I believe this is their first branch outside of Taiwan.  Gosh, how I miss cafes in Taiwan!!

You'll notice quite a bit of detail went towards the atmosphere, menu, and food presentation.  Especially important in this age of social media, pictures are worth a thousand words.  Typically, cafes like these have average food (of course there are some exceptions that also have stellar food) but the draw for people is the food presentation and the space is usually a haven for a girls get-together. Not to say guys don't go, but walk into a cafe like this in Taiwan and the majority of patrons are groups of females.  However, if it's near a university than there will be a more balanced ratio, but I would say girls still out number guys.

Anyway back to my meal.  I was by myself on a Monday and ordered the smoked duck salad and an iced Southbrook berry herbal tea. Although I thought about ordering one of their sandwiches, the smoked duck is not too common in a salad and I had quite a bit of bread for breakfast so a salad it was.  The salad was very fresh and paired with their yuzu salad dressing, it added just the right amount of zing.  But, I would have liked a little more butternut squash or tomatoes or both to make it a little more like an entree salad.  Overall, a good salad.  But to be honest, I was still hungry afterwards...I think I would have even settled for just a slice of buttered toast with my salad.

The berry tea was also very nice; both in taste and presentation.  A nice berry taste, not too sweet, no artificial aftertaste and quite refreshing. I also liked how they presented the tea with frozen berries and apple slices...makes the price of the tea a little more worth it.  If I were to say anything negative, it would be that there was a ton of ice in the drink!

It's interesting that the cafe decided to use Pluck Teas which is a local purveyor of tea rather than Taiwanese tea.  I've heard about Pluck Teas, but have not purchased or tried any of their teas until now.  Pluck Teas tries to separate themselves by stating that they use local ingredients in their tea blends.  Of course the tea leaves are from overseas, but the added ingredients could be local depending on the blend.  On their website, they list whether they use local product or not however in a blend with 6 ingredients, I'm not sure if all are local when they say local.  I've noticed Pluck Teas showing up in a lot of places now and I think it definitely owes to the personal touch of the founder...definitely look out for this tea company!

Quite spacious

Looking out through their front window.

In terms of value, I would say that is where the salad was lacking.  It was over $10 and in a city like Toronto where you have lots of great options for salads (e.g. IQ foods for a quick lunch option), it's a bit steep for what you get.  Especially when most of the salad is actually spinach and mixed greens. Despite this, Light Cafe is definitely worth a second visit to try their sandwiches which looked very appetizing, and their waffles and ice cream!  Oh, and bring CASH, they don't accept anything else.

Also, if you're a coffee fan, they also have some interesting coffee options.  Their Light Cafe Special coffee and the cotton candy coffee (the online menu offers a picture of these items) are definitely worth a look!

Light Cafe 路燈咖啡
23 Baldwin St.
Toronto, ON M5T 1L1
647-347-3883
http://lightcafe.ca/

BB Cafe - Pomegranate Cake and Persian tea

BB Cafe is a Persian cafe offering Persian desserts and teas as well as light lunch options like salads, crepes, and stuffed waffles.  It definitely has that 'home-y' kind of feel to it.  With two locations, both along Yonge St., the original in North York and their second in Richmond Hill, this place has been on my radar for quite some time and finally I decided to check them out...in February (yes, it's long overdue!).  Updating this blog hasn't really been a priority but I thought this place deserved a mention.

We checked out the Richmond Hill cafe and grabbed a table on the second floor, pretty nice.

I ordered the traditional Persian black tea and a slice of pomegranate cake.  The tea was nicely presented and was a light black tea, similar tasting to a Ceylon (Sri Lankan) tea.  You drop a sugar cube into your cup and it slowly dissolves providing a nice level of sweetness, even as you pour more tea into your cup.  The pomegranate cake was a huge slice!  The flavours were mild but you could taste the tart taste of pomegranate and there were pomegranate seeds within the cake.  The glaze on top of the cake was a little too thick though.

My partner had an iced tea and house-made pistachio ice cream.

Just a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.  I think I would come back to try their crepes or stuffed waffles if I was in the area again. 如果我們再來這區, 我會試試他們的可麗餅或鬆餅(窩夫).

Main floor seating

Upper level seating

BB Cafe 

10067 Yonge Street
Richmond Hill, ON L4C 1T9

905-237-6565
http://bbcafe.ca/

Why the occasional duplicate sentence written in Chinese?  

One of my goals starting in 2016 is to improve my Chinese language skills so this is one way I'm going about it.  
Please comment if you noticed I've totally messed up!  Thanks!

Tsujiri in Toronto, A Matcha Tea Lover's Heaven

Ok, maybe not 'heaven' but pretty blissful if you're a fan of matcha tea, AND as long as you don't mind waiting in line for probably 30-60 minutes.  Tsujiri is a Japanese brand established in 1860 in Kyoto, Japan that opened their first North American store in Toronto, so it was no wonder that there were long lines!  Their menu is also quite diverse, offering Japanese tea beverages (you can get a variety of beverages that are not matcha), floats, soft serve ice cream, sundaes, shaved ice/kakigori, and pastries made using matcha tea.  

Last week I invited some friends to check it out as I get excited about matcha anything...

After a 30 minute wait, we ordered a few things to share...and after another 20 minutes got our orders.

A quick run-down:

Soft serve matcha ice cream...the matcha flavour is nice and strong and the aftertaste is slightly bitter but the kind of bitter that is expected and enjoyed...the best in Toronto.

抹茶冰期淋...抹茶味道夠濃和很好.  後味有點苦味可是這種苦是享受的種苦味.  我覺得是多倫多最棒的抹茶冰期淋.

Matcha chiffon cake sundae...chiffon cake was light but couldn't compare to the soft serve...there are corn flakes layered near the bottom.
Matcha cream puff...filled with whipped cream and matcha cream, enjoyed and at a good price point.
Matcha latte...good, but I would have preferred stronger matcha flavour....milk was nicely frothed.
Matcha shaved ice/kakigori...very good, the syrup drizzled on the ice was top notch...but quite expensive.
Mochi/shiratama with black sesame...chewy, but I thought it was just okay and something that can be made at home.

They offer a range of drinks that include houjicha and yuzu tea that I'm sure to try in the future, but most people were getting the ice cream, sundaes and shaved ice...they are fairly unique and are soooo instagramable that it's not a surprise people are willing to shell out $8 for a cup.  If you look at menus in other parts of the world (e.g. Taiwan), when you do the $ conversion, the prices are the same so it's not like they are overcharging North Americans, that is just what it is priced at.  And judging from the flavour of the matcha soft serve, you do get quality.

The staff were trying to be as efficient as they could and would tell people in line when something ran out so you'd have time to come up with a backup if that said item was what you wanted originally.

TSUJIRI

"Tsujiri assures you of the highest quality Japanese teas and sweets that create a more tasteful ambience and a moment of tranquility in your life"

- tagline on their takeout bag

I would like to think there is 'a moment of tranquility' when you sip or eat whatever tea product it is, but the experience could be less than tranquil when you have hoards of people crammed into the narrow space. Seating...almost non-existent.  Despite this, I would definitely come back!

Waiting in line to order...

Tsujiri

147 Dundas St. W. (West of Bay St.)

Toronto, ON M5G 1C5

Toronto FB Page

Why the occasional duplicate sentence written in Chinese?  

One of my goals starting in 2016 is to improve my Chinese language skills so this is one way I'm going about it.  
Please comment if you noticed I've totally messed up!  Thanks!