Infuse Cafe - A Brewing Revolution?

Hmmm, reverse atmospheric infusion?  Vacuums?  I really need to brush up on my sciences!  Infuse Cafe has been open for about 8 weeks and they are trying to get the word out that their tea brewing technique (R.A.I.N.) produces a more flavourful tea. 

 

I had walked by before but only when my friend sent me an event by Toronto Commons did I decide to make an effort to visit this cafe. (Here is the next event in Oct.) Infuse serves organic teas (specifically Rishi teas) and a few coffee beverages.  They are not in the business of adding ingredients such as tapioca to their drinks so don't mistake this for a bubbletea place.  Hot, cold, and milk teas are available as well as some shakes like the matcha one that I was really tempted to get.  But, selection is limited.

 

First impression is that it was pretty good.  I ordered an iced Jasmine Green Tea with half sugar.  They suggested full as it could be bitter due to the strength of the tea but I usually drink my teas straight (at home) or with half sugar (when I'm out), so insisted on the half.  It wasn't bitter and half worked for me.  Liked that they are willing to make recommendations though. 

My second visit I got a hot tea, the Jade Cloud.  The aroma is like dragonwell tea but the flavour is not as "grassy".  It's quite flavourful though.  There was a small amount of bitterness to it but not a bad type of bitter.  Overall, okay, but I liked the Jasmine Green better.

The Bkon Brewing Machine that is used, brews tea and also works for coffee.  I'm not sure if the taste is that much better with this brewing technique, but I'd be interested in seeing a side by side comparison of regular brewing and brewing by R.A.I.N. However, if it tastes good, does it matter? Maybe the question I'd like to ask is, do you get more antioxidants out of the leaf? Since they mention the "deeper layer of soluble material is extracted" in phase 2 of the technique, they are referring to the flavour but does this mean antioxidants too? That would be really something!  Or actually, as my mind starts going off on a tangent...if the tea is more flavourful, offering single estate ceylon teas (from differing tea gardens) for example could be interesting.   Maybe you can really taste the nuances of each? Anyway, tea geek, I know. 
 

In terms of atmosphere, there is a good amount of seating, but it doesn't have that cafe feel yet.  This might change over time.  I did notice some artwork on the walk and if you go to their website, they do mention that they are trying to work with local artists and kinda act like a "gallery" where you can purchase the pieces and proceeds go all to the artist.  This concept is not new, but I find it great that they do this!  It'll be nice to see it more apparent when you're in the shop.

Service is super nice and they really seem customer service oriented.  They offer a discount for students and if you work in the area, which is nice. Not sure if that‘s just an opening special but their prices are average compared to other tea shops.  And, they are on vicinity rewards which also is a plus!  Would recommend trying them out if you're in the area.
 

 

Infuse Cafe

354 Yonge Street (Yonge & Elm)
Toronto, ON, M5B 1S5

http://www.infusecafe.ca/

(Soon to open at Yonge and Shepherd) 

Kaka All-You-Can-Eat Sushi

 

I haven't been to an all-you-can-eat sushi place in while, but have heard good things about Kaka so we decided to head there for lunch on a whim last weekend.

When you first walk in, the decor is quite upscale that you wouldn't think they are an AYCE sushi place. Not sure if it was the manager that greeted us at the door but she was great, explained what they offered and made sure we were comfortable. We were also lucky that we got a table because there were a lot of reserved tables! Our seats were cushioned which was nice, definitely adds to the experience and something you don't see often.

 

Almost all the tables were reserved

Service seemed quite seamless in that you order off a touch screen tablet with the number of pieces you want.  Every order is ONE piece except the sushi rolls which are 3 pieces per order, so keep that in mind.  There was no mix up of orders and they came out relatively quickly.

Now, onto the food.  They have quite a bit of unique items and the sashimi that we ordered were fresh and decent sized slices.  Usually I would order mainly sashimi and a few rolls but we also ordered a number of cooked dishes; some were ok while others were done pretty well.  The cumin lamb skewers were good and is not something you see at Japanese AYCE, probably offered due to the huge Chinese population here.  Loved the grilled eggplant, topped with a sesame paste/butter sauce - I think this is probably why it was so good.  Only recommendation was that it was a whole eggplant and sliced opened lengthwise so a bit hard to eat when you just have chopsticks and no knife and fork.



Desserts were okay with a number of unique ones too.  Had a lavendar chocolate pudding which does have a lavendar taste (nice) and a green tea creme brulee which was average.  Actually, as I write this I realized we didn't get the earl grey tea ganache square that I ordered!  I think we had decided to leave and called for the bill before it arrived.

At lunch on weekends they offer the same all-you-can-eat menu as their dinner for $26.99 which is quite standard for AYCE with sashimi these days.  Lunch on weekdays they serve an a la carte menu with bento boxes.  (And just a side note: their fb page has an offer requesting you share your "photos on Instagram using the hashtag ‪#‎kakaallyoucaneat‬ for a chance to win a free dinner for 2 at the end of the month.")

Recommend! 

Kaka All You Can Eat
3235 Highway 7 E., Unit 18A
Markham, ON L3R 3R3
T: (905) 604-5023
https://www.facebook.com/kakaayce

I-migoo Tea Shop - From Zhuhai China

 Another weekend, another milk tea shop.

Whenever a tea shop opens, I'm always very eager to try it out and i-migoo caught my eye because it had a cartoon character situated outside the storefront and were advertising a BOGO offer.  They opened a couple of weeks ago and last weekend we went in on a rainy evening.  It's bright and cheery inside, not very busy though.  This franchise is actually from Zhuhai, China and according to their posted map, they have many outlets in China, even in the northwestern part of China.  My first thought...hmmm, China?  Are they going to make it in this area, an area known to have so many bubble tea places (I can think of 10) in the span of a 10 min walk? 

The more bubbletea places, the better as that means more choice and less line ups.  Unfortunately, based on the drink I tried, they are going to have to work a little harder to cut it in this area. I had an imigoo style milk tea and my partner the classic.  The imigoo is just the classic with tapioca.  The milk tea somewhat tastes like there is a bit of coffee in it which I guess if you are a fan of the Hong Kong drink "ying yang coffee" which is half tea and half coffee, you might like this.  But for me, I like my milk tea to have more of a tea flavour.  The tapioca pearls were also a bit irregular and were somewhat chewy, but more "sticky" than chewy.  Tapioca pearls normally have a good soft chew to it but it doesn't really stick to your teeth as much as these ones did. 

If I were to give them another try, I'd try the food and one of their more weird drinks...like Cheese Teas. Yes, they list a cheese creama green tea and a few others that just seem very odd!!  I wonder if it's like the salted cream teas available at places like Share Tea?  There are also a few drinks that would look good when presented like the potted milk tea which is a tea drink that is topped with oreo crumbs (to look like soil) and a mint leaf.  But, I suspect their milk tea is the standard.  Mango and cocoa are also featured throughout their menu so if you're a fan of these flavours, you'll have more options here.

They have snacks like fries and chicken wings as well, most priced at $3.99.  So if I find myself coming back, I'd try some of the food items.

I-migoo  

5418 Yonge street, Unit 5

North York, Ontario

http://i-migoo.com/ (simplified Chinese)

 

Sichuan Ren - Numbing Spiciness

Sichuan Ren

5195 Yonge Street

Toronto, ON M2N 5P7

Omgoodness!  Numbing spiciness...a quick way to feel very, very warm during these cool nights.  Sichuan Ren is the new spicy restaurant to hit the Yonge and Sheppard/Finch area.  We went on opening day (which was actually over a week ago) and the service was quick and pretty decent.  Sichuan peppercorns are used in abundance and almost all the dishes contain them so if you don't like spicy or you're not a fan of the numbing spiciness that come with eating Sichuan peppercorns, you're only left with a few options.  So, in other words, don't go if you don't like spicy!

We ordered a cucumber cold appetizer and 2 noodle soup bowls, one beef and one pork.  The wood ears cold dish we also selected was sold out so they are still probably gauging how much to prepare.  The cucumbers were really good, spicy yet cooling.

The noodles were okay.  The beef was tender but I wish there was more beef, for the $11 price tag, I was expecting more.  Noodles are okay too, nothing to complain about.  I've never been to Sichuan China so I'm not sure if it's authentic or not but I couldn't drink the soup.  Lots of oil and just too spicy.  Maybe it's only there to flavour the noodles?





The pork was less tender and again portions of meat were small.

They also have these sharing hot pots that others got but we thought it would be something we'd try if we come back.  Overall, I'd give them another go if I was in the mood for Sichuan food and wanted to stay close to home.

Bake Code - New Taiwanese Bakery (& Chatime!)

The Yonge/Sheppard area is definitely getting a little more exciting! Bake Code is a new bakery/cafe that opened nearby and it features Taiwanese breads/pastries made by a mix of European and Asian bread making techniques.  A week ago they had a soft opening but I figured I'd wait till their grand opening week (Sept 17-23) to try their products.  Products (except beverages) are buy 3 get 1 free (lowest priced item) during this period, so go now! 

There are Chinese buns but also European like buns that have some Asian flavours to it (like taro or matcha).  Most if not all the breads I saw were the soft fluffy kind you'd find in Asian bakeries.  Their website lists baguettes but they didn't have them in the morning yet.  There are also flaky croissant items and a selection of desserts that you won't find at your typical Chinese bakery (like a Mille Crepe cake).  Samples of the breads are available and I pretty much tried all that were on offer this morning and wanted to buy a lot more loaves than I did. 

Here are the items I tried I my first visit:



Clockwise from Top L: Matcha red bean bun, Swiss Chocolate Boule, Japanese Cheesecake, Chocolate Croissant

Matcha red bean bun - filled with beans but it's not a paste, actual whole beans (that were also differing colours) which give it a different texture; nice against the soft fluffy bread.  The top, surprisingly is topped with a very thin layer of pastry crust or something of that nature that is buttery and sweet.  It's a very thin layer but does it's job, quite impressed actually.  The only thing about this bread is that the matcha flavour is not really there.  Despite this, I still really liked this bun.

Swiss Chocolate Boule - looks like a hearty and dense dark rye bread buts it's actually very soft and chewy. A hint of chocolate in the dough, little bits of walnuts (be sure to check out their website for the ingredients which is really helpful!), and little nibs of chocolate so you get an extra kick of chocolate.  It's a big bread and I could have eaten it all sitting at my desk!

Japanese Cheesecake - was just average.  It was light but too light for me, would have liked a little more cream cheese flavour so my least favourite of the day.

The chocolate croissant I have to say has pretty good dark chocolate filling inside and a good amount.  The croissant itself has a very flaky top but is not as rich in butter as I'd like.  However, I devoured it at breakfast because of the chocolate filling!

One thing to note: I believe they are baking their buns throughout the day so when I went, there were certain breads that I had read about but did not see, like the earl grey tea bread. 

On my second visit late in the afternoon, I got the red wine longan bread which I actually first heard about (this combination) from a post on the blog TravellingFoodies, where they detailed a visit to one of the Taiwanese "master boulanger Wu Pao Chun's" bakeries in Taiwan.  In 2010, Wu Pao Chun won the master baker title for bread at the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie, an international invitational artisan baking competition in France. The recipe is published for this bread in his book so I wonder if they are using it or have made their own version?

For the red wine longan bread, it's a nice bread and I think the longan is soaked in the red wine before baking.  Stronger longan taste than red wine but definitely good.  Not sure how often I'd buy this one as it's one of the pricier breads, but it is quite big.  When I had the sample, it seemed like the crust was crisper but when I got home and let it sit for a bit, it was soft.  I can see myself eating it as is or slicing thin slices, toasting lightly, and topping with a little cheese.

Red Wine Longan Bread

I picked up 3 other items as well.

Lemon Boule - has chocolate and cranberry in it which was a bit of a surprise.  Didn't taste much lemon though...so was slightly disappointed.  It was light and chewy and a good amount of the cranberry and chocolate, so I can definitely eat a lot of it.  Just would have been better if there was more lemon flavour since it is called lemon boule.

Cream Puff - Mmmm, delicious!  Pastry cream was yummy and the cream puff was crispy.  Slightly different from French ones in that the top is cut off and it is topped with the pastry cream (which means less in the puff) rather than filled from the bottom.

Mr. Chocolate Bean - Got the bag of 5 which is cheaper than buying individually.  This is essentially the Swiss Chocolate Boule but in mini bun form and the mini chocolate chips are added like a filling rather than dispersed throughout the bread.



Small seating area but modern, warm, and very comfortable feeling.  Even the trays that you put your bread on are very nice. 

Chatime beverages are featured but currently they offer a fraction of the usual menu: coffees, teapressos and a choice selection of milk teas and other teas. You gotta love that you can get Chatime at 8 in the morning!  (But, 10am on weekends.)

Overall, I like this bakery.  It may be a little pricier than some other places, but I think there are some unique breads and it's very convenient for me.  Definitely looking forward to trying more and I gotta find out the baking schedule because there are some on the website that I'd love to try!

Bake Code

4910 Yonge St

Toronto, ON M2N 5N5 

http://bakecode.com/

 

Week 36 Baking: Fresh Ginger Molasses Cookies

First batch...too sugary, oily and soft.

Other people look for the best chocolate chip cookie, me...I'm looking for the best ginger molasses cookies.  Not that I don't like chocolate chip cookies (there are still recipes I have to try), but for some reason my cravings have shifted.

I think it all started at Dineen Coffee Company (which I've been meaning to post about them).  I saw their ginger molasses cookies and was tempted, but bought a lemon square instead.  Then at Neo Coffee Bar, I saw a ginger molasses cookie but opted for their roll cakes (so yummy).  Then I tried to make them and the recipe failed...or I failed...as you can see above.

Tried to satisfy my craving at Fahrenheit Coffee but they ran out...So, I ended up at Second Cup and finally, I had a ginger molasses cookie! Do people remember Second Cup?  Unfortunately, I think this Canadian coffee house has really become more of a second thought to most people I know.  I hate to say it but I'll go to Second Cup only when it‘s convenient and not really as a destination. (If anyone has a differing opinion I'd love to here it.)  Their website looks more modern now compared to a couple of years ago and I noticed that they mention that their baked goods are made locally (at Grodzinski's Bakery) to entice people however, I wonder if that has made any difference?



Anyway, the cookie was not bad, slightly chewy and the flavour was okay.  But, I think I was looking for an even more gingery cookie.  Ginger snaps are gingery but they don't have the chewiness that I'm looking for so onto my second batch of cookies...

Second batch (different recipe): much better than the first.

I followed this recipe from the Crosby Molasses website for my second batch of cookies but made some modifications: used fresh grated ginger and reduced the batch to only make 6 cookies.  These were chewy and had more ginger flavour than the first batch.  Still not perfect, requiring a little more tweaking and I think I would also need to try a larger batch.  But, great with my tea, I've been eating one each day!

Bobbette & Belle - North York

Bobbette & Belle
3347 Yonge St
Toronto, ON M4N 2M6
T: 416-466-8800

http://www.bobbetteandbelle.com/shop_main.html

I've been meaning to check out Bobbette & Belle for some time now and had tasted a birthday cake from them last year which I thought was pretty good.  The birthday cake was a 4 layer chocolate cake (really tall) with I think it was raspberry buttercream frosting.  It was very pretty, quite opulent actually.  The chocolate cake was nice and light, not too sweet.  I guess my only comment was there was so much buttercream!

This past weekend, I decided to go into the shop myself and select a few things.  Hazelnut chocolate cake instantly caught my eye and I ordered a slice.  For under $6, it was a very decent sized piece, I think 2-3 people sharing a slice would be satisfied.  Unfortunately, we couldn't stay and sit with a cup of coffee or tea so took it to go. 



The cake was moist and not too sweet which we liked but I was a little disappointed that the only hazelnut flavouring was in the buttercream on the side of the cake.  I thought there would be hazelnut chocolate flavour inside but it was just chocolate.  I was also a little disappointed on the taste of the chocolate.  It's quite a dark chocolate cake but didn't really have much cocoa taste to it...expecting a little bit more substantial in terms of flavour but sadly, no.

We also got a shortbread cookie and the cookie, although plain, was buttery and light.  Sometimes you just want something simple and this was it.  The price for the cookie was a little on the pricey side though, so I'm not sure if I'd get it again.



They had croissants, scones, butter tarts, a handful of other cakes, macarons, and some cupcakes available but I just wasn't feeling it at the moment.



Space is pretty and service was nice. 

Seating at the front

Seating at the back
(tables to the right and left but there were patrons that I didn't want to capture in the picture)

Overall, okay for the basic cakes or cookies, and I think it would be a nice spot to have a tea and dessert, but nothing available that day really excited me.  (I think I get a little more excited for French style pastries and desserts.)  However, you can still find some really beautiful and decorative cupcakes and cakes at Bobbette and Belle, you just have to order it in advance.  Looking at their website, you can definitely see some great work being done in their special order cupcakes and cakes section.