Dessert Trends (part 2)

We skip our dessert here and decided to cross the street to Dessert Trends that I first blog here.

They are closing in  half an hour so we quickly made our choices

Passion Fruit Parfait

Isn't this super pretty ♥ The passion fruit mouse was perfect with just enough of tartness adn it's not the "egg shell" is actually made with white chocolate.

I love how DT always have some sort of sauce, fruits or compote on the side of the plate.... they could have easily just place their dessert on the plate and serve it since it's definitely pretty enough on it's own.

Cheesecake

This was his dessert and frankly we have been siting here the past hour trying to remember the name and still can't remember the name or the exact topping. But I sure remember it was super yummy & smooth

Verdict :

Never disadpoint, one of the best dessert in town and I love how their dessert are never overly sweet and let the original flavor of the ingredient shine through.

♥♥♥ this place 

o(^-^)o

Loire

Got a Groupon for $25 for $55 worth of French Fine Dinning and Drink at Loire Casual Gourmet. Ok, that's was the Groupon's deal title and I was wondering how it could be fine dinning and casual at the same time... still not so sure but I would say it wasn't really fine dinning.

When we arrive at around 8:00 it was so pack and we took the last table, I'm glad that we did make a reservation.

The decor was very simple with big windows at the front.

Pancho's Bakery (Churros)

Last Saturday was so nice out that we decided to head down to Kensington Market for lunch... after lunch we decided to head to i deal coffee (previous post here) for our daily dose of caffeine, we notice that  a lot of people were eating Churros,,,, and I immediately think "it must be good" =P

It's from Pancho's Bakery and when we arrived, there was a line up and everyone was there for the churros (aka Spanish donuts).

The first thing you see when you enter the bakery is the churros making station o(^Δ^)o

Asymmetrical

Loving the asymmetrical hem of this dress... but it has no shape and have to be wore with a belt and it was sort of short when I cinch in, so end up having to wear my jean shorts underneath =P

I bought this dress/top more than one month ago and a)the weather didn't allow me to wear it then b) I couldn't find a jacket/coat to match...

Have been trying to find a regular jean jacket to match my flowery dress for spring/cool summer nights.... and can you believe how many store I went through before finally finding this one at the back of a H&M.

Buk Chang Dong Soon Tofu

With around 7-8 items on the menu, Buk Chang Dong Soon Tofu is one of the best Korean Spicy Tofu Soup in the city. This is my fave Korean Restaurant in Toronto and I would also say the best hangover cure =P

(p.s. it doesn't hurt that it's all male Korean wait staff)

For less than $10 each, you get your tofu soup, 4 side dishes and rice.

4 side dishes seems to be relatively few compare to the other Korean restaurant but I assure you it's plenty.

Kimchi Soon Tofu (Kimchi, Beef, Pork)

There's a 5 level of spiciness to choose from and of course I had mine Extra Spicy which is level 5 (^_,^)

There's a choice of "white" which is plain and not spicy at all... 

in my opinion if you can't handle the tiniest bit of spice, just skim the soon tofu and maybe switch to Bibimbap or Bulgogi instead, the Soon Tofu just have to been spicy.

In the Prairies

I just feel like I'm in the prairies wearing this outfit... Oh I wish but reality is, I'm just at the back of a restaurant alleyway =P

Bought this dress more than a month ago and have been waiting for the weather to be warm enough for me to wear... this is just so light, airy and oh so comfy to wear but also cute at the same time

Thai Bistro

A friend recommended Thai Bistro when we were having dinner at Khao San Road here and we decided to go with 2 other friend who live nearby. I have to say I have never notice this place although I'm always in the area for my Spicy Korean food and time to time soju at Turbo which is basically next door (O_o) The first thing when I head in was how "take out" looking it is with only 4-5 tables in very tight space and we were the only table the whole time we were there with only a few walk in for take outs. And while waiting for our friends, we browse through the menu and realize that it was rather expensive compare to better Thai restaurant that we have been, I mean real restaurant with waiters, decor and much better seating etc. I mean the pricing almost compare to dt places, I usually don't mind crappy/cheap decor as long as it a good and cheap meal like here....

Mango Salad

really nothing special about this; fresh mango, not too ripe so that there's still that crunch but really didn't add much to it.... had better, would have prefer it to be a tiny more dress and spicy

Tom Yum Goong

It was watery and not that much flavor, almost like the cheap soup cubes for hot pot that you get at the supermarket.... nothing compare to the great one that we had at Khao San Road here

Sangri-la (Dim Sum 飲茶)

 I realize that I haven't done a dim-sum 飲茶 post yet, it is mainly because I normally go during lunch hours with my co-worker where we pre-order, sit down and eat = no time for the foodie in me to take pictures (>__<) Heard that the Shangri-la Banquet now offer dim-sum during daytime, so we decided to give it a try on a rainy Saturday.

We arrive at around 1:00pm on a Saturday and there wasn't a lineup at all (2/3 full) which was a surprise since most Chinese dim-sum place on the weekends are normally pack... hummm, will the food be good ?!?

Wedding decor =P

must-have for dim sum = tea + mustard & hot sauce

Shrimp Dumpling  蝦餃 (ha guaa)

This is a must for dim sum

 Sui Mai 燒賣

 2nd must have for dim sum

 It's a small steam pork and shrimp dumplings in a thin wheat flour wrapper

Steam Rice Noodle w/ Snow pea leaf and mushroom 豆苗三菇腸粉

Personally I prefer the veggie version but there's meat, shrimp, cha-siu and tofu etc to choose from.

Chicken Feet 鳳爪 (phoenix claw)

~ chicken feet deep fried, boiled, marinated in a black bean sauce and steam

This is my fave dim sum dish and I just have to order this every time  and the one here are cook and presented perfectly 

(not too salty, not too sweet, not overcook and not chop into pieces = fluffy moist and tender)

Steam Spare Ribs 蒸排骨

~ steam with fermented black bean and chili

This is easily made at home so I prefer not to order since they tend to use meat tenderizer and the one her have way more taro than ribs

Steam Meatball 蒸山竹牛肉球

~ meatball w/ preserved orange peel and bean-curd skin, normally served with Worcestershire sauce

I haven't tasted this since I don't like coriander.

Char Siu Bao 叉燒包

~ Cantonese BBQ pork filling

There's normally 2 type steam or baked and obviouly it's the steam version here

Stirfried Bitter Mellon w/ Salty Egg Yolk 金沙炒涼瓜

~ bitter melon dip into a salty egg yolk batter and then fried

This is more of a Lunch Special rather than a dim sum, but it wasn't that good since you can't really taste the salty egg yolk and the over dose of garlic doesn't help... most places that I have this dish, it's normally cover with batter and you could find a layer of the salty egg yolk between the batter and the melon

Pan fried rice noodle in XO sauce XO醬炒米粉

Not enough XO sauce = NO GOOD !!!

Scallop & Mango

Don't really remember what that's call but it's my fave of the day since have never had this in any other dim sum place in Toronto and it was a really great combination

Bird's Nest Egg Tart 燕窩蛋撻

Didn't like this at all, no egg flavor and no bird's nest flavor. Too fancy for me, I prefer the plain egg tart with bright yellow center

Jin deui 流沙煎堆

~ jin deui is a fried glutinous rice flour pastry coated with sesame normally emty or fill with red or black bean paste or lotus paste (I usually like the empty ones).... but here, it's filled with some sort salty egg custard which is so liquid-y and rush out when you bite into it when eaten warm

(just like 流沙 which mean moving sand)

Verdict:

Everything was good but not great and except the Scallop & Mango and Jin deui 流沙煎堆.

The choices are really limited here

Underground

This is my default outfit which you could say a boring outfit.... I always tend to go to my jean mini skirt when I run out of outfit ideas (jean short in this case, I'm just starting to like short). And also for times that every outfit that you put on just doesn't feel right (not in the mood for etc). Sometimes I'll just spend an hour staring at my closet and changing about a thousand times before I said screw this & throw on what I have here.

Outfit Details: 

Shorts - F21; Faux Leather Jacket, Mickey t-shirt & bag- ZARA;  

Shoes - JC (here) from Little Burgundy

 

 

Izakaya Ju

A break from my Orlando trip and back to T.O for now. Went to Izakaya Ju at J Town last week and love it and will definitely go back on a regular basic since it's so close by (^_^) After my Fin Izakaya post here, I've been trying to find another Izakaya 居酒屋 in Toronto apart from Guu. It just happen that I saw some interesting reviews and pictures of this place which made my doubt disappear... I was initially reluctant to try since each time I pass by there was no customer, but this time it was so pack that mid-way through our dinner, they had to turn people away since it was full.

 Our sake, retrain ourselves and order a small bottle.

Note too sweet, a very decent sake for $18

A peek into the kitchen, look at that fire where our Yakitori (grilled over charcoal fire) are being cook

Kawa (chicken skin), Sunagimo (gizzard) and Negima (leg & leek)

~ you can definetly feel the difference with their skewers cook on a charcoal grill and there wasn't need of sauces, just the sea salt was perfect to bring out the flavor that's already enhance by the open fire grill.

The chicken skin was fatty yet super crispy, the gizzards was not that special but lot the leek w/ chicken which have just the right amount of fat & lean.

 Nankotsu (soft bone)

~ just ♥ this, crispy crunchy soft

 Ochazuke Salmon

 ~ rice in bonito broth

 This was not that good, the broth was not flavorful and couldn't taste the bonito... but if you want to try this dish, the one at Guu is super good

Pork Belly w/ garlic sprout

 Yummmmm, BACON !!!!! The garlic sprout in the middle just balance the oiliness of the bacon and they just infuse each other with the own flavor.

 Teba gyo-za

~ Deep fried Chicken Wings stuffed with pork dumpling

 This is a must try at Izakaya Ju.... this is the first time trying this version, I only had the Chinese version before where the wings are stuffed with sticky rice which I prefer cause the pork flavor and texture just compete with the chicken's (O_o)" But still like it and it's a really interesting dish to try.

 Motsuni

~ pork intestine and yamcake miso stew

 The intestine was soft, fatty and infused with the miso flavor; but I'm not sure about the Yamcake which is jelly like... i would have prefer actual yam in it cause the other veggies it in was super soft and flavorful.

 Nankotsu Kara-age

~ Deep fried chicken knuckle bones

♥ Love this one and wish we had more sake or beer to eat with, 

but we promise ourselves not to order more "drinks"

We end up ordering 2 more dishes not because we were hungry but because we wanted to try it =P

Hotaru ika

~ soy marinated baby squid

Slippery, salty disgusting goodness... 

again, this would be great with sake which all dishes of a Izakaya 居酒屋 should be =D

Which mean we have to come back and order a bigger bottle of sake and order all these dishes again =P

Liver

Crispy outside, super soft and moist center... Cook just right, since most places tend to overcook since it sort of look bloody in the middle

Verdict :

Very affordable price at a nearby uptown location.

 Great skewers and dishes which goes perfectly with sake or beer

Great friendly service.... 

and if you haven't been to J-Town (posted here), you could drop by and take a look before dinner

Maybe even grab next day lunch at discounted price at J-Town since they have a lot of end of the day sale.

I got this for only $4, isn't this the prettiest lunch to bring to work (^o^)