Hestia

Cafe: Hestia
Address: 66 Wellington St. W
Phone: N/A
Operating Hours: Mon-Fri 7:15 AM - 4:30 PM, Sat-Sun CLOSED
Website: https://en.hestiatea.com/

Interior

Menu

Drinks - Soy/Almond/Lactose-Free Options?: Yes to all, including oat milk!
- Hestia has their own tea blends, straight from Montreal
- Coffee beans from De Mello Palheta
- Milk is steamed in all the lattes
- All drinks can be iced upon request, no extra charge

Food - Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Free Options?: Yes to all
- Baked goods from Desmond & Beatrice, La Bamboche, and Bunner's

Review

Hestia is a Montreal tea bar that opened their second location in Toronto last August. It's located within The Path, so it's only opened during office hours on the weekdays. If you are not familiar with The Path, it's an underground network linking different business buildings and subway stations together. It can be quite a maze for someone who doesn't work in the Financial District. I looped around a couple of times trying to find Hestia, which was tucked away in a corner.

Hestia's mission is to serve you the best tea possible, with blends sent straight from Montreal. They serve the finest selection of tea and their matcha is the highest grade from Kyoto, Japan. This location does have espresso-based drinks for people that need their coffee before work. However, try the tea lattes if you can! Each tea leaves have already been measured out in vials, so you can guarantee that your drink will be steeped just right.

I definitely recommend their Matcha Latte and Chai Latte. They normally don't change out their menu because they want to do the classics. However, you can expect at least one seasonal drink on the menu. Hestia is perfect for tea lovers that are looking for their perfect blend that isn't from a teabag.

Momofuku Noodle Bar

Restaurant: Momofuku - Noodle Bar
Address: 190 University Ave.
Phone: 647-253-8000
Store Hours: Mon-Sun 11:30 AM - 3 PM, 5 PM - 11 PM
Website: www.momofukutoronto.com

Menu

 

Review

My Order: Dan Dan Mein, $14

I finally got to try Momofuku. From what I gathered, it is a three-level restaurant comprising of "smaller restaurants" within it (correct me if I'm wrong please). My friend and I decided to catch up over some ramen at the Noodle Bar, which is on the first floor. Momofuku is quite popular outside of the foodie community. Therefore, my expectations were super high coming into the restaurant.

We arrived during the evening on a Sunday and it was packed. I wasn't a fan of the communal tables, especially since it was crowded. We were squished in the middle between two different groups of people. I had to raise my voice so my friend (and probably the neighbours) could hear what I was saying.

The menu was printed on a piece of paper and since it had the current date, I assumed the menu changes everyday (what a waste of paper!). My friend said the pork buns were great so I agreed to try it. I wasn't overly impressed because I thought it was overpriced and likely something I had before. For my order, I chose the Dan Dan Mein. I was disappointed to see how little the noodles took up in the bowl. Don't give a big bowl if you aren't going to fill it to the top! I liked the noodles but again, nothing I was eager about.

If I go back to Momofuku Noodle Bar, I will attempt their ramen instead which they are known for. If I revisit, I would likely come on a weekday during non-peak hours.

Note: This review only reflects my experiences at the Noodle Bar and not the rest of the Momofuku's restaurants within the building.