Hoja Luwei

Restaurant: Hoja Luwei
Address: 615 Bloor St. W
Phone: 416-536-0615
Operating Hours: Mon-Sun 11:30 AM - 11 PM
Website: N/A

Interior

Review

My Order: Lamb Combo, $9.50

Hoja Luwei specializes in Taiwanese street-style cuisine, located in Koreatown. You're given a checklist menu to customize your own noodle bowl with sauce or broth. If you are indecisive like me, you can simply check off one of their combos with pre-selected ingredients. If you are a picky eater or want everything piled onto your bowl, you have the option to select as little or as many ingredients as you like.

I was actually confused with the menu at first, so I was checking off the combo along with a bunch of other things. Once I realized my mistake, I immediately selected the lamb combo just to keep it simple. I went for the broth but I probably should have gone for the sauce instead because I prefer my food more dry. Nonetheless, it made a hearty meal that was perfect for the cold weather.

The shop is set up to have a "street-style" vibe, similar to the food shops that could be found on the streets of Asia. They have one long communal table with high seats and very limited tables that seated two people. Which makes for great lunches but not somewhere you'd host an event/dinner.

Hoja Luwei is an affordable restaurant that allows people to get a taste of Taiwanese street food. It's an ideal spot to drop by for a filling lunch or to have something to warm you up on a cold night.

Snakes & Lattes

Cafe: Snakes & Lattes
Address: 600 Bloor St. W.
Phone: 647-342-9229
Store Hours: Mon-Sun 11 AM - 2 AM
Website: www.snakesandlattes.com

Wi-Fi?: No
Study Appropriate?: No
Stamp Cards?: No

Interior

Before renovation

After renovation

Menu

Drinks - Soy/Almond/Lactose-Free Options?: Yes to all
- Offers smoothies and milkshakes
- Milkshakes can now be customized!
- Offers Reese's Pieces Cup latte
- Now serves alcohol

Food - Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Free Options?: Yes to all
- Offers sandwiches and baked goods, all made in-house

Chocomint Milkshake, $4.50 + $.0.25 

Myself and a Chocolate Monkey Mocha Milkshake, $4.50 + $0.75 (the drink, not me :P) 

Review

Drink of Choice: Vanilla Strawberry Milkshake, $4.50 + $0.25

Unless you have recently moved to Toronto, you have absolutely no reason to never have heard of or stepped foot into Snakes & Lattes. Being the first cafe to opened up in Toronto with the boardgame concept, it is a popular location for many people to come in and have a good time. Sometimes it would get so full that you'd have to wait before getting a table. Unlike restaurants where food could be consumed quickly, some board games could take a couple of hours (and multiple that for every game afterwards).

When I arrived, it was the first day the cafe reopened after their two-week renovation. They only needed to add some final touches before full completion. The renovation pretty much changed the entire layout of the cafe. They knocked down the wall that separated the two rooms (which I had no idea one of the rooms existed until the second or third time I visited) to make it more spacious than it was before. Since they recently renovated, a lot of other things are in the works as well. Everything on the menu won't be finalized until the end of the February. Also, they are no longer allowing people to book tables online beforehand. They found this to be unfair for anyone who stopped by but was unable to get a table. They only allow bookings now if you have a group of 7 or more people. From there, each person is charged $7.50 per head. In the price, it includes the $5 gaming fee and then $2.50 goes towards drinks and food. So for a group of 7, that would be $17.50 for food. The barista, Patrick, also told me that they are planning on another small reno, making a separate room for larger groups. (Note as of February 8th, 2012: All bookings are currently on hold).

Honestly, I cannot express how every Torontonian should go to Snakes & Lattes at least once. You would get to discover fantastic games you wouldn't have otherwise. (I personally never play board games outside of Snakes & Lattes). I didn't realize how competitive and strategic I could get until I was placed in front of The Settlers of Catan. Don't know how to play something? They have knowledgeable employees who would explain the game from beginning to end!

Also, they have such amazing mikshakes! Try their Chocomint or Monkey Mocha milkshake if you haven't already. (I have yet to try their coffee-based drinks. I heard their Nutella latte is pretty darn good though!) Milkshakes could now be customized! You could either choose a chocolate or vanilla milkshake for $4.50 and then you could add more flavours for either $0.50 or $0.75.