Wilder Food

Homemade Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookie in the top right

Cafe: Wilder Food
Address: 382 Keele St.
Phone: 416-901-2960
Operating Hours: Mon-Sun 8:30 AM - 5 PM
Website: www.wilderfood.ca

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Menu

Drinks - Soy/Almond/Lactose-Free Options?: Yes to all

- Also has homemade cashew milk available

- Coffee beans from Propeller Coffee

- Chai is made from scratch

- Organic tumeric and matcha latte available

Food - Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Free Options?: Yes to all

- Menu items are wheat-free and refined sugar-free

- Everything is locally sourced

- Spelt flour is used

- Golden Milk available

Cashew Milk Flat White, $4.50

Turkey Brie Open-Faced, $11

Dragonfruit Acai Smoothie Bowl, $9/$10

Review

Wilder Food is a quaint cafe located in the Junction, tucked in the north-west corner of Keele and Dundas West. Spacious and cozy, Wilder Food offers a lovely array of breakfast and brunch items. If you bring friends or family, they have a selected assortment of games you can enjoy yourself with. I went through a couple of fun rounds with Exploding Kittens!

I got to try some of Wilder's menu items, including one of the specials which was the Turkey Brie Open-Faced, which was absolutely to die for! I'm not sure how often they would have this dish on special, but I highly recommend it if you see it on the menu. I also got to try the Dragonfruit Acai Smoothie Bowl, which I would like to describe as "summertime in a bowl". It's super refreshing, packed with healthy goodness and perfect after a good workout or when summer finally rolls around. The Cashew Milk Flat White was very rich and creamy. I don't drink flat whites normally so I can't really compare but I didn't mind it's thick texture at all!

If you live in The Junction or in a nearby area, I definitely recommend coming to Wilder Food for brunch. It's an underrated cafe with loads of Instagrammable and delicious plates for everyone to enjoy! Cause if these photos do not convince you, I don't know what will.

Yunshang Rice Noodle (North York)

Restaurant: Yunshang Rice Noodle
Address: Unit 5, 5285 Yonge St.
Phone: 416-233-6662
Operating Hours: Mon-Sun 11:30 - 12 AM
Website: www.yunshang.ca

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Menu

Temporary Soft Opening Menu

Yunshang Bridge Rice Noodle, $19.99

Yunshang Rice Noodle with Mixed Mushrooms ($11.99) plus extra Seafood ($2.99) and extra Beef ($2.99)

Top left clockwise: Deep Fried Cuttlefish Balls, $6.99; Sliced Beef, Tripe and Ox Tongue in Chili Sauce, $8.99; The Salty Popcorn Chicken, $6.95; Cold Glass Noodle in Chili Sauce, $5.99; and Deep Fried Squid Tentacle, $6.99 

Review

Yunshang Rice Noodle is the largest Canadian-owned rice noodle chain that is opening their 9th location in North York. Under 3 years old, they are rapidly expanding with 5 more locations opening up across North America. Their base broth is made fresh from pork bones that is cooked for 12 hours daily. There is no MSG in their food and they cook with only the freshest ingredients.

I tried a few of their dishes, including their limited edition Yunshang Bridge Rice Noodle ($19.99)! This is set of rice noodles with assorted premium seafood presented beautifully on a wooden bridge. You get to choose between 5 different noodle soups. I chose the Coconut Curry Rice Noodle, which has a hint of spiciness. You first place all of your raw meat into the boiling soup. After you let it cook, you can place your rice noodles in to eat. This is definitely a creative way to display and eat Chinese rice noodle. I enjoyed the variety of toppings available.

My friend and I devoured the Deep Fried Cuttlefish Balls ($6.99), which we definitely recommend. The Salty Popcorn Chicken ($6.95) and Deep Fried Squid Tentacle ($6.99) were decent, but not much different from other Chinese restaurants. The one dish I advised everyone to stay away from is the Cold Glass Noodle in Chili Sauce ($5.99). I am not a picky eater but this was one of the few dishes I was unable to finish, and I always finish my plate.

For their grand opening celebration, Yunshang Rice Noodle will be giving away FREE Yunshang Bridge Rice Noodle to the first 100 people on March 15th and March 16th. It starts at 6 PM and only at their new North York location. No purchases are necessary and first come, first served (no reservations). After that for a limited time only, 50 Yunshang Bridge Rice Noodle sets are available daily.

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/

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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.

The Haam

Restaurant: The Haam
Address: 342 Adelaide St. W
Phone: 416-977-7258
Operating Hours: Mon-Thurs 11 AM - 3 PM & 5 - 11 PM;
Website: www.thehaam.ca

Menu

Cerviche, $14

Seaweed Sashimi Salad, $12

Spicy Chicken Karaage, $14

Panko Soft Shell Crab, $14

Miso Eggplant, $10

Unagi Pressed Sushi, $15

Tokyo Rose, $11 (front)

Review

On their website, The Haam states that they serve Korean food. In actuality it's more like Asian fusion with a mix of Korean, Japanese, and Mexican. I had the chance to try a few of their appetizers. I quite enjoyed the Panko Soft Shell Crab ($14) and the Miso Eggplant ($10), but I thought all the appetizers were quite good.

I got the Tokyo Rose cocktail, which was quite pretty look-wise but taste-wise it was simply a-ok. By the time my Unagi Pressed Sushi ($15) came out, I was already quite full from the appetizers alone. The Unagi Pressed Sushi is still an excellent dish and I wished I had more room in my stomach to enjoy it properly without overstuffing myself.

The restaurant is not that big so I suggest you make a reservation if you go in the evening or weekend. I think the diverse menu and atmosphere makes it a cute date spot. It's not overly fancy or intimate but the space is small enough to give you that cozy feeling. Not to mention they have some adorable menu covers, ranging from Studio Ghibli to Disney!

[Product Review] Moscow Muled Mugs

Company: Moscow Muled
Product Type: Copper mugs
Website: www.moscowmuled.com

Do you fancy having your kitchen full of aesthetically-pleasing, but functional kitchen products? I had the pleasure of trying out some cute copper mugs that would fit into your dream kitchen from Moscow Muled, a Vancouver-based company.

The owners of Moscow Muled noticed a lack of copper mugs with interior nickel lining in the market. Many copper mugs you see are not lined with nickel, therefore acidic fluids (that could be found in cocktails) would cause a chemical reaction with the copper. This leads to copper ingestion and a negative impact to one's health. Moscow Muled aims to provide safe-to-drink and stylish copper mugs.

I received a couple of mugs to try out for this post. The mugs are handcrafted and hammered individually to create a lovely, yet simple pattern. Thus, making each and every mug unique.

Since I don't make cocktails at home, I decided to use it for some ice cream.  It took three huge scoops of the maple-flavoured ice cream to reach the top. Each copper mug holds 16 ounces of liquid. So despite appearances, one mug holds a lot of liquid (which is perfect for when you are at a party). I added some Hershey's cookies and cream chocolate pieces, rainbow sprinkles and a Pirouette stick to complete this homemade treat.

I don't recommend using the mug for hot drinks. It will heat up really fast and burn you. So these mugs are best for cold drinks or of course, your Moscow Mules. If you would like to be creative, these mugs could be used as decor or holding office supplies as well!

[Product Review] Cheese Garden

Company: Cheese Garden
Product Type: Japanese cheesecakes, drinks and desserts
Address: 5291 Yonge St. (North York); Unit G120, 3250 Midland Ave. (Midland); B58-4300 Steeles Ave. E (Pacific Mall)
Operating Hours: Mon- Sun 11 AM - 10 PM (North York); Mon-Sun 12-10 PM (Midland); Mon-Sun 12-8 PM (Pacific Mall)
Website: www.cheesegarden.ca

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North York location

Menu

Yuzu Pistachio Double Fromage Cheesecake, $22.95

Double Fromage Cheesecake, $18.95

Uji Matcha Tiramisu, $11.95

Baked Cheese Tart, $8.85

Review

Cheese Garden is a Japanese cheesecake shop that offers a variety of desserts with currently three locations in Toronto. I had the pleasure of getting a sneak peek of their new and limited edition Yuzu Pistachio Double Fromage Cheesecake ($22.95) in celebration of their second anniversary. This cheesecake is only available from October 13th through November 4th, with only 50 available at each store and one per customer! If you visit any of the Toronto stores on October 13th or 14th, you can get 50% off one pastry item (excluding the Yuzu Pistachio Double Fromage Cheesecake).

What is yuzu, you may ask? With a quick Google search, yuzu is a citrus fruit that looks like a wrinkled lemon. It's quite sour and tart so yuzu is normally used for flavouring. The Yuzu Pistachio Double Fromage Cheesecake consists of three layers: the frozen yuzu mascarpone cheesecake at the top, with the baked pistachio cheesecake encrusted with sugar roasted pistachios in the middle, that all lastly sits on top of the pistachio sponge cake. The cake is covered with pistachio sponge cake crumbs and is decorated with gold flakes and a yuzu-shaped chocolate. The crumbs are incredibly fluffy (which reminds me a bit of fake snowflakes).

The flavour of the Yuzu Pistachio Double Fromage Cheesecake is quite unique. I enjoyed it more the second time around when my taste buds got used to it. It would definitely appeal to people who like flavours like matcha or hojicha. I think the presentation of the cake in the wooden box is absolutely adorable and is perfect for a birthday or small party.

If you feel that the yuzu pistachio flavour may be out of your comfort zone, try their classic Double Fromage Cheesecake ($18.95) instead! This is perfect for people who like original flavoured products that are kept simple without all the fuss, but is still delicious.

I also got to try the Uji Matcha Tiramisu ($11.95) and Baked Cheese Tart ($8.85). The Uji Matcha Tiramisu is a very light and easy dessert to eat. The Baked Cheese Tart is similar to an egg tart but is a lot sweeter and spongier.

Check out Cheese Garden for their second anniversary to try any one of their pastries for 50% off on October 13th and 14th and can get your hands on the limited edition Yuzu Pistachio Double Fromage Cheesecake (which runs until November 4th).

[Product Review] Full House Desserts

Company: Full House Desserts
Product Type: Traditional Hong Kong desserts
Address: 9425 Leslie St. & 4750 Yonge St., Suite 121
Operating Hours: Thurs-Tues 5-11 PM, Wed CLOSED
Website: www.fullhousedesserts.com

Full House Sago, $7.49

Mango Pancake, $8.99; Durian Pancake, $10.99

Review

Full House Desserts specializes in traditional Hong Kong desserts. They have two locations, one in Richmond Hill and the other in North York. I was invited to review their desserts and share my thoughts!

I visited their North York location, which is conveniently located by Yonge and Sheppard if you are coming off the subway line. The North York location is a take-out shop where items are already prepackaged and ready to be sold. They have a selection of hot desserts, such as the Black Sesame with Almond Soup ($5.99) and Sweet Ball with Sweet Ginger. I opted to try their cold desserts instead because I couldn't take the food home right away.

The Full House Sago ($7.49) contains mango and pomelo pulp. If you are a fan of mango, you would love this pudding dessert because it packs a punch. In comparison, the Mango ($8.99) and Durian Pancake ($10.99) is full of fresh cream with the fruits stuffed in the middle. They are incredible soft and fluffy to cut through, quite similar to Japanese pancakes! The pancakes can be left in fridge for a couple of days without losing any of the freshness. I like the pancakes because the fillings are delicious; but I prefer it in small doses since I'm normally not a cream person. It's perfect for sharing since you receive two pancakes per order. If you love cream fillings, then definitely give these pancakes a try.

The consistency and taste from these Hong Kong desserts are quite different than what I am used to. If you haven't had traditional Hong Kong sweets yet, Full House Desserts is a great starting point. I think these treats would be a hit at Asian family parties!

[Product Review] Fauxmagerie Zengarry: Ale Aged Cheddar

Company: Fauxmagerie Zengarry
Product Type: Vegan Cheese - Ale Aged Cheddar flavour
Website: www.zengarry.com

Fauxmagerie Zengarry is a Canadian company that sells vegan cheese made from cashews. They have a few flavours, including Creamy Swiss and Aged Cumin. Their newest and seventh flavour is the Ale Aged Cheddar. The Ale Aged Cheddar is cultured with Beau's All Natural Brewery Lug Tread Ale. Which is awesome because Beau's is another Canadian company and I love supporting local businesses. I tried their original six flavours last year and loved them, so I was happy to review their newest one.

Note, I'm not a pro cook by any means. I only started cooking at the beginning of 2018 and I only do so once a week to meal prep. I like to guesstimate when I put my ingredients together. For this review, I wanted to see what it was like to cook with the cheddar. I decided to try their Mac N' Cheese recipe. The original recipe is vegan, but I made a non-vegan version (basically topped it off with bacon bits).

I ended up adding a bit too much macaroni. Therefore there was less cheese on the Mac N' Cheese. The taste wasn't as prevalent considering the ratio of cheese to macaroni. It definitely doesn't melt as easily as normal cheese. So it took quite of a bit of time to mix the cheddar into the macaroni.

I prefer the Ale Aged Cheddar as a spread. I like to put it on naan and have that for breakfast. There is definitely a kick to the taste which some people may or may not like. It would probably be delicious in a sandwich as well. I personally am a fan, but I'm a fan of all cheese products, vegan or not.

I would definitely recommend Fauxmagerie Zengarry, especially if you are looking to try new vegan products. The Ale Aged Cheddar can be a hit or miss depending on how strong you like your flavour (you should pass on it if you don't like strong cheeses).

[Product Review] Ahoy Lashes

Lashes and Santorini!

Shop: Ahoy Lashes
Address: 216 Ossington Ave.
Phone: 647-326-3688
Operating Hours: Mon 12-8 PM, Tues - Fri 11 AM - 8 PM, Sat-Sun 11 AM - 6 PM
Website: www.ahoylashes.com

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Review

Ahoy Lashes is a semi-permanent lash extensions shop at Ossington and Dundas. I had the pleasure of getting a full set of lashes done by the co-owner and senior technician, Bella. I got them done just before my Greece trip in June because I thought it would be the perfect time to get glam. I wore my lashes throughout my trip (8 days) plus a couple of weeks on top. With the length of time I had them on, I'm confident to give my honest thoughts.

I went into the shop three days prior to my flight. I adored the vacation-themed decor, which was definitely in tune with the name Ahoy Lashes. It's a small but quaint shop with music that would transport you to a tropical island.

Bella did a full consultation with me before she started. I was very happy that she was very thorough and patient because I wasn't familiar with eyelash extensions. She showed me photos of previous clients so I had a visual guide as she explained the different types of looks. She was honest about everyone's eye shape being different. So even if I got the same set and style as another client, it wouldn't necessarily look the same on me. She gave suggestions based on my eye shape and made sure to cater to what I wanted. I loved the personalized consultation because it made me trust her capabilities and gave me a more comfortable experience.

I went for a full set with medium dramatic volume in thickness. They were D-curve lashes and were between 9 to 13 mm in length. By varying the lengths, it created a more cohesive look. I opted for a cat eye look to see how it would turn out on me. I thought I might as well go all out if I'm going on vacation. Bella coated my lashes with a protecting mascara at the end of the session. The lashes and products used are from Korea.

I fell asleep when I was getting my lashes done because it was sooo therapeutic! An hour flew by so quickly that the next thing I knew, I had new lashes on. Bella went over how to care for my lashes and when I should expect them to fall out.

Prior to this, I only had eyelash extensions done once before a couple of years ago. However, they started falling off immediately the day after I had them applied. I think most of the lashes came off by the end of the first week. So my first experience was a complete fail. Bella told me that the eyelash extensions should last for at least three weeks. She ensured me that I should not be expecting fallout during my trip. So for three weeks I monitored my lashes.

The lashes were very long and it took some time for me to adjust to them. Once I did though, I felt pretty bare once they all came off at the end! The unfortunate part was that I couldn't wear any eye makeup during that time as it would affect the integrity of the lashes.

There were a couple of things that occurred when I was wearing the lashes. I noticed that about 2-3 days afterwards, my eyes would tear up randomly. I soon realized that it might have been the glue affecting my eyes. I was unsure if my body didn't like the specific glue used or just all eyelash glues in general. This happened about 4-5 more times in the first week where my eyes would sting for about a minute or two randomly. By the end of the first week, it stopped. I also found that my right eye was a bit tender with where the lashes were attached to. This only happened if I touch that area, otherwise I didn't feel it. The tenderness unfortunately did not go away until most of the lashes came off. However once off, the tenderness disappeared and there were no other problems to the eye.

Other than those two problems I ran into, the lashes held on amazingly. As promised, there were barely any fallout when I was away in Greece. I only went into the beach once but they held up no problem. The lashes did not start falling out slowly until mid second week. I think the glue is quite strong because the last few lashes stayed on so stubbornly towards the end of the month!

I give the lashes a 4/5 stars due to the times where I had tenderness and some tearing, but they stayed on like a champ. The lashes definitely became an added feature to my face and I got used to having fluttery long lashes. The customer service deserved a perfect 5/5 stars! I loved the customization and the wonderful experience I had in the shop. Bella was a joy to work with and I would recommend booking her 100%. Overall, I give Ahoy Lashes 4.5/5 stars.

Ahoy Lashes also only charges a set rate for the extensions. Bella did not think that it was fair people were being charged by the number of lashes used because everyone is born with a different number of lashes. Therefore, if you are someone who has been paying too much for lashes, you should take a look at Ahoy Lashes! I do recommend that if you know what eyelash glues your body is averse to, you should inquire with the shop before booking.

Woo, lashes!