Amani Earls Coffee & Tea Bar

Cafe: Amani Earls Coffee & Tea Bar
Address: 3178 Dundas St. West
Phone: 647-655-3275
Store Hours: Mon CLOSED, Tues-Thurs 8 AM - 5 PM, Fri-Sat 8 AM - 6 PM, Sun 9:30 AM - 5 PM
Website: www.amaniearls.com

Wi-Fi?: Yes
Study Appropriate?: Yes
Stamp Cards?: Yes

Interior

Menu

Drinks - Soy/Almond/Lactose-Free Options?: Yes to soy and almond
- Offers Honey Black
- Offers Rosewater Milk
- Roasted coffee beans from Pilot Coffee Roasters

Food - Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Free?: Yes to all
- Offers homemade chocolate chip cookies
- Offers smoothies during the summer
- Offers made in-house breakfast sandwiches
- Offers baked goods

Review

Drink of Choice: Te Aro, $4.50 - $5

When I went to Amani Earls Coffee & Tea Bar, I realized I haven't been to The Junction for awhile. I absolutely loved the vibe of this neighbourhood and they had a lot of cool spots. When I arrived to the cafe, I realized that it was about to close. I really wanted to sit and do some homework but instead, I had to grab my drink and go, having only enough time to talk to the owner about his cafe.

Amani Earls is in a sweet little spot on The Junction strip that offers a variety of items, such as homemade chocolate chip cookies, breakfast sandwiches and smoothies during the summer. Their focus is on the quality of the coffee and use a great grinder to make their drinks. One of their specialty drinks is the Honey Black, which is a cortado with honey at the bottom of the cup. They also have Rosewater Milk. However, their novelty drinks change often and you may not see these the next time you pop by.

I asked about their drinks and the owner talked about the Te Aro. Curious, I was able to try this drink despite it not being on the menu. A Te Aro is steeped coffee mixed with almond milk, cacao, English Breakfast tea, and a dash of vanilla. It was indeed a tasty drink. In fact, English Breakfast is my favourite basic tea since it is one of the few I know that tastes good with milk and sugar.

If you are into cafe art, they display and sell from a different artist every three months. Amani Earls is simply a cute cafe in The Junction that you should drop by the next time you are in the area.

Banh Mi Boys

Restaurant: Banh Mi Boys
Address: 399 Yonge St. & 392 Queen St. West
Phone: 416-977-0303 & 416-363-0588
Store Hours: Mon-Fri 11 AM - 10 PM, Sat 11 AM - 9 PM, Sun 12 PM - 7 PM
Website: www.banhmiboys.com

Menu

View the rest of the menu here: www.banhmiboys.com/menu.htm

Squid Taco, $3.99

Review

Food of Choice: Kimchi Fries, $5.99

Banh Mi Boys is a popular Vietnamese Asian fusion quick-serve restaurant with two locations. They have one on Yonge besides Ryerson and another on Queen West. I have been to both locations and they look exactly the same (which made me doubt if I ever went to the Queen West location for a second).

If you haven't been already, Banh Mi Boys sell cheap Vietnamese subs with a fusion twist. For example, they have Lemon Grass Tofu and Five Spice Pork Belly banh mis. They also sell tacos and steamed baos, which I have tried both and enjoyed. However, my absolute favourite are the Kimchi Fries! It's like poutine but perfect for any Kimchi lovers out there. It's the same size as a regular poutine from Smoke's Poutinerie, in case you were wondering.

Banh Mi Boys is the perfect place to grab a snack when hungry, especially if you are a broke Ryerson (or any university) student. It's laid-back and a good place to relax with a friend for lunch or for grabbing take-out.

Patati Patata

Restaurant: Patati Patata

Address: 4177 Boulevard Saint-Laurent

Phone: 514-844-0216

Store Hours: Mon-Sun 8 AM - 2 AM

Website: N/A

Interior

Menu

Review

Food of Choice: Frites-sauce, $3.75

Food of Choice: Hamburger $2.50

If you know me, you would know that I love Montreal. If I knew French, I would move there instantly (and I have tried searching for job opportunities!). I went back last month to visit my cousin with a friend. This time, I was prepared to review some of the places I went to (more Montreal restaurant reviews to come, yay!).

My cousin and her boyfriend took the friend and I to this tiny diner on Saint Laurent for lunch. The phrase "Patati Patata" is similar to "Hakuna Matata" from what I was told. The diner is this really cute and small place with an outgoing staff. They sell basic fast food items at super cheap prices! I opted for one hamburger and some fries with sauce. The burger was slider-size, which was why it was only $2.50. One of the employees told me that people usually order two to have their fill. If you decide to order a burger, you get a slip of paper to check off the toppings and sauces that you want on it. I liked their fries because they were done fresh. My friend, who got the fries without the sauce, told me the sauce made them taste saltier (I personally couldn't tell).

Patati Patata is a very casual place and great for a quick meal for any time of the day. You wouldn't go out of your way to visit it but if you want something fast and cheap, this is the place to be! Definitely drop by if you are ever on Saint Laurent and looking for some light to eat.