Friday, September 12, 2014

Jelly Modern Doughnuts


Restaurant: Jelly Modern Doughnuts
Address: 376 College St.
Phone: 416-962-2053
Store Hours: Mon pre-order pickup + delivery, Tues-Thurs 7 AM - 6 PM, Fri 7 AM - 7 PM, Sat 10 AM - 7 PM, Sun 11 AM - 7 PM
Website: www.jellymoderndoughnuts.com


Interior



Menu

Drinks - Soy/Almond/Lactose-Free Options?: No

Food - Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Free Options?: Gluten-sensitive options available



Review

Doughnut of Choice: S'mores, $2.75

If you read my review for Kensington Krawl, you would've found out that was the first time I visited Jelly Modern Doughnuts. I have been eyeing the store for a couple of years now ever since I saw it, but never had the chance to stop by. After my food tour, all attendees were given a coupon for a free doughnut and coffee. I eagerly came back to claim the coupon with a friend of mine.

The first time I was there, I tried the S'mores doughnut. For this visit, I took a stab at the Salted Caramel. I loved both doughnuts but I preferred the S'mores a bit more. My friend got hooked after eating his Coconut doughnut and ended up buying half a dozen for his roommates afterwards! He ended up coming back later on every time he passed by.

I highly recommend Jelly Modern Doughnuts if you love gourmet desserts. Every bite is worth it!

Jelly Modern Doughnuts on Urbanspoon

Thursday, September 11, 2014

i deal coffee (Sorauren)

Cafe: i deal coffee
Address: 221 Sorauren Ave.
Phone: 416-364-4563
Store Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30 AM - 7 PM, Sat 8 AM - 7 PM, Sun 9 AM - 7 AM
Website: www.idealcoffee.ca

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


Interior



Menu

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

Food - Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Free Options?: Yes to all
- Baked goods made in house
- Uses Prairie Boy Bread




Review

My Order: Latte, $3.57


I was surprised to find that Balluchon Raymond Inc. was closed and in place of it was another i deal coffee location. As expected of an i deal coffee cafe, it was super packed when I arrived. I contemplated on leaving because it was so full, but luckily a seat freed up before I did.

Compared to Balluchon, they changed the layout of the cafe just a bit. There were more tables and chairs to accommodate to the number of customers, though they kept the exposed brick walls and counter the same. They also have a patio open during the warmer weather as well.

You can find the standard i deal coffee menu here and their typical offerings. If you are a fan of i deal coffee and is in Roncesvalles, definitely take a look at this location.

Friday, September 5, 2014

[Product Review] Zpirit

Company: Zpirit
Website: www.zpiritfood.com


Review

Product: Zpirit
Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Free?: Yes to all

Spiced Pear & Vanilla, Pineapple & Sage, Mandarin & Mint, Peach & Basil



An acquaintance reached out to me, asking if I would be interested in reviewing naturally infused water products from the company he is working for. Obviously, I said yes! I am always open to trying new products because I like discovering new favourites!

Zpirit currently sells four flavours of their naturally infused water, only 30 calories per bottle. The unique aspect of Zpirit is that all the drinks have actual fruit pieces in them! I thought this was a cute spin from most naturally infused water brands out there in the market. I got to try their entire line and these were my thoughts in the order I drank them:

Pineapple & Sage: This was the first drink I tried and was my least favourite. It had a pineapple taste but I wasn't sure if I was detecting the sage in there, since I was unfamiliar with how sage tasted like. Despite the drink tasting like pineapple, there was something about the flavour that I wasn't particularly fond of. It felt bland. I was afraid that the other drinks were going to be similar, but thankfully not!

Peach & Basil: The second drink I tried became my second favourite out of the bunch. The peach flavour had a nice kick to it and I gulped it down a lot more quickly than the Pineapple & Sage. I am a fan of peaches, so it was no surprise that I liked this one.

Mandarin & Mint: In this drink, you can taste both the mandarin and the mint, which is a nice balance. It didn't stand out compared to the three in my opinion, but I think this could be a favourite for others.

Spiced Pear & Vanilla: Hands down, this is my favourite flavour out of the four! At first when I tried it, I wasn't sure if it was going to be a favourite over the Peach & Basil. As I continued to drink the Spiced Pear & Vanilla, it reminded me of tea. This flavour would be perfect in tea form and many tea lovers would definitely enjoy this drink.

The one thing I was disappointed with all the drinks was that the fruit pieces didn't have any flavour left by the time you eat them. I think all the juices are sucked out from the fruits once infused with the water. So you get textured, but flavourless fruits to chew on at the end. Overall, Zpirit is a good brand to try out if you are a fan of flavoured water or trying out healthy drink alternatives. I highly recommend the Spiced Pear & Vanilla.

Currently, Zpirit is available only in Ontario and Quebec in selected stores. Big retailers you can find Zpirit in are Longo's, Whole Foods and selected Loblaws. Zpirit is in many independent cafes and stores, such as Cafe 260, Wanda's Pie in the Sky, Lettieri, and more!

Have you tried Zpirit yet? If so, which ones? Do you have any favourites?

Thank you to Zprit for the products provided for this review! :)