The Next Act

Now that it's officially summer, I've been thinking more about places in Edmonton with awesome patios for dining out. Enjoying the warm sunshine with delicious food always leads to a great time in my opinion. With that being said, I thought I'd share my first patio lunch of the season at The Next Act (8224 104 Street NW)! 

Located just north of Whyte Ave on 104 Street, The Next Act is a pub that offers snacks, soups, salads, sandwiches, and burgers. The Next Act is very well known for serving up some of the best burgers in town - in fact, they landed first place in Avenue Edmonton's list of Best Burgers in Edmonton in their Best Restaurants 2015 issue. I knew I needed to try one of their burgers to see if they were really deserving of that title. 

The menu.

June and I arrived around noon on a Wednesday, stepping inside a bustling pub. Luckily, a table out on the patio opened up for us so we decided to take our lunch date outdoors. It wasn't too hot outside and there was a gentle breeze. Shade from a nearby tree and the clouds blocking the sun every now and then allowed for beautiful, soft lighting which is something I seek whenever I'm taking my food photos. 

Spinach Dip.

To start off our lunch, June ordered the Spinach Dip ($12) to share with me. Baked spinach and hearts of palm blended with cream cheese and garlic make up the dip, which I found to be absolutely delicious. The dip was warm, comforting, and full of flavour. It reminded me of the time when my group in Foods class back in junior high made a simple spinach dip, which was my first time trying the snack. Paired with the soft naan bread and crispy tortilla chips, this snack was a hit at our table. 

Our lunch.

Now onto our main courses! Our food was a little slow to arrive but understandable because of the lunch rush. 

MEAT Brisket Donair.

June decided on the MEAT Brisket Donair ($15) for her lunch. The capitalized MEAT in the name refers to The Next Act's sister restaurant MEAT which is just next door. You can read about my adventure at MEAT by clicking here. Wrapped inside the naan bread are smoked brisket, feta cheese, sweet donair sauce, red onion, sliced tomatoes, and lettuce. June offered me a bite which I took (hehe)... I thought the brisket was tasty but the real standout was that donair sauce which was nice and sweet and prominent in my bite. 

The Class Act.

It's finally time to talk about my lunch pick: The Class Act ($16) burger which comes with bacon, cheddar, an over easy egg, and all the groceries. You have to assemble the burger yourself since the buns are separated at first, but that made it easier for me to pick off the pickle and one tomato slice since I don't really like too many vegetables. Just putting the burger together was enough to make the egg yolk softly ooze out on the side of my burger. My first thoughts? This burger is hugeeeee! Cutting the burger into super tiny pieces was a necessity for me. Now how about the taste? The patty was juicy and quite thick, while the bun was soft, pillowy, and lightly toasted. The vegetables tasted fresh, but the best parts of the burger for me were definitely the egg and bacon. I didn't really get a lot of cheddar though. The house cut fries served alongside our food was just okay but nothing really special about them. 

So did I think this was the best burger in Edmonton? No. I personally thought the size of the burger was too big and overwhelming for me. When it arrived at our table I instantly wished CJ was with me to help me finish my food. I would've enjoyed my burger more if both the patty and bun weren't so thick. 

View from the patio.

I think the burger I had was okay overall, but it definitely was not the best burger I've had (or am yet to have) in Edmonton. I tend to like smaller sizes that are more manageable to eat when it comes to burgers. We all have our own preferences. I know many people enjoy The Next Act's burgers, such as the The Critic or their PB&J which are two crowd favourites. 

The next time you're craving a burger, I would still recommend giving The Next Act a shot even though my first experience wasn't as amazing as I'd hoped. After all, they scored first place in the Best Burgers category for a reason! So do give it a try if you're in the neighbourhood. I enjoyed the Spinach Dip a lot more though and would love to come back just for that. Check out The Next Act on Facebook, Twitter (@NextActPub), and Instagram (@nextactpub).

My first patio lunch of the season was great. It was nice to get some food with a friend while enjoying the warm weather. I'm looking forward to more patio adventures this summer! 

My first photo submission to Gastropost!

P.S. Later that evening, I found out the week's Gastropost mission was "Just Dip It" and immediately thought that the Spinach Dip I had earlier would be perfect to submit. I submitted my first photo to Gastropost Edmonton to complete the weekly mission, patiently waiting for the following week to see if my photo would end up in the Edmonton Journal. And it did! Thank you Gastropost for featuring my photo in the paper! Also thanks to June since she's the one who paid for that dip and made it possible for me to complete the mission! 

Block 1912

Happy Tuesday! So I'm aware that it's been more than a week since I last posted... I guess you could say I was on a blogging roll at the start of May. Blogging was postponed mostly because CJ returned from vacation so naturally, I wanted to spend time with him. He is my number one distraction after all.

Now let's get this blog post started. If you frequent Whyte Ave like I do, I'm sure you've passed by Block 1912, a European cafe located beside the intersection of 104 Street and 82 Ave. I'll admit the outside appearance is a little unassuming, but stepping inside you'll find yourself in a big space looking at tons of comfy couches and chairs that extend all the way from the entrance to the very far end of the cafe.

Sorry, not the best photos of the interior.

Block 1912 offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner options in addition to coffee and drinks. I've heard a lot of good things about the soups, lasagnas, and casseroles they serve too. But the real stand out for me? Their pastries. They have a huge display of pastries with a lot of selection, so there's something for everyone. The beauty of the food at Block 1912 is that it is all made from scratch in house. 

Our spread of desserts and hot drinks.

I guess one of the biggest downsides (for me) of Block 1912 is the lack of natural lighting available. There is really only one window near the entrance with few seating nearby. If you're lucky enough to snag one of those window seats, do it! You'll get better quality photos that aren't grainy like mine. 

White Hot Chocolate.

CJ ordered a White Hot Chocolate ($3.50), which he actually enjoys more than a regular hot chocolate. This one, however, tasted oddly like cotton candy. It was just okay in my opinion.

Vanilla Milk Steamer.

I ordered a Vanilla Milk Steamer ($3.50), which is my favourite option if I don't feel like drinking hot chocolate. This drink was light and frothy, although I wish the vanilla flavour in mine was more prominent. 

Chocolate Marquise.

CJ also got their Chocolate Marquise (~$6) which is a moist, rich chocolate cake layered with chocolate mousse, topped with chocolate glaze, and decorated with chocolate shavings and hints of gold. Basically a chocolate lovers dream dessert. This cake was quite rich, although the chocolate mousse provided a nice creaminess with each bite. Also, those golden flakes on top are such a beautiful touch! 

Cappuccino Cake.

I was a little torn deciding which pastry I wanted, but I ultimately went for their Cappuccino Cake (~$6). This is a coffee sponge cake with espresso buttercream and white chocolate mousse. The buttercream was light and sweet and paired perfectly with the moist cake. I also enjoyed how the coffee flavour wasn't too strong so my friends (who aren't coffee lovers or drinkers) could try some too. 

Pistachio Cake.

Jeline and Yusra both chose the Pistachio Cake ($6), which was smaller in size compared to the cakes CJ and I chose. This dessert is a vanilla sponge cake with pistachio mousse, coated in white chocolate and pistachio. Jeline and Yusra described it as light, creamy, nutty, and not overly sweet. Sounds delicious if you ask me. 

Lastly, Jeline ordered a London Fog ($4.75). Surprisingly, I don't have a picture of just the drink itself. She said the drink had a good, strong flavour that wasn't too sweet. 

I highly recommend checking out Block 1912 if you're in need of a coffee and dessert break. If sweets aren't really your thing, they also offer salads, hot meals, sandwiches, and tapas as well. The atmosphere is really cozy and relaxing so it's a great spot for studying, catching up with friends, or reading a good book. They are open until 12 AM from Monday to Saturday and until 11 PM on Sunday which is perfect for any night owls. 

P.S. I heard one of their tables has a drawer containing napkin notes and letters! How cool is that? If I ever find myself at that table, I would love to add my own napkin note to the collection. Also makes for a great read and conversation with friends! 

Cafe Mosaics

After being closed for a few months this past fall for an expansion and renovations, Cafe Mosaics has now returned to the Edmonton food scene - this time looking bigger and brighter than ever! And I really mean it when I say that... there is now plenty of seating at this vegan and vegetarian eatery, with a large front window allowing beautiful natural light to spill inside the dining space. For all the Instagrammers out there who post pictures of neat spaces or food with natural lighting like myself, this place is godsend. 

The interior.

Sadly, I didn't take too many photos of the interior. But trust me, it really is gorgeous inside. Bright, white walls and minimalist details make Cafe Mosaics appear quite spacious, while the potted plants on every table added a cute touch. This is definitely a popular joint on Whyte Ave, since more and more people started pouring in during our visit here. 

All the menus.

While I didn't take too many photos of the interior, I made up for it by having tons of photos of their menus! The first two images show the main menu items, the third shows their burgers, and the last one lists all the different drinks they offer. Please excuse the quality of the photos... sometimes natural lighting doesn't always work in your favour. 

PB Cacao Banana and Chai Berry Chai.

To start, my two friends ordered drinks from their Ice Blends selection. Yusra got the PB Cacao Banana ($6.50) which consists of natural peanut butter, banana, oats, hemp hearts, honey, cacao, and your choice of milk. She said the consistency was slightly thicker than what she would have preferred, so stirring was much needed. In spite of that, she said that the drink tasted really good (I'm pretty sure she tried to recreate her version of it at home too). Jeline got the Chai Berry Chai ($6.50) which contains chai, blueberries, and raspberries. As someone who likes to drink chai, she enjoyed it. 

Nacho Friend.

Now let's talk about the food. Yusra ordered Nacho Friend ($10) from their Let's Start Grazing list, which contains all the appetizers. This dish contains tons of nachos, quinoa, cheese, and beans that are oven baked. Sour cream, salsa, and a lime wedge are served on top. I didn't try this dish myself, but I really liked the pretty, vibrant colours on the clean white plate. So mouthwatering. Yusra enjoyed the toppings, and said the nachos were perfectly crunchy. She also said the portion size was big, so this dish is one that you can share with friends too (if you want lol). 

Crispy Vegan Spring Rolls.

Jeline chose to get their Crispy Vegan Spring Rolls ($10). Served on a bed of kale and mints, the spring rolls are filled with root vegetables, with a plum or vegan fish sauce on the side for dipping. I got to try one of these, and while I did enjoy the crunchiness of the spring roll, the filling was just decent in my opinion. I would much rather go for something with a bigger portion size if the cost is the same. 

Green Onion Cakes.

CJ's pick was their Green Onion Cakes ($10), also from the appetizers list. At first I was mad at him for not being more adventurous with his food, but when I took a bite into one of these I'm glad he ordered them! Apart from the green onions, each fluffy pastry contains roasted flax and hemp hearts, with hot chili sauce served on the side. I really enjoyed the added texture from the flax, and the pastry itself had a soft interior with a perfectly crunchy exterior. So yummy! There was also a lot of cut up cakes too, so CJ and I felt like the money was well spent on his appetizer. 

Vegan Pho.

And now for the final dish, which was my pick: Vegan Pho ($15). While everyone else chose from the appetizers, I wanted something a bit bigger so I chose from their Soups selection. But damnnnn, this bowl of pho was HUGE. I wasn't even sure I could finish it all by myself! Cafe Mosaics' Vegan Pho contains pho vermicelli with assorted mushrooms, soft tofu, white fungus, veggie mutton, thinly sliced purple onion, bean sprouts, fresh basil, and a wedge of lime. Hoisin and satay sauce are also served on the side. The broth in this vegan pho had a lot of depth and was really tasty... just as good as the broths I've previously had at other joints (which contain beef). Every now and then I would pick up a different mushroom while I ate... I even found these thin white mushrooms that looked pretty cool. I later discovered their name: enoki mushrooms! Unfortunately I was too scared to eat it at the time, so I let CJ have it. The mushrooms made for a nice replacement for traditional meat. Overall, a very delicious bowl of pho. 

Water!

You don't have to be vegan or vegetarian to enjoy the food and atmosphere of Cafe Mosaics. The food and drinks here were super tasty, and you'll feel good about eating fresh ingredients sourced from local markets. Yusra also liked the fact that she could eat anything from their menu too! If I were to return here, I would want to try one of their burgers - it seems to be really popular on social media! Here are a few notes about Cafe Mosaics that you may want to know: they only accept debit or cash for payment! A diner sitting next to me didn't know about this when he handed over his credit card, so a server explained that paying with debit or cash ensures that they can continue to provide the organic foods they use in their dishes. Also, when you are done eating, you have to take your bills to the register to pay. This was a bit weird because we saw a server bring over a debit machine to another customer at their table, yet we ended up having to pay at the register. Finally - and according to their website - they like to play loud music. I didn't even notice any music playing to be honest, but if you're looking for a more quiet, intimate place, perhaps consider another eatery? All in all, consider stopping by Cafe Mosaics if you're ever on Whyte Ave for a morning coffee break or an afternoon lunch - there is something for everyone here!

Gama Cafe

Hey everyone! I can't believe it's already May... the days are going by so quickly! It was only in my previous post that I was just greeting you all a Happy April too. Anyways, I am excited to announce that I have just recently completed another year of university! I tried my best to update the blog during my winter semester, and although I only made a few posts, it's still more effort than the fall semester! I'm looking forward to spending a lot more time on my blog this summer too. 

With all that being said, let's move on and talk about this one-of-its-kind cafe in Edmonton: Gama Cafe! Previously known as Gama Store tucked away near 104 Street and Whyte Ave, Gama Cafe is a newly revamped and relocated place to grab Asian snack foods and drinks. The relocated Gama Cafe is still on Whyte Ave, but it's closer to 109 Street in the same building as Impressions Dental Clinic. It is also in between RBC and Pizza Hut on the same side of the street, while Cafe Mosaics is across from it too. 

Fancy interior!

I first heard that they were open for business on Friday Jan. 16, so I planned my visit here on the following Monday (I know, I was excited. This is also proof that I'm behind with posting lol!). They didn't open until 4:00 PM at the time, so CJ and I got there a bit early and had to wait at the entrance until it was okay to go in. Although I wanted to sit on the gorgeous-looking red seats closer to the window, we ended up sitting at a two person table. There are tons of seating available, from the two person tables to the cozy booths in the centre, to a larger area towards the back behind the arches. Oh, for your information - the servers wear maid aprons!!! I felt like I was in an anime... specifically, Kaichou wa Maid-Sama! (The President is a Maid!) where the protagonist secretly works in a maid cafe while also being the student council president. It's a hilarious and super cute anime... I would recommend it to anyone who loves shoujo/romantic comedies. 

The menu.

The menu at Gama Cafe is smaller, with an emphasis on drinks and snack foods. They also have some hot, savoury dishes available too. I didn't have a chance to visit the old Gama Store at their former location, but based on a few Instagram posts it seems that the Green Cap Milk Tea and Taiwanese Pancakes are their specialty. Since I'm a lover of sweets, I decided on their waffles, toast, and a smoothie for my afternoon snack. 

The water.

Also, can we take a moment to acknowledge the size of the water glasses here? These are probably around 4 inches tall and the water is filled up to only half! CJ and I had a good laugh at how ridiculously small the water was, but in all seriousness, why the cheaping out on the water, Gama Cafe? 

Summer Dance Smoothie.

The first to arrive at our table was the Summer Dance ($5.29). This is a mango smoothie with sliced mangoes, strawberries, and kiwis served on top. I loved the bright colours and fresh fruits on top - definitely reminded me of summer! Taste wise, it was decent - just your typical mango smoothie. It was also a bit hard to drink because some of the smoothie would run down the sides of the glass so I had to keep wiping it down. 

Burned Marshmallow Thick Toast.

Next up was the Burned Marshmallow Thick Toast ($6.29). This treat was actually the reason why I wanted to check out Gama Cafe since I had seen a picture of it on Instagram over the weekend. Nine marshmallows cover a super thick piece of toast, with some chocolate drizzle and a mint leaf garnish on top. The marshmallows weren't 'burned' by any means but were more lightly toasted. I would say the name of this treat could be tweaked a little bit haha. Now how about the taste? The soft marshmallow with the warm, crunchy toast was SO GOOD! I really enjoyed the contrasting combination. The toast wasn't too hard to cut into and it added a nice balance to the sweetness of the marshmallow and chocolate. Since eating this, I couldn't stop raving about it to CJ. 

Chicocolate Waffles.

Last but not least are the Chicocolate Waffles ($10.49). These actually took a long time to arrive - I was already close to finishing the marshmallow toast! Our server also ensured us that it would be arriving momentarily too. I wonder why it took so long. These waffles are served with chocolate ice cream, chocolate sauce, strawberries, bananas, custard, and dipping sauce. Alone, the waffles were a little dry, but with the sauce and ice cream, it made for a nice sweet treat! While the fresh strawberries and bananas were a great addition, I would've been okay without the custard though... it was oddly tasteless. 

More Burned Marshmallow Thick Toast! Looking more burnt this time...

I was so obsessed with the marshmallow toast that I convinced CJ to return later that week! This time however, my toast wasn't as quick to come out. The marshmallows were also more burnt looking instead of being lightly toasted. The toast itself was also way too hard and crunchy. I was so disappointed that the toast wasn't as good this time around. 

Strawberriffle Waffles.

CJ also got the Strawberriffle Waffles ($10.49) to share with our friend. These waffles only came with ice cream, custard, and fresh strawberries. Unless you're a fan of only strawberries, I would recommend the Chicocolate Waffles instead because you get a bit more things on your plate for the same price. The wait for these waffles was also very long... almost 45 minutes! While it tasted decent, it just wasn't worth the wait. 

The verdict on Gama Cafe? I feel like their snack foods can be improved taste wise and also with the time it took to come out. It shouldn't be taking over 30 minutes to make a single waffle! Service was also a bit slow but understandable since they had just recently opened. I would love to return here to try their Tommi Toast, which is stacked toast cubes with cream and ice cream! Definitely a few kinks to work out, but overall a nice business to have in Edmonton. Make sure to check their updated menu on Facebook featuring more items and pictures this time around! They also extended their hours from 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM instead of opening at 4:00 PM. If you're ever craving for something sweet or want a nice drink, I would give Gama Cafe a try!

Artisan Resto Cafe

Whenever I head down Whyte Ave, Artisan Resto Cafe has always caught my eye. Located on the first stretch of the popular avenue starting from 109th Street, this restaurant is found in the lower level of the Garneau Building. During the winter break, CJ and I decided to check it out for our first lunch date of 2015! Yes, I've decided that because I haven't gone on too many food adventures so far this year, it would be a good time to post about the 2015 ones before I backtrack and write about the 2014 adventures! I plan on spending my upcoming reading week updating this blog. 

The interior.

When CJ and I stepped into this restaurant, we found that it was actually quite spacious with a lot of natural light shining through despite it being on the lower level. I would describe the atmosphere as being quaint and cozy - perfect for breakfast, brunch, or lunch! 

Artisan Resto Cafe offers a lot of options for breakfast, along with a selection of soups, salads, sandwiches, desserts, and so much more. Many people on Instagram share that this place is the best breakfast spot in the city, so I knew I had to try one of their breakfast options! I was craving eggs anyways, lol. 

Our food.

You can never go wrong with having breakfast for lunch! Our food did take awhile to come out even though there were only a few other people eating here. Hmmm.

Prairie Gold.

I decided on the Prairie Gold ($10.29) for my meal, which is one of the five options listed under their Classic Eggs. In this dish you get two eggs of any style, your choice of bacon, ham, or sausage, grilled potatoes, tomatoes, and toasted pan bread. There is also a selection of fresh fruit for garnish. My mom would always make my eggs sunny side up when I was younger, so this style is obviously my favourite! I easily got through the eggs, toast, and potatoes - it was definitely the perfect combo and not too greasy at all. The cantaloupe and orange slices were fresh, but the honeydew had a weird bitter taste to it. I didn't touch the grapefruit or tomato slices either (just because I don't really like these foods in general!). Overall, I found this dish to be a great breakfast option: classic and simple. 

The Breton.

CJ is more of an eggs benedict lover, so I wasn't surprised when he ordered The Breton ($11.29). This dish comes with two poached eggs on toasted English muffins, along with mushrooms, melted brie cheese, and their classic hollandaise sauce. It also came with the same grilled potatoes and fresh fruit arrangement as my dish. CJ seemed to enjoy his food, but I guess it wasn't too filling for him since he kept grabbing food off my plate! 

Drooooool.

One thing that I loved about Artisan Resto Cafe was the affordability of their menu options! It's not too expensive at all, and you still receive a tasty meal. I was quite relaxed the whole time as well, which definitely makes for a positive dining experience. I would love to come back here again for an actual breakfast (not breakfast for lunch), and maybe I'll try one of their crepes or Belgian waffles next time! Consider checking out this place for your next brunch destination! 

Flirt Cupcakes

I'm sure we all know how amazing cupcakes are... a moist cake topped with sweet and delicious frosting... I'm craving a cupcake just from writing this! I've made it a goal of mine to check out all of Edmonton's cupcakeries, and I'm slowly but surely getting there. The cupcakery (or cupcake bakery) that I last took a trip to would be Flirt Cupcakes (http://www.flirtcupcakes.com/), located on Whyte Ave. They also have another shop in Downtown on Jasper Ave, which I've passed by a few times before.

CJ and I had purchased a Groupon for Flirt Cupcakes at the start of our summer break, so we visited the cupcakery just a few days before the deal expired! Lol, cutting it close for sure. I didn't really think about taking a picture of the interior since CJ and I were in and out fairly quickly. However, the Flirt Cupcakes Whyte Ave location has a decent size space with some seating inside, which is great if you want to stay in to snack on your sweet treat. 

A Dozen Mini Cupcakes.

The deal we had at Flirt Cupcakes were a dozen Mini Cupcakes (normally $16.95) at a discounted price of $8.99. I loved all the fun and bright colours of the frosting! It was very hard to divide the cupcakes between CJ and I... at least we each got one red velvet! 

Here is my best attempt at naming all the cupcakes in the above picture, from left to right: 

Top Row: Cookie Dough, Fury, Fantasy Island, The Flirt.

Middle Row: Coffee Date, Heartbreaker, Heartbreaker, Sweet Georgia Brown.

Bottom Row: Basic Instinct, Wild on Whyte, Orange Creamsicle, Cookies & Cream.

Sweet Georgia Brown.

All the cupcakes I had were heavenly! Fury and Heartbreaker were at the top of my list, but the one that stood out the most to me was definitely the Sweet Georgia Brown. This one is a brown sugar and cinnamon cake topped with cream cheese frosting and a Teddy Graham. SO GOOD! I'm not kidding when I say that this is one of the best cupcakes I've had. Just the right amount of sweetness too. I want to come back to purchase the regular sized cupcake in this flavour for sure. 

Be sure to hit up Flirt Cupcakes to satisfy your cupcake craving! I found that the price of their cupcakes are just slightly higher compared to other cupcakeries in the Whyte Ave and Old Strathcona area, but they still have the Groupon deal going on for both their locations! Get it before it's gone! 

Oodle Noodle

While having a late afternoon snack with CJ at Teapsy Cafe (see previous post), I soon found out that both of us didn't eat an actual lunch yet! CJ kept insisting that he was okay, but I knew he was hungry and wanted something more filling to eat. I suggested to stop by Oodle Noodle (www.oodlenoodle.ca) since we both wanted something quick and inexpensive. 

Oodle Noodle is a restaurant that offers flavours from 7 Asian nations. While they specialize in noodles, they also have some starters, salads, and other dishes with Far East flavours. CJ and I went to their Whyte Ave location, but they also have 6 other locations in Edmonton and the Greater Edmonton Area. 

The interior (with CJ watching the food being made).

The interior of Oodle Noodle's Whyte Ave location isn't the most spacious, with only a couple booths and tall chairs overlooking the kitchen area. While waiting for our food, I found that most people would order their food to go. Oodle Noodle also delivers, however they do not deliver south of 34th Ave (shame the two of us live in the southside lol!). You can even pick up your order at one of their locations as well. 

The menu.

There are two large menus on the wall on opposite sides to each other. With so many different types of noodles, it's hard not to want to try them all! I loved the fact that each food item had a description underneath. For all the wok dishes, you can choose to have it made with either chicken, beef, tofu, or shrimp. Some of the dishes are marked as vegan-friendly, while others are gluten-free. Literally anyone can find something to eat at Oodle Noodle! 

Take out box.

I absolutely love the take out box that the noodles come in! It is bright blue and decorated with white pixel clouds all around. So cute! It reminds me of old school Super Mario Bros... anyone else feeling nostalgic? 

Pancit Canton (front) and Bombay Butter Chicken (back).

The wok dish I ordered was Oodle Noodle's Pancit Canton ($9.45) with chicken as my choice of meat. Pancit Canton is a popular Filipino dish - I eat this at home all the time! The chef actually asked me what size of Mandarin noodles I wanted, and I chose the skinnier size over the thicker one. There are also some vegetables mixed in with the noodles as well. I got my noodles freshly made, so of course it was quite hot. The first couple bites of a piping hot dish were just okay, but after letting it cool down a bit, eating the noodles became much more enjoyable. There was a delicious spicy flavour that built up as I ate more noodles... super addicting! Another thing to note is that even though the take out box looks pretty small, I actually found there to be a lot of noodles inside! 

Bombay Butter Chicken.

The dish CJ chose for our late lunch was their Bombay Butter Chicken ($10.95). The butter chicken is served with naan and rice. Butter chicken is definitely one of my favourite things to eat! It's not overly spicy, and I love the rich and creamy taste of it. When paired with rice or naan... it's heaven in my mouth. CJ finished his food really quickly - a sign that he enjoyed everything! 

Going to Oodle Noodle for the first time together, CJ and I had a positive experience there! It's great that the food is made to order, so everything tasted nice and fresh. I would recommend Oodle Noodle if you're looking for some tasty Asian food made in a casual atmosphere that is also affordable. Another bonus is that they are generally open late on Fridays and Saturdays - even until 3:00am at both of their Downtown locations! Perfect for hungry night owls. Also... who wouldn't want to receive their food in a cute bright blue take out box!? 

Teapsy Cafe

Let's get TEAPSYYY!!! That's exactly what CJ and I did two weeks ago, when we finally got to go to Teapsy Cafe (www.facebook.com/pages/Teapsy-Cafe/). I first heard about Teapsy Cafe a couple months ago from a friend, who told me they served all kinds of Asian snacks and bubble tea. Since then, I've always been asking CJ to go here, but we never really had the chance to do so. That's when he spontaneously picked me up from home and told me we could go where ever I wanted to go without him complaining. So sweet of you bb! 

I knew Teapsy was down Whyte Ave, but I didn't know specifically where. Taking the bus from the University Station, I ended up getting off at the stop that was just before the correct one. Ooops. CJ and I had to walk down Whyte Ave for a bit before I located Teapsy, but he was okay with that. He was able to check out a store called The Briefing Room, which he said would be his "new favourite store" (lol). 

We stepped into Teapsy to find ourselves in a room with a couple of tables and some games on a shelf to the side. One of the walls is bright red with a mural of angel wings painted on it. I didn't take a picture of it, but it looked very pretty! CJ and I decided to take a seat at a table meant for two people close to the entrance. Two menus were given to us, and after looking through it we decided to get ourselves drinks and a dessert to share. 

Pool, anyone?

While waiting for our food and drinks, CJ brought over a mini pool table from the shelf filled with games. Teapsy also has a variety of board games and card games if you're more into that. I'm not the best pool player... but CJ still let me win our short game of pool anyways! 

When our server arrived with our dessert, she asked us if we wanted to move to a larger table. The larger tables near the windows were actually all occupied when CJ and I first came in, but seeing that they were now empty, I naturally took up her offer to move! The seating at the larger table was more comfy, and I could sit beside CJ instead of across from him. Also, better lighting for pictures! 

Shaved Ice.

The dessert I chose to share with CJ was their Shaved Ice ($7.95). At Teapsy, you can choose three items for toppings, and also add matcha ice cream for an extra $3. The toppings I chose were original flavour mochi, mango bobba (bubble pops), and pudding. Other toppings include tapioca, red beans, green beans, natural, grass or lychee jelly, taro, aloe, and strawberry or yogurt bobba. There are also more flavours of mochi as well. A small cup of condensed milk is given on the side, which you then have to pour into the shaved ice to give it flavour. After that, feel free to mix everything together to get a delicious treat! 

Our shaved ice dessert with our drinks.

This was actually the first time CJ and I have had a Shaved Ice dessert together! We actually felt we were eating it incorrectly (do you mix it all together or not?), but we thought the idea was similar to a traditional Filipino dessert we've had called Halo-Halo. Halo-Halo translates to "mix-mix", where you mix the shaved ice together with all the different toppings. Yummy! I really enjoyed the mango bobba and pudding, though I wished I would've picked a different flavour of mochi instead of the original. Shaved Ice is definitely a good pick if you're looking for something sweet and cold but is also customizable. 

Champagne Grape Yogurt Slush.

CJ's drink was the first to arrive at our table. He chose the Champagne Grape Yogurt Slush ($5.50). He also had the option to get this drink as a juice, but he preferred to have it as a slush. I had a sip of his drink, and I could really taste the grape flavour! Since it is more on the icy side, it isn't as milky as bubble tea drinks are, so I thought this was pleasantly refreshing. CJ's been loving grape flavours lately, so I knew he enjoyed his drink! 

Taro Bling Bling.

The drink I chose was the Taro Milk Slush with Matcha Ice Cream Bling Bling ($6). This drink is essentially taro bubble tea topped with whipped cream and a small scoop of green tea ice cream. I thought the taro milk slush tasted delicious, with the consistency being just slightly thicker than the bubble tea you find at Dream Tea House. This drink also has no tapioca (hence why it is called a milk slush), which I thought was great for me since I don't really like tapioca anyways. I loved how the green tea ice cream would melt into the taro milk slush... it made the drink taste even better! 

CJ and I had a great time at Teapsy Cafe. The weather outside wasn't the most beautiful this day, so I loved the cozy feeling of sharing a dessert with CJ. There is also Shaw Go Wifi at Teapsy (cheers to free wifi hahaha), so we got to watch the first episode of the second season of Sword Art Online. Definitely an awesome way to spend a late afternoon on a Thursday. 

Overall, if you're looking for a new hangout spot, Teapsy Cafe is a good place to go! While they mostly specialize in drinks (milk tea, bubble tea, etc.), they also have a few savoury dishes if you want something more filling. Another thing to note is that they are open pretty late (midnight and until 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays), so it's a good place to stop by for a late night snack. Next time, I would want to go with a few more friends and try their waffles!