This multi-layered confetti cake is always on Rebel's dessert menu, but on weekends it is also part of the brunch menu as "Cake for Breakfast." My response? If eating cake for breakfast is wrong, I don't want to be right! I especially liked the Fruit Loops in the icing and on the plate. It was missing the fruit pebbles and glass of milk, but I could not finish this as it was. I also learned the hard way not to try to pull the sparkler out of the cake immediately after it goes out. Ouch! This was a memorable experience for several reasons!
Sunday, April 29, 2018
Cake For Breakfast at Rebel
Beef Bulgogi at NARA Chicken and Tonkatsu
I normally visit NARA Chicken and Tonkatsu for the fabulous fried chicken, but on a recent evening I decided to try the beef bulgogi. It was a bountiful portion of tender beef with vegetables, served alongside rice and a small salad. Quite enjoyable, and great for an evening where I felt like eating something a bit lighter than fried chicken.
A Mensch and a Benny at Rooster Cafe and Kitchen
I loved Artisan, and was sad when it closed. However, life moves on and it was time to try Rooster, the new restaurant in its place. The interior has not changed that much, which I found comforting. The servers were extremely friendly. Rooster's menu is unique and has a large selection of bagels with house-made cream cheese and different kinds of smoked salmon. I went for the "Mentch" which was a bagel, cream cheese, and choice of smoked salmon. Served on a wooden tray, you assemble your creation yourself, which also comes with capers, red onions, and tomato slices. I'm not big on cream cheese, but the lemon dill version I chose was very flavourful. I had the lemon coriander gravlax, and fond the flavour to be a bit subtle, but enjoyable. Overall it was a good, light lunch and paired with a glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice, very satisfying.
On a lunch trip during the week I had the Rooster Benny. Thin slices of lemon coriander gravlax were artistically laid atop a perfectly medium poached egg, on a bagel with crispy breakfast potatoes on the side. I had the hollandaise to the side as well, into which I dipped a few potatoes. It was creamy and had a mild dill flavour with a hint of acidity. A very decadent dish.
Paneer Tikka and Chicken Biryani at Y Not Indian
Y Not Indian is the restaurant that has replaced my dearly departed Naanolicious. The restaurant interior looks very much the same, and the menu has a few familiar items like stuffed naan break and wraps. Staff and service are very friendly, and prices are reasonable. I tried the paneer tikka the first time, and found the cheese moist and full of flavour - paneer can often be dense and dry, but that was not the case here. Paired with saffron rice, it was a very satisfying dish.
I had the bone-in chicken biryani the next time. The chicken was tender and delicious and the rice which enveloped it had a symphony of flavours. It was a bit spicy for my taste and the chicken was completely buried within the rice making it a little difficult to eat in terms of avoiding bones. I would probably go for the chicken tikka or tandoori chicken instead.
Vegging Out: Breakfast Bowl at The Moth
The Moth is the buzz of Boyle Street. On my first venture there, I had the Moth's Breakfast Bowl, an attractive dish with scrambled tofu, vegan sausage, potatoes, several different vegetables, and three long stalks of asparagus on top of a small bed of brown rice, with a slightly acidic, cashew-based sauce to the side. The flavours went together really well: the slightly salty tofu with the grilled vegetables, sweet sausage, and tomatoes that tasted marinated. The portion was also significant.
Vegging Out: Pho and Vermicelli at An Chay
Vietnamese is one of my favourite kinds of cuisine and being a non-pork and seafood eater, vegan works well for me. An Chay (11203 Jasper Avenue) is spacious, bright, and has lots of comfortable seating. The menu features spring rolls, soups, and vermicelli bowls, with the twist of everything being plant-based. Tofu and soy is mostly used for the protein. I had a vegan pho and found the flavour profile of the broth to be excellent, with lots of noodles, soft tofu, lotus root, and different kinds of mushrooms.
On a subsequent visit I ordered the three-colour vermicelli. The "pork" was very flavourful, and the mint leaves added a lot of refreshment to the dish. I almost never eat all of the salad part of the bowl, but this time I did. The "fish sauce" added a little heat but was not overpowering the way I find real fish sauce to be. Also, the spring rolls are crispy and fantastic.
Vegging Out: Margherita Pizza at Die Pie
It's no secret that cheese and I don't get along well. I don't like it's flavour, texture, or smell, and quite frankly, it doesn't sit with me very well. Enter Die Pie. Or, should I say, I entered Die Pie. I was a bit hesitant because i figured if I don't really like real cheese, would I like a vegan substitute any more? I sat down at one of the wooden tables and ordered a margherita, the most basic 10-inch pizza which uses cashew as a cheese substitute (hemp is available for those with nut allergies, as is a gluten-free crust). The pizza was amazing. The creamy dollops of "cheese" had a very mellow flavour, the thick sauce accounting for most of the pizza's flavour as well as the freshness of the basil. It was like bruschetta, but enhanced. I'll definitely be back to try another pizza.
Just Desserts: Bubble Tea & Egg Puff at Teapsy Cafe
I had to kill some time on Whyte Avenue and stopped in to Teapsy Cafe for a cold drink on the first hot afternoon of the season. I ordered a bubble milk tea, which was served in a tall glass that was wider at the bottom so it was a bit awkward sucking the tapioca balls out, even with the wide straw. The tea itself was a somewhat bitter, which means it was probably strong. I hadn't had any coffee yet that day, and found myself suddenly not jonesing for caffeine afterwards. I also had an egg puff, which has a flavour similar to a waffle but is made up of a bunch of round balls that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It was a lot of fun and went well with the drink.
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