Croffles: At the intersection of croissants and waffles

CanCulture visited Fuwa Fuwa and tried the newest addition to their menu: croffles

By: Apurva Bhat

(Sama Nemat Allah/CanCulture)

The wind is cool, my face is numb and my friend and I can’t wait to reach Fuwa Fuwa to try their fluffy-looking croffles. With my university nearby in downtown Toronto’s Dundas Square, the franchise’s Bloor St. W. location is the closest and most accessible to me. When we enter the store, we are welcomed by the warmth and smell of fresh pancakes being cooked.

Known for their Japanese pancakes, Fuwa Fuwa began making croffles that gained immense popularity this summer at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE). According to blogTO, they were nearly sold out each day. On Oct. 1, the restaurant announced that the affordable croffles - only $5.99 each (without tax) – would be a permanent addition to their menu.

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These croffles come in four flavours - signature, tiramisu, cocoa banana and cookies and cream. We ordered the signature, tiramisu and cookies & cream.

As we were waiting for our food to be made, we could see other orders being freshly prepared - an employee flipping a batch of fluffy Japanese pancakes and another employee whisking batter for more pancakes. The store is clearly popular. Despite coming in an hour before closing, there was lots of traffic and online orders dinging in.

This location was fairly compact, but we didn’t have difficulty finding a seat. After seven minutes, our desserts were brought to our table. The portion was what one would expect for the price - not too huge and not too small. 

Each croffle, as explained by a front staff member, has the same base - a croissant. It is then toasted in a waffle maker and topped with whipped cream.

Depending on the flavour, the ingredients differ. My personal favourite was the cookies and cream which happens to be one of the more popular flavours according to an employee. It was topped with crushed Oreos and was extremely delicious. I especially liked the balance between sweet and savoury.

The cookies & cream croffle is one of Fuwa Fuwa’s more popular flavours.  (Apurva Bhat/CanCulture)

The one thing I didn’t enjoy was that the croffles were slightly undercooked in the middle. I’m someone that appreciates flaky and crispy croissants, but the texture of these was softer. I also couldn’t taste the waffle aspect of the croffles as much - it majorly tasted like a slightly undercooked toasted croissant.

The signature flavour offers customers a simple, uncomplicated flavour for the less adventurous eaters - topped with a handful of strawberries and blueberries, it wasn’t very extraordinary.

Contrary to what a video on Fuwa Fuwa’s Instagram suggests, the signature croffle didn’t have any syrup or powdered sugar on top. Because of this, it wasn’t extremely sweet but was actually refreshing which I appreciated.

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The tiramisu flavour was a big no for me. Like the other flavours, the middle was slightly undercooked. Also, the combination of coffee syrup and cocoa powder wasn’t ideal – it left an extremely bitter aftertaste. I also didn’t like the excess overload of cacao powder, but if you love bitter desserts, this might be what you’re craving.

The tiramisu croffle topped with cacao powder and coffee syrup (Apurva Bhat/CanCulture)

The order total was $20.31 with taxes which wasn’t too bad. But as a student living in an expensive city like Toronto, I wouldn’t necessarily purchase all flavours - rather stick with one or two.

The price per croffle is what makes these treats an attractive purchase - only $5.99 a piece! I wouldn’t have the signature or tiramisu flavours again, but I would definitely return for the cookies and cream ones.

Overall, If I were to rate Fuwa Fuwa out of 10 based on the croffle’s flavour, quality, service, ambiance and price, I would give it a six. I would love to try their pancakes and perhaps even the cocoa banana croffle, which happens to be another popular choice for other customers!

Mystic Muffin: A Jarvis jewel

Coffee, apple cake and authenticity 

By Brooke Houghton 

Mystic Muffin is your old friend. It's your high school sweetheart. It's your worn-out sweater in the left drawer of your childhood closet. Mystic Muffin is a second home, and in three years, there may no longer be a mat for you to knock off your boots, pull up a chair and order your favourite apple cake.

What we can always count on is the past — the 27 years of good food and good service the Mystic Muffin has given to Toronto. 

On the corner of Jarvis and Richmond streets, Mystic Muffin is old school, both in service and style. When you walk in, the owner Elias Makhoul yells, "Hello," at you from behind the counter. If you've been there before he’ll remember your name and your story. He'll ask about your day and listen and if you don't have money to foot the bill, he'll tell you to pay next time, even if you haven't paid from the time before. 

Mystic Muffin owner Elias Makhoul with his son in at his store in Toronto. (CanCulture/Brooke Houghton)

One Saturday a couple came in, the woman paused at the door and took a second look at the afternoon crowd huddled in clumps around the tables, leaning, talking and sipping. 

"It's busy today!" she said. 

Behind the counter, Elias pointed in my direction. 

"No! She's from Microsoft, she wants to buy me out! She almost changed her mind!" he said.

They laughed, handed over their change and left with a coffee and a smile.

Elias is a simple man; he doesn't own a cellphone, or drink or smoke. He bikes to work and he doesn't have cable. He's managed to shrink his business to fit the rising costs of downtown living for a business owner and a family of four. 

In the earlier days, he used to cater and deliver daily downtown with two full-time employees but now, his old catering cart has retired to the corner of his shop brimmed to the top with newspapers and him and his wife Annie Makhoul run the show alone.

Elias moved to Toronto from Lebanon when he was 21. He worked odd jobs for about three years until one day he saw a property listing in the Toronto Sun — or was it the Toronto Star — he couldn’t quite remember. 

Back then Jarvis Street wasn't the mixed cultural bag it is today with its hipster drip coffee shops, thrift stores and safe injection sites, and as it grew, Elias learned that he couldn't get away with only selling coffee and muffins. So, to compete, he started adding to what now has become a sprawling list of specials and combos stretched along with the chalkboard behind his till and onto the walls of his shop.

A slice of the world-famous apple cake at Mystic Muffin in Toronto. (CanCulture/Brooke Houghton)

The Mystic Muffin is cozy. It's about the size of an average studio apartment with two circle tables in the middle and a row of tables along the far right wall. It has a counter alongside the storefront window and a window sill filled with rocks and Lego building blocks. One wall is dedicated to photos of customers from around the world wearing Mystic Muffin T-shirts. Each photo is marked in uniform with thick, black writing of the year and place. Old articles, family photos and memories are framed along the walls leaving barely an inch of paint to be seen.

In 2003 Elias ran for mayor and lost, but his love for the community and politics didn’t stop there.  Any given day you can talk to Elias about politics, or anything really, and he still cares for his community like an old friend. His regulars are encouraged to bring in their own lunches from home in return for a cookie on the house.

Ross Carter-Windgrove, who has been a regular for 18 years, and his wife Anne-Marie Carter-Windgrove stopped in for one of their semi-annual visits and in between the bites of their lunch they told me a little bit about those 18 years.

"Elias is quite a character as you know and the food is amazing. He makes it every day by himself … We come on the weekends every now and again … You know he's one of a kind,” said Ross. “I hope he always prospers and he’s always here, it would be very strange to not have him in Toronto."

An egg and cheese bagel from the Mystic Muffin menu. (CanCulture/Brooke Houghton)

“I like the fact he was doing summer camps I mean that was just incredible … I don’t know if it was a workshop but he did something in the summer with children,” said Anne-Marie.

Ross interjected, “And he ran for mayor too once did you hear that?” He paused for a moment before continuing. “He really supports the community too. When people come in from the neighbourhood and they can’t pay, he’ll take care of them.”

Elias has two-and-a-half more years on his lease but he’d like to make it to thirty years in total. After that you might find Elias, Annie and their two children on a train somewhere in Canada seeing the country day by day. But as Elias says, it’s hard to think when you’re working 16 hours a day.

Is saving money by eating in really worth it?

By Chloe Cook

One of my biggest guilty pleasures is eating out or ordering in. Getting to eat great meals without the hassle of cooking or cleaning up — count me in! However, this luxury often comes with a hefty price tag not suitable for my feeble student budget, so I decided to make a resolution in the new year to stop wasting so much money on food that I could make at home. I did a trial week of cooking all my meals at home and compared it to a regular week of eating out. Here’s how that went:

While eating in obviously saves a lot of money in the long run, I found that there were a few challenges with doing so. Firstly, there was a serious lack of variety.

I found myself consuming so much lasagna that I never want to hear the word again — perhaps this is an indication that I need to take some cooking classes. Secondly, there was the social aspect of not being able to go to a restaurant with friends. I found myself cancelling plans in order to eat at home or inviting people over and force feeding them lasagna in an attempt to get rid of it. I think that overall, eating out is great — in moderation.

In 2020, I am going to be a lot more conscious of my spending habits and I will definitely not be eating out nearly as much as I did before. However, I won’t set such strict boundaries on going out with friends in the future. I just need to delete the UberEats app off of my phone and hopefully that will snuff out my desire to order in.

The inspiration behind Toronto's fusion restaurants

By Pooja Rambaran

In 2016, Toronto was named the most multicultural city in the world by BBC Radio, and there's no doubt why that still holds true. The city boasts of over 250 ethnicities and 170 languages, with roughly half of the population identifying as a visible minority (in particular Asian, Black, Arab or Latin American), according to Toronto Global.  

But Toronto's growing multicultural population goes beyond just the demographics, bleeding into the city’s culture and lifestyle. Over the years, Toronto has become a stomping ground for food innovators and food lovers alike and these unique cultures and perspectives have contributed to the city’s melting pot of a food scene, allowing it to become quite the hub for fusion cuisine. 

Here’s a look into the inspiration behind one of Toronto’s biggest food trends: fusion restaurants. 

Hungary Thai

Pad thai and schnitzel? Not a very common combination, but a tried and true personal favourite of many who visit Hungary Thai. 

Hungary Thai's entrance sign. (CanCulture/Pooja Rambaran)

Cozy and quaint, Hungary Thai sits in the midst of the bustling Kensington Market. 

About 20 years ago, Marianne Kecskeméti and her partner started Hungary Thai. With Kecskeméti handling the Hungarian dishes and her partner handling the Thai dishes, each represented their personal cultures. 

“Originally, we just wanted Thai food and Hungarian food separately, but then everyone else wanted fusion so we started the fusion too,” Kecskeméti said. 

Now partnerless, Kecskeméti sits in the vibrant restaurant and recalls starting the fusion of the two cuisines some three years ago. 

The bar at Hungary Thai. (CanCulture/Pooja Rambaran)

Kecskeméti explained that fusion restaurants are rising in popularity because these unique combinations cannot be found anywhere else. The novelty of the cuisine brings back customers. 

“If it’s good,” she added with a smile. 

The Haam

A quick hop over to Entertainment District lands you at the trendy Japanese-Mexican restaurant, The Haam. 

With exposed brick on one side, modern light fixtures and the bright fluorescent sign that gives you a little extra boost of confidence, The Haam brings two very distinctive flavours together.

Fluorescent sign at The Haam. (CanCulture/Pooja Rambaran)

Tristan Kwon came to Toronto from Korea 10 years ago and started working at a Japanese izakaya, a casual Japanese pub.

In 2014, he moved on to work at the Mexican restaurants Playa Cabana Hacienda and Playa Cabana Barrio Coreano before he was hired as head chef at The Haam. 

“I combined these two cuisines because they are what I learned from my experience in Canada and I also like their food and culture,” Kwon said. 

Camaron/Shrimp Tacos comprised of chilli shrimp, mozzarella, guac, onion, garlic mayo and queso fresco. (CanCulture/Pooja Rambaran)

Kwon believes each of the cuisines could individually appeal to a western palette, but the combination is born from all of his knowledge, skills and experience. Moreover, he wanted to express creativity and showcase a new style.  

“When I create new dishes, the most important parts are their identity and character of the dishes. The taste and look of the dishes have to be something new and familiar at the same time,” Kwon said. 

Samba made with yam tempura, avocado, guacamole, tortilla chips and chipotle mayo. (CanCulture/Pooja Rambaran)

Kwon has learned that it is better to consider what he would enjoy if he was the customer. 

He expressed that Canada itself is multicultural and people enjoy experiencing a variety of cuisines as they are generally open-minded and respectful of the creativity. 

Mother Tongue

Only a short walk away from The Haam takes you to Mother Tongue, an intimate hole-in-the-wall divided into two spaces with a restaurant on the top that continues into a moody cocktail lounge on the bottom floor that's open to customers from Thursday to Saturday. 

Mother Tongue's entrance sign. (CanCulture/Pooja Rambaran)

Mother Tongue fuses Asian cuisines like Filipino, Chinese and Japanese food with North American influences. 

Head chef Francis Bermejo was born and raised in Manila, Philippines, then moved to Toronto in 1997 at the age of 13. 

“Chinese, Japanese and American culture and cuisine had a big influence in the Philippines and I was introduced to them as a kid growing up by trying different kinds of food,” Bermejo said. 

Bermejo was familiar with and enjoyed the flavours, aromas and tastes of all the cuisines individually, but when mixed right, he loved them even more. 

"An example is our bistek tataki. The technique in tataki is Japanese but the flavour profile is Filipino," Bermejo said. 

Bistek tataki. (CanCulture/Pooja Rambaran)

This dish combines the tataki technique of briefly searing thinly sliced beef with the flavour profile of bistek where the beef is marinated in soy sauce and citrus juice and served with charred onions and garlic crumbs. 

When Bermejo creates a new dish, he tries to focus on one ingredient, be it a vegetable, meat or fish, and decides how he would like that ingredient to be showcased in the best way possible with some supporting components.  

General Tao Bao Buns made with fried chicken, lemon mayo and pickled onion. (CanCulture/Pooja Rambaran)

"Toronto is one of the most diverse cities in the world, which I think is what makes it great when it comes to different cultures coming together and embracing each other's differences," Bermejo said. 

Chop & Wop Ristorante

Expanding beyond downtown Toronto, Chop & Wop Ristorante combines Italian and Portuguese cuisines in a fine dining experience all the way in Burlington. 

Inside of Chop & Wop Ristorante. (Courtesy of Marco Rodrigues)

Owner and operator Marco Rodrigues is first-generation Portuguese and his partner Giovanni Falbo is second-generation Italian. 

“We wanted to combine them to honour both of our families, and his nonna (grandmother) and my bisavó (great-grandmother),” Rodrigues said. 

Rodrigues explained that while Italian is a very popular cuisine, Portuguese is less so.

In fact, CNN called out Portuguese cuisine’s difficulty in reaching across borders, stating it often caters mainly to Portuguese immigrants yearning for a taste of home. 

However, Rodrigues and Falbo decided to combine these two cuisines because they complimented each other very well. 

“An example would be our spin on a caprese salad by adding corn and a port reduction instead of balsamic. It is a Portuguese caprese and is our best selling salad,” Rodrigues said.

The unique combinations discussed are only a few of the many scattered around Toronto and even beyond the GTA.

“I think like anything, people are looking for unique experiences and fusion gives you that while still having some traditional favourites,” Rodrigues said. 

As Toronto continues to grow as a multicultural city, the desire for fusion restaurants will only grow with it. These unique perspectives contributing to the city continue to spark inspiration and we can only await for the introduction of even more exciting fusion cuisines and restaurants in the future.

How I embraced Toronto as my own Little Ethiopia

By Ruby Asgedome

Growing up as a first-generation Canadian-Ethiopian, I often found it challenging to connect with my roots and integrate my Ethiopian culture with the Western way of life.

As an only child, I found that a lot of my time was spent with my parents, cousins and family who tried their best to help me understand and embrace my roots. 

My parents came to Canada around 25 years ago after spending about five years in Greece. This was a time when many Ethiopians left the country in hopes to find education and a new life somewhere other than Ethiopia. It also happened to be the time when Canada was accepting many immigrants.

During my childhood, there was always Ethiopian food being cooked in the house, such as a traditional Ethiopian meal consisting of sourdough-risen flatbread known as injera. It is served with meat and vegetable stews known in the culture as wot. 

When my daycare would host their annual multicultural night, my parents would make sure that I was sent in with an abundance of Ethiopian food, some Ethiopian music and that I was dressed head to toe in a kemis — a traditional Ethiopian dress.

Although my parents loved to cook, they also loved going out with the family and enjoying a night out in the town visiting different Ethiopian restaurants. There were many Ethiopian restaurants close to where we lived. Though many of them were located downtown, The Danforth was starting to house more Ethiopian restaurants and businesses.

According to Banchi Kinde — owner of The Danforth’s oldest Ethiopian restaurant Rendez-Vous — she has taken part in petitioning the Danforth Business Improvement Area on numerous occasions to acknowledge the area as Little Ethiopia. Kinde explained that the association stated as of right now, the area doesn’t have enough Ethiopian-owned businesses to be labelled Little Ethiopia.

Ethiopian businesses and restaurants on The Danforth. (CanCulture/Ruby Asgedome)

Rendez-Vous opened its doors in 2001 and is one of the original places where my family and I would go to enjoy injera and coffee, or buna, as Ethiopians call it. 

It was the first restaurant I have ever truly enjoyed and embraced my culture within.

On a recent visit to the restaurant, Kinde talked to me about why she picked Toronto and that little strip of The Danforth as the location for her restaurant. 

“What makes Toronto unique and amazing is that there is a corner for everybody,” said Kinde. “There’s Greektown, Little Italy, Koreatown, you name it.” 

When she opened Rendez-Vous, her goal was for people on the east side of Toronto to have a restaurant that was close to home.

Injera and wot served at Rendez-Vous restaurant. (CanCulture/Ruby Asgedome)

Rendez-Vous’ menu, featuring common Ethiopian vegetarian options. (CanCulture/Ruby Asgedome)

Emebet Asegidew, a Rendez-Vous employee, immigrated to Canada in 2015 and has been working at the restaurant ever since.  

Asegidew had to try and get familiar with Canadian culture after moving to Toronto from a different country. When she first arrived, finding Ethiopian food wasn’t hard since she lived downtown near the influx of Ethiopian restaurants. 

“Downtown Toronto had a big Ethiopian community at the time and Bloor and Ossington was where people would normally go to eat when they first came here,” said Asegidew. 

 Another staple of Ethiopian food is Mocha Café and Pastry, located right near the Danforth and Monarch Park intersection. They serve Ethiopian coffee and desserts to many Toronto residents.

Azeb Yehdego, a Mocha Café employee, came to Canada 10 years ago. She lived with her sister near Bloor and Ossington, which is where she went to enjoy all things Ethiopian. 

“Though the restaurants downtown are fun to go to, the Danforth is where most Ethiopians now spend their days and nights to get a taste of Ethiopia,” said Yehdego.

Growing up in Toronto has been a long journey of understanding myself, my family and my culture and through it all, this little strip of the Danforth has played a huge role in who I am today and how much of my culture I’ve grown to embrace.

How to eat healthy at Toronto Eaton Centre

By Ashley Alagurajah

If your New Year's resolution is to eat healthier in 2019, check out this video from contributing reporter Ashley Alagurajah on where to find the healthiest fixings in the Toronto Eaton Centre food court!

Eating healthy can be a daunting resolution while in the big city of Toronto. With so many delicious foods and smells, it’s hard to resist the temptations all around you, especially in the Toronto Eaton Centre. We took a trip to the food court and found three unique options if you are looking for some healthy choices while you’re out and about.

Urban Herbivore is a plant-based food spot that makes delicious vegetarian meals. Options like sandwiches, salads, and bowls are not only tasty, but they are good for you too. Today we tried the Moroccan Stew ($10.84 CAD) which is a “mild Mediterranean stew with root vegetables and chickpeas served on choice of grain.” We substituted the rice base for quinoa and turned this into an extra nutritious lunchtime meal.

Mucho Burrito was next on the list. The build-your-own Mexican spot was perfect for creating a bowl that has exactly what you crave. We ditched the tortilla and went for a Build Your Own Bowl ($11.25 CAD) instead of a burrito, and once again switched out rice for quinoa. The rest of the bowl was beef, beans, salsa, and cheese – a spicy and delicious meal that your body will thank you for.

Last, but certainly not least, was Jimmy The Greek. Although rice and potatoes can be alluring, we went for the Chicken Fillet Greek Salad ($10.99 CAD). The salad had lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onions, olives, feta cheese, and delicious Greek dressing, topped with a grilled chicken fillet for protein and souvlaki sauce.

We hope this gave you an idea of what you can do to avoid the grease and focus on nutritious eats in the tempting setting of the Toronto Eaton Centre food court.

New food options available for commuters as Union Food Court opens

By Severina Chu

Commuters now have a variety of new and tasty meal options with the opening of the Union Food Court at Toronto’s Union Station.

Part of the Union Station revitalization project, construction for the food court was first approved in 2009 and originally scheduled to be completed by 2015. Several delays later, the food court finally opened in late November of 2018.

It is located on the lower level of the GO York Concourse and offers 10 new food retailers and seating for up to 600 people. Many of the food vendors offer meals that cost $15 or less which allows students to grab a bite to eat before class, work, or on their way home.

The Union Food Court offers food from local vendors around the city. While commuters can still buy from familiar chains like McDonald’s, Tim Hortons, and Pizza Pizza, they now have the option of choosing healthier and more culturally diverse meals. Here’s a closer look at what’s on the menu.

Loaded Pierogi

In its newest Toronto location, this retailer serves the traditional Polish dumpling dish with a twist. Customers can get pierogies, either fried or boiled, loaded with various meat and vegetable toppings.

One of Loaded Pierogi's vegetarian options, Baba's Classic ($9) is topped with caramelized onions, sour cream, and green onions. (CanCulture/Severina Chu)

Bangkok Buri

Inspired by the street food served in Bangkok, Bangkok Buri serves traditional Thai cuisine with a modern influence. The menu includes noodles, rice, and salad dishes, as well as gluten-free and vegetarian choices.

Roywoods

Known for being an authentic taste of the Caribbean, this established Toronto business has now made its way to Union Station. They are well-known for their jerk chicken, which they offer either in a platter meal or on a sandwich with Jamaican coco bread.

The jerk chicken sandwich ($10) is served on Jamaican coco bread and comes with a beverage. (CanCulture/Severina Chu)

Paramount Fine Foods

Paramount Fine Foods is serving up authentic Lebanese cuisine, including classics like shawarma and falafel served in a wrap, on rice, or on salad. The Union Station location also offers fresh bread and house-made sweets.

Scaccia

A family-owned and operated Italian restaurant in Toronto, Scaccia has expanded its brand to a quick service location. The scaccia, a stuffed flat bread from Sicily, is made with various combinations of meats, vegetables, and cheeses that makes for the perfect meal on-the-go.

Scaccia has a wide range of good eats, from hearty meat and cheese sandwiches to lighter vegetarian options. (CanCulture/Severina Chu)

Shanghai 360°

Shanghai 360° serves dishes typical of northern Chinese cuisine. With familiar Chinese takeout favourites such as fried rice and dumplings, the Union Station location also offers a noodle bar with your choice of noodle and soup base.

Sushi Shop

Despite the simple name, Sushi Shop is not your traditional Japanese menu. Here you can get sushi in creative forms, such as burgers, tacos, and burritos, along with unique flavour combinations.

The Union Food Court is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends.

Spotlight: Elchi Chai Shop

By Sukaina Jamil  

Forget having to settle for those watered-down, sugary concoctions that chain cafés pass off as “chai tea". If you’re a fan of authentic chai, inspired by South-Asian flavours and steeping techniques, there’s a new place in Toronto that will cater to your cravings.

Elchi Chai shop is a family run business, co-owned by sisters Sayyeda and Sukaina Ebrahim. After years of research and hard work, the shop opened its doors to customers in May 2017.  

Sayyeda says the inspiration behind their business was simple: there was a shortage of places in Toronto to get authentic Indian chai, and both sisters felt there was a strong market for it.

(S. Jamil/CanCulture)

“We love our chai,” said Sayyeda, seated at a table with a glass of water in hand. “There’s nothing this creamy and rich out here. We actually travelled a couple years ago and there are a lot of chai shops in the East, in Dubai, in the UK - there’s plenty of them and they’re doing really well, so it was just a matter of time that somebody did that here.”

With the help of Sukaina, who also works as an interior designer, the sisters aimed to design their shop so that it had a look that would suit current trends on social media. With the menu written out on brown parchment paper and graphics describing different spices in the drinks alongside a white bar with sleek tiling underneath, Elchi Chai shop carries the attractive aesthetic of the unconventionally hip.

But enough about the place, let’s talk about what we’re all really here for: the chai. Elchi Chai Shop offers four different types of chai, all made in-house from a strong, premium Kenyan blend, infused with spices roasted by the sisters themselves.

Customers are given a variety of options, from the simple “Elchi Chai”, consisting of black tea, milk and cardamom (aka elchi), or the more popular drink “Masala Chai”, which is black tea and milk simmered with cardamom, fresh ginger, cloves and peppercorn. There is also an option for those who want a stronger dose of caffeine. “Dirty Chai” is their masala chai with a shot of espresso, and for anyone who isn’t a fan of dairy, the “Black Masala Chai” comes without milk alongside the added option of an alternative milk.

They also have specialities, including the popular “Elixir” drink that is perfect for anyone dealing with a nasty cold this time of year. A herbal remedy of cloves, cinnamon, fresh ginger, fresh turmeric and more provide a spicy way to clear up an otherwise annoying cough.

Some of Elchi Chai's selection of tea and cookies. (S. Jamil/CanCulture)

Aside from drinks, the shop offers snacks including chai cookies, samosas, kebab balls and a variety of other foods. For those interested in heartier meals or delicious desserts, their homemade parathas are paired with savoury or sweet pairings in order to satisfy any craving.

With almost five months since their doors opened, Sayyeda says it’s been a positive experience with nothing but good feedback so far. In the future, they hope to expand and open more stores as well as begin to sell their tea in grocery stores.

Elchi Chai Shop offers a student discount of 10% with proof of enrolment in a post-secondary school.

For more information, visit their websitehere, or contact them at 416-551-7864

Two restaurants in Toronto are great for students on a budget

Finding great food at a reasonable price doesn’t come easily when you are a university student on a budget. It can be challenging to treat yourself to something nice, preferably something that isn’t greasy or sloppily put together, without spending a fortune. There are two spots near campus that are great for students to indulge but not break the bank. Kyoto House and Tacos 101 are just right for any financially struggling student who wants a delicious meal. Kyoto House Japanese Restaurant

Photo taken by Sophie Diego.

Kyoto House is neither a top sushi experience, nor the worst of the worst. 

It is a small but cozy place to eat. Also, the restaurant provides a more authentic Japanese eating experience, as the waiters and chefs dress in authentic kimonos and traditional clothing.

Kyoto House is an extremely popular all-you-can-eat sushi place, so there is constantly a line, especially during peak hours. However, the long lines portray the reason why one needs to eat at this restaurant. 

The menu is essentially a check list that you can fill out. It is comprised of all the items to choose from, and it asks you how many pieces of it would you like. By having this menu, it generates faster service and a lack of miscommunication with the waiters.

Traditional foods, such as sashimi, tempura, sushi rolls, cooked items like teriyaki, and soups are all present within the menu. However the quality of some of the food are questionable. For instance, the rice from the salmon sushi seemed to fall apart quite quickly.  If you wanted to get the entire piece in your mouth, you would have to act fast if you don’t want the entire sushi piece to disintegrate into your soya sauce

Adequately priced for a couple pieces of sushi, and just a few minutes away from the Ryerson campus, it’s a place to be considered, but not an everyday type of restaurant.

Photo taken by Sophie Diego.

TACOS 101

Photo taken by Sophie Diego.

Tacos 101 is a completely different experience in comparison to Kyoto House. Not in food, obviously, but in terms of atmosphere all together. It has a steady stream of customers coming in, but it is not too crowded. It is a tighter space, probably half the size of an elementary school classroom. However, it compensates for its lack of space with the vibe it emits. The turquoise walls bring light into the restaurant, and hanging light bulbs with banners painted of each colour of the rainbow decorate the eating area. There’s about seven chairs to accommodate customers, but don’t worry if you don’t find a seat, they do take out. The interior is modern yet traditionally Mexican at the same time.

Tacos 101 sets the cost of their tacos at an incredibly good price. If you’re tight with money, the most expensive item on their menu is the fish taco at $4.50. When you do get your food, which doesn’t take long at all because of the excellent service, the tacos are quite small. If you’re a person with a large apetite, you might want to order two. They’re comfortable to hold, and they fit in your mouth, although it does have the potential to create quite a mess.

Photo taken by Sophie Diego.

This piece was edited by Maha Syeda, food editor of CanCulture.