Afternoon tea or high tea is a tradition originating from the English elite. Today, a number of five-star hotels and pastry shops offer high tea between 3:00 to 6:00 as a means to bridge the long hours between lunch and dinner.
High tea usually consists of tea served with milk and sugar, sandwich, scones, quiches and cakes. It is accompanied by a generous serving of butter or margarine and jam. I invited my sister for high tea as she has been requesting it for some time. When she saw my food pictures when I had high tea at Prince of Wales Hotel in Niagara-on-the-Lake, she immediately wanted to try this "fancy meal" for herself. Too cute! I quickly browsed online and saw that Ruelo Patisserie offers Groupon coupons for their high tea. For the price of $27.50, you can avail of their tea for two (originally a $50 value). I bought a coupon for me and my sister, hoping to use it that weekend. However, this was the start of the mildly annoying experience I had at Ruelo. Their customer service is severely lacking! When I phoned for my reservation for the North York location, the lady who took the call was less than enthused to book my reservation. Me: Hello, I'd like to use my Groupon coupon for high tea this Saturday. Ruelo: Sorry, this Saturday is fully booked. Me: Okay, how about on Sunday? Ruelo: Fully booked as well. Me: (slightly irritated) Why won't you tell me which days are available so I can book my reservation accordingly? It's as if they don't want my business at all. When I finally settled on a date and time, the lady told me that I have to send them an email to confirm my reservation! I asked her shouldn’t this phone call suffice? She then informed that it's their policy to have customers email their high tea reservations. After I ended the call, I immediately sent Ruelo an email informing them of the date and time of my reservation. Three days passed and I still didn't receive a reply. So I phoned Ruelo again to inquire whether they receive my email reservation. Ruelo: Which email address did you send it to? Me: [email protected]. That's what's on your website. Ruelo: Oh, that's actually incorrect. You should send it to [email protected]. Me: How would I know that? It's not on your website. Ruelo: The person who initially took your order should've given you that information. Me: Ugh! If you can deal with Ruelo's poor customer service without your blood pressure rising, you will be rewarded with their delicious high tea. The Groupon deal includes: • Two scones with Devon cream and Kusmi jam • Mini danish • Mini Atlantic smoked salmon sandwich on a scone • Italian prosciutto wrapped grilled pepper • Mini shrimp salad sandwich served on a crispy crouton • Daily quiche • Macarons, crème brûlée, and two daily desserts • Coffee or Kusmi tea Also, as a tip for those who want to go to their North York branch, it's best to Google the exact location beforehand. Nestled between industrial warehouses, it's neither the usual nor the ideal place for a patisserie to set up shop. Otherwise, I greatly enjoyed our high tea! Check out some of the photos my sister took for her Instagram:
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So you've had a sumptuous dinner and the night is still young. If you've got nowhere else to go, try the ultra-chic lounge at Barchef. Located in the eclectic Queen West neighborhood, Barchef lounge attracts a discerning crowd looking for exotic libations. If you're in the mood for screwdrivers and cosmos, you won't find those here. Barchef's cocktails are artisanal and one-of-a-kind. The bartenders and cocktail chefs may take a few minutes preparing your poison. Have patience; you can't hurry art. If you fancy something whimsical, try the Rocket from their Sweet & Sour menu. For a cocktail extravaganza, anything under the Modernist menu delivers drama and superb craftsmanship. Below is the daiquiri adaptation served in a coconut shell with floating wisps of dry ice. More photos from BarchefToronto.com taken by Leanne Neufeld: Next time you're in the area and looking for mind-blowing digestifs, drop by at Barchef and prepare to be mesmerized!
Whenever you search for the best restaurants in Toronto, Scaramouche is always on the top three of the list. So I wonder why I never see this restaurant whenever I’m driving by the Forest Hill area. I was surprised to find out that the restaurant is located in the basement of an old condominium building. If you plan on driving to the restaurant, be prepared to be greeted by a valet as there’s a very limited parking spot. The condominium is beside a ravine, providing an amazing view of downtown Toronto! Check out their menu: With Scaramouche’s steep price points - filet mignon for $49 and venison for $44 - it would be best to reserve this place for special occasions and corporate events. But the food, service and breathtaking view make for an excellent dining experience!
So what’s the big deal about Uncle Tetsu’s Cheesecake? I heard the small Japanese bakeshop always has a huge lineup of people waiting to taste their pastries and macha tea. When I had the opportunity to go downtown, I made sure to stop by Bay and Dundas to taste Uncle Tetsu’s cheesecake for myself! True enough, there was a lineup at 2:00 pm. People should still be either at work or school by that time, but there were more than a couple of college kids in the queue. Inside the tiny bakeshop, the management posted a few signs notifying customers of their one cheesecake per person policy! Not sure if this is the best way to operate their business. But to ensure that everyone in line gets to taste their cheesecake, I guess it’s only fair. It might even be an effective word-of-mouth strategy by ensuring that more people get to enjoy their product and consequently spread the word. They always make their cheesecakes fresh. Thus, the wait and the ridiculous lineup that ensues. I got myself one cheesecake for $10 and four madeleines for $7. Was it worth it? I wasn’t able to taste it right away. I took the subway and didn’t taste it until I got home 40 minutes later. When I opened the tiny box, I got a butter knife and sliced myself and my father a piece. It was unbelievably soft and fluffy! Half sponge cake and half soufflé with the undeniable taste of cheesecake. Unlike traditional cheesecakes, Uncle Tetsu's is not overwhelmingly sweet nor cream heavy. And since I’m Filipino, the closest thing that I can compare it to is Goldilocks custard mamon! As for the madeleines — meh! They were good, but they’re really just buttery cupcakes. Besides, nobody goes to Uncle Tetsu’s for their madeleines. It’s all about the cheesecake!
I would certainly be back at Uncle Tetsu’s. But I don’t think it’s totally worth the hype. The best part about a three-week vacation is the ability to live like a local. Not only did I get to visit some of the tourist destinations, I was also able to hang out and go to places Cebuanos frequent every day. Day 15 One of the best places to have drinks and cocktails in Ayala is a bar called The Social. The selling point for me is the airy patio. The downside? It's clearly an expat hub where old white men take their young Filipinas on dates. Day 16 I've heard a lot about Ilaputi in IT Park and decided to give it a try. Based on reviews online, they have the best beef stroganoff! One of my fondest childhood memories is passing by SM mall and wondering what's going on inside the spooky building beside it. Abandoned for years, I'm glad to finally see it turned into Radisson Blu, a 5-star hotel! When at Radisson Blu, guests go to Feria, the hotel's in-house restaurant. My friends and I didn't have the change to check it out. We donned our bikinis and went for a night swim instead! Day 17 Another night of debauchery at Politics bar on Escario. Day 18 If you want to pig out on a budget, go to Parklane Hotel. Their in-house restaurant, Manuel's, offers an excellent lunch buffet for ₽550. A few hours later, I bumped into the eternally glamorous Amparito Lhuillier enjoying her salad at La Vie Parisienne stall in Ayala, one of the many Lhuillier business ventures in Cebu. I finally had Shellac pedicure at Salon de Rose. And before I knew it, I got hungry again and had a light dinner at TGI Friday. Day 19 Another one of those childhood feels at Majestic in SM. Back in the day, Majestic used to be a Sunday afternoon treat by my parents. We would go to the restaurant after mass. Historically, they're known for their sumptuous patatim! Today, it's as mouth-watering as ever. Another go-to in SM is Duty Free shopping if you want to buy pasalubong or souvenirs and random food stuff, like chocolates. Not very cost-efficient as the bundled chocolates are way more expensive than what you would normally pay for in North America or Europe. But still a better option as opposed to carrying them all the way in your luggage. Day 20 It's beach time once again! This time, in Plantation Bay Resort and Spa! My girlfriends and I had the grandest time in this luxurious resort and only paid ₽2,000 per person. How? By getting the Daytripper Adventure Package. This package already includes: lunch and choice of beverage, access to lagoons and swimming pools, wall climbing, bicycle rides, kayaking, foosball, air hockey, table tennis and shower and change room facilities. All for ₽2000? It's totally worth it. All that swimming got us famished. We went back to the city and had dinner at Circa 1900. A heritage house built in the early 20th century, Circa 1900 brings you back to Spanish colonial times in Cebu. Purchased and renovated by a real estate group, they opted to preserve the mansion's classic interior and architecture. A bit on the pricey range, but well worth it on special occasions. The restaurant is the ideal venue for marriage proposals and wedding receptions! Day 21 My last day in Cebu and I scrambled to check all touristy things to do on my list. When in Cebu, you can't miss going to Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. Even if you're not one of the faithful, there's much to appreciate in this historical church. I also managed to take a few photos of Magellan's Cross. Encased in wood is supposedly the original cross planted by the Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan when he arrived in Cebu. I also bought pasalubong for my family in Toronto - mostly dried mangoes. Now, they have dried mangoes dipped in Belgian chocolate! How about dried mangoes dipped in peanut butter? Now that's a thought! With my glorious vacation coming to an end, I gathered some of my besties for dinner and drinks. First stop: appetizer at Tinderbox. Next stop: dinner at Carnivore Last stop: dessert at Tymad Bistro There are a lot of restaurants, bars or cafés worth a special trip in Cebu. Let me know where they are and I'll be sure to check them out next time.
Well, those were the highlights of my trip to Cebu! Toronto Traipser will be back in...well...Toronto! Haha! See yah! |
AuthorThe Toronto Traipser aims to explore the vibrant city by indulging in its many sights, sounds and flavours. Archives
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