The Window: The Unite Issue by The Window

CONTENT APRIL 2016

HUMANS OF NEW COLLEGE

QUEER BALL

SKULL NITE

TORONTO FASHION WEEK

10 - 24 REVIEWED Sweet Jesus Coco Snakes & Lattes One Hour Kinton Ramen Jule Caroleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cheesecake Aka Teppan Morals Village Basil Box

STAFF OVERVIEW

NEW

by: Kitty Sun, Ming Wan, Dominick Han, and Kamilla Jamal

n Friday, March 11, LGBTOUT had their annual event, the Queer Ball. The semi-formal event this year was a held at Hart House and presented a ‘20s style theme. Students arrived promptly at 8:30 PM in their suits, gowns, and boas, and danced the night away. Music played all night and delicious food was served; it couldn’t have been more eventful. Founded in 1969, LGBTOUT is the oldest LGBTQ+ student organization in Canada. It hosts various events throughout the year and the Queer Ball is definitely one of its most anticipated. In addition to the Queer Ball, LGBTOUT also hosted events like the Homohop, the U of T drag show, and speed-friending this year; all were huge successes. LGBTOUT strives to enforce a safe space on campus for all students. Events of all kinds are held and resources are offered year-round. One of LGBTOUT’s proudest initiatives is the Drop-In Centre; it’s located at 73 St. George Street, across from Sidney Smith Hall. As intimidating as it may seem from the outside, the Drop-In Centre is actually an incredibly friendly space. The centre is open to all U of T students from Monday to Friday between 10 AM and 6 PM. If you are ever in need of resources, help, or advice, or are just looking to meet some new people, come by the Drop-In Centre and meet the volunteers. If you’d like to get involved, feel free to join the public Facebook group, check out https://lgbtout.wordpress.com, or email lgbtoutexec@gmail.com for more information.

ashion Week has made its way from Paris, New York and finally reaching Toronto last month from March 14th-18th. Held annually, Toronto Fashion Week features local designers and we had the opportunity to watch the Bustle’s Fall collection on Tuesday, March 15th.

In the waiting area, you will see booths from Mercedes, Microsoft, Maybelline and many other big beauty and tech brands. There is also a cash bar to relax before entering the show. Many of the brands have giveaways and attractions to gain the interest of guests.

Bustle – founded in 2002 by two Bay Street lawyers, Shawn Hewson and Ruth Promislaw create masterpieces to spice up the menswear industry. Their Fall collection consisted majority of pieces for men with a few for women. They use a variety of solid colours with simple patterns deviating towards darker shades to match the season. I enjoyed the everyday look that they gave; everything was simple and definitely something you can see on the streets of Toronto.

Fashion Week is always the perfect time to see how guests dress up for the shows. It is definitely my favourite part of fashion week. You will see feathers, bright coloured hair and capes! Don’t miss out on the chance to watch the runway for the next year! Toronto Fashion Week always runs in March and tickets can be bought online or via their website.

reviewed

Reviewed - is for the food lover of New College. In this we showcase a few downtown Toronto resturants and shops.

photographed by Dominick Han

weet Jesus finds itself tucked away in a corner between juicery Union Juice and Mexican hot-spot La Carnita. Serving both ice cream and espresso, Sweet Jesus attracts visitors of all ages. The desserts, however, are the main attraction, and their self-named ‘pimped out cones’ have sparked a frenzy of social media activity.

Sw eet All options of their speciality soft serve look aesthetically pleasing and picture-worthy. The servings are large - and should be - at $6.50 a cone.

Aside from the soft-serve cones, Sweet Jesus also serves a variety of Mexican popsicles, Paletas, coming in flavours like key lime pie, chocolate peanut butter, Cookie Monster, and a daily special.

chance to try Toronto’s latest fad. Laurel Kendall, a Sweet Jesus regular commented that there’s almost always a line, especially on the weekends. She went on to say that the place is just as popular in the winter as it is in the summer; “only in Canada do people wait in negative degrees for ice-cream”.

In the summer of 2015, owners Amin Todai and Andrew Richmond introduced churros with dulce de leche.

It should be noted that seating is very limited, but if temperatures are warm enough, allow yourself to sit outside on the benches in the courtyard just outside the entrance and enjoy your photogenic dessert.

However, due to the popularity of the parlour, don’t expect lines to be short. On their most popular days, customers have to wait outside for around 30 minutes before getting a

You can find Sweet Jesus at 106 John Street.

As put perfectly by Liora Ipsum of BlogTo, “Sweet Jesus will indulge you, and maybe even have you bowing your head in reverence”.

By: Christina Yang Photographers: Rolou Sun & Anthea Wei

oco Fresh Tea & Juice is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest Bubble Tea chain. The brand originated in Taiwan and has expanded overseas to Canada. Different from other Taiwanese franchises in Toronto, Coco establishes close connections with its franchises all over the world. Moreover, all interested in opening a franchise outside of Taiwan will need to be trained back in Taiwan and shadow employees in their stores for 3-6 months. Coco Taiwan expects its franchises to maintain the same quality and standard as its flagships in Taiwan.

Coco’s downtown location (648 Yonge Street) is beautifully renovated with bright colours and comfortable seating. They also offer free wi-fi, convenient for students who prefer to stay away from libraries. Not only can you find high quality ingredients and service at Coco but the price point is much more pleasing. Unlike some of the shops in Toronto, Coco wants portrays themselves as the “Everyday Bubble Tea”; therefore, keeping themselves price competitive. If you’re a fruity person then I highly recommend the “Bubble Gaga” which is one of the items on the Top 10 list. Coco’s drinks are on the sweeter side, so I always recommend to go with 50% sweetness or even 30% (especially if you’re getting the pearls). Other popular drinks are the Original Bubble Tea, 3 Guys and Lemon King. For all drinks, you have the choice of medium ($4.00-$4.50) or large ($4.5-$6).

I’ve asked many Taiwanese people and those who have tried Coco in Taiwan to compare the taste in of each drink – comparing to other chains that do it manually. Therefore, if you’re ever wondering what true bubble tea tastes like in Taiwan without having to travel there, then make a stop at Coco. Sweven Media Inc. is a digital media company that creates marketing campaigns for Coco. Their main focus is on restaurants in the city and aspire to increase the reputation of Chinese owned restaurants in the Toronto. Sweven Media works with large chains food chains like Coco and Morals Village. Other achievements include their promotions for Chinese movies like Mermaid (Directed by Stephen Chow Sing Chi) all over North America. For more information on Sweven Media please visit their website: http://swevenmedia.com/

snakes

& lattes photographed by: Anthea Wei

located: 489 College Street

ne Hour Cafeteria is a small gem located right at the entrance of Chinatown at Spadina and College street. It opened back in 2011. You will definitely find familiar faces here during lunch and dinner as it seems to be UofT studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; hub. Their menu is not big but enough selection to keep your tummy satisfied. You will find their interior design very different from the other cafes. Featuring, the bean-bag chair. Get ready to have a very comfortable experience.

Their most popular dish is the Xiao Guo Rice Noodle. Try it if you are having difficulties deciding what to order! Although not 100% authentic, their beef noodle soup was delicious as well. Overall, the food quality at One Hour is something you can count on.

Location: 435 Spadina Avenue Food: 7/10 Service: 6/10 (varies with serveer) Ambiance: 9/10 Price Range: $10-15/person

One Hour is great for late-night eats as it opens until 10:30PM. It is also a perfect place for a study night as it offers free wi-fi. If you are looking for a relaxing cafe with delicious food at a reasonable price then give it a try!

Jule REVIEWED

by: Christina Yang photographed by: Rolou Sun

location: 20 Carlton Street

by Christina Yang photographer: Rolou Sun

arole’s Cheesecake has been well-known in retail, however, you may not know that there’s a café in Yorkville that actually sells the whole selection of Carole’s Cheesecake! Although opened 8 years ago initially by the company itself, the Howard family has taken over Carole’s Cheesecake in Yorkville 3 years ago. It is now a family run business. Before the Howard family took the café over, Carole’s name was still a buried gem. The family believed in the dessert and saw that cheesecake wasn’t getting enough coverage in the market at the time. After revamping the menu, Carole’s cheesecake now sees customers ranging from the Yorkville crowd all the way to those from Mississauga! Using all natural ingredients with no artificial flavouring, Carole’s work with real cream and cheese to create their cheesecakes. They also have gluten free options, so these are cakes anyone can enjoy! Their slices range from $6.99-$7.99 and whole cakes begin from $15.99. The most popular cheesecake is the Pistachio which is also my favourite! Keep in mind that the cheesecakes are very cheesy similar to a New York Style, however, the sweetness level is moderated. The baristas will ask you whether you enjoy a sweeter or lighter cheesecake then recommend options for you. In case you didn’t know, Carole’s Cheesecake also offers brunch and breakfast. They have amazing Lobster Mac and Cheese, though on the pricey side of around $10. Tuna sandwich and Chicken wraps are also popular items on their hot menu. All in all, Carole’s cheesecake lives up to its brand image. This small café is definitely a must-try if you’re stopping by the area. They do offer free wi-fi, however, I didn’t see any plugs so make sure your electronics are charged before entering the place! location: 114 Cumberland Street

location: 394 Bloor Street W.

Aka Teppan is an Asian fusion restaurant situated right before Korea-town between Spadina and Bathurst on Bloor Street. This is their second flagship store - first one being in Markham. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been to their uptown location, then you know that the downtown restaurant has a completely different vibe to it. They hired architects from Hong Kong to design a sleek design with contrastive atmosphere suitable for the younger demographic.

et’s begin with the Appetizers. Their most popular appies’ are the Okonomiyaki Fries ($6.99). I’ve been here twice and have ordered this dish every time! It’s definitely one of my favourites. The bowl is filled with crisp fries with mayonnaise and bonito flakes spread on top. The best thing about this dish are the fries because they’re crispy enough but doesn’t taste too oily.

This was my first time trying the Cheesy Japanese Rice Cake ($7.99) and the Aka Signature Wings ($6.99). I’m a fan of the heavy cheese so I adored the rice cake. The Signature Wings are sprinkled with curry spices and honey to offset the seasoning– very similar to honey garlic! One of the partners of Aka Teppan – Colin – explained that their popular entrées are the Atlantic Salmon Pasta ($10.49) and the Supreme Beef Teppanyanki ($9.49). He also said that customers often order add-ons ($0.99/each) like egg and cheese to spice up the rice dish even more. For dessert, we tried the Aka Daily Special Cake ($5.99) and the Sesame Parfait ($6.99). We had the Chocolate Matcha Cake, but they change up the flavour quite often hence the “daily special” in its name. For the parfait you receive 2 scoops of home-made sesame ice cream on top of a bed of flakes. There are also small toppings like Pocky sticks and peanuts. Overall, I really enjoyed the Sesame Parfait because the ice cream was not extremely sweet like other restaurants. The experience we received at Aka was one of the best (compared to restaurants in the area). Their service was top-notch and food came quick. Aka offers quality foods while keeping the price competitive so students can enjoy. They also work hard in their marketing efforts as they change up the combos and special every couple months and design these promotions according to the season. If you’re walking along Bloor Street, don’t forget to take a stop at Aka!

orals Village – with over 600 stores in Mainland China – has finally launched in Canada. Their first location is in Markham and second in Downtown Toronto (visited). Like many of its competitors in Chinatown, Morals offers all you can eat (AYCE) hot pot ($25.99/person+$2 on weekends and holidays) with add-ons available for their special Angus Short Rib Beef. (+$3/person) and special platters consisting of Wagyu Rib, Kagoshima Pork Slice and Tiger Shrimp ($39/platter). It should be noted that during the past month, Kris Wu – Ex EXO Member and celebrity in China – dined here in their private booth. Sales soared after his arrival and many of the locals came to the restaurant just to try and see him again; other customers even tried to buy his seat for over $20,000 CAD. So, if a celebrity like Kris Wu dined here, you can trust that this is a place you’d want to try too. As soon as you walk up the stairs and enter Morals, you can see the modern décor. It’s designed to be like an inside of a factory or as they described a “East meets West” concept – East Asia meets Western culture. Because they want to cater towards the demographic, there are more seats with individual pots than the traditional sharing pots.

First, you choose your soup base. There is a selection of 12 broths ($2.5-$8). The 10 Year Special Spicy Soup-base ($8) is perfect if you adore spicy food but definitely not for those who cannot handle it. We were placed in an individual pot table, and I ordered half Sweet Tomato OX Soup-base ($3) and the Original Spicy Soup-base with 1 Chili ($3). Others at the table ordered the Mountain Cliff Wild Mushroom Superbase ($5) after hearing that it’s very healthy and can improve your skin. I’m not a spicy eater and found that the Original Spicy Soupbase with 1 Chilli was already too spicy for me. It’s interesting how the soup becomes spicier the more you boil it. I can’t imagine how strong the 10 Year Special is. One of the best parts of eating hot pot is the dipping sauce. At Morals, there are probably hundreds of ways you can mix and match your sauce and have a different taste every time! I personally love the Barbecue Sauce (Shacha) mixed with soy sauce, lots of garlic and sprinkled with green onions. The amazing thing about the sauces is that they cater towards all different parts of China. The taste of Northern China is completely different from the South. To end off the meal, they offer Vanilla soft-serve ice cream on a cone. The dessert at the downtown location is definitely the best. We learned that the owner invested around $20,000 alone just on the soft-serve machine! This was one of the creamiest ice creams I’ve ever had, and it was literally “soft”. What a perfect way to balance this spicy meal with something sweet.

Address:

436 Dundas Street (Chinatown) Huron/Dundas Street

Sweven Media Inc. is a digital media company that creates marketing campaigns for Coco. Their main focus is on restaurants in the city and aspire to increase the reputation of Chinese owned restaurants in the Toronto. Sweven Media works with large chains food chains like Coco and Morals Village. Other achievements include their promotions for Chinese movies like Mermaid (Directed by Stephen Chow Sing Chi) all over North America. For more information on Sweven Media please visit their website: http://swevenmedia.com/

asil Box is inspired by street foods in South East Asia. Pete – the Founder of Basil Box – traveled to Thailand and Vietnam to learn the types of street food that the locals eat on a daily basis. He explains that the Toronto market is abundant with Chinese and Japanese restaurants; therefore, he aspires to offer something different. Basil Box keeps the authenticity of the food yet caters towards the Toronto demographic by offering a variety of choices and a DIY experience. As soon as you enter Basil Box, you see the patterns and pictures on the walls. Weave baskets are commonly seen in Vietnam and all chairs are imported directly from Italy. Natural materials like walnut and bamboo are also used to decorate the restaurant. If you are looking for something healthy, fast and delicious, Basil Box is the place to go! Everything is gluten free and has vegan options like the Coconut Curry Tofu (as protein). The concept of Basil Box is fairly simple and you literally “Build Your Box” ($9.45).

Pete explained that the lemon grass corn and charred sweet potatoes are the most popular options for veggies and the lemon-grass chicken is well-liked among the community. Basil Box also offers Thai Iced Tea ($3.75) made from pure cane sugar and all-natural hand crafted refreshers ($3.75) with Mango Ginger Ale being the most favoured. From my personal experience, I can tell that Pete puts a lot of effort in operating this restaurant. The service here is extremely impressive for a fast-food store, and the ambiance is amazing. It is quiet during the afternoon so you may find students studying here (free wi-fi). Additionally, there are power outlets underneath some of the tables, which in my opinion, is very thoughtful for students. Located at 351 Yonge Street.