Ramen series: Noodle soup at the mall: a review of Su&Shi at Dine on 3 Yorkdale

House Tom Yum Ramen

One of the braver things I have done was to go to the mall close to Christmas. I do not say “bravest” as that is reserved for actually going to the mall on Christmas eve or on Boxing day—which I have not yet done. Attempting to go to Eaton Centre or Yorkdale mall at a time when these places are just bursting at the seams with people is not for the faint of heart.

Anyway, we recently went to Yorkdale to check out the new Microsoft store and the newly-relocated, store-square-footage-multiplied Apple store. But Hubby has a rule--never shop on an empty stomach. So we decided to first have lunch at Su&Shi.

This noodle bar was a good choice for that cold, December day. I ordered the House Tom Yum Ramen and hubby got House Chili Ramen. The kids, meanwhile, shared a Chicken Ramen. I was warned by our server that the Tom Yum was really spicy, but I wanted to give it a try. He was right, though I had no regrets whatsoever. The ramen was well-cooked, with just the perfect bite. The Tom Yum soup did lead to some sniffling, but it was good! DD#1 gave it a try, and proudly said that she could handle it. The first spoonful went down well and she said it was delicious. The succeeding ones, however, were promptly followed by a gulp of water. She stuck to her Chicken Ramen after the fifth gulp of water or so. My dish also had ample servings of meat—pork, chicken and tempura shrimp. It seemed like such a big bowl that I thought I wouldn’t be able to finish it. But I figured I had to be well-nourished for the shopping up ahead. So, finish it, I did! The Chicken Ramen and House Chili Ramen were also okay. The broth was tasty and the noodles were great.

Chicken Ramen

House Chili Ramen

Su&Shi has other dishes you can try out like sushi (of course!) as well rice dishes. Their House fried rice is tasty and filling. Each dish costs about $10-11, which is not exactly the cheapest of noodle soups. But you are paying for presentation, some ambience, and an alternative to burgers at the food court.

House Fried Rice

There are still other places to try at Dine on 3 at Yorkdale, but it is good to know that when we feel like having some ramen (or try out other dishes), Su&Shi is there. Service is also fast so you can get down to shopping as soon as you’ve fueled up!

A taste of Germany in Toronto: Christmas market at the Distillery

Nothing will get you in the Christmas mood more than crisp, cold air, the smell of pine trees and firewood burning, and a visit to the Toronto Christmas market at the Distillery District. It brought back wonderful memories of my visit to actual Christmas markets at Heidelberg and Frankfurt in Germany. Yes, the Toronto Christmas market came with goods from the Black Forest, Glühwein (mulled wine, warmed and spiced), sausages, schnitzels and pretzels! The only thing missing was a cuckoo clock kiosk!

The first thing we did when we arrived at the Christmas market was ogle at the 45-ft Christmas tree. It was beautiful! I don’t think I’ve ever seen one so large! And it was real!

After some photos, we went to visit Santa. This would now be our second visit with Santa so the girls were quite optimistic they would indeed get what they had asked for! After posing with Santa, the girls played for a bit in the Forest Maze and the Gingerbread house.  While both were cute, these were on the smallish side and the girls got tired of them quickly. Next, we went to warm ourselves up at the Santa’s Elves’ workshop where they did some crafts.

 The girls also participated in Story time at the main stage while the adults took turns checking out the booths. I got some chocolate-covered bacon (talk about best of both worlds!) to go and Grandma got some very yummy Apple Fritters!

Bacon covered in Belgian chocolate

The apple fritters were freshly cooked and were a delight to eat! They were light and the apple was warm. The sugar cinnamon dusting was perfect for this snack. DD#1 even asked to eat half of mine!

Yummy Apple Fritter

Lunch was a schnitzel (but of course!) sandwich. The Vienna-style veal schnitzel was a bit on the bland side. But it was crunchy, tender and moist. The sautéed peppers and mayo brought out the taste a notch. I loved the warm pretzel bun, though! It was soft, chewy and absolutely delicious!

Vienna-style schintzel in warm pretzel bun

I liked it so much, we got more pretzels for dessert!

More pretzel!

We strolled for as long as we could without freezing. It was a really cold day! Good thing there were fire pits and tower heaters everywhere. The many interesting stores were great for checking out as well as warming ourselves. I have already made a mental list of things I want to get in the future!

Kiddie rides at the South Pole

Reviewing my mental “to-do” list to get into the holiday spirit, I realized that Christmas is really just around the corner! Let’s see what I’ve got covered: Christmas market—check. Lights, carols, Christmas  trees—check, check, check. Shopping—check. Eating—check and check. Well, what do you know? I am ready for Christmas! Have a happy one!

Toronto on Dwellable



My wish: a safe Christmas for our children

I ask myself why the Connecticut elementary school shooting hits me more than the mall shooting and other recent tragedies. Is it because I am a parent? And of young children? Every time I tune into the news channel, my heart breaks for the children and the families of the victims. This tragedy hits me more than any other because to me, children embody hope. I know this is cliché, but they are indeed our future. This atrocity is like wiping out hope and erasing the innocence of those who survived. Where does that, as a society, leave us?

My children trust me to keep them safe. It is my obligation, my responsibility to keep them safe. When I take them to school, I am saying, “Go, it is safe. It is good for you.” After all, we go through pains to ensure that they are safe. We make sure they have proper winter wear, with hats, gloves, scarves because we don’t want to risk them getting sick. We make sure they hold our hands when crossing the street. We make sure the car seat is properly installed. But how can I protect them in school, when I am not there? When what could hurt my child is no longer just a bully? When places and things we once thought were safe for our children are no longer so, what is our recourse? Where do we find hope in that?

A sense of dread and fear fills me every now and then. I haven’t stopped hugging and kissing my kids since they came home from school yesterday. It is sad to think that something terrible has to happen for parents to realize how lucky they are to have their kids. This tragedy has made me look at things from a different perspective—that there are greater things beyond those that may annoy, irritate or disappoint us from time to time. I thank God for my kids (even if they do get on my nerves sometimes!). Christmas songs are more meaningful. Gifts, more precious. The severity and intensity of the events will definitely make it harder for New Year’s resolutions to fade.  And that hope might seem tiny, seemingly insignificant compared to the deep sorrow many families are facing right now. But it has to start somewhere. I have to take comfort in that.

A tribute to the home

Having wanderlust does not mean I do not like being at home. I love my home. In fact, I took up basic interior design a while back because I love decorating. I want to share with you this article I wrote a couple of years ago with some tips on how to deal with toys taking over the house. Happy decorating!

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Before kids, you probably had vases, lamps and candles, plants, an assortment of coffee table books, some nice throw pillows on a stain-free fabric couch. Once your bundle of joy arrives, baby stuff start taking over your household. It starts out all nice and cute in the nursery. Then, you bring the bouncer into the living room, maybe even the play yard. A toy or two or twelve find themselves into your bedroom to entertain the baby while you try to brush your hair or dress up. With the transition from milk to solids comes the high chair in the dining room and more toys to entertain the baby with while you try to get that last bite into him and not the floor. And with crawling comes all the safety gadgets. Gates are put up by the stairs and near the kitchen, corner guards get affixed on your entertainment unit, and doorknob guards come on. You do not want to be saying “No!” fifty times a day and scrambling to get that vase out of baby’s reach. And surely you do not want to restrict your child’s exploring nature, so you put most, if not all, your decor away. Picture a bouncer stationed on the corner of your living room, blocks and tea sets found under the armchair, remote controls hidden in the sides of the couch—do these sound familiar to you? You may have resigned yourself to accepting that you will not see a toy-free house for many, many years. Not that we take this against our children, nor do we pine away for our lives before kids. It just is. The presence of toys, chaos and clutter comes with the territory. Others may just actually love this happy chaos that children bring into the home. To a certain extent, we must accept that these toys will be around for quite a while. And more often than not, we just get used to the new landscape of our home.  Some items may be outgrown after a few months and are put away, but they will be replaced by something else. Guaranteed. In place of an activity gym or entertainment center, you may find a playhouse or a tent.  In place of a bouncer, you may find a tricycle or some other ride-on toy. 

But there are days when you just find yourself wanting a change from the routine. You find yourself wanting a makeover either for yourself or your home. Some days, you just need an adult space as you try to remember that you are not just a mother, a caretaker, or your children’s playmate. There is hope. You can still reclaim a space for yourself (or for you and your partner). Somehow. This new life with the kids doesn’t mean the house has to revolve around them alone. It is still possible to have a personal space, even for just a few hours. And not necessarily only when you are expecting guests.

I have some tips coming up in the next few posts. Until then...