Take Out: Coconut Green Grape Boba Mochi from Mochi Lab

Since Iris and I were already in the area, it would've been churlish not to stop by Mochi Lab.

Coconut Green Grape Boba Mochi with coconut egg roll crumbs
It was Iris' first time there, so she got the Mango Pomelo Mochi, which is what I got last time and highly recommended to her because she is also a mango fiend. Since I am making my way through the whole menu, I decided to get the Coconut Green Grape Boba Mochi ($12.99 + tax) with coconut egg roll crumbs this time. Iris had to go to a family dinner, so we took our mochi home rather than eating it right away, and I put it in the fridge overnight.

Coconut Green Grape Boba Mochi with coconut egg roll crumbs
I did eat it within the recommended 24-hour window, but of course, mochi loses its a lot of its pillowy, stretchy texture after being refrigerated. (That's on me, though, not on them.) That having been said, it was still tasty — the grapes were big, fresh, crisp, and not too sweet. The egg roll crumbs worked beautifully with the grapes, adding a hint of coconut and a nice crunch. The popping boba also lends a great contrast to all the other flavours and textures, though I wish they were more generous with it like they are with the fruit.

Coconut Green Grape Boba Mochi with coconut egg roll crumbs

My only real qualm about this one is that the grapes just weren't sweet enough to work against the cream cheese filling. While I think mango pairs perfectly with it because it brings out just enough tang from the cream cheese, the grapes are too mild and makes the cream cheese taste significantly saltier. I think this one would've worked better with a whipped cream or maybe a mild ricotta filling like in cannoli. In fact, Mochi Lab just came out with a yogurt cream filling two days ago at their Scarborough location for those who don't want cream cheese, and they recommend it with the Green Grape Mochi, so I might have to try this one again... You know, for research.

Mochi Lab

10 Northtown Way, Unit 112

North York, ON M2N 7L4

(416) 225-8885

Dining Out: Korean Comfort Food Buffet at BUNSIK84

After seeing so much hype around the newly-opened BUNSIK84, the first all-you-can-eat Korean comfort food buffet restaurant in Toronto, Iris and I decided to check it out today for a super late lunch.

DIY tteokbokki with classic rice cakes, wheat rice cakes, hot dogs, green onions, cabbage, enoki mushrooms, fried tofu pouches, and a boiled egg
First things first: DIY tteokbokki. Once you get a table, you start your journey at the tteokbokki station because it's the one thing that they actually have to cook separately for you. On top of three different types of rice cakes and four types of noodles, they have a pretty big selection of ingredients for you to choose from. I got a mix of classic and wheat rice cakes, chicken wieners, green onions, cabbage, enoki mushrooms, fried tofu pouches, and a boiled egg. You give the server your bowl of raw goodies, choose the sauce you want (I went with the classic sauce in mild), and they take it to the kitchen to cook for you. (Note: certain sauces and "premium" toppings have an additional charge, so pay attention to the menu.)

Our tteokbokki arrived at our table about five minutes later and this was the star of the show for me. It was the perfect bowl of tteokbokki with the ideal ratio of rice cakes to veggies to protein, if I do say so myself. The mild original sauce is delicious and had the perfect amount of spice. Iris got hers with the mild rosé sauce, but as someone who cannot handle any spice, she thought it was too spicy and couldn't enjoy it as much as she wanted. So, be cautious when picking your sauce. 

Gimmari, garlic soy Korean fried chicken, buttered corn, two types of gimbap, and sundae

In the prepared foods area, there are three chafing dishes with two different items in each one. I got a plate of all the offerings from the prepared foods section: gimmari, garlic soy Korean fried chicken (they change the flavour every week), buttered corn, crab gimbap and spicy fish cake gimbap (which they also change every week), and sundae. Everything was pretty good, but I do wish the food was hotter — when we got there, the chafing dishes weren't heated and we only saw them lighting them after more customers came in. (I do get it, though — there were only two other customers in there when we arrived and heating food constantly can make it lose its integrity faster.)

Sadly, after my giant bowl of tteokbokki and one plate of prepared foods, I was way too full to try the jumeokbap or ramyeon stations. But we did manage to squeeze in some tasty chocolate-vanilla soft serve and a cup of sweet creamy coffee for dessert before leaving. Our total after tax and tip was just over $25 per person, which I actually thought was quite reasonable given that an order of tteokbokki at most Korean restaurants these days is already $20 on its own. However, since neither Iris nor I live near Yonge and Sheppard, this visit to BUNSIK84 was a novelty and not somewhere we'd go regularly. It's definitely a fun, unique, and interactive experience, though, so I do recommend checking it out. But take note: When we got there around 3:00PM, it was empty except for one table, but within 30 minutes, there were at least 5 or 6 more tables filled. So definitely expect a wait during prime meal times.

BUNSIK84

4895 Yonge St.

North York, ON M2N 5N4

(416) 223-1117

Dining Out: Burrata & Prosciutto and Fusilli Beef Tenderloin & Mushrooms in Peppercorn Cream Sauce at Il Postino

It has been nearly two years since I've been to Il Postino because I had, admittedly, been cheating on them with Costa Sorrento for my Italian food needs. But since Chelsea and I were going to be visiting Main Street Unionville, anyway, it would've been churlish not to make a reservation for dinner at Il Postino.

Burrata & Prosciutto
Crusty rosemary Italian bread drizzled with olive oil
Daily pasta special: Fusilli with beef tenderloin, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes in a peppercorn cream sauce

As per usual, we shared our favourite burrata and prosciutto to start (mostly because it's just freaking delicious, but partly because Chelsea, who has many food allergies, can actually eat it), which I absolutely slathered all over olive oil-drizzled, crusty rosemary bread. For our mains, both Chelsea and I got the daily pasta special: fusilli (well, gluten-free penne for Chelsea) with beef tenderloin, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes in a creamy peppercorn sauce. Topped with parmesan and chili oil, and it was absolutely DIVINE.

After my last visit to Costa Sorrento, which was surprisingly disappointing, I will say that for what they offer in variety, Il Postino makes up for in consistency. Il Postino's permanent menu consists of 24 dishes that has not changed in the last decade and they limit daily specials to three (usually a pasta, a meat dish, and a seafood dish) but they execute each one exceptionally well, and I will say that in the last 15 or so years, I have never been disappointed in their food (or service). So, I'm sorry I cheated on you, Il Postino. I promise to come back more often.

Il Postino

186 Main St. Unionville

Unionville, ON L3R 2G9

(905) 940-1555

Dining Out: Thanksgiving Dinner 2026 at Swiss Chalet

As per Thanksgiving tradition, I spent the day binge-watching Season 1 of Gilmore Girls and then went for dinner with my mom at Swiss Chalet. We got there just before 6:00PM so we didn't have to wait for a table, but we did notice an increase in big families there, so clearly more and more people are realizing that cooking Thanksgiving dinner at home is totally not worth it. (Which is fair. Also, chicken is honestly just so much better than turkey.)

Chalet chicken soup
Thanksgiving Feast: Quarter rotisserie chicken with stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, and dinner roll
Pumpkin pie

We got the Thanksgiving Feast, of course, but this is the first year that they wouldn't let us add an extra quarter chicken to make a double-leg dinner (which is what we do every year because a quarter chicken dinner is never enough for us). Not sure if it's because the kitchen wouldn't have enough dark meat for other customers (in this area, people generally prefer dark meat to white meat, which is fair, because same) or if the management changed and they can't figure out how to charge the Thanksgiving Feast with an extra quarter chicken (which, frankly, would make them morons), so I'm hoping it's the former. I ended up getting the chicken soup to start instead, which is always tasty and comforting. It is somewhat overpriced at $5.99 per bowl but I figured out what they do with all that extra white meat they don't sell.

I obviously got the pumpkin pie for dessert because it's the only time of year that I can get it, and as per tradition, I am left wishing I got the pecan or apple pie instead. Anyway, I hope everyone had a safe and delicious Thanksgiving!

Swiss Chalet

Markville Mall

5070 Highway 7

Markham, ON L3R 4M9

(905) 305-1809

Take Out: Mango Pomelo Mochi from Mochi Lab

So, this is super random, but when I went to see my optometrist (who is a pretty hardcore foodie) last month, we started talking about restaurants in Koreatown North because I told her about my BTS food pilgrimage, and she highly, highly recommended Mochi Lab. In fact, she recommended it more than any other eatery in the area, and she's eaten almost everywhere along Yonge Street from Finch to Sheppard. I mentioned this to Minji who, as it turns out, is also obsessed with Mochi Lab, so since we were in the area, she insisted to take me there for my first visit.

Mango Pomelo mochi with butter crunch crumbs

Mochi Lab is a tiny take out-only shop that has just enough room for a little kitchen area, a counter partition, and a very narrow front area that has just enough room for a kiosk to order from and maybe four to five people to stand in. We got there around 4:00PM and there was a constant line-up at the kiosk, though this must've been a "slow" period because some reviews have said that the wait is over 30 minutes, but both Minji and I got ours within five minutes. Now, they recommend eating their mochi within 24 hours, but it's obviously ideal to eat them right away to get maximum freshness. However, there's no room in the store to eat these, so you have to go elsewhere. Luckily, there are a lot of random parks and playgrounds in this area, so there's actually plenty of choice for benches and cement blocks to sit on. Thus, we took headed over to an empty playground so Daniel could play with Lillian and Minji and I could devour our mochi. 

Mango Pomelo mochi with butter crunch crumbs

I decided to get the Mango Pomelo Mochi ($13.99 + tax), which consists of fresh mango and pomelo layered in cream cheese, all wrapped in mochi and then coated in butter crunch crumbs. Apparently, they used to just wrap their mochi up in parchment paper so they got messy real fast, but they put them in wax paper-lined bowls with lids now and provide forks, so it's much easier to eat (and store, if you aren't eating it right away). Now, I will be the first to admit that these are not photogenic. But for what they lack in looks, they totally make up for in UTTER DELICIOUSNESS. 

The mochi itself is super soft, super pillowy, and super stretchy with just the perfect amount of chew. It is wrapped tightly around a very generous mound of filling — I counted no less than six giant chunks of mango. Mine actually didn't have a lot of pomelo in it, so it was definitely more mango-forward, but I'm not mad about it because, frankly, I got this more for the mango than the pomelo. The cream cheese filling is mild and fluffy, and I think the slight salty tang tempers the ultra-sweet fruit really well. It is expensive for what it is, but in a city where we pay $8 for bubble tea now, I actually think $15 is fair for what I got — especially since the mochi is bigger than my palm. That having been said, I'm glad I don't live near here because my diabetic ass would be tempted to get one every damn day...

Mochi Lab

10 Northtown Way, Unit 112

North York, ON M2N 7L4

(416) 225-8885

Dining Out: Half and Half Mandu, Bossam Kalguksu, and Haemul Pajeon at OnGi Korean Noodle & Soup

There's a new Korean noodle restaurant that just opened up in Koreatown North called OnGi that I've been seeing all over IG, and as I was in the middle of drooling, I sent one of the reels over to Minji to make plans to eat there immediately. And what better time to go than during Thanksgiving long weekend?

Half and half mandu (kimchi and pork with vegetables)

We ordered the half and half mandu (that includes three kimchi dumplings and three pork and veg dumplings) and the haemul pajeon (seafood pancake) to share, and then Daniel and I both decided on the bossam kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup with steamed pork) while Minji got the tteokguk (rice cake soup). They also give each table a big container of geotjeori kimchi as a side dish. It is crisp, sweet, garlicky, and ULTRA-ADDICTIVE. Eat it with everything. You won't regret it.

The mandu are huge and plump and — most importantly — retain their moisture. I find that once mandu cool down, they get kinda grainy and dry, but these ones don't. I preferred the kimchi ones as the pork ones were just a little too bland for me (though Daniel preferred the pork ones because he can't eat spice and Minji liked both equally, so it's really subjective here), but overall, the mandu here are delicious. You can add two mandu to any bowl of noodles for $4.99, but an order of six is $15.95, so if you have people to share with or just have a really hearty appetite, it's well worth it to get a full order.

Bossam kalguksu
Next, the noodles. The pièce de résistance, and for good reason. The kalguksu here is SUBLIME. Smooth and springy with a great chew and overall mouthfeel. They're served in a rich, flavourful, perfectly salted, almost milky beef broth that is so addictive that I actually drank half the broth on its own once I finished the noodles. This is noteworthy because I usually leave the broth due to sodium overload but IT IS WORTH EVERY DAMN SIP HERE. Also the bossam is soft and tender and juicy and flavourful, and will absolutely up your kalguksu game. This bowl of noodles was worth every goddamn penny.

Haemul pajeon

Finally, the haemul pajeon arrived. The variation here is thicker than the usual pajeon, but also way more jam-packed with seafood and green onions. It seems like it was double-battered just to hold the sheer amount of ingredients in it, because it had a phenomenally crunchy texture, almost as if it was deep-fried. Basically, it's a HEFTY boy and Minji and I agreed — it's our new favourite haemul pajeon in the city. (Her toddler also agreed with an "MMMM!!!") However, if you prefer thin pajeon, then you might not enjoy this one as much... but frankly, it's worth trying, anyway.

Overall, the portions are great, value is excellent, service is friendly and efficient, and the space is cozy and spotlessly clean. It currently holds a 4.9 rating on Google, and I actually think it's well-deserved. (Note: We got there around 2:45PM today and didn't have to wait for a table, but there was a steady stream of customers for the entire hour that we were there. So if you're coming on a weekend day, I would definitely avoid prime meal hours if you don't want to line-up.)

OnGi Korean Noodle & Soup

5529 Yonge St.

North York, ON M2N 5S3

(647) 435-2700

Dining Out: Stir-Fried Beef & Snow Pea Claypot and Seafood & Egg Dumpling Soup Claypot at Miss Qu Claypot & BBQ

Went back to Miss Qu Claypot & BBQ, this time for dinner with my mom:

Stir-fried beef and snow pea claypot
Seafood and egg dumpling soup claypot

Both of these were delicious — savoury but not too salty; great contrast in textures and flavours; excellent balance of meat/seafood and vegetables; good portions while being pretty reasonably priced. We also got a side of steamed lotus buns (not pictured because, frankly, they're not that exciting to look at) because we weren't in the mood for rice, and they were perfect to stuff all that beef in. Like the tofu and seafood soup claypot I had last time, the seafood and egg dumpling one is also mellow and comforting — perfect for this cooler weather.

We got to the restaurant around 5:15PM today and there were actually quite a few tables filled already (mostly families with kids), but by the time 6:00PM rolled around, there was a line-up out the door with people continually coming in to add their names to the wait list. It was actually crazy, given that it's a MONDAY. (As it turns out, the hype is REAL.) So, fair warning, either go early or go late, otherwise you'll be waiting at least 45 minutes for a table. But I gotta say, I do see why it's so busy here because I've only been here twice and I'm quite impressed with the food and the service. I can definitely see it becoming one of my go-to Chinese restaurants once the hype dies down a little. 

Miss Qu Claypot & BBQ

3828 Highway 7, Unit 2

Markham, ON L3R 0B5

(905) 415-9900

Dining Out: Mid-Autumn Festival 2026 Dinner at NKS Banquet Hall

Another Mid-Autumn Festival dinner at NKS Banquet Hall, but with just my mom and her bestie:

Stir-fried beef tenderloin with celery, snow peas, and cashews
Deep-fried stuffed Chinese sausage and mushroom tofu with broccoli
Stir-fried gai lan with garlic
Crispy skin free-range chicken with shrimp chips

Got all our favourites, of course. We were contemplating getting Peking duck again, but the restaurant actually had a curated menu just for Mid-Autumn Festival and when we saw that Peking duck was a whopping $65.99 just for today, we did a hard pass. (They do a $25.99 Peking duck special on Tuesdays. I think if it was double the price, we still would've gone for it. But more than that? No, thanks.) Not a huge loss, though, because their other dishes are delicious enough on their own; they're always cooked perfectly and we always leave satisfied, and tonight was no different. No moon cakes for me because they're too expensive (seriously, $12+ for one), too high in sugar, and frankly, I don't even like them. But I made up for it by having a scoop of Kawartha Dairy's Death by Chocolate ice cream at home while looking at the full moon from my window.

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

NKS Banquet Hall

New Kennedy Square

8360 Kennedy Rd., Unit B06

Markham, ON L3R 9W5

(905) 948-8668