#& it's always either bland all the way through or really salty for .5 seconds & then bland

[phynixdotcom]

I think whoever invented chicken fried steak/country fried steak should be blown to shmithereens. Sorry you wanted to eat a chicken meal so bad, but why the hell did ya gotta ruin a perfectly good hunk o' beef over it?

[arcaneranger]

Final Thoughts - 2019 Long Shows

Dear Lord. This is where all the good shows went.

2019 was absolutely awful on a season-by-season basis (except for Summer, anyway), but that’s mostly because most of the best shows ran longer than what has become the industry norm of a single season. And indeed, heading into the new decade, we seem to be seeing a major renaissance for two- or split-cour shows, given the massive success seen by shows like My Hero Academia, Food Wars, and Haikyuu!!..particularly in comparison to the new perpetual-runners Black Clover (which, despite running for over two straight years now, is still not the most popular show of Fall 2017 by viewer count on MAL, and sits at a ‘meh’ 7.2), and even worse, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, which is faring even worse on both counts even though it premiered two whole seasons earlier and the fact that it is the sequel to Naruto.

As a reminder of my rules, the shows on this list may or may not have premiered in 2019, but they finished airing this year. The split-cour rule (stating that I judge any show that “finishes” and then premieres a “new season” within six months) didn’t come into play for any 2018 shows, but it will for Ascendance of a Bookworm and Food Wars this year, at the very least.

With that being said! 25 shows running longer than thirteen episodes finished airing this year after being simulcast, and of those…

I skipped 6:

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part V: Golden Wind, Fairy Tail Final Series, A Certain Magical Index III, Ace Attorney Season 2 and Cardfight Vanguard (2018) because I either dropped or have not finished their previous (also long-running) seasons.

Yu-Gi-Oh VRAINS because the simulcast started late and also it was bad.

I Dropped 8:

Worst Long Show of 2019: The Rising of the Shield Hero

It’s always fun to see that a show you hated from its first episode only gets more and more distasteful afterwards, but it’s less fun when a service you have to promote because they’re the legal option is forced to shove it down your throat because they had a hand in making it and it became a massive hit that your friends don’t see any issue with because the author wrote a story that justifies its hero’s patronage of the slave industry. This is my punishment for watching the whole first season of The Asterisk War before I knew better.

YU-NO: A girl who chants love at the bound of this world

A confusing mess from the word go, this ill-fated adaptation of a visual novel from the nineties seems like it was mostly made to cash in on the popularity of the Science Adventure series, but failed to present itself in a way that made an ounce of sense or looked remotely interesting.

Fairy Gone

Am I really the only one that saw potential here? I mean yes, it ended up a boring slog that didn’t care to move its plot in a meaningful direction, but the first episode was at least cool. I guess Izetta: The Last Witch should have taught me better.

We Never Learn

I know that I’m in the minority in terms of the male demographic for shows like this, but honestly, how are bland harem shows still this easy to market? A copy-pasted protagonist with copy-pasted waifus drag down what could be an interesting setup for a story. 

Karakuri Circus

The first episode of this one had me excited, the second and third left me bored to tears and wondering if it would continue to look uglier by the minute. I haven’t seen a three-cour show look this janky since Knight in the Area.

Radiant

Having heard good things about this show from my cohorts, I do feel bad for saying I’ll probably never return to Radiant, but when you have a show that’s notably written by a European author...and it turns out to be a frustratingly standard shounen affair with middling production values, well, you can see my earlier annoyance with Cannon Busters.

Ensemble Stars

This one still gets to me. It almost looked like a male-idol show I would finally be able to get behind, what with its rebellious attitude and oddball setting...that is, until the setting got to be too unbelievable and the show began drowning its audience in side-characters because they had to squeeze every husbando from the mobile game into the story, and it all began to resemble UtaPri a little too much...but without the production value.

Boogiepop and Others

This was a hard drop, honestly. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how I felt four episodes in, before concluding that I was bored and not particularly invested, two things that should never describe the experience of watching a Madhouse show. The fact that this was the project responsible for ruining One Punch Man only made it worse. There’s a slow burn, and then there’s walking away without turning the stove on.

And I Finished 11 (holy crap that’s like three hundred episodes just on their own).

That Time I Was Reincarnated as a Slime (5/10 & 1/10)

I’ll be honest, I had forgotten just how livid I was with the ending (and especially the sad excuse of a recap episode) of Slimesekai, and reading back through my write-up of it, it’s certainly coming back to me. While this year had bigger demons to fight (Shield Hero), the bad taste that Slime left me with hasn’t really faded, and the wasted premise bugs me to this day.

Hinomaru Sumo (7/10)

What Hinomaru lacked in production value, it happily made up for in good execution and earnest heart. I can’t believe this came from the same studio as Conception, Try Knights and 7Seeds, but if they can only get out one good show a year, I’m glad that we got one bringing attention to a sport that many will joke about but few understand, respect and appreciate.

Kono Oto Tomare (7/10)

Speaking of giving love to traditional Japanese culture, here’s a decent-if-unoriginal show about a local high school koto club down on their luck, and the troubled teens coming together under a scrappy protagonist to bring it back to life. Kono Oto Tomare doesn’t have much that you haven’t seen before, but a decently-executed club drama with Your Lie In April-inspired musical performances is more than enough to keep me interested, and since Forest of Piano kinda crashed and burned under the weight of its own self-importance this year, it was nice to have an alternative.

MIX: Meisei Story (8/10)

It’s hard to judge MIX next to the other shows on this list because it’s almost too old-school for its own good, revelling in an eighties storytelling style that didn’t end up jiving with a wide audience this year. But at the same time, its fun character dynamics (and a very good dub from Funimation, despite them saying they’d never touch sports anime again) were very entertaining to watch, even if it didn’t focus as much on the sport it was supposedly about as much as I’d have liked.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (8/10)

I fully admit that I’m very salty about the fact that this won Show of the Decade in Funimation’s poll while it was still on and I thought there were hundreds of more deserving shows, but I can’t deny that Demon Slayer was a very enjoyable experience, albeit one that I had notable problems with. That’s not gonna stop me from getting mad when it sweeps the Anime Awards in a few weeks, though.

Fire Force (8/10)

I was very afraid that David Productions wouldn’t be able to match the energy of Studio Bones’ adaptation of Ohkubo’s previous work, Soul Eater, but I was happy to be proven wrong. Even if the last few episodes contained a bit too much infodumping, it was all sandwiched between jaw-dropping fight scenes that proved that the people who make Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure can still handle the reins of a more traditional action show.

Fruits Basket 1st Season (8/10)

I know that my score for this one is a bit lower than others, but I think that Fruits Basket did pretty well in its first season, considering that it was largely spent setting up future storylines and adapting the part of the manga we’d all seen before, but with much higher production value. I’ve been familiar with this part of the story for over a decade, and the scene with Tohru and Kyo (you know the one) still made me cry. Now, we get the real plot going.

Dr Stone (9/10)

A great start to a totally new spin on shounen, Dr Stone gives me hope for survival in the post-Shokugeki world in which we’ll soon live, as a show that wears its research on its sleeve. A complex plot weaving interesting characters in and out of a narrative surrounding a philosophical battle where both sides actually do have fair points (even if one of them is going about it in a pretty cruel manner). More please.

Vinland Saga (9/10)

Once again, a great start to what will hopefully be years of quality storytelling, Vinland Saga made it seem like it was dragging in the middle only to reveal just what its slow burn had been leading up to, with twist-heavy storytelling and a fantastic cast to match the high visual quality of its brutal battles.

Run With the Wind (9/10)

It’s not often that Production I.G. gets to make a complete, fully-realized show anymore, and this one was a glorious reminder of the potential of the studio in the TV space, and a great rebound for the director of Joker Game. It’s gorgeous to look at, the cast is wonderful, and the story is both realistic and idealistic in a satisfying balance. It’s a miserable process to get to the finish line in real life, but sitting back and watching this was nothing but a treat. At least, until a minor fumble at the end.

Best Long Show of 2019: Dororo (9/10)

Speaking of complete stories, Tezuka Productions and MAPPA teamed up for a breathtaking adaptation of an underappreciated Tezuka classic that expands upon the story in exactly the right way to create a thrilling, savage, beautiful masterpiece that focuses a laser-sharp eye into the relationship between two characters in their journey to, literally and figuratively, become complete people. Also, that opening was killer.

And that’s it! That’s the fun list. Next comes the painful one. Stay tuned for the trash heap.

[katerinawinters]

The Witcher: No Turning Back Chapter 5

Geralt watched her as she took a deep breath and pulled back the bow string. About forty yards away stood a whitetail buck. With its broadside facing them, the shot was perfect. Calmly, he looked at the young woman at his side and observed her intense expression as she lined the shot. Raising its head, the deer's tail flicked as he looked around cautiosly. Taking a hesitant step forward it quartered-away, angling its rear toward them and its chest in line.

 Ciri released the arrow.

 Imbedding the arrow deep into the lungs, the deer fell instantly.

 Sliding his gaze to hers, Geralt already knew she would be wearing that cocky smile of hers.

 "You thought I was going to miss the shot, didn't you?" she accused good-humoredly.

 Already kneeling on one knee, Geralt crossed both of his forearms on his bent knee comfortably and turned to her with a wry smile. "Well, at first I was wondering why you wasted a perfectly good angle, but then I just assumed you were trying to starve me tonight since it’s your night to cook."

 Her beautiful faced scrunched up into a sulky scowl. "Oh, come on," she whined as she stood up. "You are such a better cook. Why do you want to take the chance and have me ruin all this meat?" she flung an arm into the direction of the downed deer. "Everything I make is either burnt, bland, or too salty. Your food taste amazing."

 Standing up, he started walking towards the deer as she followed alongside of him, tucking the bow over her shoulder like he taught her. "Yes, but you will never get better if you do not practice."

 Grumbling something under her breath she forged ahead through the high brush and went to field-dress the deer. Wearing buckskin pants, a dark blue shirt tucked in into the waist, and a smile on her lips she was practically a different girl from the one he had taken in his charge weeks ago.

 Not long since they arrived at their new home, he had taken them to the nearest town. Buying a few supplies for their new home he had given her a few crowns and a strict order to get some practical clothes she could train and move around in. He had gotten more than tired of seeing her in the worn dirty clothes he had found her in. Now however, he was filled with a bit of regret at the decision. She had come out of the shop with two large parcels that she showed him proudly, describing with enthusiasm that she found clothes similar to his, but Geralt did not miss the small delicate package she kept hidden under her arm. It wasn't until that night when she had gotten done bathing from the stock pot in the far corner of the room behind that worthless curtain she hung that he spied her carefully slipping on new undergarments and smiling with such a pure feminine smile it made him wish he had given her more money. His regret unfortunately did not stop there, it was the pants. He was convinced they had to be too small but she assured him with a tug of the waist band as proof that they were plenty roomy. By God's teeth, the fuck they were! They fit her like a second skin.

 Leaning against a nearby tree, he refocused his thoughts to the present and off the wretched pants and watched as she carefully sliced the animal open.

 "Ok, how about you supervise as I cook to ensure I don't leave us both hungry and angry tonight?" she spoke over her shoulder as she removed the pieces of meat.

 "The last time I instructed you on how to cook the meat you ended up making a pie, I was essentially teaching your backside," he countered.

 "But it was good pie was it not?!" she laughed. "What luck to find a place with a baker's oven."

 Shaking his head, he grabbed the buck's antler preparing to drag the carcass further away from their property.

 Placing her hand on top of his, she gave him an offended look stopping him. "I'm supposed to be doing this remember?"

 Smirking, he lifted both hands in silent surrender and stepped back. Waiting for the inevitable.

 Folding the fabric containing the meat tightly she strung it up on a tree limb off the ground as he taught her. Walking pridefully around him, she eased herself in front of him to take the position near the antlers. Geralt nearly laughed, the girl was so stubborn and prideful all the while only reaching the center of his chest.

 Grabbing the antlers, Ciri tugged at the carcass. It did not budge. Frowning she tried again, this time bending her knees and putting more power into the move. The carcass moved one whole inch. Giving off an exasperated sigh, Ciri reluctantly brought her gaze to his and immediately regretted it. Smiling fully now, Geralt did not stop his silent laughter this time.

 "You're as stubborn as a mule," he said shaking his head.

 "Well," she began with a petulant little whine. "The whole point is to teach me so that I can do this on my own if needed."

 "Yes, but if you were on your own you would get smaller game, just enough to feed yourself."

 "Yes, well I won't ever have to worry about that right?" she said haughtily, tossing back a few strands of her ashen hair that had come down from her bun at the top of her head. "I belong to you by law and I don't see any reason that I will ever need to hunt for one."

 Though technically it was said as a statement they both heard the lilt in her tone towards the end and they both knew it was a truly indeed a real question. It was something she did often with him. Constant little hinting questions, constant inquiries about their future. Her need to be reminded that he would not abandon her was vital. And just as he usually did, he obliged the young woman, unable to ignore the desperate need for confirmation shining in her large gray eyes.

 "Yes of course," he agreed as he stepped around her towards the buck, laying a hand on her back.

 The resulting shiver that ran down her spine and through his fingertips burned his senses like magma. Removing his hand, he steeled his expression to show nothing, a skill he had yet to teach her. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her lips part with a silent gasp and her eyes widen slightly at the contact.

 Fuck.

 It had been two weeks since they took over the cottage. Two weeks of sleeping on the floor side by side. Two weeks of nightly bathing in the living area while the other turned their back. Two weeks of his iron will being tested in a way he would have never dreamed.

 Not for the first time Geralt cursed himself for finding the girl so late. No longer berating himself for simply enacting the idiotic fucking Law of Surprise, no, just for claiming her so late. Though granted, he thought with a heavy sigh, the line was a fine one. If he were to have walked into Cintra and claimed her too early he would have had a child on his hand but waiting until now as he had done…well he had something he wasn't quite sure to handle on his hands. A young woman who looked at him as if he was the savior of the world. Hell, to her maybe he was. He certainly did seem to get to her just as her life had turned to shit, plucking her from the ravages of the world and keeping her safe it made sense why she viewed him with wide eyed heroism. It was her smart-mouth and surprisingly wry personality that he fucking liked. When her initial fear and wariness of him wore off leaving him to discover the actual princess beneath, Geralt knew then that he was fucked. Used to getting her own way and far more knowledgeable than standard nobility Geralt often found himself trading barbs and witticisms with the ashen haired young woman. And to make matters somehow worse, it was exact moments like these that was killing him. Moments of instinctual feminine reaction and appreciation to him that was undoing their innocent relationship and slowly and infernally building something else.

 He refused to let it happen goddammit. Grabbing the buck's antler, he channeled his anger into his strength and easily slid the heavy carcass behind him as he stormed off into the woods. Damn his witcher libido, he thought, placing the blame there. Normally his heightened sex drive was always something he could control unlike some of his other witcher brethren but he must have miscalculated. He needed a good fuck, he surmised, that would solve this issue and let him resume looking after the girl without fucking everything up.

 ~*~

 Letting off a small groan in her sleep, Ciri frowned at the soreness of her muscles. Not really wanting to, she forced herself to open her eyes. The rafters above were no longer dusty and decorated with cobwebs and various nests. The holes in the thatching were fixed allowing the cottage to stay even warmer with the use of their wood stove. With only a week of repairs the cottage felt like a real home. Of course, there was more that needed to be done, namely the bedrooms. It was a task neither one of them were looking forward to and both for completley different reasons. Geralt had told her he needed to stack the stones just right if he didn't intend on having to repeat the whole process at a later date and between her daily training and other chores that needed to get done, he simply hadn't had the time to focus on it. For now, their camp in the middle of the living area would have to suffice. Stuffing a few rags underneath the bedroom doors to block the wind from seeping through and their heat out, Geralt looked to be in no rush to get the job done. Something she was immensely happy for.

 Turning onto her side towards the radiating heat to her left, Ciri sucked in a breath at the sight of the witcher sleeping. It wasn't often she was up before him and even less that he was still asleep. Each night as they laid down for bed, he would teach her all about the different monsters to be hunted, describing their features with such crystal-clear clarity she could envision them almost perfectly. He would explain their weaknesses, their likely or theorized origins and sometimes he would tell her stories of growing up in Kaer Mohren, a place that seemed magical and frightening to her. At some point during his tales without fail sleep would catch a hold of her taking her under, no matter how hard she struggled against its pull and each day she would wake up next to him wishing she could have had just a few more minutes.

 Tracing his features with her gaze she smiled at the stern expression he had even in his sleep. Firm lips, a strong jaw line, and straight nose this sleeping warrior was beginning to infect every one of her waking thoughts. At first, she just needed to know he would be by her side, that he would not leave her like everyone else did, but at some point, during their daily training, their nightly bathing, and sleepy conversations her heart started to constrict with each amber glance cast her way. Ciri found herself blushing like a fool as he wrapped his arms around her to show her how to properly hold a sword.

 Dropping her gaze to his exposed collarbone she bit back the urge to grin at the sprinkling of chest hair peeking over the material. Geralt in armor was imposing indeed but it held not even a single candle to Geralt wearing just a simple shirt and pants. Built like no man she had ever seen his body seemed to bulge with muscles, it was almost obscene. When he lifted the heavy stock pot to the floor each night so they could wash off the day's grime, a privilege they afforded themselves along with twice a week soaks in the large tub, Ciri watched with open fascination at the flex of his biceps at the action.

 When did her admiration for the stoic man evolve into this? When did her beating heart turn from nervous thrashing into blood racing heat spreading throughout her body? Dropping her gaze further she examined the broad width of his chest as he lay on his side, following each rise and fall of his breath until she could feel her own match his rhythm. Once, he had mentioned off-hand in conversation when she questioned him about his mutations that everything from his hair to his eating habits were changed, she wondered…was he changed elsewhere, perhaps? Settling downward she settled on his crotch with a blush. Her grandmother, Calanthe, was a very progressive woman she did not endorse the same beliefs that most nobility believed in when it came to their daughters. She believed from an early age that Ciri should know the facts about sex and not be led to fear it like some girls were taught, in fact, Calanthe believed quite the opposite and was not afraid to expound on the joys of rigorous sex no matter how much Ciri cringed.

 Closing her eyes with a sigh, Ciri let her thoughts shift to her grandmother with a painful smile.

 "And what has you smiling so early in the morning?" Geralt's deep voice caused her to flinch.

 Startled she looked at him realizing how close they were before sitting up. Running a hand through her loose hair she shook her head and gave a nervous laugh. "Oh, um nothing really. For some reason I was just thinking of a rather inappropriate story my grandmother told me, of course before she married Eist," she added.

 "Mmm," Geralt replied deeply, in a way that made Ciri suspect that he did not believe her. "I'm sure that woman had quite a few encounters that would make even a sailor blush."

 Standing up, Geralt moved to the bowl of water they kept on the nearby table. With his hair down from his normal tie he kept it in, it fanned around him like a white curtain as he leaned forward to splash his face with the frigid water.

 Standing up from her pile of quilts, which had been mostly layered on her, she stepped over the mattresses and reached for one of the shuttered windows. Sunlight spilled vertically through the seam of the wooden shutters, enticing her to let it in. Kneeling and leaning forward on the chair in front of her, she reached out and obliged letting the warm light spill into the dim cozy room. Smiling, Ciri stared out at the beautiful day though she knew how cold it was judging by the radiating cold from the glass.

 "Where did you get that gown?" Though the question was asked in the witcher's softest tone yet, there was still a dangerous quality to it that made her heart skip a beat.

 Still kneeling on the chair, Ciri turned and looked over her shoulder at him, light spilled in from behind her bathing her and the surrounding area with bright morning sunlight.

 "I…I got it from Goldencheeks, I had nothing to sleep in so she let me have it," she explained, watching his eyes take in her form and suddenly feeling very self-conscious.

 His scowl deepened as she shifted to face him directly. "It doesn't look warm," he groused.

 Looking down her chest, she tried to see the simple white cotton gown how he did. It had no lace, no frills, no ribbons, or embroidery, it was just a sheaf of white fabric with long sleeves. It might not be much, she thought with a frown, but it was darn warm and it was all she had.

 Putting her hands on her hips she stood straighter and gave him a menacing look. "I will have you know it’s very warm, so unless you plan on buying me a new one you can keep your opinion to yourself, witcher."

 Her statement was so bold, so audacious that Ciri was momentarily proud of herself. In that moment she truly channeled the lioness spirit of her grandmother Calanthe, in such a way she was sure the woman would be proud. Sadly, pride was not the emotion she inspired from the pale witcher standing across the room who was currently giving her a look so menacing it could turn water into stone.

 Resisting the urge to take a hesitant step back, partly for her pride's sake and due to the fact, there was a wall directly behind her, Ciri swallowed nervously.

 Taking a step forward, Geralt stepped from the hazy shadows of the room into a spear of light that fell across his face illuminating one of his amber eyes. "Say that an again," his voice was so low in the quiet room, Ciri almost had a hard time hearing it over the steady percussion of her heart.

 Ciri made no sound, no movement at the command. Taking a few more steps forward, Geralt easily closed the space between them until he was standing only inches from her, staring down the bridge of his nose at her with hard gleaming eyes.

 Fear swirled like a cold winter gale within her gut as she looked up at him. Unable to meet his gaze any longer Ciri let it drop to the column of his neck and down further to the breadth of his chest. Muscled and strong, she imagined a man trying to fight this huge witcher, imagining their punched landing on his chest and bouncing back. The thought of his strength combined with the feel of his emanating heat reacted within her in a way she could not fathom. Tingling awareness traced up and down her skin leaving her breasts feeling tight and sensitive while a deep flush colored her skin as she looked back up at him. A flicker of awareness ignited in the depths of his eyes and Ciri knew in that exact moment that he realized what she was feeling. Pride thankfully bubbled back to the surface within her, overshadowing that odd foreign moment of consciousness she felt towards this man. Stepping sideways, she nearly tripped over a small chest sitting against the wall near the door. Edging towards one of the small bedrooms she had been using to change in, she raised her chin, trying her best to give off a confidence she did not feel.

 "I am going to get dressed," she announced as if she was the one that ended the battle of wills on her on terms.

 His gaze narrowed, dropping to her neck and further down before abruptly coming back up to meet hers with an unholy flame lighting them. "Good, because today we train--hard."

 ~*~

 She was snoring face down in her pillow. A deep heavy snore that told him that pretty much nothing at this point would wake up the princess. Good, Geralt thought with a snort. Turning to the large stock pot of boiling water, he lifted it from the hot wood stove and lowered it to the ground in the corner of the room. Stripping his clothes, he paused for a moment, the deep snores continued on in the background. Smirking he continued with the removal of his clothes. Grabbing a clean rag, he began washing off the dirt of the day. Training had been brutal. He drilled in the basics of defense for what felt like hours, using a long straight branch he found as a rod to assist in "training." Mostly, he used it to whack at her whenever she stepped out of place during the footwork drills. By later afternoon, a hatred so deep and consuming filled those beautiful gray eyes of hers it completely washed away that awakening look of desire that ignited within them that morning.

 Letting out a deep groan, Geralt let his forehead rest in both hands as he propped his elbows on his knees. What in the fuck was he thinking? That morning she had caught him completely by surprise. Kneeling in front of that window like that, the sun had enveloped her like a long overdue hug, completely penetrating through the white gown until it outlined every detail of her body. Rounded pert breasts that sat high on her chest like a pair of ripe apples; nipples that stood proudly against her gown scratching maddeningly at the fabric until Geralt could swear he could hear the delicate rustle of each movement. Lust so powerful and depraved spread through him like wildfire, gripping all of his senses willing his body to act until he could feel his feet begin to move on their own accord. Calling upon his iron will he called his baser instincts to a halt as he savagely reminded himself that she was his ward--nothing more.

 Clean now and wearing just a pair of pants he grabbed one of his clean shirts, grimacing at it. He hated sleeping with clothes on especially surrounded by sturdy walls. But sleeping in the nude wasn't practical for the life of a witcher nor would it be appropriate at a time like this. Glancing back at the girl's still body he watched the slight rise and fall of her back as she slept, he could risk leaving the shirt off at least. Laying down, he folded one arm behind his head and closed his eyes.

 His eyes opened seconds before the shattering clap of thunder struck the sky. The walls of the cottage shook and Geralt could here bits of stone fall away from the mountain wall at the disturbance. A sharp intake of breath and the jolt to his right was expected. Holding out his right arm he barred the girl from getting up from the spot. Soft and warm Geralt inwardly cursed at the feeling of her breasts pushing against the side of forearm as he kept her still.

 "You are fine, it's just a storm," he reassured her, hoping his voice sounded calm to her rather than as rough as it sounded to his own ears.

 Breathing deeply Ciri looked around the dark room in a confused panic. He could see her mind slowly putting together reality as she finally let her gaze settle to him. The light from the stove's grate had died down only casting a small circumference of orange glow. It was the occasional flashes of bright lightening piercing through the shutters' cracks that illuminated the room in sporadic spurts. Watching her gray eyes slowly take him in with recognition and clarity Geralt tensed at the reminder he wasn't wearing a shirt.

 But her eyes did not widen in shock nor did that tiny spark of feminine arousal ignite this time. Looking down she gave him a shaky nod before laying back down, turning her back to him. Pulling back his arm, Geralt laid there completely still listening to the sounds of the storm rage around them. He let the deafening sounds of rain hitting the cottage file themselves into individual sounds: rain hitting the thatched roof, the stone siding, the metal chimney of the wood stove, even the sound of rain hitting the side of the mountain. All of the sounds he categorized and filed away. Scents were inhaled and labeled immediately--all except one. One scent, one salty tang that pierced the air around them took him a few seconds longer to confirm. The scent of tears.

 Turning onto his side until he mirrored her position, he looked down at the slender back of the girl next to him. Bunched up around her waist the quilt left the outline of her shoulder and upper arm exposed. Observing her carefully, he watched the small almost indiscernible tremors shake her shoulders and he listened to the soft sounds of her irregular breathing.

 Geralt debated his next move longer than usual. Quick thinking was key to survival as a witcher but when it came to just a handful of weeks with this girl, he realized there was still things to learn.

 Laying a hand on her shoulder, he felt her tense but he said nothing he simply waited. Seconds trickled by like sand through an hourglass and Geralt couldn't help but focus on the heat of her skin through the fabric of her gown. It felt as if her skin was a river of heat pulling his hand like a strong current to sink deeper to urge it to glide to the natural dip in her hips. Fuck! Why had every one of his past encounters with a woman been sexual? His instincts were worthless if not sexual. Resisting the urge to move his hand he waited.

 Without turning she spoke. "I dreamt nothing had changed. For a moment, it was all just a terrible nightmare," she began, her voice thick with tears. "I miss grandmother, I miss Mousesack, I miss Cintra…I miss my old life," she whispered weakly, barely audible over the din of rain surrounding their cottage. Turning over under his hand she looked up at him her eyes watery and desperate. "Please don't be mad, I don't mean to sound ungrateful I…I just…I…"

 Letting his hand rest onto her other shoulder, he pulled her against him without a word. There was nothing he could say that would ease her pain, no great words of wisdom that would help her through her grief any faster, he had nothing he could give her but his presence. Pressed tightly against his bare chest Geralt ignored the warnings in his head about their positions, closing his eyes he waited until her shock slowly dissipated and her body relaxed. He felt her tears renew even as her arms wound around his neck bringing her closer and closer until she was tucked into him perfectly.

 Raindrops and tears continued to fall while lightening veined through the night sky, briefly illuminating their entwined embrace.

[jackbabewang]

At first sight...

Pairing: Jaehyun x Reader Genre: College au, Fluff, That library crush theme Word Count: 2,554

It can be hard to seduce someone in total silence.

Final exams are approaching, so now you are spending a great deal of time in one corner of your room at a clustered study desk, constantly reviewing notes, and grumbling. There are just too many distractions to interrupt you at the dormitory. The residents above are deliberately harassing you by stomping on the floor, classical music blasted from the room next to yours making your unit feel like some strange musical theater of the absurd and then there is your bed. So so inviting. You have enough points going into the exams to pass easily, but the pressure has not lifted because you are keen to scoring the highest possible marks. Well, that is just you being you. To pry yourself away from disturbance, the university’s library seems to be the ideal place for better concentration. And so, your routine begins.

Day 1

Unknowingly excited. Your nerdy self got a seating in a booth that offers the most privacy. Though the library is crowded with students studying frantically, it is still quiet. Your body sinking into the cushioned padding, laptop opened, bookmarks orphaned on tables, highlighters and pens began their labour. 

Day 3

Still going strong. Probably. You need some fresh air and a break from your studies. After a couple of hours sitting hunched over books, you are worried that you can even try out for the role of a hunchback. You decide to take a walk outside on the campus park. You miss warmth, the heat of the sun on your skin, needing the light for some kind of photosynthesis.  

By the time you return to the library, there sits a paper cup on top of your table with a square note beside it written, ‘Hey little fighter, soon things will be brighter!’ There is no name, no initial that gives away the identity of the alleged person who left it there. A small smiled etches on your lips as you reach for the source of warmth, the tip of your fingers have turned icy cold the second after you walked in. A string of white steam escapes through the small opening, turns into vapour around your nose, kinda dumb of you to take a sip without hesitation. The intense heat burns your upper lip and you wince in reaction. “Fuck!” 

Day 5 

Your enthusiasm surely died down. Two days away from the first paper, you are feeling the tension in your shoulders, in the air, when you come across topics that you are unsure of. The ink runs out in your flimsy pen, the cheapest in Target, and your writing fades away into almost invincible marks on the paper, until you reluctantly switch for another. Consequently, you are feeling numbness in your head after reading, with pressure in temples. Faintness and migraine give you a ready-made and honest reason to excuse yourself from the books momentarily. A short walk to the water fountain or the upper floor toilet will do. 

It seems like deja vu all over again when you come back to the same paper cup but with a different note this time, ‘Wish you luck for whatever you’re struggling with :)’ Kinda creepy… not going to lie. The idea of someone watching you has the hair on your neck prickles. However the ever encouraging words compensate for your terror. 

Fifteen minutes prior to closing time, the librarian makes an announcement and requesting patrons to leave. The sun has already set, and the moon is slowly peeking in the darkened sky. That is when you realize you have been staying in for approximately eight hours.

You make your way out immediately, the drink from an anonymous individual in your hand left untouched and disappointingly you have to throw it away. 

“Hey!” 

Your hand stops in mid air, head turns to the rippling voice. A guy in gold rimmed glasses jogs over. With a closer look, he has a strikingly handsome face and you are left wondering what exactly did you associate with a fine man like him. 

“Glad I caught you,” he says, panting slightly. His eyes flitting nervously back and forth between you and the paper cup. “Do you… Do you not like hot drinks? I’ve got you hot chocolate this time since you weren’t drinking the coffee…” 

 “Oh.” So he is the secret delivery guy. 

There is an uneasy silence in the air. He rubs his collarbone and then the back of his neck, looking almost embarrassed. “I guess you don’t.” 

“No, no! That’s not it. I just- Don’t get me wrong. I don’t wish to catch myself heart attack cause I had two shots of coffee earlier.” Well, the pounding of your heart should be stopped by now but it does not seem to. Weird. “And this… hot chocolate?” You pause for confirmation and is rewarded with a nod. “Is kinda too sweet to my liking and it’s not such a great idea to get jazzed when I’m wracking my brain.” 

He chuckles, mumbling coherently to himself that he has understood girls wrongly. Little did he know, you are no ordinary girl. You are a girl of determination; a girl of the new millennium. Sugary-sweet desserts work no effect, and you do not fawn upon pick up lines and impassioned gestures. You are too, too difficult to please.

“So…” You look everywhere except in his eyes, feeling awkward in the presence of this stranger, a hot stranger to be frank.

“I- I was asking if you wanna have… dinner with me?” Gulping so loudly he can hear himself, enough for you to hear it too, and you can see his Adam’s apple moving rapidly. 

“Sorry… I’m going back now, though…” And have yourself a bowl of bland oatmeal with fresh-cut fruits. Now, however, your stomach grumbles on cue, reminding you that you have not been eating since morning. 

He chuckles again, a pleasant throaty sound, and humiliation nips your skin like sand fleas. “Let’s go. I believe it can’t wait.” 

This is just odd. What has gotten into you to come into agreement with someone you have known for less than an hour. Anyone else will figure you are a pair of couple just by walking together shoulder to shoulder, and if anyone among your circle of friends were to find out, they are definitely going to be nosy about it.

“Hey, I may be strange, but not weird! There’s a difference.” Jaehyun is his name, and he sure has the balls of steel. Let us put it that way. That is cause the guys in your classes are incomparable, they get intimidated by you while he does not even flinch in the face of the wolf (for some reason they gave you the nickname). 

As much as you hate to admit it, the more time you spend with him, the more you enjoy his company, his wit, and his willingness to discuss anything—whether it be politics, Ironman versus Captain America, or Joji’s latest track. He is courteous, ambitious, and attractive, and he can dance with the best of them. Most of all, he does not seem to mind your independent ways of thinking. 

“Are you going now?” He is probably pushing his luck, since he certainly does not want you to leave just yet, but he has to ask. 

“I am.” You can swear you see disappointment flickers in his eyes and if you are not mistaken, his bottom lip sticking out slightly in a pout. But it is gone so fast when, “I can stay for… a bit longer.” 

“Great. Follow me.” 

Without another word, he turns and stalks up the stairs. On the third floor landing, he stops and looks back to make sure you are still following closely behind. An amused smile emerges as he watches you panting breaths, and a blush blooms like hothouse roses in your cheeks. Past the hall and into the narrow passage, thence leading to what you assume is the back door which he has already broke open with a flexible plastic ruler. Flipping the light switch, turning on the lights, illuminating the space, and you come to realize it is the abandoned classroom where you attended tutorials for Business Communication last semester. 

“We could’ve taken the elevator!” 

“It won’t be fun then.” 

“You mean, it won’t be fun if you don’t have me to laugh at.” 

“Besides, nobody saw us. We can’t be seen in here.”  

He proceeds to scramble around like he has done it before, maybe not a lot, but a few times at least. He connects his phone to the stereo system and soft, soothing music drifts lazily on the air from hidden speakers. He then joins you at the table, sitting beside you, closer than your very first meeting. 

“I didn’t know this was possible until now.” 

“Oh, they’re a lot I haven’t shown you yet,” he says, wriggling his eyebrows lasciviously and giving you a cocky grin. You just have to have a pep talk with yourself that if Jaehyun is not hinting something else—you can imagine. 

“Do you always bring people here?”

“What do you mean?”

You shrug your shoulders, turning sideways and lean against the chair back with him mirroring your posture. “You know… Girls… Is this how you impress them with your lockpicking skills?”

“Are you, perhaps, a wee bit jealous?”

You scoff at such a ridiculous prospect. In fact, you might get salty if you figure you are just one of the chicks he brought over this place. You are not going to fall for him and his antiques like the stupid bitch they are. 

“No. I never bring women here. I don’t bring anyone here. You’re a first.” 

Your interested gaze transfers to him. “You don’t?”

He shakes his head. 

“But… why?” 

“Policy.” He glances at you, sees you frowning and says, “Don’t worry about it, okay?” 

Yet for long the study session is either neglected or long been buried and forgotten, the mood of the times is a very different one. You continue to talk, and really got to know each other well, not romantically but just as good friends. Suddenly your conversation is broken with the sound of keys jingling, followed by a quick turn of the knob coming from the far side of the corridor. 

It is the security guard patrol. 

Immediately you scutter about the classroom, switching off all the lights, locking the door while he runs to unplug his phone, making sure to return the place to its original state. You find yourselves under the table and stealing glances out of the small window and the crack beneath the door until it passes. 

Though the guard has already left, it does not seem as if Jaehyun has any intention of moving an inch. He is too close—so close you can smell the musk of his cologne, and he smells so damn good. He is too close—so close you can feel the heat of him, and your backside is all but paralyzed from the uncomfortable position. It is dark, but you can still make out the twinkle in his eyes. The tall guy seems fascinated by you, looking you up and down, then openly studying your face. 

The thought must have form in both your minds at the same time because your eyes flutter shut as he leans forward, kissing you gently on the lips. A deep, lingering kiss that have you wanting more. This kiss is so soft that it’s like a memory of a kiss, so careful on your lips that it is like someone running his fingers along them. Slowly, gently, the tip of his tongue traces your mouth, outlining your lips with exquisite, excruciating care. A growl of pleasure escapes him when you part your lips in welcoming at the first prod of his tongue. The lemon drop he had before adding flavor to a kiss that is already the sweetest of your life. 

One of his hands settle at your waist, the other cups the side of your throat. His thumb slides beneath the neckline of your jacket to stroke the hollow beneath your collarbone. On a soft moan, you plunge into the mindless whirl of your senses and allow yourself to feel. Just feel. For the first time in your life, you finally understand that one kiss can helplessly seduce. And if your heart has not been racing earlier, it now goes into overdrive, hammering against your chest.

Jaehyun knows he should not be kissing you. He has told himself he cannot let it happen so soon. But something about you calls to him. Every rational thought vanishes as he gives in to the sensations rampaging out of control. He holds you close, relishing the feel of your breasts crushed against his chest. Sliding his hand down your back to where your skirt has ridden up, pushing his hand beneath the fabric, gliding it up your thigh. A firm squeeze on the curve of your flesh making you yelp and jolt. The loud collision when you banged your head against the desk above bringing you both to your senses. 

“Shit, sorry.” He is breathing hard, his eyes fierce with arousal, his lips red and moist and a little swollen from that hard kiss. You believe yours appear just the same as well. 

Deep in the foggy recesses of your mind, Jaehyun has crawled from under the table and turned away with downcast eyes as he seemingly adjusting the sudden tightness in his pants. 

What just happened? 

“Are you coming out, or not?” He offers his hand, you blink before sliding your shaking one around his. 

Talk about awkward. His shirt is a wrinkled mass from your gripping fingers, your hair swept to the side still you can feel his delicate touch on your skin, both your faces flushed a luscious crimson from the passionate moment.

“I- I should get going…” You nervously clear your throat. Actually, you are ashamed of yourself about it all. You have never thought of yourself as needy, thereto committing to the blind decision of having a hookup with an incredibly gorgeous man. God must have sent a guardian angel to knock out your head before it takes on another level.

However all these thoughts are gone when he says, “May I see you again?” 

“… Sure.”

“Tomorrow?” Boy, he sure is eager.

“Patience.” 

“Right, that’s why I said tomorrow. I want to see you again in another hour. But I’m willing to wait.” 

Has he always been this sweet and smooth? His words, eye contact, and all body gestures operate in the fashion of sweet talking and alluring you, to really basically falling for his suave, smooth ways. This has never been you. 

Unfortunately, the following days should not be possible because you have to keep your mind active and your sanity intact. 

“After finals?” 

He lets out a deep guttural groan. On a second thought, he wants to take back his words, he is not willing to wait for a week, let alone a day. He wants to greet you with a kiss on the back of your hand and a bouquet of fresh flowers, he wants to take you out for a proper date at an exclusive cafe, he wants to pay for the meals— The list goes on. 

“Right. After finals.”

[ecotone99]

[HM] Soup

Liam passionately cut through the pile of evenly squared and spread out potatos upon his kitchen table. Over the past few weeks he has largely perfected this exercise. When he just started cooking for himself Liam was helpless and unsure of every action, he was historically always a bad cook, and when his parents didn't account for his diet he usually settled on eating bags of chips, fruit, instant ramen, and other low effort delicacies. Both his parents worked long hours, so he did so quite a bit, and even when his mom did make proper meals they weren't particularly good. She always poured a bit too much salt. Lousy cooking skills passed through her side of the family. But throughout his childhood Liam did have one occasional path to salvation from his curse of unappetizing food: Granny Claire.

Liam always looked forward to visiting Grandma. She was a very kind and boring old woman. She would rattle Liam's brain for hours at a time with war stories and other such things which he never cared for, but he sat through the stories and her old fashioned ways, that's how good her food was, she'd make ratatouilles and stakes and fancy dishes Liam didn't even know the name of, beautiful dishes vibrant with color, made with love and just the right mix of delicate tastes. It was wonderful.

By the time Liam turned eighteen Granny Claire had been dead for a long while, two years to be exact. Liam didn't grieve at the funeral, he was never really all that close to Granny, that's the kind of mean boy he was, but he grieved later, when the realization set in, slowly but surely, that he'd never again get to enjoy Granny's cooking. Ouh, how he came to miss poor old dead Granny Claire, the only good cook in the family. So precise and scientific in every part of the cooking process. She never put in too much salt.

Liam remembers well the last time he visited Granny (besides the time when she was buried 5 foot under the ground. He doesn't remember that time all that well. There wasn't even any food). The last meal she ever made for him was a beautiful thick potato soup. If only he could make a soup with one hundredth of the brilliance of that one, how blessed he would be to just be able to do that. He would do it, he would either bring that potato soup back into existence or slit his throat with his potato stained knife.

This is his thirty second attempt. The vegetables have been cut: tomatoes, garlic, radishes, potatoes and other freaks of nature from a variety of colors, the water is boiling, the pot is still, the flames are dancing at the whim of the cooking plates. Everything is ready. All that is left, is to cook.

Liam pours in all the vegetables he had prepared. He starts putting in the spices, paprika, various Indian products, pepper, and how could you ever forget: the salt.

Liam was sweating, he was visibly nervous, his heartbeat slows, his cheeks suck in, his eyes are beaming with the determination that only a man hungry for potato soup can understand. Cooking is a subjective art form, many mistakes can be forgiven and easily brushed off, but there is no such leniency when it comes to salt. Put too little and the soup will be tasteless and bland, put too much and the whole meal is ruined. Liam grips the container of the salty substance in his hand: this is it. He starts shaking the salt into the pot of soup and counts the seconds. One, two, three, four, five. He flips the salt over and puts it back on the kitchen table. Is that enough? Is that enough salt? IS IT?! He isn't sure. Liam has always been a lousy cook. Finally, his mind is settled: just one more good shake. He picks the salt back up, and holding it tightly over his precious potato soup, he flips it over and gives it a good. long. healthy. shake.

Immediately, he senses the folly of his mistake. He knows the soup is ruined, all he had worked for, his hope, his dream, all of it vanquished in an instant.

Uncharmingly and without warning, the soup begins to decompose into an awful black goo, and the goo rambles and aches and quakes. It screams and it hurts and it hates. It clenches and wakens and hell opens its gates. And it grows and expands and gains form and shape while Liam trembles in his shoes. The terrible goo is now tall and gross and uncontained and alive. The goo's shape resembles that of a human, wrinkled and old and with long hair.

"Granny?"

The goo raises its arms and puts them over Liam's potato stained shoulders. After a long pause it opens its mouth. And the goo speaks. "Why couldn't you just leave the salt alone, Liam?"

The creature's eyes widened, its arms grew heavier, its voice embodied despair. "Please, leave the salt alone."

submitted by /u/lifeisunimportant [link] [comments] via Blogger https://ift.tt/3cfy5Ge

[vivianrhopper85]

Convenience

If you've ever wandered the streets late at night between The Gladstone and The Drake, you may have glanced at this neon blue place and wondered, "Why is there a convenience store open at this time? And why?" The reason is really very simple: it's not just a convenience store but a restaurant and bar as well! If you want Skittles, sure, grab a bag. But if you want a well-made cocktail or a late night nibble on a burger, walk on through the storefront and you've landed in the right spot.

A relative newcomer to the recent throwback theme in Toronto, Convenience Resto Bar seems perfectly primed to do well in the West Queen West/Parkdale area that is growing up as its primary millennial residents move into their 30s. There's nothing we like more than throwbacks to our childhoods in the 80s and early 90s and just like that Becker's or family-owned corner store you used to frequent to buy sour keys or Bubble Jug (Oh, Bubble Jug!), this place is bound to give any millennial a nostalgic flashback.

But this place isn't just about kitschy retro reminiscing for the good old days (Has it really been 25 years already?); it also wants you to eat and drink well all night long.

Atmosphere & Decor

Like many Toronto restaurants of its ilk, Convenience has its sights set squarely on the 25 to 35-year-olds that remember the 80s cartoons best. You walk into the "store" part of the venue first, and much like Figures in Yorkville, it is a working shop that is open when the restaurant is. It comes off as a somewhat bare 7-11 but it makes its point loud and clear, especially at night when the floor to ceiling windows glow light blue brightly onto the street.

The restaurant itself is large, spacious, and covered with carefully considered design in the style of Space Invaders. Lines are crisp and colours bright and despite the thematic choices for decor, it still feels fresh and modern. You're not stuck in your weird cousin's basement. It's a space you want to visit and hang out in, with a full bar and solid bartenders to boot.

While the ample sunny patio lacks the same video game feel as the interior, even the downstairs follows the retro motif with He-Man and She-Ra washrooms complete with blacklight, after walking down past videos of robberies gone wrong and stacks of old VHS tapes. The most popular aspect of the bar is clearly the very, very pink common space outside the washrooms where 4 telephones connect you to a "party line". It is absolutely perfect for every hipster's selfie photoshoot and if you've ever looked up Convenience on Instagram, you'll notice the neon wave of patrons posing with these phones.

There is something very friendly and relaxed about the atmosphere here. Unlike some of its competition in Toronto, it doesn't feel forced or exclusionary. And it's bright enough too in late afternoon with the large windows. The music is not likely to evoke any troubling memories of awkward middle school dances as it's current enough not to drown you with preteen nostalgia.

Menu Range

There's very little point in using the menu on their website as a reference point for what they actually have on offer as the real menu has been pared down to essentials and favourites now. It's still snack-focused: mostly familiar plates with a new twist. Gone are many of the more curious options on the website menu such as Jolly Rancher-infused salad dressings, Pop Rocks on olives, or Goldfish crackers with cheese. Instead, there's a slight Korean-fushion edge to many of the items.

Starters, or sharing plates, are full of variety. 8 items run from $6 to $14, with hand-cut fries being the cheapest option and Convenience Fried Chicken at the most expensive end of the scale. If you like either chicken or carbs (or both!), you'll like this portion of the menu. Mac and Cheese (with Doritos), and Pogo Sticks are likely to stick out as affordable and memorable at $8 each. A plate of olives, or Blistered Shishitos, will set you back only $9.50. Yuca Tots, Korean Fried Cauliflower, and Karaage Wings are all between $12-13 and are quite large servings considering their place on the menu. The aforementioned Convenience Fried Chicken comes with the option of either Nashville Hot or Colonel's Original flavour and comes with the ubiquitous macaroni salad and sweet pickles.

Next up is the healthy section of green salads all for a reasonable $14 each. All of them sound like refreshing choices for a summer patio session, especially the Watermelon Salad with mint, lime, and radish. There is the common Caesar Salad, slightly elevated, as well as a Beet and Quinoa salad with beet puree, candy cane beets, and watermelon radishes. Grilled chicken can be added for $5 and tofu for $4.

If you're in the mood for something a little more substantial, the "Get Comfortable" section has 4 choices of dinners. Burger Queen is the tribute to not the (in)famous Big Mac but rather the Burger King Whopper and at $14 for the burger, the fixings, and fries, it's just as good a deal, and probably a lot healthier (and better for the local community!). Second option is Fried Chicken with Mac and Cheese, again with the choice between Nashville Hot or Colonel's Original. Following up with another Korean offering is the Boom Boom Bap at $20 and although it only comes with tofu, it's easy to add chicken for an extra $5. Rounding off the mains is Steak Frites with a tri-tip 8 oz and fries for $22.

There are only two desserts on the menu but both seem really good to soothe a sweet tooth, both for $6. They're a steal. The Ice Cream Sandwhich consists of 2 sandwiches of homemade chocolate chip cookie with ice-cream filling. That's 4 cookies like Mom used to make. The Strawberry Shortcake, probably named after the 80s cartoon character even more than the real dessert, sounds delicious with amaretto whipped cream and fresh strawberries on vanilla cake. These desserts are a steal for that price.

Appetizers

Even with the wide range of choices for starters, I easily narrowed it down to a toss up between Yuca Tots and Korean Cauliflower. Eventually the Yuca Tots won out for two reasons: my love of yucca and the idea of Tater Tots, a snack I haven't had for over a decade. Now, they were tots. Perfectly sized cubes of yucca, or as you may also know it, cassava. It's a tuber native to countries much further south so if you've travelled around South or Central America and eaten locally, you likely have enjoyed yuca the right way. Unfortunately, I have yet to run into yuca on a menu in Canada that treats it properly. Or perhaps, I'm just spoiled by being treated to the tastiest homemade cassava on a farm in Belize. It's always hard to stand up to the real thing.

Convenience's Yuca Tots are fun, and look great, but there's something bland about them, even with the delicious toppings provided. There's an art to cooking yuca and perhaps it just doesn't work this way. However, the Yuca Tots are a lot of people's favourite so if you're a fan of the tuber, it's worth a shot to give the dish a try yourself.

Main Course

The temperature in Toronto was balmy so what could be better than a sizzling skillet of Korean bibimbap? I opted for the Boom Boom Bap and it was a tasty choice, and a massive portion. For those unfamiliar with Korean food, this is a rice dish topped with an assortment of vegetables, mushrooms, and tofu, as well as the delicious kimchi—although in my opinion there wasn't enough of it.

It's not a dish you would expect to be particularly good at some 80s-themed West Queen West bar but it was cooked and served authentically in a stone bowl, with pickled vegetables, egg, grilled tofu, sauteed mushrooms, and the best part of a a good bibimbap: noo roong ji. If your bibimbap doesn't have this delicious, crunchy, beautiful crust of well-cooked rice at the bottom of the dish, also known as socarrat in Spanish paella, you're not doing it right. It was a pleasant surprise to see this in my dish. The soy enoki caught me a little by surprise as well, thinking they were just regular raw enoki mushrooms, each bite was full of that salty soy flavour. When mixed all together, as it should be, the dish was actually quite good. In future, I probably would have ordered the extra chicken with it, especially since beef was not offered. It needed a bit more protein but overall, a well done dish.

Dessert

I had come to Convenience with the idea I would order the Twinkie dessert. Much to my disappointment, it's no longer on the menu. However, considering the heat of a late afternoon sun beating down on me as well as a tummy full of sizzling rice and veggies, the ice cream didn't seem like a bad idea at all. And, as it turns out, it wasn't. Nothing feels better to end a hot meal than a smooth, sweet, cold treat like I haven't had since I lived at home and still used phrases like, "I can't. I have detention." 4 homemade cookies and two dollops of Oreo cookies'n'cream ice-cream went down easily and happily.

Drink Options

The biggest draw of Convenience is the sign outside that advertises "$5 Cocktails!". For a city with a growing craft cocktail scene, where most hover around the $12-$14 mark, a $5 cocktail on Queen West seems like highway robbery. Not only that, but these are all on tap, pre-mixed and touted as being just like a freshly shaken libation. The options are the Negroni, Pina Colada, Cosmopolitan, and Paper Plane with 2oz of booze in every drink. I can't speak to the authenticity of them, but I did notice many other patrons putting them back, especially Paper Planes.

For double that price, you have a choice of old school classics such as an Old Fashioned, The Last Word, Sazerac, or Dark & Stormy. They have a full bar and can accommodate basically any classic you throw at them. For me, I was looking for something light, fizzy, refreshing and my server brought out very well-balanced Moscow Mule, complete with copper mug. Even better than that was the price of $8. There's something to be said about finishing off a tasty meal on a warm west end patio with spicy ginger beer and lime. Oh, and of course the vodka too. Honestly, if I'm going to have a cocktail out of a metal cup, the mule will win over the julep every time. Kudos to my server for innately knowing that about me.

Like every decent bar, they have their own signature cocktail menu as well, or in this case, the New School Cocktails. Again, for only $10 we have 2 oz creations inspired by Toronto neighbourhoods. First up is the Greektown hailing to the east end of the old city, featuring brandy and citrus. Cabbagetown is an homage to another east-of-Yonge neighbourhood with a spirit-forward mix of Irish whiskey, Chartreuse Green, and sweet vermouth. Then comes Parkdale, a slighty spicy and fruity tequila creation. Finally is the Way West which is a light and fizzy gin and elderflower cocktail.

For only $1 more are the drinks you wish you had back when you were sitting in your friend's basement watching her Jurassic Park VHS. Aptly named "From the Candyshop" these are all cocktails inspired by sugary treats we all enjoyed. Peaches and Cream is basically as the name implies, and Creamsicle is a melting of rum, Malibu and orange juice. Coffee Crisp is a chocolatey treat reminiscent of the candy bar, with sprinkling of its namesake on top. My Little Lassy is for the whiskey drinkers. I personally couldn't help myself when I saw Bubblegum Sour on the menu. While sours are amongst my favourite type of cocktails, this one sounded less sour and more like something I could picture myself drinking a pitcher of on a beach. The idea of pisco was also intriguing as I've never made a cocktail at home using pisco that's turned out well but it's a liquor that others seem to really understand and make shine. And I have to say, the Bubblegum Sour is absolutely delicious. And, yes, it tastes like bubblegum. Although lacking in the pale pink colour I expected it to have, it did come with a strip of Bubble Tape as garnish! I found the nicest thing about it was even as it warmed out there in the sun as I slowly enjoyed it, the flavour never changed with the rise in temperature. A perfect patio cocktail.

Convenience also is known for its bombs. I'm sure everyone has heard of a Jager bomb, or a sake bomb. This bar gives you even more options right there on the menu, all of which taste like a specific candy or soft drink. Chances are that if you've been to university, you're familiar with at least one, if not all of these. The Skittle Bomb, Fuzzy Peach, Tic Tac, Dr. Pepper, and Creamsicle are go for an easy $8. Bar rail is $6.

If beer is more your style, they've got a selection of 5 beers on draught which change with the season, all for $8 whether it's a Guinness, Blue Moon, or Coors. There are 8 tall boys available from brewers such as Tecate, Amsterdam and Glutenburg, again for $8 as well as Thornbury Cider. On the off chance you can't find a single cocktail to whet your appetite, they have wine on tap for 94 cents per ounce. There isn't a big selection: one red, one white, and one rose, but they get the job done if wine is how you want to roll.

Service

Throughout my meal I had the pleasure of speaking with 3 lovely servers/managers. Everybody there was friendly, outgoing, and very knowledgeable about the entire menu and drinks. They really help put the patrons at ease with their casual attire and easy-going banter. While I find it rare to ever run into rude or incompetent staff in Toronto, some are more friendly than others and Convenience gives off the vibe of hanging out at your friend's house rather than some trendy bar. Furthermore, the servers seemed to know a few of the patrons and the fact that locals come around says a lot for the return potential of the venue. I could definitely see myself stopping in for a casual drink or two if I lived in the area.

Feeling Afterwards

 It felt like a comfortable place to spend an hour or two, and the drinks were tasty and the decor fun but subtle enough not to be overpowering the experience. The yuca tots weren't the best they could be but the nice surprise of the Boom Boom Bap and especially the drinks and dessert made up for it. I left with a bag of leftovers, a full stomach, and what turned out to be a rather small bill for the amount I ordered. This is a place that definitely caters not only to us ageing millennials but also anyone who is looking for solid drinks, entertaining atmosphere, and decent bites at a really reasonable price point.

So come for the blast of childhood nostalgia and stay for the tasty cocktails. You won't be disappointed. Plus, you never know who will call you up on the Party Line.

VL00KV

from News And Tip About Real Estate https://jamiesarner.com/toronto-restaurant-reviews/convenience/