Dining Out: Dim Sum Brunch at Luna Private Banquets

Starting my vacation week with a round of dim sum with Minji and Daniel at the newly-opened Luna Private Banquets:

Steamed shrimp dumplings (har gow)

Steamed pork and shrimp dumplings (siu mai)

Steamed BBQ pork buns

Deep-fried turnip patties

Steamed giant soup dumpling

Braised beef tendon

Steamed charcoal salted egg yolk buns

Everything we ordered — which is standard yum cha fare — was tasty, but pretty average for a good dim sum restaurant. We noticed that the size of each dumpling we ordered is smaller than average, but the portion per steamer is bigger. (For example, most dim sum places have four bigger har gow per steamer, whereas Luna has five smaller ones.) The only dish here that I found particularly notable and different was the deep-fried turnip patties, which are usually pan-fried. (Here, they cube them and deep-fry them so they're deliciously and addictively crunchy, and serve them with peanut and XO sauces.) That having been said, I personally prefer Casa Victoria and NKS Banquet Hall for dim sum, where the quality is excellent and the portions are bigger for the same price or cheaper.

The main draw here is that they only have private rooms, which means it's not deafeningly loud like at other dim sum places. However, the drawback to this is that they have a 1.5-hour seating limit per party, so if you're looking to spend an entire afternoon leisurely eating dim sum and drinking tea with your friends (like my mom does, for example), this is not the place for it. The hostesses at the front are somewhat rude and will ignore you even if you are right in front of their face, so be prepared to interrupt them to get anywhere with getting a table. (And yes, we had a reservation.) Strangely enough, once you get seated, all the servers are absolutely polite and attentive, so just get past the crappy people manning the front desk. Reservations are absolutely necessary, though, lest you want to wait an hour for a table, even on a weekday. (There were at least 15 people waiting for tables when we got there at 1:00PM on a Monday.)

The space looks upscale — sleek and modern with some traditional Chinese touches — which does set them apart from other dim sum restaurants which often look outdated, but this on its own is not enough for me to come here instead of my other go-to dim sum spots.

Luna Private Banquets

7225 Woodbine Ave., Unit East B

Markham, ON L3R 1A3

(905) 513-8989

BTS EPISODE: Jin — RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR in Goyang

EXACTLY ONE MORE WEEK UNTIL I SEE JIN IN PERSON!!! 

BTS EPISODE: J-Hope — Hope on the Stage: Final

I obviously couldn't be there in person, but I'm so glad I got to watch this on livestream. This will forever mark the day BTS was officially reunited in public after their three-year hiatus — so fitting that it was also on the day of their 12th anniversary. God, I can't wait to see the great things they will do together again.

BTS EPISODE: Permission to Dance: On Stage — Live Concept Photo Shoot Sketch

Jungkook, looking around at all the snacks: "There's a lot of stuff we can take home after the shoot!"

Jin: "Jungkook's definitely going to take some stuff home."

RM: "Hey, Jungkook!"

Jungkook: "Yeah?"

RM: "You haven't changed one bit from 2013."

Jungkook: "What? In 2013…"

RM: "It's good to be consistent."

Jungkook: "They say consistency is the key to success!"

This might be the only store where you don't need a Costco membership to buy Kirkland products. TAKE EVERYTHING HOME, BOYS!

On that note, I still can't believe they were gatekeeping this from us for THREE YEARS. THREE YEARS!!! (I guess it was worth it, though; the Permission to Dance: On Stage — Live album sounds so good and makes me feel nostalgic for the Las Vegas show I went to in 2022. The BigHit/HYBE planning department is really something else.) 

BANGTAN BOMB: J-Hope — "Killin' It Girl (Solo Version)" Challenge Sketch

Okay, I don't know like, half of these 4th gen groups but I love how excited and eager and starstruck they are when working with Hobi. So freaking cute! (Also, ENHYPEN killed this challenge.)

BTS EPISODE: Jin — RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR Practice Sketch

15 MORE DAYS UNTIL I SEE JIN ON TOUR!!!

J-Hope — "Killin' It Girl" Music Show Promotions Sketch

You know, the effort behind creating all these sets at Korean music shows never fails to amaze me. I still wonder why these types of music shows do so well in Asia, but there's nothing like this in North America. I guess the closest we have are those talent competition shows like The Voice, but there's nothing for already-established artists to perform live stages every week and have fans vote on which group wins best new release. I wonder if it's because North America is too physically big? I mean, to be fair, you could fit like, 12 Koreas inside Ontario alone, so logistics would be a nightmare…

Anyway, big congrats to J-Hope for all his music show wins. Truly well-deserved!

J-Hope — Live at Lollapalooza Berlin 2025

So glad BigHit got the rights to livestream this because everything about this performance was IN-FUCKING-CREDIBLE. The set list, his (very naked) fit, his live vocals, his dancing, the live band... Pardon the pun, but Hobi KILLED IT. 

Jin — Echo North America Promotions Behind

Jin: "I heard the [Vanity Fair] lie detector test is pretty popular in the U.S. right now, so I'm going to get a test done. It'll probably go like, 'Are you BTS?' 'Yes!' [pauses] What if it says it's a lie?! Then I'll say, 'I'm Bangtan Sonyeondan.' 'Are you a man?' 'Yes!' [pauses] What if it says that's a lie, too?! I don't know what kind of questions I'll get, but I'll try my best to lie in a way that works in my favour. It'll be a lie but I'll convince myself it's not. Yes, I'll lie, but I'll trick even myself so that even the lie detector won't detect my lies…"

Jin's thought process is fascinating.

BTS EPISODE: J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Asia

The amount of hard work, planning, practice, dedication, endurance, creativity, and stamina — not just from J-Hope, but also the dancers and staff — that went into this tour is just remarkable. I am so glad that I got to witness a part of it in person. 

Dining Out: Mango Yuzu Gelato Daifuku at Savorology

Mango yuzu gelato daifuku

Mango yuzu gelato daifuku

Went to Savorology to try their new viral gelato daifuku, which is made to order. Matcha is their signature flavour, but I decided to go with mango yuzu because it is so goddamn hot out and I wanted something more refreshing (which, in my mind, equates to fruity and/or citrusy). It certainly hit the spot and the mango yuzu flavour is incredible, but I do wish the mochi wrapper was thinner and softer to make it easier to dig into (as you know, mochi gets significantly harder and tougher once it gets cold). That having been said, it does provide an excellent barrier for those who want to bite into their ice cream but have sensitive teeth, so I digress...

Savorology

3621 Highway 7, Unit 120

Markham, ON L3R 0G6

(905) 470-8898

Dining Out: Iced HK Milk Tea, Dong Po Rou Benny, and Korean Bulgogi Breakfast Poutine at Sugar Cafe and Lounge

Had the most impeccable brunch with Minji and Daniel (and baby Lillian) at the newly-opened Sugar Cafe and Lounge:

Iced HK milk tea

The iced HK milk tea, which features an iced tea mould in the shape of a cat in a lion dance costume (yes, just wrap your head around that for a sec), is the single cutest iteration of an iced tea I have ever seen in my life. (You're supposed to make a wish, kiss the "gold coin" on the top of its head, and then push the whole mould into the cup so it can dissolve into the rest of the tea. If I win the lottery, I will give this milk tea its dues.) Not only is it adorable, but it has a great deep tea flavour and a creamy consistency that somehow never seems diluted despite the ice. (The tea mould is truly genius.)

Dong Po Rou Benny: two thick cuts of classic Chinese pork belly with spinach on Japanese milk bread, topped with hollandaise sauce

Korean Bulgogi Breakfast Poutine: Beef bulgogi with a poached egg, cheese curds, and garlic home fries, topped with hollandaise sauce, sriracha mayo drizzle, sesame seeds, and green onion

Both Minji and I ordered the Dong Po Rou Benny, and it was phenomenal — the pork belly was soft and tender and intensely flavourful, which worked beautifully with the mellow flavours of the (perfectly) poached eggs and hollandaise. The Japanese milk bread toast is perfect here to absorb all the sauce and drippings to provide a perfect bite each time. It also comes with your choice of house salad or garlic home fries, but we decided on salads (which includes spring mix, sun-dried tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta with a delicious tangy-sweet creamy dressing) since we wanted to share the Korean Bulgogi Breakfast Poutine — which we were all absolutely delighted with. It not only came with a generous amount of (perfectly) marinated beef, but also includes actual cheese curds (!!!), and an incredible combination of Asian-influenced flavours. The hollandaise, mayo, and egg yolk provide an excellent amount of sauce that gravy would normally provide in a poutine, and the garlic home fries are just crispy enough that they never get soggy underneath all those toppings. Honestly, these two dishes are perfect examples of Asian fusion done right.

Service was notably excellent, too — our server was welcoming and cheerful without veering into annoying, and accommodating and attentive without hovering. She was always prepared for our needs, made delightful conversation without being cloying, gave compliments without seeming over-the-top — this woman is stacked with people skills and extremely experienced in customer service and genuinely deserves generous tips (unlike many, many, many other servers out there, who feel entitled to a minimum 18% tip for doing the bare minimum). According to our receipt, her name is Michelle, and SHE IS WONDERFUL. I will absolutely come back here, and hopefully soon — their entire menu looks incredible, and we had a truly delightful time today. And what sets Sugar Cafe apart from other brunch places is that brunch service doesn't end until 4:00PM every day (except Mondays, 'cause they're closed). This is especially nice for those of us who work Monday to Friday but really like to sleep in on weekends...

Sugar Cafe and Lounge

Times Square Richmond Hill

550 Highway 7, Building E, Floor 2, Unit 281

Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3Z4

(647) 802-1268

Dining Out: Markham Ribfest 2025

I, along with Minji and Daniel (and baby Lillian), embarked on my first ever ribfest this evening:

1/4 rack ribs and sausage with sides of baked beans, coleslaw, cornbread, and mac and cheese from Sticky Fingers BBQ

1/3 rack ribs and 1/2 pound beef brisket from Big Texas BBQ

Unanimous highlights were the ribs (moist, juicy, and excellent BBQ sauce that was just sweet and tangy enough), sausages (great bite, superb flavour), and beans (good combination of sweet and smoky, not too runny or thick) from Sticky Fingers BBQ and, surprisingly, the Dubai-style chocolate strawberries (the berries were super fresh and sweet, and worked really well with the combination of pistachio and chocolate flavours while the kataifi added a really nice crunch). 

Everything else was just... mediocre. At best. While the meats we tried from Sticky Fingers BBQ were great, most of the sides were quite disappointing: the coleslaw was bland (as if the dressing was too diluted?), the cornbread (not pictured) was on the drier side, and the mac and cheese (not pictured) needed to be both creamier and cheesier. (Had we had more stomach space, I would've loved to do a compare and contrast between these sides from all five rib teams.) The majority of the ribs from Big Texas BBQ were very dry (like, some of the meat wouldn't even come off the bone), the flavour of the BBQ sauce was rather forgettable, and all the lean pieces of beef brisket were tough. Not sure if it's the cooking conditions or the actual cooks, but the five featured rib teams at this ribfest have won numerous awards, titles, and trophies, so I was expecting way, way, way better quality offerings. 

Funnel cake with vanilla ice cream and strawberry sauce from Fabulicious Funnel Cakes

Churros with vanilla ice cream from Victoria's Churro Cone

Dubai-style chocolate strawberries

Aside from the chocolate strawberries (a real underdog at a festival like this), the desserts were honesty quite disappointing, too. The funnel cake was way too thick and dense and not nearly crispy enough, and the ice cream on top was way too icy, as if it was made with low-fat milk. And while the churros came with much smoother and creamier ice cream, the churros themselves were hard and crunchy rather than chewy with a crispy edge. We all regretted not getting a bloomin' onion or tornado potato instead of so many desserts. Alas, we were too full to even think about getting anything else.

Surprisingly, we only spent $39.81 each on food and drink, which actually ends up being cheaper than a dinner at an average sit-down restaurant after tax and tip. So, would I go to ribfest again? Yeah, it was still fun to try different BBQ and food vendors and soak in the summery vibes and live music (the band did some great covers from The White Stripes to Letters to Cleo to Queen). But I just need to lower my expectations next time. And maybe better strategize on how to divide and conquer all the food options.

Markham Ribfest 2025

Downtown Markham

179 Enterprise Blvd.

Markham, ON L6G 0A2

BTS — "Permission to Dance: On Stage - Live" Concept Photos (Connect ver.)

Left to right: V, Suga, Jungkook, J-Hope, RM, Jin, and Jimin(Photo source: BTS Weverse)

RM / Kim Namjoon(Photo source: BTS Weverse)

Jin / Kim Seokjin(Photo source: BTS Weverse)

Suga / Min Yoongi(Photo source: BTS Weverse)

J-Hope / Jung Hoseok(Photo source: BTS Weverse)

Jimin / Park Jimin(Photo source: BTS Weverse)

V / Kim Taehyung(Photo source: BTS Weverse)

Jungkook / Jeon Jungkook(Photo source: BTS Weverse)

As I said, I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY KEPT THESE PHOTOS FROM US FOR THREE YEARS. THREE. YEARS. 

BTS — "Permission to Dance: On Stage - Live" Concept Photos (Contact ver.)

Left to right: Jin, Suga, Jimin, J-Hope, V, RM, and Jungkook(Photo source: BTS Weverse)

RM / Kim Namjoon(Photo source: BTS Weverse)

Jin / Kim Seokjin(Photo source: BTS Weverse)

Suga / Min Yoongi(Photo source: BTS Weverse)

J-Hope / Jung Hoseok(Photo source: BTS Weverse)

Jimin / Park Jimin(Photo source: BTS Weverse)

V / Kim Taehyung(Photo source: BTS Weverse)

Jungkook / Jeon Jungkook(Photo source: BTS Weverse)

You know what's truly criminal? THEY KEPT THESE PHOTOS FROM US FOR THREE YEARS. THREE. YEARS. (And yes, I obviously bought the full set. BTS' planning team is nothing short of pure fucking genius.)