a color story: brisket sandwich

Have you heard of a trail lounge? Neither have I. But by adding another twist to a trail, I was intrigued by the concept. Could this be the coolest coffee shop in the Durham region? Only one way to find out.

With two fellow hikers, we walked along a familiar trail in Durham forest. The quick spritz of rain scared off the tourist and even some of the locals-only three cars only parked on the trail’s lot shoulders. Money couldn’t buy a quiet moment in a public space — sometimes you get lucky. I felt a lot of tension released from the green surroundings. The forest galloped me whole and even took the blue sky spotlight out of the equation. I can see the appeal of a Monk’s life if their focus was one with Zen via nature. How could nature be a spiritual gateway to another world? It doesn’t. But one can find themself in a new void. I found myself replaying the beginning scenes of Miyazaki’s “Spirited Away”.

All loosed up, we finally drove to the new coffee trail lounge. I thought we were going to walk there from our familiar trail spot. But, the walk was a little too far for one of the hikers. Or maybe it wasn’t even connected in the first place. The familiar trail at Durham forest was treated as a primer for the new lounge. I hate to think of the situation as a setup. Staying in the present was a priority. Writing about my recent past was an understanding.

There was parking at the previously noted ski lounge. The chalet had two floors. We entered the wrong way -I noticed the real regulars walking around when we left- as we climbed up the stairs. There was a coffee shop and bistro section. I couldn’t believe it because I saw a familiar face. An ex-colleague from another restaurant smiled and said, “don’t you remember me?” Of course, I did. She always provided positive vibes in the kitchen — an underrated skill set. She told me to join the team here and vouched for me on the spot -even handing me the manager’s card. Ryan needed extra cooks and I felt grateful for the offer. It was a lot to take in. I just wanted to visit the new lounge. I distracted myself with the great view overlooking Lake Ontario on the bench patio.

“Wasn’t 8 restaurants enough of a signal to stop my culinary journey?” I looked out again at the horizon. I needed an omen.

Layla mentioned trying it out part-time. She’s been there for 4 years and sees the team as a family. Her story didn’t line up or maybe I barely listened to her. And the family aspect in a professional setting was always nerve-wracking — I’ve heard that line misused all the time in other restaurants. Regardless, it was nice seeing a familiar face.

I got a brisket sandwich entrée through her recommendation with a salad plus a coffee, two cappuccinos, and some pastries.

After the meal, we couldn’t find the bins for our takeout containers. It was a weird way to say goodbye as we asked the front and the kitchen where the bins were. There was room for improvements in the renovating establishment.

I wondered if Layla’s trademark purple-like hair was related to the brisket sandwich recommendation — which also appeared to be smothered in a sweet purple BBQ sauce. I thought the sandwich was too sweet for me. Maybe I should have ordered it with the fries because the salad with the dressing didn’t complement the sandwich. That was a rookie mistake on my end when the front staff asked me again whether I wanted it with fries or salad. Who orders a salad with a brisket sandwich anyways? I chuckled about that food situation even while I wrote about it.

Zen nature therapy walk with the accent of a brisket sandwich from an ex-colleague impressions day vibe was pictured.