Fork, chopstick, straw

Despite the wooden chopsticks and stainless steel fork resting on opposite sides of the rectangular plate, this truly isn't an illustration of East meets West or Spy vs Spy. It's more like an invitation to grasp the nearest implement and dig in. This Japanese-inspired seaweed salad is dotted with toasted sesame seeds, and decorated with ribbon-thin slices of pollock and a drop of sesame oil. The flavours really stand up when this dish is served at room temperature, and the sesame oil relaxes and perfumes the air and just is.

The most endearing quality of bubble tea is the jumble of marble-sized tapioca pearls that congregate at the bottom of the glass. A regular straw is too narrow for the thick, chewy pearls, so the beverage is served with a straw wide enough to vacuum black holes out of outer space, and with a pointy end which is handy for cornering the slippery pearls when they hide between ice cubes. You can count on bubble tea to not take itself too seriously, especially when it's green apple flavoured.

Green foods with dots. That was the topic of today's post.