Circa Espresso

April 02, 2016

Circa Espresso is undoubtedly renowned for being one of the most popular cafes in the inner west and it's no wonder as it has been around for as long as I can remember and has been consistently serving delicious food and brewing great coffee. It's only a short distance from Westfield Parramatta Shopping Centre but you will most definitely be waiting at least 15 minutes for a table. There is a modest amount of outdoor and indoor seating available. 

Iced Chai Tea
A pleasant and refreshing iced beverage with the characteristic punch of chai to differentiate it from your usual milk tea. The crushed pistachio on the rim of the glass was a thoughtful touch and I appreciated the nutty aromatic flavours from them and the pop of green.

African Red Hot Chocolate $5/$5.50
DT's choice and I have to admit the exotic title of the drink was intriguing. It was a beautiful hot chocolate with a good consistency and had lovely subtle spicy undertones which added an extra depth of flavour to what would otherwise be your typical hot chocolate.

French Toast $17
I can't get over how photogenic the dish is with all the vibrant berries, green leaves and pretty assortment of petals against the golden french toast. Perhaps a bit bland overall as I think the french toast could have done with a heavier dusting of sugar and drizzling of spiced honey syrup (you probably think I'm out of my mind). In my defence, the fruits were more tart than sweet and the dollop of labneh (Greek yoghurt) was more than enough to balance out the sweetness. I loved the poached rhubarb and brûlée banana hidden underneath. The french toast had a slight crisp exterior and fluffy insides but admittedly, a bit on the dry side. Overall, it was completely filling and enjoyable to eat and take photos of.

Ottoman Eggs $17
One of the most iconic dishes along with their French Toast. The Middle Eastern flavours were prominent from the use of labneh infused with garlic and the beautifully poached free range egg sitting comfortably on the crumbed eggplant created a textural masterpiece. Two slices of seeded sourdough was the perfect complement to mopping up any egg mixed into the labneh and burnt chilli and sage butter. However, the dish could have done with more of a flavour kick considering the labneh was a tad overpowering with its creaminess.

If you want a decent coffee to go with a good meal then Circa Espresso should be on your list especially if you're not far from the area and if you are a local and haven't visited yet then you're missing out on a total gem in Parramatta. Thankfully the cafe is open 7 days a week until 3pm, although their kitchen closes at 2pm so keep that in mind if you're heading in for a late lunch.

Circa Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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