Review: Circa Espresso

A treasure in the heart of Parramatta and definitely one of the best things Parramatta has to offer. Circa Espresso has definitely become a popular breakfast spot for many of the locals, with very few independent cafes in the outer west, it is a much needed hipster respite.

Mocha - $4.50
Didn't manage to take a photo before the foam dissipated.
I love my mocha having a subtle coffee aroma and lovely rich pure cocoa taste,
creating a drink that is not too sweet or bitter, and this did just that.
There was no need to add extra sugar, however, they might of been a bit too
generous with the cocoa. Halfway through the mocha became somewhat grainy
and there was a lot of cocoa residue left at the bottom, but the flavour was great! 

Brown rice & quinoa porridge - $13
With coconut milk, poached pears, bananas, seeds and nuts.
Slightly different to the dish found on their online menu, maybe it hasn't been updated yet?
This porridge tasted lovely, however I couldn't stomach it all.
The coconut milk was too dense making the porridge very heavy and the flavour was very evident.
I like my coconut flavour being subtle like in pure coconut water, and slightly sweet.
I also like my bananas fresh and not served warm with the porridge, however bananas always taste nice.
They were very generous with the seeds and nuts but I wish this was complemented with the same
amount of fruit to balance out the dry/fresh and sweet/savoury.
I did like the dish as a whole, but I didn't LOVE it, and it is definitely something I can make at home,
so probably not worth ordering when out.
It is definitely a healthy breakfast option for those that are health conscious when eating out!

Bacon, egg, relish and aioli on schiacciata bread - $12
Barossa Valley cured shultz bacon, fried free-range eggs, house made tomato & red capsicum
relish and aioli on schiacciata bread.
Quite a mouthful of a dish (pun intended). For it's cheap price it is definitely a generous serving.
Not the dish I ordered, but will definitely like to try some day because who doesn't love
classic bacon and eggs made fancy?
I must say it did look and smell amazing!

Egyptian Ice Tea - $5
I must say this tasted darn amazing. Loved the colour and flavours,
right amount of sweet, tang and tea flavour. It's the perfect drink
to have by the pool on a hot summer's day. Just so refreshing!
Would definitely recommend this to everyone!

Ottoman Egg - $16
2 poached free-range eggs with crumbed eggplant, garlic labne, burnt chilli and sage.
Menu says served with seeded sourdough baguette, but was instead served with a wholemeal crusty loaf slice
ripped in half, which I thought was quite distasteful. They presented the dish so nicely and then chucked
on 2 halves of a ripped piece of bread. They could of at least cut it nicely, or been more generous again
and given 2 slices. I don't want to be harsh, but first impressions really do matter.
Moving onto the flavour: loved the crispy crumb, eggplant tasted lovely.
I love labne, as I also point out below. The eggs were poached nicely, still slightly runny,
and the crispy sage leaves added a lovely flavour and texture to the whole dish. I just wish there was
more to go with the eggs than just the eggplant and some toppings.

French Toast - $14
With labne marscapone, poached rhubarb, fresh strawberries and pistachio.
For the price I would've like a larger serving. Although the toast was thick,
it still wasn't very filling. That's probably my only constant complaint for circa,
more consistent and generous serving sizes Apart from that,
loved the flavours, generous cinnamon, lovely toppings, and YUM labne marscarpone.
I always love a bit of sour dairy with my sweet breakfasts.

Oolong Tea - $5
I was expecting strong and bitter, but this was quite mild, and
had a subtle black tea flavour. I could definitely taste the infused
blossom and sweetness, but to me it just wasn't punchy enough.
The presentation was very elegant though, love the clear crockery,
and generous serving.

Roast beef sandwich - $15
With Gouda, rocket, picked mustard dill sauce and other ingredients that I might have forgotten.
Sorry I don't have a copy of their menu and can't remember the exact dish of the top of my head.
If only I had eidetic memory right?
My sister said this sandwich was the best sandwich she had ever had, so I had high expectations.
But then we got home and I saw it (she ordered it takeaway) I was severely disappointed.
I thought the taste would redeem it, but it was just average.
Yes I love Gouda, and the beef was cooked well, and the sauce was tasty, but I hate rocket
and there wasn't anything special about it and the bread felt store bought.
I definitely don't think it's worth it's price tag, looks like a normal sandwich,
not anything gourmet. If it came with sides of salad or chips, that might make $15 more reasonable,
but I will never pay that much for a takeaway sandwich, sorry.